[Closed] Highland Trail 550

I desparately want to say yes, this sort of thing really appeals to me. Alas my current level of fitness would make a farce of it.

2015 maybe.

There are 15 places left, come on, you know you want to. 😉

How can you tell how many places are left? I emailed Alan at 12.01 this morning and want to make sure I am on the list! The entry list 2014 is blank for me.

6 full months to prepare..
Is that enough to go from Mr below average bike fitness to say middle of the pack of those who'll enter this
How do you know the places left

How can you tell how many places are left?

There are other forums than STW. 😉

[url= http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/index.php/topic,4482.100.html ]http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/index.php/topic,4482.100.html[/url]

I'm in.

Unfinished business.

I think the extra mileage next year is really going to make it tough as hell. To get over the line, keeping fulled up and in one piece (physically and mentally) will be just as important as ultimate fitness for people like me... (professional back marker).

🙂

Maybe if it was still 400!

I'm in again for this madness.

37 entered so far, with 12 from last year.

The extra 100 miles on the route will need plenty of research to figure where to resupply.

The extra 100 miles on the route will need plenty of research to figure where to resupply.

Looks like there's a good 120 miles without shops. 🙂

About a day then? 😆

Careful timing will be necessary to catch the pie shop in Lochinver.

About a day then?

That'd be some going.

Has the 8 days cut off to qualify as a finisher been extended for the longer route?

Could be the challenge i'm looking for next year!!!

Careful timing will be necessary to catch the pie shop in Lochinver.

TBH, I think the whole race hinges on that 🙂

Has the 8 days cut off to qualify as a finisher been extended for the longer route?

No. Suck it up.

🙁

It's only 69 tough, hard highland miles a day to get in under 8 days.

The people at the front are going to be aiming somewhat close to double that. ❗

Looks like 3 spaces left. Will someone please take them!!

I've just took one.......

Better start riding my bike a bit more then!

This is mental, good luck to all of those brave enough.

I'm guessing a 60% plus attrition rate..........if the weather is good. Would love to have time to get [s]fit[/s] hard enough for this.

I see that Mike Hall is in.

Awaiting confirmation of my entry now (WTF was I thinking of?)

holy crap. can you plead insanity?

Without riding similar distances and terrain how the hell do you train for that monster?

Would love to give it a crack mind.

Oof! Fair play to anybody doing that. Nutters!! 😆

any one fancy a few rides up and down the pennine bridleway and maybe the cairngorms outer loop? by way of training give me a shout.

I wish I could enter something like this. One day...

[b]Scotroutes[/b]

Awaiting confirmation of my entry now (WTF was I thinking of?)

[url= http://www.highlandtrail.net/startlist.html ]http://www.highlandtrail.net/startlist.html[/url]

🙂

Aye. I'm in.

I was hoping that, by leaving it until there were 39 folk listed, it would already be over-subscribed - hence offering me an honourable reason for not participating. The bugger has only gone and extended the entry list!

Glupton is in too. I'm sure there'll be no dust left on the trails by the time I reach them.

Only the first 1/8of the trail will have had the dust ridden off them 😉

There's some big hitters on that list. It should be an interesting race to watch from ones armchair.

Note to self - Must not go out too fast.

Scotroutes - Colin Caden ?

Get in there son. Nail it. You can do Mike Hall no worries. 😉

That's quite a start list - the spectator event of the summer for me )

Does anyone ride it for fun 🙂

I'm in!

If anyone comes to their senses and decides not to go ahead with this could you give me a shout please?
Email in profile, cheers.

Bedmaker - there is already a standby list. Get your name on it.

bit of a post revival this, but I'm in. big decision for me just now is whether to take a lighter hardtail or a heavier, but more comfortable, full-sus. i'm assuming the fastest people will be on hardtail 29'ers but they would be able to out pace even if they were riding bmx's. what are those that entering using?

Can you carry all your camping kit on your FS?

I'd have thought that the ability to carry a large frame bag and pannier rack was the driving factor behing chosing HT's.

I'll be on fully rigid 29er singlespeed - a Kinesis FF29, with their IX carbon forks.

Given miles to date so far this year, I'm not expecting to fast!

pannier rack

There's a significant amount of hike a bike in the route, so take a bike you're happy to carry for a reasonable amount of time.

And yes, I doubt there will be many pannier racks. The vast majority will be using combinations of framebags, bar rolls, seat packs etc.

