It was one of those damp Sundays in June that forces many off the brightly coloured streets of Kirkcudbright into our hostelry for shelter,refreshment or indeed a bed for the night.
And that's exactly what happened when Lori Beckwith walked into reception. Looking a little damp and tired from a cycle this tough American cookie from Utah ( via Costa Rica ) was wanting to haggle a deal out of me on a room but in the end the thoughts of free Wi Fi, a warm shower, comfortable twin room and the choice of bars and dining she conceded and opted to take the deal. Bikes parked, panniers unloaded time to find out what this pair were up to.
It was then that I discovered she was on an amazing journey along with her son Sage. The pair were cycling, with no support or back up vehicles, from the lake district, through Dumfries and Galloway, onto Arran, then up the West Coast to Oban, across onto the Western Isles and beyond...30 days in all. Wow - I was impressed, I wasn't so sure she was when I started laughing at the thought of cycling from Newton Stewart to Ayr via Girvan - my idea of a nightmare ride.
So I've got a note of Lori and Sage's blog - turns out she's a pretty good photographer as well and there's me saying - why the hell did you bring such a heavy camera on this trip !!
Follow this link to Lori Beckwith's blog
You may want to follow their journey, you may even bump into the pair. I have a huge respect and admiration for them - enjoy your time together, enjoy Scotland and it was a pleasure meeting you both. Good luck on the rest of the trip.
