Day 9: Pitfalls in Pitlochry

Today started well with the usual meditation at 7am and then a hearty breakfast at the Perth hotel. A standard pitfall we experience is getting a little lost on the way out of wherever we are leaving. It happened again this morning and Google maps was abandoned and we simply used our intuition to get onto the Pitlochry road.

Though our ride was only 27 miles, we decided to take a longer, better route with less traffic (the traffic on the A9 looked ridiculous). Our route was 30 miles.

There were some beautiful scenery with mountains, forests and glens to take in en route.

I had a revelation today with hill-climbing. I raised my seat by three quarters of an inch and everything felt different. I found I had more power and climbed hills more easily (though they are still hard). I cycled up most of them today, and there were plenty of them as usual. My seat had been too low. What a fool I have been!

We got into Pitlochry around 3pm and checked into Mackay's Hotel. Pitlochry was heaving with tourists thronging the streets. Hotel reception suggested we take our bikes to our rooms. Then we found our room was on the top floor! After a lot of manouvering worthy of a Laurel and Hardy film, we got the bikes up to our room. We then found our electronic key didn't open our door. Prajnakara then went down to get Reception to deal with it, and got locked in the lobby and had to escape through the fire escape! What a farce! Eventually we got sorted and settled.

We spotted a bike shop and went down there. I have old fashioned 'rat trap' type pedals on my bike and we both felt an upgrade to more modern 'clipped in' SPD pedals would further assist my hill climbing. I laid out good money for special pedals and new cycling shoes with the clips on the soles. 

Except that Prajnakara and I were unable get my old pedals off with the tools we had in our maintenance tool kit. We need a special tool. So tomorrow, it's back down the bike shop to see if they can put the new pedals on immediately. I hope so because we have 42 miles to ride to Newtonmore. 

I reflected on the hierarchy of logistics and purpose here: 1) I need to get to the Pitlochry bike shop when they open to get an early job slot. 2) I need the pedals changing to pedal more efficiently the 42 miles to Newtonmore. 3) This a stage of my second Big Bike Ride from Land's End to John O'Groats. 4) I'm doing this ride to fundraise to develop a Buddhist centre in Kolkata. 5) I want to develop a Buddhist centre in Kolkata because there is interest, and I imagine many beings will benefit.

Quite amazing hierarchy, really.

We saw a wild pyramid orchid today (see picture).