I won't be "carrying" my bike as such with it fully loaded, but will be pushing, manhandling, lifting, swearing for long sections.

I can think of two sections you [u]will[/u] be carrying your bike 🙂

cheers guys - sounds like a light bike is the way to go with packs and frame bags rather than a backpack. i was thinking of a wingnut adventure bag but the bike bags might be better.

will also practice my swearing for all the hike-a-bike sections.

Can you carry all your camping kit on your FS?

Fair enough Greg - and you obviously know the route much better than I do. I meant more in terms of mile after mile with bike over shoulders. I don't do that with an unladen bike, let alone a fully loaded one. It'll be my usual inefficient wrestle 🙂

Having said all that, I still wouldn't let the carrying sections influence my choice of bike. In order of priority I'd go with:
-What I feel comfortable riding
-Reliability
-Ability to carry kit (given that virtually any bike will take a bar bag and seat pack)
-Other stuff

I'd like to fit this in to my plans for Scotland. I won't be taking part in the official start time as I'll only just have started making my way up to Scotland but if anyone is available to meet up in June etc. then that would be awesome.

I've started putting together a little website to explain what my plans are (fill car with bikes and camping stuff and ride round Europe), so if you'd like to take a look; http://bigbikerideeurope.appspot.com/

Back to the 550 - does this have any detail of the topography etc?

Cheers then!

Back to the 550 - does this have any detail of the topography etc?

Tracklogs says there's 20,000 metres of climbing if that helps.

The 20,000 will put me in good stead for the Combloux event I've entered then.

[quote=richpips ]Back to the 550 - does this have any detail of the topography etc?
Tracklogs says there's 20,000 metres of climbing if that helps.
Garmin Basecamp says 15,000

I've just downloaded the GPX file and uploaded it and it's apparently available on this link:

http://maplorer.com/permalink.php?file=2014-03-24_19_18_24_b_HT_560.gpx

16,834m of climbing.

Stupid question, but what are people doing for training?

Stupid question, but what are people doing for training?

Just ticked over during the winter, but the last couple of weeks -

Trying to get plenty of climbing in, including hike a bike.

Riding hard with a minimum of recovery for 2-3 hours, rather than going out and pottering for hours and hours.

Will aim to increase duration for some rides as we get closer.

eg. An off road 135 miler in a couple of weeks time.

TBH I'm just trying to get out riding as often as possible but I'm finding it hard to maintain enthusiasm. It often feels like a bit of a chore. I'm hoping to get as many nights put as possible as I reckon the whole camping/bivvying thing will be just as important - especially for those of us planning 7 or more nights out.

I'm hoping to get as many nights put as possible as I reckon the whole camping/bivvying thing will be just as important - especially for those of us planning 7 or more nights out.

Interesting, not thought of that. My plan was just to get into my sleeping and bivy bag when exhausted. I shan't be cooking.

I guess it depends on where you fall along the enjoy..................endure line 🙂

My plan is to go out and enjoy a ride around the Highlands, using the 8-day "cut-off" as a bit of encouragement/incentive. In fact, if I feel that the 8-day pace is too fast to enjoy, I'll just go at whatever pace I want regardless.

those of us planning 7 or more nights out

just to get into my sleeping and bivy bag when exhausted

Stupid question, but what are people doing for training?

Part of the knack is being able to do this on 'autopilot' when you're cold and spent.

I have some previous as a climber. A sleeping bag will be luxury.

richpips - Member
I have some previous as a climber. A sleeping bag will be luxury.

One of the guys last year didn't bring a sleeping bag (Daniel Jessee), just taking a bivi and a warm layer. His rationale was that he'd keep going if he was cold and uncomfortable, which seemed to work - he's off riding London to Istanbul in July.

Going with a rigid steel singlespeed.

Taking bivvy bag, sleeping bag and thermarest, but no cooking equip to keep the weight and bulk down.

Starting to get pretty scared now!

In two weeks I'll be starting my journey to Tyndrum. Everyone feeling prepared and confident?

I see Mike Hall has disappeared from the start list (along with a few others). Wonder how many there will be on the start line.

Mike Hall is doing TransAM isn't he? Which I guess is a bit close in timing?

Ah yes I see he is - guess the HT550 wouldn't be ideal preparation a week before the start of a 4,200 mile race.

