Day 40 Dingwall to Tain

Having arrived at the Tain, I have now completed the the west to east coast to coast, five days now left to completing the south to north coast to coast. Today's was a hard 38.1km, for some reason since leaving the Great Glen Way, I have been tried during walking, not necessary physically, but have just wanted to close my eyes. Extreme measures necessary in Alness to with a strong coffee in a pub followed by a tin of Red Bull. This I was going to purchase in the pub until told the cost, purchasing over the road at a supermarket was half the cost.
Now I am back on the roads, the poles have come into play, particuary the one with the hi vis flag, to warn oncoming traffic of my presence. Yesterday, this help attracted the attention of a motor cyclist who past me dragging a bag on the floor behind him. As he passed I waved the flag until he stopped a few hundred yards on. As I approached he had dismounted and was just scratching his head on how he was going to put it back on. A thanks would have been nice but the ignorance sod hardly recognised my existence even though when he pulled over he looked back to understand the issue. Wish I hadn't bothered, even when he passed later, no nod of recognition.
I have now had plenty of time to develop differing techniques with my poles and also use them for differing fun activities to help the miles pass.
On the technique front, there are several style of use, activity, like the downhill ski two poles together, the individual co-ordinated with foot going down, or the harder uncoordinated style. Then these were to put the poles when not in used (excluding motorcyclist body parts), these the downhill mid position or for the extreme look downhill tucked in under elbows, or on the rucksack. Hours of fun.
Talking fun, poles sports I have been developing include dandelion head golf, where you smack the heads of dandelions. My best score so far is a 4 under par round on the A82.
Finally there's spearing insects to compile a insect kebab, which can be heated and eaten later, I'm currently struggling with the flies and getting them speared. The slugs and snails are easy, but not as tasty (kids don't try this at home, eventhough it'll probably be taster than your mum's cooking)
One final note on my poles, they are lite weight carbon ones, which has 3 benefits, lightweight, the don't conduct lighting, so I can dry clothes on them during a thunderstorm and finally, they're my carbon offset.
Onto today's walk, mostly dry, one shower and sun at the end. Russ the hero, rescued a lamb stuck between two fences, and like the motorcyclist, the lamb didn't say thank you either. Lamb shank tonight me thinks.
Saw horses being used on the land, say a classical car rally twice, half way throught walk and at end. And met a bloke who recommend a different way back throught mountains by car, he said, "it'll make you want to shout", I know exactly what he means, I've been shouting (and singing loud) for the last six weeks. What a great land, you just have to open your eyes.
Had to take picture of road sign as they look like there walking with poles (I know its eldly people, but this sign was in the middle of nowhere, I even had to interupt a telephone conversation with ma and pa to take it, it seemed to fit in with what I was thinking about-a bit of lateral thinking required)