Sabbatical Diary – Day 18

Stoer Head Lighthouse.

Cold, wet day today so no photos other than today’s lighthouses.

Rubha Cadail Lighthouse at Rhue.

I had decided not to spend any time here (Rhue) as it was already cold and wet and I had a long way to go. So, I just took this quick photo, still sat on the trike, when I heard ‘I don’t know, I’ll go and ask him.’ I looked up and a dad was bringing his son up to have a chat about the trike, which led to ‘Would it be ok for him to have his photo taken with you?’ ‘Sure’ I said, ‘would he like to sit on the back?’ He would. And did. Then his sister arrived and we went through the same routine. They both seemed happy. As did dad.

I find that more people come up and chat to me on the trike then I used to get on the bike. And more on the bike than in a car. People ask about where I’m going, what I’m doing, how long I’ve had the bike/trike, what it cost, is it true that you can ride a trike on a car licence, how many miles I’ve done on it, etc. etc. I don’t mind, and generally enjoy the conversations.

As already stated, it has been a cold wet day. With a fair amount of riding. 170 miles, but with about 50 on very slow, single track roads. I was reminded of a story I heard Jerry Seinfeld (American comedian) tell. Here it is:

Jerry was talking about when he was a boy and was trying to work out whether he wanted to be ‘in to’ cars or bikes. He felt he couldn’t do both. He liked the idea of bikes, but was concerned about being stuck out in bad weather. He talks about a conversation he had with a biker. He and his dad had stopped for gas (petrol) in a rural area, miles from anywhere, on a wet day. A biker pulled in to fill up. Jerry asked his dad if he could go and talk to the biker. His dad said ‘ok’, so if he went. They chatted about the bike a bit, and where he was going and suchlike (as people sometimes do), then, noting how wet the biker looked, Jerry asked him ‘Don’t you wish you were in a car?’ The biker replied ‘No, I wish it wasn’t raining’. A great line, which obviously impressed Jerry, who tells the story decades later. But clearly didn’t convince him. Jerry, now very successful, and very wealthy, has a huge collection of classic cars, but no bikes!

I’m with the biker though, and that was my thought today ‘I wish it wasn’t raining!’

Up early tomorrow to go to Cape Wrath Lighthouse, at the North West corner of Scotland. One of the least accessible lighthouses on mainland Britain. Trip involves a passenger ferry and a minibus.

At least I won’t get too wet!

God bless,

Mike