Let it be forgotten, the sanitary scandal. Cheers to the chopping at the Chicken Yard!
Yesterday evening I spent with the physically only moderately strenuous activities: lying down and reading (recommendation, even if it is only slightly original: "Gang vor die Hunde" by Erich Kästner. The edited version of "Fabian", a part of the German school canon ). Because today's stage, even if it was only 66 km long, should bring enormous challenges.
It seemed to me as if this stage was like the final task in one of these big computer role-playing games: The way leads through a bizarre landscape, once again all powers and abilities have to be used to finally stand in front of the boss villain who has been fighting from afar for such a long time. The world is very simple in computer games, but then again it is quite complex in reality, so there may be a point.
Surely there was no villain of any kind in the end. Only fantastic scenery, friendly people and a small golf course (which will be mentioned in the next article), which was laid out and maintained with manageable means. The way, however, was considerable. Fortunately not only in the ups and downs, of which there were plenty, but also to the right and left. The landscape was simply magnificent. So wide, wild views, rough mountains on the horizon, brown-green-violet heath and both soft and rugged cliffs to the sea. It was pure pleasure to drive, stand and marvel here.
here, I also passed a landscape, which is likely to undergo a major change in the near future. It is planned to build the first space airport on European ground outside Russia. As fascinating as the idea is and as fitting as the landscape here seems to be for futuristic purposes, since it is reminiscent of the typical seemingly abandoned landing areas from various science fiction movies, in which the complication lurks reliably behind the next rock: What happens to the fantastic surroundings in this process? It would probably, maybe possible to make the gigantic building as such bearable by skillfully selecting the location. But what infrastructure will be necessary to realize such a colossal project? Somehow I don't think that the country road, partly a single track road, which opens up the area here, is sufficient to cope with the swarms of trucks that are undoubtedly needed for such a project. Well, maybe the British government will take another look at Berlin before then and basically question whether it is possible to build airports at all...
Then, the surroundings at Loch Eriboll were completely different once again. This is an estuary that reaches 16 km deep into the landscape. Due to the lack of a bridge over the 2 km wide water, it is necessary to cycle 10 km to the south first and then again almost 14 km in the other direction.
As on the rest of the route up here, there was very little traffic and the wind was hardly noticeable in a southerly direction, probably because of the protective hills, but pushed strongly northwards, so that this section was very pleasant to cycle, despite a rather permanent vertical change of direction. Shortly before the end it went steeply uphill again and even steeper downhill.
Today I was looking forward to my B&B, which was often praised in various reviews. And indeed it was wonderful with Sarah and Neil. The room was as good as new, the bathroom a dream which came true and I could put up the maltreated legs and see an ancient summary of the 2010 Ryder Cup in Wales while writing some articles for cycgo.net. If there's anyone in the area - which I strongly recommend - the Churchend Cottage is the place to be!
Due to the Star Trek-esk landscape, this section of the day receives the Unknown-member-of-the-outside-team-that-will-quite-sure-die-memory award in platinum. A great day!