We decided to go out for a walk yesterday to Millport. This was after deciding that the effort of transporting the three of us with bikes all the way wasn't worth the time. After alternative cycles were rejected we all agreed on a walk around Millport.
On our way there is a short stretch of the A78 where it goes into 3 lanes each way (obviously a very successful local politician when the road was being built) to allow for the volumes (?) of traffic. This is implemented by the slip road simply not merging. It continues alongside for the mile or so and then becomes the off slip at the next junction. Most people who are not coming off and know the road do not move into this lane as they know they have to come back out.
Fiona knows the road and was driving down what became the temporary middle lane at about 70mph when she commented on the idiot coming up the inside. This twat was doing over 80mph, one hand behind his head, to show how in control he was, and undertook us. Once he got a few car lengths ahead of us we could see smoke coming form his rear wheel arch. By the time the smell of burning rubber invaded the car he had slowed to about our speed and we could see the tyre was flat. Of course, since there is a special filter lane, there is no hard shoulder so he had to continue, which he did at about 60mph, until a lay by when he did pull over. By that time the smug grin was gone, and the female passenger looked less than impressed. Schadenfreude.
Since I have now convinced Fiona to install the MapMyRun app onto her phone so she can track her 10km training (no giggling) we both powered up before heading out.
It was a really peaceful walk. Millport (or rather Cumbrae) is really good for walking and cycling as there is little traffic and few hills (none if you keep to the coast) Since you have to leave by ferry, it is convenient to lap from the ferry terminal, with a lap almost exactly 10 miles.
I have never walked there before, having only cycled before. Its amazing what else you get to see and hear form the different perspective.
Now, since I hadn't expected to be out walking my phone wasn't fully charged and the app draws a lot of power. When pausing for a rest I noticed I was into the yellow and was concerned that the charge wouldn't last the full lap. Thus started the final charge to the ferry. I was literally within sight of the ferry (which was gone, but we never thought we would get it anyway) when the phone beep a low power warning. As that last little bit wasn't going to affect anything I decided to shut down the app to save the workout. Sadly the act of the phone coming out of sleep and presumably trying to re-sync killed the battery. Bloody typical but at least Fiona's is still running ad I may be able to recover the files when I get home.
All in all we were impressed with our walk. We started at 1330 and were waiting for the ferry by 1710. We stopped for for a breather on the route, and ice cream in Millport, and a drink in Fintry Bay (at 1605 - the tea room was closed at 1600). The walking took 3 hours exactly.
We got the next ferry, made it home and I started the phone charging. After dinner I decided to see if anything as salvageable. To my surprise when I opened up the app it had the route paused and asked if I wanted to resume, cancel or save. I quickly chose save and let it upload. It was only then that I realised that I had been allocated the journey home as a single step.
So the first 3 hours of our walk covered 10 miles at an average pace of 3.3 mph. In the next 2 hours I did another 20 miles, direct from the ferry terminal to the house, at a fast jog pace of 10 mph
