Home at Last........
I have never been involved with something as amazing as this!
We met Lucy and her gang of support riders at 2.45a.m on Thurs am and after a hug; our bikes being plastered with pink pen and bras and a rather tight "baton" being hoisted on to my jacket
(well done Lucy for doing that!!) we set off. It was just meself, me hubby and our Grahame.......later to be joined by Andy (whom I only beeped at (to say we were there) but never actually met!! sorry Andy
). and off we went ready for our meeting with Bambi!!
The deer appeared out of nowhere
and luckily did not run, but took literally one step to be thwacked by my left knee (thank god for padded knees), spun round, missed by Derm and with a "th-thump" run over by Grahame. Poor little thing never stood a chance -
--but luckily it was it and not me (as much as I love wildlife!!). My sister is not speaking to me for killing a poor wee doe -- but I can live with that!!
Anyway after a bit of hysterical crying on my part
(poor Grahame - he was very handy, went and dragged the deer off the road then ministered to this girlie rider with a sugary drink and a hug!) we carried on!! The funny bit was the sign, a little bit on, warning of the deer crossing potential and then a couple miles later - the cattle crossing warning!!! Hmm!! Anyway - I figured the chance of it happening twice in one night was remote so bombed along (well
-- bombed is a relative term for me - esp with my poor, more experienced, support riders!!
).
On the whole the ride went really well and as we arrived in Fort William I was so elated. My memories? The full-moon over a glass sea; the stars; no clouds; arriving in Fort William behind a bloody slow truck; peeing behind a wheelie bin by the sea as the menfolk discretely looked the other way; and.....
arriving to cheers at the Lochy Inn (half an hour late) with GC; Cookson; Oonyack; Mart P; and so many others....but especially Nashskye( Tash)...with my Highland Coo!! We have called her Tasha after that wonderful woman whom I lift my hat to!! She was amazing and made my courage seem like a drop in the ocean compared to what she went through.
All us girls did well eh?...but all our menfolk too! Thankyou SOOO much to everyone who was thinking of us; greeted us; hugged us and everything. This has been a life changing experience for me and I will never look back where my biking is concerned. In May I couldn't drive a car more than an hour without getting pye-eyed and tired.....now I can ride 1430 miles and not look back......what a week!!
I cannot wait to meet you all again. If Hovis (on this site) and his Heff
had not introduced us to GS's .....where would we be now???? Not as happy as we are now!!
Thanks Karen.........thanks everyone but esp thanks to Grahame and Dermot (and to the brief company of Andy) without whom I could not have been so brave!
Moo
PS I wish I could post piccies........I just am NOT that literate with the PC.