BURKEYS END 2 END : Day 6: What, No Beer?

Balloch to Abington 63.96 miles

Time Spent Cycling: 6 hours 09 minutes

Average Speed: 10.3 mph

Our excellent accommodation at Innkeeper's Lodge provided drying opportunities for our sodden clothes and shoes although with the radiators on full-blast our room took on the guise of a Chinese Laundry! At least we set off in the morning with dry clothes and we were not going to get wet again today as the sun was beating down. What a difference 24 hours can make in this country!

We started the morning at the Pharmacy after Ella had developed a painful blister which made yesterday's riding even more of a misery for her. It was touch and go the night before whether she could carry on or not. She uttered a little prayer that it would sort itself out and in the morning the blister had popped. This was fantastic news for us all. We had come so far and really put in a super-human effort yesterday that it would be a shame to end it all there and then. I gave up my cycling shorts for her to wear underneath her own and we also bought some sanitary pads which I am not ashamed to say I wore two of in place of my padded shorts! The things you have to do on the road.

A gentle saunter down the Balloch to Glasgow Cycle Path took care of the first 17 miles without breaking sweat. It was a lovely start to a lovely day the only slight problem being a portion of the path in Glasgow was closed due to the Commonwealth Games starting in a couple of days' time. We had to work out a diversion for a mile or so along the roads. This provided the opportunity for a brew at a roadside cafe with views of bus after bus as the outside tables happened to be right next to what must have been Glasgow's busiest bus stop! It was hardly Glencoe - still like I say, what a difference 24 hours can make.

We crossed the River Clyde at Cambuslang and followed the A724 through Hamilton where we drank tea and ate cheesecake. We were enjoying the leisurely pace of today's ride, especially after yesterday's exertions. The only climbing of the day was in the last hour on the cycle path which runs alongside the B7078 to Abington. It was on this climb that Georgia dropped back complaining of a dead arm and declared that she hates cycling and she hates Scotland. Luckily for her we were shortly at our hotel in Abington and the Burger King we had for tea ensured she was raring to go again in the morning. Not quite the same for Rob and I as the hotel in Abington Services where we were was completely dry. We might actually be able to stay awake now for the ten o'clock news and weather!