Another Year Older…Any Wiser ?

I awoke on the ‘Big Day’ to a wet and drizzly Cromarty – the last time I’ll have a Birthday in my 50’s !! , I know I don’t look it, in fact most don’t believe I’m 50 !       Thanks to everyone who got their cards/presents to me before I left…no doubt there’ll be a big pile behind the door when I get home…? I had a look around a wet Cromarty early morning, whilst deciding what to do, having a long conversation with a chap trying to work out which Campervan would suit him best ! and having made plans for lunch, continued around the Black Isle, looking out at the oil rigs in the sea, and little harbours all around the coast – the rain was easing off, so hopeful of getting a ride later in the day… I called to the Black Isle brewery http://www.blackislebrewery.com/ hoping to purchase some Porter to celebrate the Big day later…unfortunately the place was closed…ah well, I left the Black Isle to itself, and returned to Inverness to meet up with Kate and Chloe for my celebration lunch, which she treated me to ! Lovely, Thank You

Then I was off again, further up North, to Golspie http://www.highlandwildcat.com/index.php to sample a few of the trails around here, although I had promised myself I wouldn’t do the Black trails anymore …( I’m an old geezer now !). I found myself a good spot to stay the night, overlooking the sea to my front, and in a forest clearing, so hoping for a clear night sky…I got changed, got on the bike and headed off into the forest..along the ‘Pict trail’ and then out onto Queens Drive, up through the forest, guided by a local who I met, and out onto open roads, looking across at Ben Bhraggie http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Bhraggie which I’ll be climbing tomorrow, with the monument on the top.. it was quite a different view to what I had expected and I just kept riding for a while, before turning around, and roaring down the hillside to Wally, to finish all my phone calls and texts..and relax for the evening…

As it went dark, the sky was reasonable clear, so I settled down on my bed, to await it getting fully dark …and promptly fell asleep ! – when I awoke…the clouds had come over …so the moment had gone, and I retired undone !

Goodnight -Thanks again for all my Birthday Wishes