LEJOG Day 12 Fort Augustus to Invergordon

61 miles, 3645' ascent, 4 3/4 hours ride, cum 878 miles

Another really good day's cycling and I arrived in Invergordon (on Cromerty Firth) in good shape

It was a shorter day than most others, so easier and after an initial 5 mile climb, and fast downhill to Loch Ness it was undulating (some sharp pulls) or flat. It was quite windy, so the squall on the way up the first climb was very unwelcome, and crossing the Kessock bridge was interesting. There were real waves on Loch Ness and the conditions clearly encouraged an air sea rescue team to practice rough water pick up technique

The final wind-assisted ride along Cromerty was just great and the estuary views terrific in good weather

But dear blog reader, I have two confessions to make

First, every crank of the pedal takes me further north in the UK than I've ever been before!  Previously I'd got as far as Inverness (walking the Great Glen Way) but no further. Now I can see what I've been missing and will return

Second confession is that I had a little mental wobble just after lunch. It was a bit like a marathon wall, only less so. There still seemed a long way to go; my feet were damp and cold from the squally hill top weather; the hills seemed hillier, and the straight roads longer; maybe tiredness and some aches creeping in on day 12

So I gave myself a talking to, dropped to a slightly more easier pootling-along speed, thought about how much has been achieved in 12 days and how little distance relatively there is to JOG, and worked through it

And arrived in great heart here in Invergordon, with only one long ride to go - tomorrow - to get to the north coast

JOG on Saturday!