Welcome

to my bikepacking blog!

Pictish Trail, Scotland – September 21st (Day 5)

We disassembled our camp before a sunrise and although the area seemed pretty remote, a guy in a truck was passing by and stopped to ask a few questions. We explained to him our reasons for being there. He nodded (probably thinking we are insane) and drove off. No one bothered us since on this remote stretch. As we rode, the sun rose and the wind from yesterday became a memory. The air was very cool. We rode through tree farms again. Tree stumps filled the right side, while newly planted trees adorned the left. Their fate terrified me. They were growing only for one purpose. The gravel changed into a double track. The path was deeply curved into the ground, making it hard to pedal as the pedals hit the higher ground on both sides. It made the ride really frustrating. I contemplated on what still awaited us ahead. The route offered a surprising mixture of surface so far. I enjoyed the farmlands, but pedaling on their paths was rather challenging. We passed one of the train stations we stopped at while on the train north. Traveling by bike, a few days on the route can feel never-ending. Every day holds abundant potential and stands apart from the rest. It seemed this way now as well. I felt like this trip was shaping me, carving fresh paths in my brain and heart. Nothing will compare to the experience of traveling, especially on the bike. We stopped for a meal and at a small grocery store to resupply. There was one huge climb on the route on our day 5. It took an exponential amount of energy, all on the uneven gravel. The views of the landscapes didn’t disappoint. So far, this route was amazingly beautiful. We rode some mountain biking single track. It was fun. Chris was trying to use his phone to record some of it and often lost his balance. As night approached, we pedaled along a flat path into a town until it grew dark. Finding camping there required us to be more creative. Fortunately, a park with a small pond was nearby and we pitched our tents away from the trails.