THANKYOU FOR ALL YOUR THOUGHTS, PRAYERS, AND SUPPORT. WE COULD NOT HAVE MADE IT WITHOUT YOU AND OF COURSE HIM WHO GIVES US THE ABILITY AND STRANGTH TO DO ANYTHING. See Ephesians 3 v.20
Saturday 26th September
Caught 8am train from Wick and eventually arrive home at  1am on Sunday.

Friday 25th September - Day - Last one
Paul wakes during the night to hear the wind whistling around the house and it sounds constant. Fervent prayer and planning for the possibility of not being able to reach our goal because the wind might make it too dangerous - it sounded that bad. We've got this far so God wouldn't stop us now would He?
We've weakened and booked a taxi and trailer to take us from JOG to Wick at 6pm so once we reach there we won't have to do the extra 17 miles to get to our B & B. We leave at 7.15 just to make sure we have plenty of time. When we get outside, the weather doesn't seem dangerously windy and it's dry so we set off. Though the wind is strong at times, it is northerly, it is mainly cutting across us and the road meanders along the coast so there is not constant battling with the wind. Ian pushes on ahead to get a spoke replasced at the nearest bike shop in 50 miles (Thurso) We pass the 1000 mile barrier at Bettyhill, lunch at Thurso where we catch up with Ian and the locals look at us as if we have come from another planet. Then the final 20 miles to JOG  (64  miles) and the triumphant entry with the crowds cheering, flags being waved, the media swarming - well we saw some other Lejoggers and they gave us a wave and a hearty 'Well done' to which we reciprocated in enthusiatic fashion.
We celebrated with a 'nice cup of tea, Grommet'  and a bun before Ian went off to do his final drawing for the trip. Han and Paul loitered around the few, open, dry and warm souvenir shops engaging in  conversation with anybody who seem remotely interested in what we had achieved, and thus hasten our departure from the place we had strived so hard to reach.
Taxi comes just in the nick of time before we are thrown out of the last open souvenir shop (that would be a first) and we ride in luxury to Wick - good decision!!
Total 1045 miles


Thursday 24th September - Day.....'Whatever!!!!!'

Had a good night at this amazing castle Youth Hostel. I wouldn't call it a  good start to the day though becaus the trio (having totally lost all common sense) decided to make their way back to Ardgay from our castle retreat to get around the loch rather than negotiate some steps from a cycle path which would have taken them straight across an old railway bridge to the other side - not a good choice as it added 9 miles to our journey - but hey what's another 9. The moral of the story is ask someone who might know as it is pretty frustrating cycling away from the castle and then cycling back towards it again - lovely though it might be! Rain most of the way, sometimes heavy with a nice headwind (north easterly) to make sure we didn't cover the journey too quickly. Averaging about 8mph. Very barren terrain but when the rain subsides we do get some lovely views. After Lairg there is very little habitation. We were told about an Inn but our map isn't detailed enough to enable us to establish where it is so at about 1130 gave up the ghost and picnicked in a sheltered spot in somewoods. Thankfully the rain had abated temporarily but t would have been nice to sit in the warm somewhere. Back on our bikes and around the next corner - yes you guessed it, there appeared the Crask Inn!! (I think the 'law of turf' applies!!!!)
Continue our merry way in windy showers and it's starting to get distinctly colder. Eventually after 5hours 40 we arrive at Tongue and as we drop down into the village we encounter our first touch of hail/rain/sleet which makes the face feel numb. Paul (obviously delirious at this point) finds this particularly amusing and has a fit of laughing and still can't explain why but he was not alone as another group of Lejoggers (who were following us about 2 hours behind) experience exactly the same mad moment.
A nice homely YH at Tongue although a bit exposed and you can hear the wind howling around the house. Paul made a big mistake of seeing the weather forecast which predicts blustery showers with north easterly wind - guess what direction we will be heading?