Lejog day 14 perth to kingussie

Another lovely morning but the coldest yet. Anyone would think we were travelling north in autumn! Were read a poem to the lost biker and regaled with tales of previous deviant guests over breakfast but the grub was decent. Slightly hairy dual carriageway after perth to avoid the circuitous part of route 77 but we joined it when it became more direct. Tay valley was splendid in the sunshine and best cake and hot chocolate stop yet in dunkeld before the worst tourist tax lunch in pitlochry. Good off road bit of cycleway through some posh estate after dunkeld but roadies should take the alternative road route. Not that sustrans tell you what to expect though. We got on cycleway 7 just before the big pit and the first lane it took us down was a bit steep but after that it was great all the way. Old a9 now a b road past blair atholl before a brilliant section of disused road through birch woods. The sun dappled on the river, the broom popped in the heat and the seeds from the rosebaywillow herb drifted gently on the breeze and clogged the eyes and choked the lungs of passing cyclists. we met some other lejoggers just as the first shower came on and they abandoned the cycleway for the road when it turned to shaley stuff. The rain came on stronger as we continued the steady grind up to the pass of drummochter but stopped before the summit. The cycle track was a bit uppy downy and bendy but also kept up the interest compared to a road. Overall i think it added 4 miles. Not great for skinny road tyres tho. Finally we got to the summit and started the equally gradual downhill. It was a bit cold by now so we stopped in dalwhinnie for a cup of tea. The other lejoggers were there and had been completely soaked on the road. I now understand why sustrans dont usually tarmac! As we left sarah lit her "nearly there afterburners" and i didnt see her for ages. Seemed a long drag and downhill wasnt steep enough to coast. Finally got in at just before 8pm with our longest day ever. Bit of a rush to get for food and we ate like very hungry people. distance 121km ave speed 15.7kph (good given off road nature of a lot of the trail) cumulative 1240km