My journey started at Squires at officially 0533hrs however rally control marked my card for 0530 hrs which couldve been unfair lol. Anyway, my plan of action was to try make the route as interesting as possible as this was going to be a long day. I needed to be alert for as long as possible. I had the waypoints marked out in my Tom Tom and set it for the shortest route hoping that it keep me off the fast boring routes as often as possible. I can certainly say that it did so. So leaving Squires I headed through Swillington, Rothwell, Batley to join the M62 at junction 23 where I would make my way to Birch Services. Having got to Birch and seeing that it was full, I decided that I would just nip in and buy something small. Not needing any fuel as I had half a tank left, I just bought some chewing gum and off away I was. I left the M62 at Junction 18 onto the M66 and started my ride up North. Came off at Junction 1 and headed on the A56 past Rawtenstall and Clayton-le-Moors until I reached the A59. I was on there until around Grindleton and turned right onto some lovely country roads that Ive never seen before. This road took my on the A65, a road which I recognised but couldnt figure out where it led to that was until I reached Ingleton and realised it was the road that went to Devils Bridge. Turned right into Devils and carried straight on. Went over the M6 at Beckfoot and alongside for the M6 just thinking that the road I was on was a lot more interesting than the road beside me. I eventually reached Old Tebay and joined the M6 and quickly jumped into Tebay Services for a fuel stop. I think so far I was averaging around 44 mph. I knew that to do the whole thing I had to average around 42 mph so wasnt doing to badly to be fair. I had a little bite of my flapjack and carried on my way. I carried on the M6 increasing my average mileage to around 50 mph until I reached Carlisle at Junction 42. I rode through Carlisle, not really that interesting apart from some sort of castle thing in the middle of the city and rejoined the M6 at Junction 44. This was the bit I was dreading as there would be no exciting roads for a long while. I crossed the Scottish Border at around 0915 hrs and carried on up the A74 and then on the M74 little did I know that these sort of roads in Scotland are common place. On this road however, I started to drift away, losing concentration a few times. I now know that if this happens I need to do one of 3 things. One of them things being make the road exciting so I eventually reached Junction 8 and carried on up the B7078 through Larkhall and into Hamilton. I remember riding through an area which had signs saying that this was a Social Inclusion area or something similar like that. I eventually ended up on the A724 after having to take a large detour as the main road through Hamilton was shut due to a market. I ended up in some rough area, at the time not knowing where but eventually realised it was Glasgow. Went past the O2 academy and through some industrial areas and onto the A814 towards Clydebank. Id survived Glasgow without any hiccups and carried on until reaching the A82. I was thinking to myself that Fort William (the next checkpoint) wasnt too far away. I was wrong as I saw mileage signs saying that it was further than my current fuel level would get me there. I did have an opportunity to fill up just before reaching the A82, but didnt. The A82 was nice and twisty in places and also went alongside Loch Lomond. Unfortunately though there were many cars and overtaking was sometimes at a premium. Anyway, my fuel light was flashing and I was quite worried that i wouldnt make it to the next petrol station. I was searching frantically through my Tom Tom for a petrol station and finding that the nearest one was around 20 miles away (as the crow flies). I was thinking that I would have to pass over a few mountains just to get there. Luck would have it that as traffic ahead of me was slowing down I noticed that cars were turning into some sort of little shop and cafe area. I took little notice originally but then noticed that there was also a petrol station. This was at a place called Tyndrum so I was quite happy with the find and filled up and had another couple of bites of my flapjack. I didnt feel that there was time to have something major to eat plus having something bigger wouldve made me quite tired indeed. I also took some pictures whilst I was there and then on my way again. Carried on the A82 through some beautiful roads and passes. The views of the mountains were awesome and just indescribable. Finally got to Fort William and just bought a bottle of water. Was I going to make a mistake again by not filling up at this checkpoint; well see later on. Fort William is quite a nice place to ride though especially in this sunny weather. So