DAY 4 - Connell -> Lochranza (67 miles)

Island Hopping -

So we are now off the mainland and on the isle of Arran, this place from the mainland port of Claonaig looks amazing.

Anyway our day started with a usual cal packed breakfast (Hollie had a bit toooo much fibre in one sitting), all this eating is one hell of a benefit to doing this sort of thing. We were able to set off a bit earlier than usual as the bike was in our room and hit the road about 8.50am heading for Oban about 5 miles away. We got there reasonably quickly and asked around as for once we might be able to find a bike shop because we were worried about the rear spokes as the amount of weight its taking (mostly Hollie....although I tell her its the panniers..). We got near the bike shop and saw the owner jumping into his car and driving off, how bloody typical - Tesco was next door so we went in there for the daily dose of isotonic power and energy bars with Hollie cruising the chocolate aisle like it was xmas. Came back out and he was back-Turned out to be a top bloke and said the wheel was fine, he chucked in the spoke key for free! Cue us laughing at everytime he mentioned about the spoke nipples... I think whoever named parts for bikes was a horny bugger- theres nipples and a phlange.

The road from Oban to our lunch stop Lochgilphead was 'hilly' and when we began crossing off the miles we could feel the fatigue the last 3 days had taken on our bodies. This was crazy and I got really stressed because on a flat road we were doing about 5mph. What kept me going was the fact that when Hollie stopped to go for a wee by the side of the road- it was pure comedy as cars kept coming past and when there was a break in the traffic she brought the rain. One of those you had to be there moments, but to cut a long story short- she got wet and it werent raining.

Once we got over this fatigue, a few stops of food and drink we got to Lochgilpead- 42 miles into our route- good news, over half way of our journey this day and on track for an earlier ferry across to Arran. We stopped at a really nice cafe there called bar 35 - where we had a super healthy burger, crisps and a lettuce leaf. Got talking to a woman about the ride and as usual when we say "lets go by 3" it turns into half 3. After we set off we heard a car beeping behind us and pulled over down the road, it was the woman who was chatting to us before- she slipped us a tenner saying "This is for you two to spend on yourselves" I tried to barter for 20 but she was having none of it. Luckily though the ride to our next stop (Tarbert) was mainly flat and followed the edge of Loch Gilp so we had plenty of eye candy (Hollie gets it all the time, buns of steel!!!). Tarbert turned out to be a beautiful small port where we stopped briefly before making the last final slog to Claonaig to pick up the Ferry to Arran.

Once we got to the turning we were over the moon just 3 miles, it was 5pm and were gonna make the earlier Ferry, sun was shining, bike was going well and Hollie had stopped singing for once, she only knows 1 or 2 songs. Requests are a no-no.

Little did we know this last road was a nightmare, If i remember 7 or 8 massive climbs, all hidden from one another. Note: me telling Hollie to use her last bit of energy on the 2nd one-she was not happy. Good thing is that all these climbs lead to one hell of a downhill, this time was not so good as we nearly piled it into a ditch- dont blame me the sign said 14% incline up ahead, blind corner, pedal to the metal, turned out to be a hairpin going DOWNHILL. Cue me doing a act you would normally see in the Superbikes championship leg out, swinging a 40kg mass round my leg. I thought it was pretty cool, Hollie shat herself! Got to port, few phone calls and met a random drunk Parisian guy with specs the shape of diamonds like he stole them from Merlin himself. He was just waiting for the ferry with us, with a bottle of whiskey,vodka and necking a can of Scrumpy jack for him not to even get on it. Nutter-baring in mind it is literally in the middle of nowhere.

Quick chat with the guy on the ferry, we were only ones on there- braved the top deck (see pic) and 2 mins round the corner- right on the coast our next Stop!

Off to Drumlanrig tomorrow to hopefully meet some celebs as they start shooting "Cowboys for Christ" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0323808/ ,

'Rainbow just off Arran'

Ciao for now brown cow.

H + P