This is a highway. Two lanes, median, and two more lanes of high speed traffic including many trucks. Very unpleasant and scary. I dithered about hoping for others to show up so I could cross in amongst a group. Murray and David came along and we scurried across into Stonehaven together. We strolled through town past the main square and then we were at the beach: the eastern coast, the Atlantic ocean, an unofficial endpoint. I could be happy ending here. I had not tried to step into the coastal waters at Dornie but I made a point of doing so here at Stonehaven. The swirling cold waves bathed my feet and calves and I felt a sense of achievement even though my official ending point was a couple kilometers down the coastline at Dunnottar Castle. Other Challenger bikers showed up and we all shared the moment together. I think even for those of us not truly at the end this was the real high point.
We dispersed going our separate ways. I joined John and Steph and we had what surely must rank as one of the slowest lunches I've had in recent memory. It wasn't bad food just slow leisurely service. Fortunately the conversation more than made up for the stunningly substantial amount of time we burned there. We had to hurry to reach the castle and then catch the bus to Montrose with enough time to settle in before the big dinner. The walk along the boardwalk then up on to the cliffs along the curving coastal walk to the castle ruins was far more enjoyable than the walk into Stonehaven. The castle looms out of the cliffs seeming to grow out of the living rock. We didn't have time to explore the castle itself. I'm sure it would be worth some extra time but even just being outside the castle at the top and then at the water's edge did feel special.
For me the Challenge really ended with the dipping of my feet in the ocean. I was happy to trek the last couple kilometers to Dunnottar Castle but in my mind seeing and then feeling the coastal sands under my bare feet was my climatic finishing moment. Completing the Challenge represents my longest through hike. It is not my longest hike or even close to the longest trek between resupply points but their is a sense of accomplishment that goes with finishing a well defined task in one go and that is a key element to the TGO Challenge.
While the big dinner at the Park Hotel consists of food that would likely make a campaign dinner event proud - bland food - the event was worth attending. Speeches thanking people and noting special accomplishments were given and made the moment worth sharing. I'm not enough of a social butterfly to really get deep into the spirit of such events but I did get something out of it. Part of the overall enjoyment of the Challenge, as so many Challenger hikers told me, is the social aspects of the event. This dinner represents an important high point in that regard and though I'd hardly be shattered if I missed the dinner after future Challenge attempts I would try to still attend because even I manage to share stories with other people and enjoy the good vibe.
Photos
Signs of progress. I am almost to the eastern shore. You would think that I would reach the shore pretty quickly but I got stuck at the A90 for quite some time. If a driver had pulled up and seen me dithering about getting across this busy highway and offered to ferry me to the other side I would have accepted the offer and called it a ferry ride. May 22, 2008. 10:30.
Hurray! I am standing in the waves of the Atlantic Ocean on the eastern coast of Scotland in the town of Stonehaven. Getting here is very satisfying. May 22, 2008. 12:02.
John Manning and Stephenie Hughes (hope I have the spelling right) arrived at the beach not that long after Murray, David, and I. By this point other Challengers had also shown up. May 22, 2008. 12:22.
The walk along the curving path along the coastal cliffs to Dunnottar Castle is really quite nice. It would have been nice to spend a bit more time at the castle but that did not happen this time around. May 22, 2008. 15:10.
4 comments:
Gorse.
Nice account Ken; and I am sure true to your feelings at the time. Some of your navigational problems arose from a usual Challenge error of too much talking, in future rely more on your own navigational expertise than those around you. I am really that, overall, you enjoyed the experience.
I hope to meet you again, this time on the trail rather than at Challenge Control.
Peter, aka Mr. Grumpy.
Thanks, Peter. I knew that "Gos" was wrong just couldn't think of the right spelling so I left what I had originally entered (though how I left the "r" out of even that original attempt I am not sure).
You're right when I just struck out and did it, that is went my way, I got where I needed to be. Their is always a danger in over thinking things and also a danger exists in letting your own thoughts run away with you. I definitely suffered the second form of this the day I had my troubles around Gelder Shiel.
It is a balancing act of judging your own abilities versus what people tell you and determining how much weight to give to what people say since what they say is influenced by their own abilities, experience, and perception of you.
Hi Ken,
Really enjoyable account and we're honored that you used the picture of Steph and I on the site!
So glad that you enjoyed the hike and that you got such a kick out of completing it.
While appreciating your comments about the dinner, I do hope that you'll make a special effort to be at the Park Hotel for the dinner when you complete your 10th TGO Challenge. Perhaps they'll lay on steak that year!
Have fun, and we hope to see you - and maybe your folks - on next year's crossing.
John & Steph
@John & Steph: I admit I may have been a bit hard on the food. It didn't help that I am allergic to chicken. Next time around I'll have to ask what is being served and if is chicken see about getting an alternate meal. I'd be surprised if one does not exist.
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