Through the rest of the year, Palmer is one of just three or four regular riders on the island.
“The only thing that stops us going out is if the wind speed is over 38 mph – that’s dangerous if it’s a crosswind, and I’ve been blown off my bike twice. But the advantage of our weather is that no one will ever steal your bike, because no one is stupid enough to want to ride it in these conditions,” Palmer says.
“there is no entry fee, no feed stations, no timing chips and no medal or certificate at the end”
Good for them. I usually manage to suppress the urge to tell Marathon aspirers seeking sponsorship/validation they could just leave the house run 13 miles then come back.
Isn’t Laphroaig the main (possibly only) advantage of Islay?
@Richard. Bunnahabhain, Bowmore, Bruichladdich and Caol Ila are all superior to Laphroaig. Even Lagavulin, its rival in the ‘how mich like turps can we make whiskey?’ stakes, is better than Laphroaig.
To add to this list Macleod Whisky is excellent. My ancestress Mary Macleod of Islay I believe was temperance, so I assume the water may have been quite good as well.
Don’t forget Islay Mist. The whisky I mean, not the weather.
Snobs, I suppose, may vomit at the very thought of drinking a blended whisky.
@Hallowed Be
That would be 26 miles for a marathon.
Incidentally, Kilchoman, the johnny-come-lately of the Islay distilleries, is very, very good.
Anon,
Thanks for that. Hadn’t heard of it. I have a bottle on the way …
Pedant,
You see, that’s why we like pendants around here. “Run 13 miles then come back”? Thirteen out and thirteen back is, remarkably, 26.
Don’t forget the 385 yards at the end, which did for the unfortunate Italian.
Sheep Dip Islay blend is also excellent.
“there is no entry fee, no feed stations, no timing chips and no medal or certificate at the end”
They used to be called club runs !!!!!!!!!
Islay also has some spectacular bird watching. I love the place.
“there is no entry fee, no feed stations, no timing chips and no medal or certificate at the end”
What about down-downs?
On on!
I usually manage to suppress the urge to tell Marathon aspirers seeking sponsorship/validation they could just leave the house run 13 miles then come back.
When you can no longer suppress the urge, be sure to tell the aspirers that it isn’t a real marathon unless they die at the end of it.
Forbes has screwed up their login again (one half of the screen says I’m logged in, the commenting half says I’m not), so sorry for O/T, but on the Libor trial article, I get that you’re saying that this was the right thing to do for the UK, but does the US case that it was bad for them have any merit?
Pedant Alert
@Hallowed Be That would be 26 miles for a marathon. .
Muphry strikes again.
I second the positive comments on Kilchoman!
The only thing interests me about cyclists is when’s the shooting open season?
It could have been bad for some US banks, I’ve not tracked it that far. Many US mortgages were pegged to Libor so maybe they lost revenue as it didn’t rise. One the other hand, what would 25% mortgage interest rates done to what little remained of the US housing market?
Islay is gorgeous, but Jura’s even better if you want to get off the beaten track and recharge.
There’s only one shop and hotel on the island. The scenery is almost heartbreakingly beautiful. And the locals are warm, even when the weather isn’t.
@Steve: +1 about Jura.
Isn’t whisky the preferred drink of people who like to eat earth?
Rocco misses chance to say that Jura is wonderful if you like a nice pair of paps.
“run 13 miles then come back.”
To all the pendants: what’s wrong with a taxi for the return leg?
“The only thing interests me about cyclists is when’s the shooting open season?”
+ 1. Particularly in the Sierra Grazelema. And Suffolk.
Lycra clad cyclists are eco-fascists: they seem to think their behaviour merits a free pass…