Since 2013 I’ve annually cycled the Five Ferries circuit. Excluding Covid 2019, that made Saturday’s spin 11th time round.

By cycling anti-clockwise, you get the roads from Irvine to Wemyss Bay to yourself. In fact, we reached the 8.05am Rothesay ferry an hour early, sailing through ghost town Largs at 6.30am.

Another advantage to going the less travelled route is you get the steepest and hardest hill done early. The sweaty pant and pech up to the Kyles of Bute viewpoint is a killer, but each of us went at our own pace, and all reached one of the most beautiful vistas in Scotland knackered, but intact. 

Travelling together as a team allows peloton (tightly in line behind each other’s back wheel) stretches, taking turns to lead and allow comrades to get a breather following in the slipstream.

Thus, we covered ground quicker, but at the steep hills allowed each other to get in the zone to battle our way to the top, encouraging each other to plod on, despite the pain. “Blessed are the plodders, for they shall be applauded!”

Encouragement is invaluable in the face of challenge. But how easy it is to shout negative stuff from the pitch side or fail to share a word of encouragement. 'En Courage' literally means 'to input courage', i.e. to build up confidence.

Put ‘dis’ before a word and it drains the positive dry: disincentive removes incentive, disadvantage undercuts advantage, and discourage empties courage. Younger readers will know, from rap slang, that ‘to diss’ someone is to disrespect them, to take away their respect. 

“God didn’t set us up for an angry rejection, but for salvation by our Master, Jesus Christ. He died for us, a death that triggered life. So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you’ll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you’re already doing this; just keep on doing it.”  (1 Thessalonians 5:9-11/MSG) 

There were ‘courage sapping’ spots on the long, steep hills, when we had to really pound the pedals to get to the top. Were someone to snipe “You’re going to fail! You’re doomed!”, the job would be doubly hard.

What made our challenge easier was our togetherness, enjoying the constant comfort and challenge of one another, ever patient, with Alistair and me lagging behind. 

Here’s a mystery. Within God’s being is a team of encouragement, comfort and challenge. When God’s Son Jesus Christ endured excruciating death on our behalf, Father and Spirit were right there feeling the pain, together with Christ, bearing the load as one team, striving together to win our Deliverance and Eternal Life.

TEAM was certainly at work then, as it was on our cycle: Together, Everyone Achieves More. 

Some people discourage others to keep them grounded.

Not so with God, from the centre of His being overflows encouragement, as Paul says, “Speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you’ll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind.” Team God. 

And so, we jumped from Rhubodach to Colintraive, pressed on through Tighnabruaich to the Portavadie – Tarbert, Claonig – Lochranza, and Brodick – Ardrossan ferries, grateful for the gentle breeze, calm waters, ferry breaks, cloud cover, and odd chink of blue sky.

Approaching Arran from the west gives a glorious angle on Arran’s peaks.

A great day of shared blessing, banter and natural beauty, about 88 miles all in, made so much easier by team Teamwork makes the dreamwork  All kudos to Team Trinity!