The Marathon Begins
I have always had a profound respect for marathoners. I know to successfully challenge the distance you need to prepare well both physically and mentally. You need to consider the conditions you are going to run in, select the cloths, shoes and snacks that will comfort you along your journey and plan a running strategy to allow your body to recover after stress and persevere to the finish line.
Being a cocky sort, I figured that I would do my own style of marathon (Iron-Butt style) by riding all the way from France to northern Scotland stopping only for gas, tea and ...necessary biological breaks, if you know what I mean. So, I left the beauty of northern Europe and headed for the autobahns and mega highways leading north to Britain. Clever, I thought. 
But, there is a big difference from the picturesque rural backroads (above) and the teeth clenching, nerve fraying, sphincter tensing driving of the big roads (below). Yowzer! Drivers changed from friendly folks who would tip their hat and say hello, wave a thankyou if you gave them road courtesy...you know, nice down to earth folk. To these ultra aggressive, light flashing, zealots who seemed anxious to become an organ donor judging by the speeds they were going at. 
But I was committed and the weather didn't make camping overnight at the side of the road a particularly attractive option. "Plug on McDuff" I said to myself. Then, I posed the question I always ask just before I have a premonition that I am about to do something truely stupid - "What would Steve McQueen do in a situation like this?" Riiiight! Keep on going. So, off I went and drove continuously for 27 hours straight in rain, strong winds, and constant cold. I stopped once for about 1/2 an hour and slept (well - shivered and snored to be accurate) on a sheltered bench outside a grocery store after I was sure I saw a brown horse running beside me on the highway. THAT type of halucination is not good. I guess it could have been worse - you know, if we had a conversation about politics or exchanged email addresses or something. Like a flashback to the 70's and a past you want to stay buried. But anyway, pressed on all the way to Inverness Scotland and my aunt's house on Broom Drive. By the time I got there, my aunt was sure that I had driven off a cliff - never to be seen or heard from again. She kept saying something I had been saying to myself for the past 20 or so hours. "I can't believe you drove that distance". Actually, my inner voice was saying something more like "I can't believe how stupid you are to drive that distance." Subtle but important distinction I guess. Anyway, she felt so sorry for me that she made a huge hot meal, poured about 3 gallons of steaming tea into me, put my wet gloves and cloths above the radiator and made sure the electric blanket in the spare room was cranked up to scalding . I can't remember ever sleeping so well.
But I was committed and the weather didn't make camping overnight at the side of the road a particularly attractive option. "Plug on McDuff" I said to myself. Then, I posed the question I always ask just before I have a premonition that I am about to do something truely stupid - "What would Steve McQueen do in a situation like this?" Riiiight! Keep on going. So, off I went and drove continuously for 27 hours straight in rain, strong winds, and constant cold. I stopped once for about 1/2 an hour and slept (well - shivered and snored to be accurate) on a sheltered bench outside a grocery store after I was sure I saw a brown horse running beside me on the highway. THAT type of halucination is not good. I guess it could have been worse - you know, if we had a conversation about politics or exchanged email addresses or something. Like a flashback to the 70's and a past you want to stay buried. But anyway, pressed on all the way to Inverness Scotland and my aunt's house on Broom Drive. By the time I got there, my aunt was sure that I had driven off a cliff - never to be seen or heard from again. She kept saying something I had been saying to myself for the past 20 or so hours. "I can't believe you drove that distance". Actually, my inner voice was saying something more like "I can't believe how stupid you are to drive that distance." Subtle but important distinction I guess. Anyway, she felt so sorry for me that she made a huge hot meal, poured about 3 gallons of steaming tea into me, put my wet gloves and cloths above the radiator and made sure the electric blanket in the spare room was cranked up to scalding . I can't remember ever sleeping so well.
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