Backpacking has been put aside for a whole weekend!  The road bike is out & I've signed up for an ETape; not something I have done previously.   An Etape is an actual cycle race 🚴‍♀️. It's on closed roads. This one starts and finishes in Inverness. Going around Loch Ness & the beautiful Scottish Highlands. Approx 66 miles (105 km) 3,586 ft (1,009 m) of elevation  on what has been described as a challenging route 🚴😊.  My Bib number is 6401 with a start time of 06:20, so best be up bright and early!! 

So testing done, only one thing for it really, try newly acquired “stuff” away from home 🫣 I mean what can possibly go wrong?  Campsite booked (a whole new experience) I’m meeting up with Norman and Hazell; (she is also cycling with Norman on his quest), at Breedon on the Hill, Derbyshire so we can compare notes and generally see how things go.  

Before embarking on this adventure, I’ve been testing my equipment.  Starting with a couple rides with all the “stuff” on the bike.   I decided to use my endurance Felt bike. Putting a bag on the handlebars of the bike, gave me terrible neck ache and I found steering the bike really heavy, the Frame Bag rubbed my knees😱.  Sore knees 🧎‍♀️and neck ache….. not the best start, so a rethink was necessary.