The Bermuda A713

A Black Hole is made up of anti-matter and has such a strong gravitational pull that even the surrounding light is sucked into its abyss. One of these Black Holes exists somewhere between Castle Douglas and Ayr on A713.

After yesterday getting up today was a feat fit for the world's strongest man. Luckily we had less mileage than we first thought today so spent an hour looking at our bikes this morning.

We trekked back up to Castle Douglas and took a coffee at a friendly local cafe. You can just imagine me and Gaz looking very out of place there.

"Where have you come from today?"

"Darl-beet-ty."

"You mean Dalb@%t4*"

"....Err. yeah?"

Finally feeling half normal again we set off at an Ian Stevens pace, then three miles down the road. Gaz gets a puncture. It was from here that the dark hours began...

50 miles of remote road. Riding the A713 felt like going through the Bermuda Triangle, but with a head wind and ice cold rain. Everything hurt- my shins, thighs, knees, ankles, shoulders.

For a while I managed to enjoy the scenery. The gorgeous hillsides. The bell Heather in bloom. We saw kestrels swooping and two eagles fighting. But mainly we hurt. It was lucky we had each to help pull through. Otherwise there would have been no hope.

Rarest of all- we saw a Scottish weather rock. Amazing feature. It tells the weather to 100% accuracy. Today it was wet, which meant it was raining.

We stopped for a breather half way up and play poo sticks to an epic scale, but our sticks were engulfed in the torrent. The Black Hole sucks all possible joy from the day!

Suddenly. Through the other side. We pick up speed, the weather starts shining and we're into Ayr. Or as Gaz pronounces it 'Eye.'

After coffee and a panini it goes downhill again. I don't recover. Both me and Gaz feel cold to the bone and I start to feel very sick. They say your body looses it's ability to self regulate after long endurance.... I fear that mine is simply shutting down. I stick the sunglasses on to try and avoid the world around me. It definitely helps.

The rest of the day seemed to get good again bad we find a nice quite cycle road to take us to the ferry over to Ilse Of Arran. It doesn't dissapoint. It's beautiful. And Alastair awaits us the other side to take us to his Tavern to recover.

Tomorrow. 130km to Oban.