After struggling up the hills of Denhead and Strathkiness I headed to the beautiful Tentsmuir Forest where the cycling is flat and easy and before I knew it I was in Tayport. This is the farthest that Marion and I had ventured on our bikes so far so anywhere West of here was unchartered territory for me as far as cycling was concerned.
Ten minutes past Tayport I came in sight of the Tay Bridge. I was pretty tired by this point but the bridge spurred me on as a goal and I carried on pedalling. As I approached the bridge the cycle track (National Route 1) offered two options - to cross the bridge or carry on to Newport On Tay.
As I hadn't been to Newport before I took the second option and rode into and around this small riverside town stopping off for a quick coffee and cake to give me a bit of energy before turning back towards the bridge.
Which I obviously had to cross simply because it was there and also because there is a super safe elevated cycle lane in the middle.
I turned round when I got to the end of the bridge, pausing only to take this photo to prove that I had done it. After that it was the same route back to St Andrews (missing out the diversion to Tentsmuir). I got back at about three thirty after about five solid hours of cycling. I don't want to exaggerate how long the ride was but it certainly exceeded forty miles and was probably not far short of fifty. I enjoyed it and am certainly managing to climb some of the hills with less effort now so it must have had some benefit.
Marion arrived on Sunday evening and we've enjoyed being back together again after our long spell apart. We're helping Sarah with a bit of babysitting this week and then it's back to Framlingham for a day on Sunday before helping out with some more babysitting duties next week in Kent.
It's quite hectic this retirement lark but we wouldn't change it for anything.
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