By the way have really enjoyed reading up the blog since we got back and catching up on everyone's comments, poems and songs. When I can think of some that aren't rude I'll put some up myself. Meantime, we are working on the actual mileage, the photos, thank you letters and still getting requests for articles and interviews on the trip.

Meantime the fundraising total has passed £25,000 and is still rising so thanks to everyone who has contributed so far, you've all been amazing. If you haven't yet, there's still plenty of time and every penny really will make a difference.

[This is JC, finally (??) signing over and out!!]

Bad start to the day as we had a 1pm deadline for getting to John O’Groats, so we asked the hotel for an early breakfast, but the best they could do was 7.30am, so we did the bikes and the luggage first, but as cooked breakfast didn’t arrive till 8.10am we were half an hour late leaving. Critical really, as we were then half an hour late arriving in JOG! After the rain squalls of yesterday and Friday night in Inverness, today was bright and sunny for most of our ride.

The first 20 miles, though, were like Cornwall and Devon all over again, we just couldn’t believe the hills! Louise kept rambling on about cycling in Norfolk (obviously hallucinating!). Despite the steep hills Martin, Louise and I all managed though I wouldn't mind betting Abbie’s not too sorry to have missed this leg! The big hills stopped at Reay, where Jenny Gregory, a very kind deaf lady, had promised us tea and she delivered .. along with chocolate too! Priceless and this certainly revived us for the last 30 odd miles. We then passed Dounreay power station, some lovely coastline and had a final 40 mph freewheel into Thurso with some great views of the Orkneys. There were a couple of blips when our main chain came off again, Hammie says we’ve totally knackered it! Two local cyclists joined us for the last 15 miles, so we had company for the final stretch.

Rogni (short for Rognivald, old Viking name) and Linda Brown, who live half a mile from John O’Groats, and are parents of a friend of ours, Kirsten, an Usher lady from Aberdeen, who was also there, gave us a great welcome with a huge DBS “Well Done” poster in front of the car park, but we were going so fast, we cycled straight past them. Felt bad about that, but then they all came down to the front for numerous pictures of us all. By then, the sun had gone and the wind was back in earnest, so it was very cold. Dot was so well wrapped up, I didn’t even know who she was at first. Then we moved back to their ‘welcome’ sign and had more pictures there, before going into the hotel for a slap-up meal with Rogni, Linda and Kirsten. Rogni had also organised showers and rooms for us to change, but we ran out of time, so didn’t use them. Rogni also kindly paid for the dinner for us all, so was a terrific host for a very fitting End Of The Road Lunch.

Must mention again how great Drena and Hammie were – they kept us all safe and were brilliant company throughout the trip. Between them, they did most of the cycling too, but do have to say that Drena led exactly the opposite of a charmed life - every time, she took her turn cycling, it was raining (Inverness), very windy (Lairg to Altnaharra) or very hilly (like first thing today) – poor lady! But she bore it like a trooper and, between them, they helped to make one of my dreams become reality and I will be forever grateful for that.

It was great we had Dot to help out too, as without her we would have been stuck, as the van was only a three seater. Hammie and Drena were able to drop Martin off at Inverness station, for him to get the train back to London, and then they started their long drive back to Glasgow, while we headed for Aberdeen with Dot, eventually arriving home at 11pm, to find all 3 of our children waiting up to congratulate us, give me some great Father's Day gifts including some Rocky Road which Myfanwy had made especially. The eating hasn't stopped just yet!

I do feel sad that it’s over, as it’s been non-stop for 2 weeks and everyone has been so kind the whole way with their hospitality, time, money, support, attendance at parties and friendship. It’s been an adventure!

Many, many congratulations to you all – I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say how full of admiration we are for the whole team and what you have accomplished. So it only remains for me to say how much I have enjoyed “caretaking” (ambushing?!) your blog, but now, Bob, it’s over to you again …

JC - Chief Blog Consultant!!

PS. See late entry just in on poems page!

Passed through Bonar Bridge, then headed up to the Falls of Shin for some lunch, some retail therapy at Al Fayed’s other store and even popped down to see the falls! From there we went into our 2nd to last shire, Sutherland, through Lairg and up onto the Altnaharra road. The northerly wind was now blowing at 50mph and we felt as though we were cycling backwards! Drena was riding with us and Hammie drove the van in front of us to try and give us some shelter until we got to the downhill bit between the mountains and could cycle at a more respectable speed again.

On the way down, we were overtaken by Dot, a friend from work who’ll be driving us back to Aberdeen tomorrow. That gave us a lift and we stopped for drinks and sandwiches in the Alt hotel, before doing the last 25 miles to Bettyhill. When I mentioned to a local that we’d told Martin (he likes his food) that there were a couple of McDonalds on the next road, quick as a flash he said there might be a couple of McKays and McCleods too!!

It was a great road, following the loch for the first 7 miles and, subsequently, the river all the way to the sea at Bettyhill. There was also welcome respite from the wind, fabulous scenery and lots of photo opportunities for me, while we waited for Martin who was still nursing his heavy cold and looking for fast food joints to catch us up. This is despite the fact that he wears five layers on his bum!! I took advice from professional cyclists and just wear cycle shorts and have had no chafing, abiding by the less is more code, whereas Martin wears cycle shorts, compression layer, base layer, pants and something else – he’s from the very much more is more school! It also means his baggage is light as he's wearing most of it!

It was a long ride, but we’re here now and well fed and ready for sleep. Dot met us at the hotel and had dinner with us. For Martin, today was his hardest day, due to the wind and the number of miles, but for Louise and I, the non stop hills of Devon and Cornwall still take the biscuit. The plan tomorrow is to leave at 8.00am to get to John O’Groats for 1.00pm. Hope the wind relents a little and I really can’t believe we only have 53 miles to go.
Bob