Hebrides Tour - Day 1

The journey north:

Into the Japanese Prefecture time zone.

Lugging a loaded touring bike on and off trains has to be my least favourite part of cycle touring, apart from maybe the endless climbs, and getting stung  by nasty hornet things in Spain, and crappy hostels, and strong winds, and hunger, and thirst and a few other things I won't elaborate on. Nevertheless, trains are a hassle.  I am probably more likely to upset my fragile back manhandling my bike on or off a train than at any other time during the tour.  At least spending all day on trains allows me a further recovery from my current back and hip flexor issues.  My 6 mile test yesterday has lulled me in to a hopefully justified sense of security but Thursday's rather longer journey across the Isle of Skye will be a sterner test which, if failed, will cause all sorts of shit. Fingers crossed!

Well, the journey started well and went significantly downhill.  Preston to Glasgow Central, no problem.  Except for the curious leep forward in time. Soon after crossing the Scottish border I noticed my phone had jumped from 10am to 6pm?  It seems I had changed to some obscure Japanese Prefecture time zone, has Scotland surrendered it's sovereignty to a distant land?
Once in Glasgow there followed a stressful ride across a busy and unfamiliar city. A half mile journey which involved cycling down one way streets and on pavements. Queen Street station was a big mess of building  works and judging by the demeanor of the staff there, completion won't  come a day too soon. 
The train I needed to Mallaig was to split 3 ways and no one seemed sure which part I should be on?  Fortunately the announcement put things right but that provoked a frenzied reshuffle on a very busy platform.  Having been told I must remove all pannier bags from the bike prior to boarding I was left weighed down with bags and trying to push my bike on to the train with one hand, not happy.

Once settled on the train I was happy that there were no further changes to make, I could sit back, relax and spend 5 hours watching the weather turn from sunny to shite! 

Ben Nevis is there somewhereg

Just before  arriving in Mallaig an announcement brought news that bad weather had caussed the cancellation of the evening ferry to Skye and that my ferry in the morning was also in some doubt.  A days delay would throw my week long plan in to turmoil. The journey from the station to my hostel is around 50 metres, I was drenched when I arrived, still not happy.  I got to my room and found the zip had broken on my cycling jersey and then I got a message from home to say the car  had broken down.  Beginning to see the funny side!

Let's see what tomorrow brings, more shit no doubt.

Oh, as I plan to be away for 8 days I've had to ask my wife Claire not to eat my birthday chocolates, I'll post another photo of the box when I return!