Mrs. B kindly drove us both back to the previous nights finishing point after we had had our usual Tesco / Sainsbury porridge pots. Not the best but at least we get some fuel in us until the girls meet up with us later on.
The route we followed was on the B7076 which runs right alongside the A74(M). Most of the time the road was really smooth and fantastic. Just wish some of our roads could be that good. Other times the surface was rough. So rough I'm sure we both lost fillings along the way. After another long slog miles behind Ric, we stopped for some warmth at Abington Services. Soup, Toastie and black coffee!
The girls had been shopping in Gretna's Outlet Village so only caught us just outside Hamilton, some 60miles into our journey. Have to say that their timing was spot on as Ric was wondering where they were and we stopped to phone them.
Cold and wet and filthy from the muck on the road we welcomed the break!
I think thats Motherwell in the background.
The next meeting point was to be the Erskine Bridge, approximately 30miles away but that turned out to be a nightmare ride. With no faith in my Garmin GPS device Ric decided he knew better than to follow a left turn we should have taken and kept us on the A74. To some extent he was right as the particular left turn was a dead end, but the next one wasn't and that was our A724 route to keep us just south of Glasgow's centre. Oh well!!
We ended splat bang in the middle, stopped at every set of lights, got lost, fell out. Fun and games. At least we saw the 2 football grounds in the process!
Celtic
We didn't get close enough to Rangers, plus we'd had enough too!
This part of the day was so demoralising. We just never seemed to get to the Bridge. I think I might apply for the position of Directions Director!! someone should make the signs better.
Eventually we did make it but we had spent ages getting through Glasgow that it looked unlikely we would get to Crianlarich today as it was already around 5pm and we still had over 40miles to do.
Ric's duaghter Jess has some good shots of us coming over the bridge which I will add later.
Erskine Bridge itself? Well, all I can say is thankfully there is a cycle path! Its quite an incline and very windy too.
We then dropped down into Old Kilpatrick on the otherside for another feed session. Then I noticed that the A82 we were to ride on had quite a climb for us straight after we had eaten. It was buys rush hour time and I didn't fancy struggling up a dual carriageway at maybe 8mph when cars were rushing past us at 60+.
A sensible decision saw us stay to the old road A814 which was our first bit of luck. We knew we would meet up with the A82 again a few miles further along so hoped the old A814 would be kinder to our legs. And it was. The A82 climbed and then came back down to meet us so thankfully we hadn't had to risk ourselves in the rush hour traffic.
Then we had a second stroke of luck. Ric noticed a Cycle Path route called Route 7 Loch Lomond. We jumped off onto it around Dumbarton and followed it along the River Leven to the bottom of Loch Lomond. It was a great route, well signposted, with nice flat tarmac. It might have wiggled its way along the river but we're sure it was a better and safer option the scarying ourselves silly on the A82.
Unfortunately, we had no choice at Loch Lomond but to follow the A82. Our target was to get past the junction for Helensburgh ( where our hotel was ) and to see how far along that stretch, we could go before finally calling it a night.
It then started to drizzle.
We tried the cycle path but that proved too slow with tree routes slowing us down to under 12mph at times. Back on the road a more normal pace resumed. We had arranged for the girls to check into the hotel and then one of them to come and collect us. I was flagging as the A82 gently climbs for miles and miles. I'm now coming to the conclusion that these long slog rides and definitely more Mr. B's bag than mine. Thats why he's miles ahead of me at the moment!
And then Jus came past me. Phew. She caught Ric and pulled into the next Layby. It turned out we had gone just over 7 miles past the Helensburgh junction which I was happy with. And, although we didn't make Crianlarich, which was some 20miles still ahead of us, we were still in front of where we wanted to be. Great.
And, more crucially as we drove into Helensburgh, not having to tackle a steep climb out of the town first thing in the morning!! I'm so glad we changed the route!
Now I feel I must say a few words about our hotel choice for tonight ( as I booked them all ). We stayed in the Travelodge which when I booked had requested 2 rooms each needing 4 beds. Two family rooms. Now when you book you have to tell them how old the kids are. We knew they would be in pull out beds but that wasn't the problem. The problem was the girls beds weren't made, and they only gave us 2 towels in each room. Having to make the beds up and ask for additional towels when they know how many people are in the room isn't on.
And to make matters worse, the room was near to the reception so we had people coming and going past our room at all hours. I didn't get a great nights sleep.
Another reason to complain to Travelodge I think!
Tomorrow, the biggest ride of our lives........
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