LEJOG Day 7 to Oban

Well after a days rest at home I was raring to go. Plan was to leave at 7am and rattle 25 miles to the ferry for Arran. And then up to Lochranza and ferry onto the Kintyre Peninsula. - Well so it was supposed to be before a fatal mechanical malfunction sorted that. 

Nice run up to Ardrossan and I bought my 2 single ferry tickets and boarded a very packet Caledonian Isles ferry. - the Goat Fell race was on. And going by the resultant weather I did not envy them. 

I left the ferry at 1045am bound for Lochranza, along with every other millionth cyclist. The rain had started and didn't look like stopping. 

Up through Corrie and Sannox, I've come to love this Island having cycled it many a time. There is a sore climb up to Lochranza but your rewarded with a fantastic 2 mile decent. -.... But I wasn't to be rewarded with that. 

On the 2nd slope up I heard and almighty bang and near came off. Rear hanger had snapped - and I came to a sudden stop. .... 

An almighty number of swear words followed as I decided to figure out what my options were. - quite frankly I did not have any.! 

On a hill, 2 miles from Lochranza. 12 miles from Brodick on the Isle of Arran, I knew my day was over. And even maybe this entire trip. Gutted was an understatement. 

I started decending the hill and after Sannox walked around 5 miles in the pissin rain on the way back to Brodick. -Eventually  a kind guy and his wide gave me a lift in the back of their open pick up and dropped me back at the ferry terminal. 

Wet and moody, (don't answer that....) I bought a single back to the mainland and arranged Maryann to pick me up. ... And then see what my options were. 

Clearly a dark day during LEJOG 

Distance 47m / 1591ft Climbed

Total 688.3m / 32,661ft Climbed