The West Coast of Scotland Part 2 – The Revenge

When	7 to 15 May 2016
Distance	780km/487m
Elevation gained	8940 m
Bikes	Dharma and Hayduke (cross monsters)
Equipment	2 panniers and handlebar bag (sleeping in hostels)

Scotland never fails to surprise. We had been up the West Coast 2 years before and knew that the weather up there is harsh and changeable, so that we were ready for rain and storms but we were blessed with days of blazing sunshine, and a lot of headwind. The landscapes were superb as expected but the traffic was quite a spoiler, especially in the one lane roads. Still, very happy with the trip and with the memories we took with us.


Day 1 – Inverness to Alltbeithe – 80km, 640m elevation gained

1 week in Madeira
23-30 January 2016

Getting back to normal life, and work, in winter, after months spent cycling in the wild is hard. You look at work as a waste of life and you can only find solace in planning future trips. One rainy and dark winter day we looked for some winter break destinations and the cheapest option was Madeira. I had to check where it was and when I saw it's an island in the Atlantic I expected it to be as dry as the Canary Islands so that I was not convinced, but after seeing a few pictures it appeared the perfect trekking destination.

We found a great deal in EasyJet Holidays: flight and the hotel for 1 week for £170 each and we booked it straight away. We planned to do some trekking and cycling there but the truth is, Madeira is a different world from anything we have even been before!

Back to the Highlands
Stonehaven to Pitrochry via Deeside Way, Braemar and Glen Tilt

When	10 and 11 October 2015
Cycled	170km / 106miles
Bikes	Dharma and Hayduke (cross monsters)
Equipment	Light (we slept in a hostel), Paul brought a Camelback and me a pannier, had I know the route before I'd have taken a rucksack but the pannier was ok too Lots of waterproof stuff (useless in Scotland but you have to believe in something)
Considerations	Midges are still around I really don't like mud but I'm getting addicted to the bike packing spirit When an experience mountainbiker describes a route, the word “cyclable” is translated to “no way I get on the saddle here!”

Back from the Great Divide we were eager for more adventure, but time constraints wouldn't allow for more than 2 days. We wanted to see new places and planned a route on both paved and unpaved roads, and on the second day we decided to change the route completely.

Chapter 8 – Conclusion


Sometimes (well, many times..) we cursed the route, whoever draw it, us and the bikes, but, was is worth it? YESSSSS We have lived a dream and will never regret anything about it. 

Considering the amount of miles we covered, we considered ourselves very lucky – never got sick, no injuries, no mechanical problems, no guns pointed at us, we are still talking to each other, all went so smooth that we can't hardly believe it.

Chapter 7 – West US Road Trip


After 3545km / 2200 miles of dust, dirty roads and endless uphills, on 31 August we finally reached Santa Fe and celebrated the end of the Divide!

Chapter 6 – Touching the sky in Colorado

Colorado was by far the best State we cycled through. Finally cycling was fun again! As soon as we entered it we could feel how people love sport. Bicycles everywhere, for the first time we did not feel weird. People are also extremely helpful and chilled out, the mountains stunning, and the terrain smooth and nice. Colorado we love you!

After spending 2 days off in Steamboat it took a while to get back in the cycling mode, but at least we charged up with energies for the high passes to come.

Chapter 5 – Avoiding the Divide

After the National Parks the Great Divide route leads to the Great Basin, a 135 miles stretch known as the biggest graveyard in the USA. We knew there were works along the way and some bit had been rerouted, and because the temperatures have been very high over the previous weeks and especially because we couldn’t really be bothered to spend days in a desert, we decided to follow the Trans American route for the following 4 days and rejoin the Great Divide in Rawlins.