Day 96 - Was a wee bit Scottish

Jandowae to Kumbia 72kms (or thereabouts as the cycle comp battery died)

The atmosphere in Cabin 6 this morning was both nervous (Louise) and excited (Kerstin).  The mood of all sank when the sight and sound of heavy rain greeted us on waking.  But a little bit of patience and positivity paid off, and for a brief moment the sun was shining.  We took this as an omen and began pedalling, after two weeks of stasis, it was a liberating feeling to be rolling along another unknown road.  

Farewell Cabin 6

The sun lasted about five minutes, and we had to pedal through some large puddles just to get out of the caravan park.  With the clouds low and grey above us, and the sounds of water all around, we both felt the similarities with our travels in Scotland.  I am happy to report that the temperature was distinctly dissimilar, so despite creeping damp, it was at least not cold.  While humidity ticked along at 95% and the very air felt heavy.   Water in liquid form was also plentiful.  The Jandowae damn was perilously full, the rivers were running, occasionally over the roads, and many varieties of mud were available to sample.  The kind that sticks to your tyres like glue, the kind that you just sink in, the liquidy stuff that flicks off your tyres and into your face, the kind that drys on your bike like cement, and that irritating sandy kind that makes your chain sound like gravel in a nutribullet.  Gradually we collected all sorts of wet and muddy.  If this continues I feel mould is the inevitable next step.  

The road climbed to 700m above sea level, accompanied by wind turbines, the obligatory headwind, and a soggy kind of fog, we were both feeling the pain of a big effort after two weeks of illness and recuperation.  Spirits were low, as evidenced by these concrete bunkers looking appealing enough to crawl in for a bit of respite.  

But as the Scots say "They that dance must pay the fiddler" so we saddled up, and slowly, made our way over hill and down dale into the little hamlet of Kumbia, where even the pub is closed.  Luckily for us the servo is still open, and making steak burgers with the lot.  So we might have wet feet, but we have full stomachs and a flask full of whiskey.  Goodnight all.