Day 15 - Pitlochry to Aviemore. 60 miles, hilly bits 2800 ft

When you’re staring at someone’s bum, mile after mile, you get to notice their quirks.

Alan is the most natural cyclist in our team, and seems to regard handlebars as an unnecessary extra. He happily cycles hands free, doing up his coat, or taking photos as he pedals.

Richard sprints back and forth, conducting video interviews with each of us, swivelling round in his saddle, phone angled any which way but forward.

Christine chomps her way through the contents of her handlebar snack box, holding out jelly babies as carrots. It might not sound like a cycling super power but I can’t even look sideways without veering into something.

Susanna would do well to figure out she has a rear brake as well as a front brake. Or at the very least save herself the weight of carting round an unused bike part.

As for me, I’m just grateful no one has fitted stabilisers to my bike yet. Susanna tells me my legs are too short for elegant rotations and my frantic pedalling seems to take twice the effort of everyone else.

Today’s lessons:

1. Aviemore YHA showers make up for Pitlochry’s.

2. Dont be surprised that it’s liquid lunches only when you stop at a single malt distillery.

3. Nothing like cycling in front of a tractor with fangs on the front to make you go faster.

4. Corridors of yellow gorse smell as sweet as roses.

5. Scotland’s cycle route 7 is the best. Smooth tarmac ribbons that look like they‘ve never been used.

Goodbye and thank you Perthshire.

Goodnight.