On Saturday there, we were able to tackle a roadtrip which I've been planning since November last year. UJI's "100k run", during which the old bath tub would "go round the clock" as they used to say in the old days. Stack odos actually don't go round the clock until 1m miles, in fact, but I think that's pushing it don't you...
The day we bought the car - a very rainy 2nd July 1999 (the day after the Scottish Parliament was re-constituted, in fact) - we had our roadtrip all planned out. Obviously the A701 had to feature, however we needed to get to Melrose to our base for the Jim Clark Rally, which we were going to spectate at for the first time. So a link road was needed from the 701. Enter the somewhat crazy Talla Reservoir road, which leads from Tweedsmuir across to St Mary's Loch.
On the day, the rain abated long enough for some snaps to be taken for the album, on the climb away from Talla Reservoir. I had since used one of them as an Avatar on SE. And I can still remember the day as a whole as if it were yesterday.
Therefore, it seemed fitting that UJI should turn her 100,000th mile on that little ribbon of goat-track
The logistics of teeing up the mileage on the car to hit 100,000 right there, were, however, challenging. We originally hoped to do the trip back in January. But in our "window of opportunity" with some grandparent help to watch the kids for half a day, we'd have had to burn off about 300 miles in 4 hours and be back in time for an evening appointment. This was not going to fly.
So we felt like the NASA Control Centre, waiting for a new weather-window for the mission - ie, a gap in the inlaws' diary
Well, the inlaws - and the weather - came good this weekend, and after I gave the car a reasonable wash n polish we set of like Thelma and Louise, along the Edinburgh City Bypass, in eager anticipation of the starting blocks for the nirvana that is the A701. Inevitably, a sublime drive south followed. At the turn for Talla, the odo showed 29 miles to go to the Big Ton. Oh dear. Houston we have a problem. Around 20-odd miles too many in hand (albeit kinda expected, since I'd left a bit of contingency obviously...). Well, we halted at the right spot all the same, got the money shots (see below) and cruised on in search of whatever fate might now throw us as the 100k milestone point.
More fine shots at the Megget Reservoir (also see below), then it was crunch time. Whilst our original route in 1999 took a left for Selkirk and on to Melrose for the late night start of the rally, I had begun to form a cunning plan...hence a right turn down the A708 towards Moffat...
We now had 21 miles to run. Moffat was 16 miles away. I knew from old experience that "a few miles up" the glorious section of A701 northbound from Moffat, lies the Devil's Beeftub (site of a mail coach tragedy amongst other things). It's a very scenic area and a brilliant "hillclimb" style road to boot, as many of you know.
And so I suppose in true Routemeister style, it all came good in the end. After thoroughly enjoying the esses all the way up the hill out of Moffat, the summit of the Beeftub road loomed into view. At precisely the same moment, UJI clicked to 99,999 on the odo. It was clear we would not make it to the summit. But in a state of obvious and justifiable euphoria, I just backed it off and rolled through 100,000 miles in a setting I could never actually have predicted, yet could not have wished for better. The atmosphere and scenery round there is amongst the best in Scotland in my view. More money shots in the bag (again, below), and we cruised a further mile to the Beeftub viewpoint layby to complete the photo record.
What a day.
What a 14 year escapade.
What a one hundred thousand mile journey.
Heartfelt thanks to everyone in SE who's been a part of those, and not least to my long suffering wife Lisa, GPS Gill to her friends, who suffered yet another bracing roof-off escapade to be a part of UJI's big day
At Talla
At Megget
The evidence
Jeez honey it's freezing are we done yet
PS. I wasn't entirely saving my 10,000th post for this. A few will also be aware that after 20 years (yes really), I left Logica in December, and took the plunge to launch my own business. It has therefore been an extremely busy (but also very rewarding) couple of months. So a bit of enforced abstinence from the SE banter was inevitable. If you missed me...I'm back. If you enjoyed the silence...well tough sh!t, it's all over now boys n girls...
