Evanton Saturday 13 June 2015
Start: Inverness
Finish: Evanton
Miles walked today: 22
Total miles: 928
Jimmy and I are chatting to Terri in the quiet bar of the Balconie Inn. The other bar is heaving, but calmer now than when the football (Ireland v Scotland Euro qualifier) was on. (Do you remember John from the 7th of June, cycling with his bad leg. I really hope he's in Dublin and enjoyed the game). Food is rushed hither and thither, drinks appear at tables and the vibe is one of organised chaos - pure brilliant.
Terri expresses her surprise that I've walked over 900 miles to enjoy the Balconie's hospitality - "Get tae ****!!" Quite. My feelings exactly. To once again quote Winston:
"This is not the beginning. It is not the end of the beginning. It is not even the middle. But it could be the beginning of the end."
Terri's thumbs are a blur on the keypad of her phone. She's donated to the cause! Then her friends Kimberley and Barry follow suit. They seem impressed and make Jim and me feel very good.
Our evening started well - for Jim. He beat me at connect four (again) which means dinner is on me. I'm going to have to think of something for tomorrow evening where I have a chance of winning - a quiz on sixties children's TV shows, perhaps?
In the morning we walked across the Kessock bridge to leave Inverness, just as a big ship was entering the river Ness, and then followed the shore of Beauly Firth. It was damp and chilly, but not the downpour we had feared. Striking north took us to Conan Bridge and then Dingwall. Jim (Mr Healthy Eater) entered a shop and got an apple, a banana and a carrot (I kid you not)... I followed him in and purchased a bag of liquorice allsorts. If I'd known Jim was going to castigate me all afternoon about the evils of Bassett's delicious sweets and their dire effect on my digestive system - I'd still have eaten them :) (As I type this I'm eating the complimentary shortbread in our room just to annoy him. Not because I'm hungry or anything.)
Near our destination of Evanton Fiona cycled past and stopped to talk. An end to ender on two wheels, she had two more days to go. Fiona said she stopped so often during the day to talk to people that she often reached her overnight stop around nine in the evening. At this point we have a good view of the Cromarty Firth and can see distant oil rigs waiting to be deployed or dismantled.
Kenonymous has again excelled himself on my fund raising page - even going to the length of fining himself for a late entry. And C&N have again put a spring in my step :)