I carried on up the A82 and took a rest break in a lay-by at the side of the road as my concentration was disappearing again. I think I couldve been inches away from hitting oncoming vehicles so the break was well needed. I finished off my flapjack and took on some water. I stopped somewhere between Fort Augustus and Urqhart Castle, next to that big Loch (after looking at a map just now finding out to be Loch Ness) I got to Lewiston and instead of staying on the A82 turned left for the short journey on the A831 and then a sharp right and up a hill onto the A833. This was a quiet road with no cars, plenty of sweeping bends and really nothing to worry about. I even took an active part in the Highland Cross cycle race which finished in Beauly. Driving through that village I imagined that the people clapping were clapping me through lol as the cyclists were entering the finish area. I turned off the A833 onto the B9169 and headed towards the A9. Im so glad that I did that route as the A9, having done it going back was so boring. Up the A9 and over the Cromarty Firth. This road especially after Dornoch was probably the most challenging as it was right on the coast with the North Sea. It was twisty and windy too. It wouldve been a good ride if it werent for the wind but I finally got to Wick at around 1715 hrs. My fuel light had been flashing at this point for around 20 miles so I was glad to finally find a petrol station. Filled up, bought some small caramel shortbread thingy, put my jacket on and I was away again. Heading back South from Wick was a lot easier than going up as the wind was behind me. However heading back down, concentration started to disappear again. I certainly didnt want to stop on this road so I opened my visor and let the fresh air hit my face. This certainly woke me up and I kept going back down South on the A9 through Inverness passing on my left hand side ICTs football stadium. Through Inverness and onto probably the most boring road, the A9 between Inverness and Perth. I took a break on this road somewhere in a layby. Another quick bite to eat and I was away again. Thank god Tom Tom was with me as it took me off this road just once through Dalwhinnie making the trip a little bit more bearable. The A9 just never seemed to end plus my fuel light was flashing again. According to my Tom Tom I was going to make it to Perth with about 5 miles of fuel left. I was desperate for fuel and saw a sign for fuel and turned off the road into Blair Atholl Garage. Bit of a mistake was the petrol station was closed. So back onto the A9 and hoping that I would make it to Perth. I did so with little fuel to spare I guess. Im glad I was filled up again From Perth I took the boring route to Edinburgh on the M90 over the Forth Road Bridge and into Edinburgh. Next checkpoint was at the Dreghorn Link road. I filled up again just to make sure Id get back to Squires with no problems (200 or so miles to go). I hadnt used that much as I only put 3 litres in. Bought myself a burger as this was the first hot food Id had all day. It was getting dark and there was one more checkpoint to reach, Berwick on Tweed. I thought it was a clever idea to stay on the shortest route however, this proved to be a major error. I went through Dalkeith and instead of riding the A1 like every other clever rider did, I went through Lammermuir Hills on the B6355. It was dark and I nearly came off the bike twice as the unseen loose gravel caught me out a few times. I had been warned before starting that riding through areas like this in the dark could be dangerous due to Bambi and his mates running into bikers. Unfortunately by the time I decided to now take the fastest route I was quite deep into the hills and I had to endure another 15 miles of this B road before finally reaching Berwick on Tweed. After a quick pit stop at the checkpoint, I blasted off down the A1. I had by this time switched my Tom Tom to the fastest route as there was no way I was going back on an empty country road in this darkness. I had to stop off in a layby again just for a break. This was before I got to Morpeth. I was determined not to stop again so I carried along the A1 so a quick stop at Washington Services and I was away again. At this stage I was probably going mad and started to talk and sing to myself to keep myself awake. I even started making my own songs up just for the fun of it. It definitely worked out though as I ate up the miles without noticing it and eventually got back to Squires without needing another fuel stop at 0257 hrs. According to my speedo I did 1012 miles.
way to go man. Congratulations on doing it. I was going to go the anti clockwise northern route so that It was motorway and well lit and services on the last leg, for the very reason that you said about the dark lanes on your own.
