Molly and my Scotland Tartan Tour is complete. For over 3 weeks we biked over 830 miles while we experienced the beauty and hospitality of Scotland and her people. We leave for the airport to fly home in about one hour. Looking forward to being out in the woods in Northern Minnesota chasing warbler photographs in a few days! Expect to see results here.

My daily trip diary on the Crazy Guy on a Bike Touring

Molly’s impressions of our tour on her blog

Images … Me! (tour complete) and Our Final Route Map

Molly and I got off early yesterday on our day’s bicycling. We were thrilled to have calm winds and crystal clear skies for our cycling. Better yet, after 120+ miles over the past few days conquering HUGE mountains that border the Scottish Lochs, we now were travelling through the more gentle land near the coast.

While biking through a farming area I suddenly spied the rare Caledonian Crested Quail! What luck for this Scottish John James Audubon (bird ID for today’s post … comment with your identification). The day turned out to be very “birdy”. Also found the “Long Tailed Limey” and the “Great Blue Striped Heron” (I actually know the ID for these two birds!).

It was a great cycling near and along the Atlantic Coast. We are now 19 days and 733 miles into this bicycle tour. The trip diary may be found on the Crazy Guy on a Bike Portal. You should also read Molly’s impressions via her blog, Superior Footprints.

Photos: (edited after returning home … real bird names added)

• Caledonian Crested Quail (Northern Lapwing)
• Great Blue Striped Heron (Gray Heron)
• Long Tailed Limey (Ring Necked Pheasant)
• My Bike Enjoying the View on the Scottish Coast
• Our Route Map Through 19 Days of Touring

Molly informs me that we climbed 3,200 feet in elevation while cycle touring in Scotland today (Garmin data). We have now biked over 500 miles on this trip. The hill climbing was tough today, but the rush hour traffic made the ride almost unbearable! 🙂

Photos: (edited after returning home … real bird names added)

1. Molly avoiding rush hour traffic
2. Molly dealing with all the cars along the Loch
3. The local traffic cop, a “Whiskey Piper” (Common Sandpiper)
4. Our end goal for the day, Tobermory on the Isle of Mull. Our lodging for the night is the pinkish colored building on the right, a SYHA Youth Hostel! We were please to discover upon check-in that the information card one must fill out actually had an age grouping older than the two of us … 70+ year old youths!