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At least two rather than one new tubes, and new unpatched tubes fitted at the start. The Scorpion already has marathon plus, and it's trailer will get the same.

Wednesday 14th marked the beginning of my last week. Seven days available if needed, but a preference for at least two complete rest days before work, so ideally home in four or five. No rush, but 40 to 50 miles a day needed. I was leaning towards a really short day, just back to Ullapool via...

Filling in the first of three fairly short days after the longest: Scourie to Achmelvich. I had plenty of days left, regardless of the southward route I chose, it was very hot again and my legs were telling me not to take the hilly north part of the mad little road. There was also the...

7 days on, 7 days off most of the time. Then 21 days each time I get a shift off, which averages three times a year. So 5 shifts of 7 days before the next big trip. Time for a couple of shorter ones before then, whenever the weather coincides with my off time. Can't complain!

Well, I'm home safe with a few missing days to describe and another great adventure to look back on when the wheels stop turning. Only one actual puncture at 960km, all the others were patches detaching spontaneously, always at a standstill and always on a hot day. I'll have a play with super...

Yesterday was the transition from 'holiday' roads and traffic behaviour from Sheildaig via Kishorn, Lochcarron and Strathcarron back to the altogether harsher world of drivers focused on A to B in minimum time on the unavoidable main A87 trunk road from the Skye bridge to Morriston bridge and...

I've landed in the midst of the CELTMAN extreme triathlon in Sheildaig, and no room at the official campsite, so forced to wild camp on the sea front. I can think of worse places to be... I may be up early to see the swimmers emerge from the sea just before 6am... Shady lunch stop in...

It started with a hiss... There I was, just finishing my third mug of tea last evening, when my front tyre gently crumpled into a floppy useless zero air configuration. It had been fine for days, but the hot sun seems to do funny things to patches. An old one had unstuck, and down it went. I...

Monday, the longest day. Another pair of links in Lairg's web took me east to almost Bettyhill, then south to Syre, approximately west back to the unused arm of Altnaharra's crossroads, south again to Crask Inn again, then south east almost back to Lairg and then almost back on myself to go...

A bit of online research on Sunday morning decided which way Sunday's route would begin: Lochinver Larder closed, Elphin tearooms open at 10:30. I rolled up at 10:32! Tea and cake, and quickly joined by many others. I was in no rush, and easily absorbed almost an hour in conversations about...

I was away early on Saturday as midges too few to mention and hot in the tent. Apart from direction, I had no real plan, but the hazy visibility and ample energy from a bright but not clear sky encouraged riding over sight seeing so I just rode. Quickly back around Loch Eriboll and into Durness...

More sheep in the lowlands, none in the wildest places and quite sparse in the in-between. I see enough of them at home, so they are not a priority target! Maybe plan a tour with indoor accommodation to avoid the midges, very late May to mid-June for choice, or April given a good forecast. I'm...

Oh yes! Smidge and a head net are my protections, plus planning camps for best chance of low midge count, plus when necessary, early to bed and late to rise. I almost always camp at the coast.

That must be why I could only manage 94 miles yesterday... I forget the name of the website that shows UK generation mix in real time, but if analysed I suspect the data would show the lack of wind has been by far the larger effect. Policy-wise, linking aircon demand to provision of enough...

Friday started at a gentle pace, not many midges on this east coast, away just after 09:30. One of the reasons for coming down here was the need for shopping. Had I carried on on the north coast I would have had Thurso, but yesterday's road is the only one not to pass through Lairg, so...

You will only know the answer regarding hills when you have ridden your bike on your local hills with your expected loading. But being a mid motor, hill climbing is easily fixed by changing to a lower bottom gear. The smaller the wheels, the smaller the problem though: your 24 inch wheels are...

I'll get back to filling in the gap later. This morning back at Tongue, up early as a long day potentially ahead, at a midge free camp so safely out of the tent already, I have a powerful early morning top up charge going on. I rode most of Lairg to Altnaharra yesterday alongside Linda, on day...

Thursday began with a short side trip to Talmine, and it's bay, beach and pier. The road goes on several miles further, but I left those for another day. Then back across the causeway and up the first of many hills on the road to Bettyhill. I stopped at the second of last year's three cafes as I...

Which brings me to Wednesday. Having arrived at the campsite after the office had shut, I was relieved it opened quite early as I was after an early getaway. Almost on the dot of 8am I was paid up, and reminiscing about the first time I stayed there (1972 or so...!), And then away. Easy enough...

And so to the grey day! A late start as no point rushing. For most of the day, the two connected panels were producing 50W or less, and I consume on average 100 to 150. So a day run largely on battery, which thanks to the sunny previous evening started at a healthy 40.5V. The main objective...