NewRetroTom

How do you transition from pissing wet through to dry with a bivvy bag? And how do you deal with the midges? 😯

I have to say big respect to anyone even attempting the ride as a race. It'll be super hardcore if the weather we are currently enjoying doesn't improve any time soon!

Sanny

what tyres for trench foot? 🙁

Sanny

If my sleeping bag gets wet then I won't be able to dry it out before the end of the race, so I'll be carrying and sleeping in a wet bag for the rest of the event. The outside of the bivvy bag getting wet is not a problem - just shake off drops and pack away damp.

So the key is to not get the sleeping bag wet! I'll try to sleep in bothies where possible if it's raining, even if this means going a couple of km off route.

I did 3 nights in my bivvy at the European Singlespeeds the other weekend and it rained on two of those nights. Only the hood of my sleeping bag got a bit wet, so I can cope if it's no worse than that.

Midges - there is no solution! Just hope there aren't too many and bivvy in a windy spot if possible!

NewRetroTom

I genuinely hope the midges don't come out! At the moment, they aren't out in force up here despite it having been the perfect winter for them to breed at lower levels. Still, if they do, it will be character building!

Bivvying is something that has kind of passed me by. I guess I like the luxury of a tent and knowing that I will always have somewhere to change from sopping wet to dry clothes. Bothys are great for that! As I read somewhere once, any fool can be cold and wet which has stuck with me as a bit of a mantra. 😀

NewRetroTom

Taking bivvy bag, sleeping bag and thermarest, but no cooking equip to keep the weight and bulk down.

I'll try to sleep in bothies where possible if it's raining, even if this means going a couple of km off route.

Are you taking a tarp?

If you are planning on staying at the bothies, (I have them marked on the GPS just in case) remember they can be both noisy, and comparatively cold, For some you'll need a good sleeping mat.

I'm still debating whether to go tent or tarp. I'm swinging towards tent based on the aforementioned midges, but the extra comfort afforded by the tent may be to my detriment if the weather is poor - it's too tempting to sleep longer if the weather is bad whereas you'd be better to just keep riding.

I'll make the call closer to the time, although bivi is very tempting at the moment.

I'm not even going to wait for the weather forecast.

I'll give it my all during the days riding, at night I want comfortable dry and midge free sleep.

Tent for me. Have cut the tooth brush in half and gram counting 🙂 Last test ride this weekend to fine tune the packing and tinker with the bike.

Lets start putting the 50ps in the weather meter.

Not planning to take a tarp. Just rely on the bivvy.

Will have a Thermarest, so should be warm and comfortable if I can get to a bothy.

Hoping to manage 3 nights in bothies if all goes to plan.

Quick question - the route on the website has a couple of "loops" where the outgoing and returning lines meet or cross. Does the route go up the east side and down the west, i.e. anti-clockwise or the opposite way round?

Always north up the east side and south down the west for all the loops.

Just a thought on this (planning to possibly compete in this next year):

What do people do about keeping lights, gps, phones, etc charged?
I'm assuming with the daylight (from say 5am until about 9pm) there is little night time riding involved? Or are some of the guys putting in more than 16 hours a day in the saddle?

And how do you prove that you've actually done the ride? Assume you'd have to submit a GPS log? So you'd need your GPS to be fully charged.

Dynamo hubs? USB battery packs? Solar cells? What's the deal?

A lot of people run a dynamo setup that'll charge phone, gps etc. You could manage fine with batteries though.

For the group ride we'll all have Spot Trackers [url= http://trackleaders.com/highland14 ]http://trackleaders.com/highland14[/url]

GPS tracklogs would be fine though as evidence.

As you say there are plenty of daylight hours for riding, though I'll bet the fastest guys will do a bit of night riding.

As you say there are plenty of daylight hours for riding, though I'll bet the fastest guys will do a bit of night riding.

Weather forecast isn't looking too bad for the first couple of days at the moment on the Met Office West Highlands mountain area forecast:

Saturday 24th May

Another mainly cloudy day with occasional rain or showers, especially across the more northern Ranges. North or northeasterly winds easing.

Sunday 25th May

Mainly dry and bright with some sunshine at times. Mainly light winds.

I imagine the ground is going to be pretty wet at the moment though with the rain that's been through in the last week.

Any local observations on the ground?

Any local observations on the ground?

Scotroutes was saying the ground is very wet.

Level of the burns will be nice and high too then.....

Lovely!