Raven's Roads
Living an interesting life: the travels and musings
of motorcycling author Linda R. Moore

Feb 26, 2005

The Last Post

Filed in Britain 2005 (1), Travel

My last day in Scotland was magnificent. We went to a very remote glen where two ancient iron age brochs nestled amongst glorious scenery and lovely old trees that danced. The road had a 14% gradient and switchbacks, and I wondered how I would do riding on it, since the surface was very gravelly. At a vista point in the middle of nowhere we had a picnic, and I photographed the snowman that had been built there by some previous lunatic touring Scotland in February.

We travelled over moors and a series of glens, and as we rounded each corner the landscape got more stunning. The mountains were snow covered and looked like iced buns. We got a look across a loch to Skye. News of the week is that the toll is now removed from the bridge, as it has paid for itself. I don’t know that I’ve seen the Skye bridge, though I’ve been over there on a ferry.

It was a wonderful way to end my time there, and out of the wind it was quite mild, with stuff budding and getting ready for spring.

I flew south the next day. The next few days are a blur…a lot going on. I met another friend, “Taliesin”, and we did a day trip in Cambridge. I ran out of steam but enjoyed exploring the fantastic old buildings and magnificent bookshops. I stayed the last several days in Hitchin and got to go on snarfari. It has its own system of plaques and I got many of them, Taliesin grew up there and took me to a bunch of places I never saw while the snow quietly came down.

On my last night, Talitha’s erstwhile room mate Pete invited us over for a bonfire, and it was grand. I met some new people, some of whom I understand actually liked me and I can come back, so that’s okay.

And so it goes. I flew home on a busy flight, and listened to lots of music. Meanwhile, I recover from the jetlag of doom, and leave you for now. I will be back in this journal at the end of March/beginning of April as I prepare for my ride (or flight) to Texas.