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!

Molly and I both had the opportunity to practice a new skill during today’s ride … the fine art of Sheep dodging. While biking uphill, in fact way uphill into a p-Scottish Highland valley where we are spending the night, we often found our way forward blocked by the local residents!

Down by the sea, families were out and about enjoying the fine weather. Mr. and Mrs. Gray Goose watched over the kids. (even though rare to see in the Duluth area … believe this family might be Greater White-Fronted Geese).

Read more about Molly and my three week bike tour of Scotland …

Molly’s impressions of our trip via her blog:
https://superiorfootprints.org/tag/scotland-tartan-cycling-tour/

Our daily bike trip diary via Crazy Guy on a Bike:
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/ScotlandTartanTour

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

1. The fine art of Sheep dodging on a bike
2. A Scottish Highlands vista. Will eventually climb the mountain in the distance
3. Gray Goose Family 1 (Graylag Geese)
4. Gray Goose Family 2 (Graylag Geese)
5. Our route through yesterday … 451 miles biked … not flat!

And the John James Audubon cycling tour through Scotland continues. Today’s new bird was found when beautiful song attracted my eyes to a nearby treetop. Amazingly, singing just before supper I found the Caledonian Rust-Throated Canary. Given spring is making itself obvious on the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides, this bird was obviously in search of mate! Same challenge as yesterday for my readers!

On the cycling side of the equation, we were thrilled to only deal with huge climbs and steady headwinds of 30 mph (much stronger gusts). To reach Harris from Lewis we had to climb a very tall mountain pass. When the headwinds for a short period blew across our route of travel, I was actually blown off the balance point of my bike. Thankfully, I was able to kick out of my pedals and avoid a fall. In addition, while trying to bike downhill at one point I decided to test the strength of the wind. Even though the downhill was reasonably steep, while trying to coast down the incline, the wind was able to blow me to a complete stop. I weigh 185 pounds; thus Isaac Newton was trying to help to no avail.

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

• Caledonian Rust-Throated Canary (European Robin)
• 1/2 way up the mountain
• Our route through this evening