Where it all came to an end

Hmmm... day 4 was easily summed up with one word, "disasterous." Now I am not sure if this is a strong enough so I whipped out my handy-dandy thesaurous.

disastrous
adjective

a series of disastrous floods catastrophic, calamitous, cataclysmic, tragic; devastating, ruinous, harmful, dire, terrible, awful, shocking, appalling, dreadful; black, dark, unfortunate, unlucky, ill-fated, ill-starred, inauspicious; formal grievous.

While catastrophic and cataclysmic may be a bit over the top, that said appalling and dreadful seem to hit at about the right level.

Anyway, after my night in Bonchester Bridge, I awoke to find myself coming down with a cold. Not surprising considering the mileage I had been riding in the pouring rain. However, it looked like the sun was breaking and I was only 60 miles outside Edinburgh, so if need be I could jump on the train and got to St. Andrews for my first conference.

If I just take it easy and let the sun warm my bones, everthing should be alright. Right?

As I would find out... Wrong.

Sun, glorious sun

Sun sweet sun: Sun washes over the road out of Bonchester Bridge, Scottland.

As the day got going the sun broke and I was awash in the warm glow of a long forgotten friend. After a few miles the heat started to clear my chest and for the first time in the last week I was sporting a smile as I rolled across the scenic Scottish countryside.

I was loving bike touring once again. There is nothing like having the miles roll under you as the sun shines and there is not a car within what feels like a hundred miles. This is what makes Scotland ideal for cycling. Quiet, quiet rolling roads. The efficiency of the fixed gear bike just started to eat up the miles, as I flipped back to my tall gearing so I can make the most of the fast rolling roads.

My first stop was for coffee and a croissant in a small town that doesn't see many visitors. An older woman with a walker, tells me she figures I am Australian, I smile and agree. Perhaps this is one small part of the world where drunk Australians (god love em) haven't invaded. For the record I am Canadian and usually get mistaken for Americans (ack!).

With a title like "The Disaster"
Thank you Surly for making a fine fuckin' product in the Steamroller complete.