My Ray of Sunshine !

Saturday 18th September 2010 I awoke to the sound of gentle rain falling, and so, having an aversion to getting too wet, decided to wait until the weather improved…which it surely would ! So, I spent the morning reading my book, eating and generally doing little…then I felt a gradual lifting of the rain, and so, sorted myself and set off on the Mountain bike…for what I was told was a good ride, although long… I was to travel 8 miles along back roads,and an old railway line to Ballater, from where I would follow road and tracks up Glen Muick, to the foot of Lochnagar, the famous mountain, which is always described as a ‘black brooding mountain’ (I should have realised…),travel around the head of the Loch, and down the other side of the Glen on dirt roads, back to Ballater, a total of 16 miles, and then back to my campsite…a planned epic of 32 miles ! As I set off on the ride, I had, fortunately decided to wear my ‘winter gear’, a decision I was not to regret…the rain continued, and rather than getting dryer, it was actually getting worse…but carry on I did ! As I reached the old ‘AA’ call box, at the Cambus O’May, I was able to go onto the old railway line into Ballater, alongside the River.. which although pleasant, was extremely muddy and wet, so by the time I reached Ballater, I was already sopping wet, and covered in mud.. and my real ride hadn’t even started ! I did consider (for half a second) whether to continue, but thought ‘I’m wet now, may as well carry on‘, which is what I did, up along Glen Muick, towards the ever brooding presence of Lochnagar.. As I neared the end of the Glen, and my return point, I must confess I was slightly cold, and feeling sorry for myself, as the rain had carried on remorselessly ,accompanying me on my journey! So what do you do ? I sought the help of ‘you know who’, and asked for a bit of respite…Lo and behold, within minutes, the rain stopped, I saw blue sky, and I was bathed in warm sunshine ! (Thanks, I can say no more !). I stopped and rested in the sunshine, not believing my luck…and had something to eat, looking up at ‘dark Lochnagar’ and remembering previous climbs we had done there, always it seemed on dark brooding, and cold days! I then returned along the other side of the Glen, along dirt tracks, swooping and shouting as I went, through the puddles and towards the dark clouds ahead, and more, heavier rain, who cared ? I had had a bit of sun to warm me up, I didn’t care…and rode all the way back to the campsite.. Happy, wet and muddy ..and finished the day off under the wather top to wash the mud off, before going under the hot showers fully clothed !- a bad habit I know, but it cleaned me and my clothing..! I celebrated that night with a meal out at the Commercial Hotel in the village, a reasonable meal, but the Restaurant was virtually empty, probably to do with the heavy rain….