Day 1 - 7UP

Good day and what a fine cycle we have today. A mere 83 miles today with blue skys, zero wind and 21c.

Staff and parents from the PTA at the school have been fantastic and with their help this has generated much publicity.

So 8.30 on Tuesday 21st April 2015 and we were off and running. First stop Livingston. I lead the way in what becomes the norm for the day. With gps by my side and various strange hand movements that resembled corkscrews, wing flapping and pointing fingers giving directions.

Great to see Smithy at Livingston and was kind enough to take some photos of us.

So, all was well for the first couple of hours and soon we were heading for Fife. With the bridge in sight, Phil realised he had left his wallet. Gutted so he was as he had been reminding me to make sure I brought my money for this trip.

So problem solving is what its all about and a quick call to Phils dad and 30 minutes later wallet was in hand. As much as I was keen to pay the trip that would have been one step beyond.

In Dunfermline we met up with Prentice Events (Ann and Allan). Great to see them and thanks for the goodies includingg the bananas (hoping for no slip ups for the rest of the journey).

On we went to Cowdenbeath, Raith Rovers and East Fife. The gps had a wee laugh to itself and sent us on a  wild goose chase. A quick text to Alan Murphy and the reply 'just follow the coast'. We did ....problem sorted.

The last stop of the day was now looming. Dundee. 2 grounds within a wedge of each other. But 35 miles away from us. 

Off we went over some fairly punishing hills and after a few comments like "are u having a laugh Graeme" and "are we nearly there" we got there via the Tay Bridge which you cycle up the centre carefully avoiding pedestrians and then cycling straight into an elevator to take you to ground level - bizarre but did the job. 

Dundee was not what we were expecting. A modern dock area that is getting a lot of money spent on it. I was well impressed and goes against the usual comment about Dundee. 

What Phil didn't realise is that Dens and Tannadice are at the too of a very large hill. I did but only admitted at that point. So one more climb to the finish. 

Once the selfies had been taken (as we did will all the clubs to prove we were there) it was back to the digs in the dock area. 88 miles, 3500 feet (a munro) and a sire bum from sitting in the saddle for 8 hours. 

Looking forward to a 90 miler tomorrow to Aberdeen. Nite nite.