Mad dogs and Englishmen (go out in Scotch mist whilst blowing a hooley)

Well blog fans, today decided to be our toughest test of this marathon journey, we have just arrived in Glasgow from Selkirk after leaving at 10.30AM. it’s 9.00PM now I am tired, covered in spray from the Artic lorries and can’t believe it took us so long to travel 76miles. I’m sure you will forgive me for a shorter than usual blog. Wright now I want to lye down on a bed in a foetal position and drift away into sleep.

Here we go: we woke to a lovely sunny day in Selkirk, up and at um we headed off to FCA’s office just down the road from our hotel to be greeted by tartan bunting and an excitable reception. Foster carers and staff turned up to get the Selkirk event underway. Rumour was true and kilts were delivered for Chris and I to wear….what the hell was my agent thinking off signing me up for kilt wearing! To my surprise, a kilt is a might fine and manly garment to wear, especially when amongst other men. I didn’t want to give mine back but after a short ride wearing it I decided lycra was the way to go to avoid bringing the name of FCA into disrepute. The foster carers and staff had been working hard to raise funds for our chosen cause, James Clamp who raised £180 in charity run and Social Worker Mike Mitchell and his Family Emily, 7 and Ritchie 4 who raised £42 on a cycle ride of their own, thanks all. We also received a top present from the Selkirk gang, a Selkirk Bannock cake.

We set off in haste for the South Lanacshire Border and Glasgow beyond. Katheryn our support driver was due to head back to Bristol today we arranged one last meeting place 20 miles up the road in Peebles. Before she left she played us a Proclaimers track; on my way from misery to happiness. Flip this around and that may best describe our day. Four seasons in one day, hail, rain, sun but most off all a 25mph hooley blowing directly into our face. We battled away for hours over the exposed Lanacshire countryside, our will being tested to our limit. Our emotions ranged from hysterical laughter to near despair, at times we were going down hill at 10mph compared to our usual 25 to 30mph. finally we reached the outskirts of Glasgow, skirting through the suburbs onto Glasgow city centre. In the back of our mind we couldn’t help but think of the two kilt wearing Scots at the Selkirk office who would have surely thought we were soft southern Sassenachs for crying at a little Scotch mist.

Hopefully the weather will be a bit kinder to us tomorrow and the blog will be back to its usual chipper self.

A special mention to Katheryn our disappearing support driver, she also introduced us to a new addiction, Scottish tablet, hmmm.

Your daily stats:
76 miles
11mph average
Special request for road kill stats again-you know who you are: 2 deer, 3 pheasants, 1 buzzard, 2 crows
2 kilted Scots men