Yikes, they've got...bikes?

I've been out of touch for a while, not because nothing has happened but because I've barely had reception and I've been rather busy. The past couple of days I've been helping around a lovely little farm north of Inverness, run by an older couple, in exchange for a roof and some food. We've cleaned out a trailer full of cow dung, spent some time on a project of mine and just had a lovely time talking and getting to know each other. It's been a fantastic few days and I sincerely hope to visit again. Now, for the big reveal.

A few days ago in Aviemore, Jacco picked up an old bicycle for £20. We fixed it up and got it running but were stuck with one bike and two riders. For us, £20 is about two to three week's food, and good food by our standards. Predictably, buyer's remorse popped up its head and we went to set up camp feeling depressed and angry at our foolish waste of what little funds we had. It struck me that we were down because we had planned around something we couldn't quite control or managed, and when it fell through it took us down with it. I had a can of condensed milk, finished my book and realized we were being silly. So I set about formulating a plan we could easily follow and control - hitchhike to Inverness, and either fix up a bike there or hitchhike onwards.

So, dismayed but not defeated and somewhat optimistic, we stored our 'new' bike at the youth hostel, promised to come back for it, and hitchhiked to Inverness. There, Lady Luck smiled on us and we found a battered but repairable frame at the junkyard. The next day, we got a back wheel and tires for £5 and set about fixing it up. It worked, sort of.

The back wheel was not aligned properly, the back brake couldn't connect, the chain slipped constantly, the gears didn't work - but it could go forward, which was good enough for us. Now, we had to get our other bike to where we were, and were faced with the issue of one tent between two people in a rainy country. After a few hours of looking for work and then a bed just north of the city (its really a town but was given the title of city - but really, its barely even a town), I came across a lovely couple willing to give me a bed until Jacco returned with his bike from Aviemore, in exchange for some help around  the farm and house.

My bike still needed fixing, so they, along eith their nephew, helped me fix the saddle, realign the wheel, attach the back brake and set the gears up so the front three heavy ones work. Now, my mountain bike is running somewhat decently, and I know how to fix the rear gears the next time I'm at a workshop. It wobbles and squeals but it runs.

I had my first strawberry. More on that later.

Here I am, several days later, with food in my belly and having showered, with a working bike and possible work later on. The plan: cycle to Loch Ness and find the mythical creature. Also possibly cycle up to Skye. After that, I'll probably settle somewhere. Possibly. Maybe.

Last but not least, the blog will be moving to a new address soon, I'm setting up a proper site for it to allow me to post things in a more efficient way and share experiences on the go instead of having to go through the entire editing process manually on a smartphone. Don't worry, I'll let you know exactly when and where it will be.