not quite the time I forgot to put my bike in the van but, coincidentally, round about the same area. oh yes, and a question at the end.

so after yesterday’s dazzling sunshine (most likely referred to for the rest of the year as the Scottish summer) I foolishly believed the weather forecast which said cloudy with ‘some’ rain.

out from dunkeld and up to loch tummel to have a look for some of the etapers for the weekend. first 15 miles was fine. of course I made the beginner’s error of saying to myself ‘maybe i’ll get away with it’. within a mile the first fat splat of rain hit my face with all the charm of an angry bumble bee.

by the time I got to strath tummel the rain was getting biblical on me. or so I thought. cutting off on the aberfeldy road the weather was quick to remind me that p1shing rain was not the only manifestation of itself it had in its toolkit. disappointingly it seems beyond the capability of bbc Scotland to warn that in addition to a deluge it’d also be blowing a hooley.

last night on the mountain I didn’t feel like I had the legs. today as I made my dreary way up the hill behind the tack sweeper, feeling that great sensation as the water coursing down my legs filled up my socks, was to prove no different. grumpiness set in, as did the need to wear every bit of kit in my bag seeing as it’s Scottish summertime and it’s Baltic. okay maybe not Baltic as my relatives decided to send me sunny pictures from the beach while all this was going on.

as I was heading into aberfeldy I made what may have proved to be a cardinal mistake. rather than heading down the main road I thought it’d be quicker to take the shortcut to Kenmore and over glen Quaich. which was kind of a good plan if you discount the fact that the weather is probably likely to be most bad in the place that’s most exposed. which in these parts is… you’ve guessed it!

getting to the top was bad enough but then I had to get thru the next to zero visibility and avoid either being blown off my bike or sliding in the copious sheep ordure or burst toads. no matter once I got down the downhill surely the wind would be behind me.

again with the beginner’s mistakes. courtesy of such audacity the window was reaching tabloid ferocity. I t was all about the low gear and getting the head down for the wee road past loch freuchie. at amulree I’d intended to have a cake stop but it’d taken me so long to get there I decided to push on to crieff, mrs swiss and coffee and cake.

by now the rain had reached laughable proportions. but I was near enough to journey’s end so I got the head down and made the best of it. i’m no fan of the gilmerton twists into crieff. they’re not difficult but just nippy enough to be annoying on tiring legs, esp if you’re cold, knackered and all you can think of is getting into the shop for massive coffees and top quality cake (red squirrel in crieff i’m talking about you)

such was the cast of my mind as I rounded the last bend into the thirty zone into road works and straight into the back of a stationary car. I tried my best to avoid it but roadie brakes and water… the folk in the car got a big fright and a me shaped dent. I got a trip to a&e and some broken ribs along with sundry other bumps.

and by the time I got to crieff the cake shop was shut!

my question then – anyone else tail ended a car? any advice? ta

Should’ve visited my dad, he lives in Crieff and always has hundreds of cake. That’s why I ride up to see him so often, that and making sure the inheritance is still in good nick.

anyone else tail ended a car?

Yes.

any advice?

Shorter posts help.

Sorry I’m in a sarcy mood.