Wet and windy weather heralded the hardest day of the tour. Leaving late from the hostel (with Michael who had waited for him), Jeremy proceeded to turn left instead of right in his panic to get to the ferry, and rode up a steep hill before realising his mistake. Speeding back to the ferry it was humiliating to see it a hundred yards out from Raasay. An annoyed Michael (and Jeremy) caught the next ferry, which in fact arrived soon after, as the ferry had returned to Raasay straight after docking on Skye. A badly planned joke awaited them on Skye, as the driver of an immaculate Aston Martin greeted the duo with the question "Is one of you Michael?", and told them that the group had ridden on. Unfortunately several bikes were obviously visible, leaned against a telephone box, and so the joke backfired. The group proceeded in better weather to the Kyleakin-Kyle of Lochalsh ferry.

The very short crossing took the group to the meeting point where Steve Wilson rejoined the tour, and the group proceeded onwards to stop for lunch at Plockton, a picturesque village with a Mediterranean type climate because of a current that comes in by it from the ocean.

Several miles were pedalled away as the group neared their formidable hurdle before Applecross - Bealach na ba (the Pass of the Cattle). Rising from sea level to 2053 feet in about four miles, the sign at its beginning stated "Not advised for learner drivers or caravans". The plan was for everybody to climb at their own pace, and this was what happened, although the first arrivals soon realised that it was no fun standing around at the cold, wet and darkening summit.

Once all the group arrived the exhilarating descent began complete with frost-bitten fingers, and it only remained for groups to be assigned to their respective b&bs for a night of luxury. It seemed ridiculous that a 72-mile round trip could have been substituted by a two-mile boat trip to get from Raasay to Applecross - if only there had been a ferry.

Just as the group were ready to leave, much later than planned due to wheel truing, Michael spotted the laundry, hidden away in the foyer. Thus, he proceeded to empty the entire contents of his panniers and saddlebag (or so it seemed) to wash them, and by the time the machines were vacant and they had consequently finished their never-ending washing and drying cycles it was very late. Then further time was wasted at the shop down the road buying food, and then waiting around further up the road at a National Trust (for Scotland) building.

Finally the group began to ride up a lane for several miles, which being quiet and undulating meant that the miles went by with ease, but arriving in Kinlochewe, the inevitable prolonged cafe stop came around, and it was not until 1pm that the group got going. Further delay was created when Mark's rear axle gave up the ghost. Jason considerately gave up his bike and walked with Mark's bike towards Carn Dearg, whilst the group stopped at a hotel up the road to arrange for a taxi - phoning up almost every taxi firm in Scotland for the time it took.

However, with considerable expertise and overcoming of daunting logistics, it was also arranged for a cro-moly replacement rear axle to be transported by various means from Perth to Carn Dearg. Thus, after a comparatively normal ride to Carn Dearg, that evening Mark's bike received a major overhaul, whilst Steve's mechanical "expertise" was applied to Jason's wheels, with undesired results. The night was spent with Andrew's "Gingerbread Man", his own modernised version of the book that had provided the entertainment on the hospital on Skye, as well as much laughter over the female warden beckoning Michael into her little shop.

What with Michael being away and the mist getting lower by the minute, there was reason enough to make it a short ride. Taking the flattish route to Holne and back the group got back to Buckfastleigh as night fell.

Having cycled from Buckfastleigh alone, Richard was pleased to be met by two new members and two not so new at the Marldon pick-up. As the QE2 was in Torbay the roads were very busy, so Man Sands was abandoned as a destination and nearby Elberry Cove was chosen instead.

Mark Lakeman directed us through to the cove via Cockington and the sea front. When lunch had been consumed (disturbed part-way through by the passing of Concorde) we returned to the Lakeman's for afternoon tea, eventually continuing homewards via Totnes once goodbyes and thankyous had been said.

[The report for this ride is currently missing from our archives. Please let us know if you have a copy.]

The Family Hopper and young Paul Ledingham had reached only Pridhamsleigh when Toby damaged himself on his pedal.

He seems to change either his whole bike or some part of it every month, so maybe the problem is in getting used to the particular size and orientation of the various parts of his machine.