Carlisle to Glasgow - Day 24

Date: September 11th, 2009
Distance: 99.75 miles
Country: Scotland
Song of the Day: Hand in Hand - Dire Straits

So it was basically another century today. I wasn't really going to do it all in one go, but I somehow lost a day. I thought it was Thursday, but I woke up to it being Friday. I had told my friend Jay that I was going to be in Glasgow on Friday night. He was going to set me up with some of his mates to show me around. So I was determined to get there.

I left the campsite just after 10:00AM. Rode though Carlisle, and then out North. Got a bit lost getting into Scotland. But really, I was heading north, so I couldn't go that far wrong. I know men aren't supposed to ask for directions, but I find it very helpful. So far everyone I have asked has been quite happy to give directions. Even if they don't actually know.

Eventually I found the road I wanted and also the cycle path I wanted to take. And for once it was excellent. The NCN 74 from Carlisle to Glasgow. It goes basically along the M74 motorway. But on a couple of side roads (B7076 and B7078) that go right along the motor way. There are a few more dips and hills than the main road, but overall I have no complaints. The terrain however was a bit of a beast. It reminded me of Snoqualmie Pass for some reason. I didn't see anything that said it was a pass, but it definately was up and over. I was making pretty good time. I was hoping to hit Glasgow by nightfall. So I really had to push. After three weeks of biking basically 50 miles a day (with full kit) my legs feel like they are made of steel. (Then again, tonight they feel a lot like lead.)

About 30 miles out of town, just before the long downhill run, I met a couple of bikers who were going the same route. I guess they were raising some money for charity by biking. They had stopped because their support team, basically other members of the family (include a cheering grandmother), were out there to encourage them along. They were even kind enough to give me a Mars bar (a Milky Way, for people in the states) for energy. Thanks guys. So I thought the least I could do was give a plug for their cause, the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

After that it was pretty much down hill. All the work going uphill was finally paying off. Zipping along above 20mph feels great.

Getting into the city however was a pain. No one knew how to get there on a bike. It was all motorways. A nice couple suggested I take the train. Which actually sounded like a good idea. So I did cheat the last 6 miles into the city. In my defense it was getting dark, and I didn't want to fool around for a couple of hours trying to get there on the bike.

Once in the city, I found a hostel to stay at. Unfortunately Jay's mates were out of town, so I was on my own. I just stopped off at a pizza place and ate the whole thing. Mmmmmm. It wasn't like Talarico's big or anything. But I was pretty hungry after the day's ride.

The area near the hostel was pretty hopping around then. I think it was the first week back at university. So there were a lot of people out in bars. I stopped in for a pint of cider, but at that point I wasn't amazing interested in staying at a noisy pub. So I went back to the hostel for a little internet time. Hence the last big posting. I would have gone to bed sooner, but I was talking with some of the people at the hostel. One was an american girl who was taking a semester in London. There was also a Spanish guy who was on holiday. We ended up talking into the wee hours.

-Dravis