Day6: Acros the Border

I'm not a very pasionate man..., but I thought I'd start with this photo. As many of you sleep, I begin my day on the road. Normally there are few places to take pictures, but today made up for that as I left Carlisle behind and headed for the border. This picture kind of sums up my day... I decided that as I had come all this way and I was as close to touching the Roman empire as I would ever get, I would visit Hadrian's Wall. The place where the divide began. As I headed from Carlisle to Banna, this was my companion in nature... Nothing but the open countryside. I would guess that for at least part of the ride it was 10-15miles before I saw another vehicle and the country just lay before me. So I smiled and I rode.

Birdosfort (Banna) is a fort erected by the Romans which is perhaps the most well preserved along the entire length of the 73miles(ish). It is - to all intents and perpose the dividing line between England and Scotland. It doesn't seem much, but when you are there, it means so much... I sat on the dividing line. Hehe!

I stopped, I looked, I conquered. I rode on.

The traffic was extremely bad, but then as I made my way from the old fort, it was around 9 O'clock in the morning, so rush hour was in full swing. It has been hard the past few days, because I have forgotten more than once what dayI'm on... so can never were I'm meant to be. Sure I have a map and a plan of where to be on the next day, but that doesn't actually tell me veryu much as all. I rode around a hundred little roads, A roads and back roads and ther it was. Gretna. I had arrived in the beautiful country... Then I got a police camera stuck in my face and reality hit me again! Still they didn't stop me, so I can only assume that means that I'm ok. Never the less there I was, Scotland.

The miles roared by as did the time and the scenery and then a little before 1pm, I found myself introducing myself, drinking coffee and then leaving - Glasgow. Edinburgh was just a short way away... 43 miles.

This is just the highlights, but I have to say the feeling of relief... joy and exhiloration just over-whelmed me as I met the guys in Edinburgh. Again, they welcomed me. Plyed me with coffee and then we did photos. Still it was wonderful. When I set off five day before I had no idea what to expect, or the people I would meet in each of the dealerships. They were fanatistic and cheered me on my way. So thank you to Kirk and all the staff in Edingurgh.

The only road that remained was that to Stirling (from which I'd ride to Alloa for a warm bed and a good meal.) and what a wonderful sight. For those that have been there, as you turn the A90 the felings just bombard you... don't they? Wallace and the gateway

before me...

Tomorrow will be a road to remember, I think, and the longest yet... some 5 and a half hours lie between me and John O'Groats. Prepare yourselves...