WE DID IT!!

It's safe to say the weather didn't read the script, or I need to work on my relationship with the weather gods! No sunshine at the beach in the morning and definitely no sunset - see the gallery pics - but it was still fun and I was joined at the last minute by Bob Cooper from the change team - thanks for the banter through the night Bob.  We left Cairngorm car park around 8.30pm and biked/walked to the summit, it was windy! We left the bikes at the Ptarmigan Restaurant as planned and walked up to the summit, being buffeted by the gale, it was cold in our summer gear - all spare layers were on! We sheltered in the lee of the summit cairn from the gale force wind and stinging rain (reportedly gusting 60-70mph, which gave a wind chill temp of -5C) and left pretty quickly -  just before 10pm -  to get below the worst of the weather. Thank you to the four hardy souls who walked up to the Ptarmigan to see us off and pass on some extra chocolate treats!  Once in the forest at Glenmore it was much more pleasant and  although cloudy we only needed to switch on the bike lights around 11.15pm after climbing through Ryvoan pass.  A break in Grantown square for some food and water just after midnight, some drizzle from there as we climbed up onto the Dava Moor, the darkest and most exposed part of the ride, we were both feeling pretty sleepy by 1.30am so had a 10 min power nap in the shelter of some trees... until the midges found us! Then off towards Forres, with daylight creeping back by just after 2am and onto Findhorn east beach just after 3.30 am.  It was grey and windy with drizzle again at the beach so I didn't finish with a dip this time, but after 10 mins or so of rest on the beach Bob rode on home to bed in Ardersier and I headed to our campervan parked at the Findhorn Foundation.

If you feel the need to donate to MyMelanoma now we have completed this challenge then please do - it will all go towards some really badly needed research into living with Melanoma.

Maybe you want to join us next year, when the weather will obviously be much more like summer(!!) ?....

Melanoma and other sun-damage related cancers of the skin are increasing in this country year on year.  We all remember Antonia's presentation at the EO staff meeting when our charity of the year was announced and Antonia told the story of her colleague Sharon Hutchison.

The idea for this challenge formed following that presentation as a way of celebrating midsummer in the Highlands, Sharon's life and setting a fun challenge that also highlights the sun is great, but can be
damaging, especially if you have fair Scottish skin!

The route is 95% off-road, and during the midsummer twilight hours.