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Up my way, it's been pretty dry this last week, but it was like this in the shady bits
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It's been lashing down today.
The hardest man will win.
Mmmm looks lovely!
Wondering if I should swop my trail biking shoes for walking boots with gaiters!
Only 24 hours before the mentalists set off! Long range forecast looks pretty decent 🙂
All the best guys.
Should probably post here too...
I'll be posting updates of those who scratch on Bikepacking.net and trying to keep a general thread update going. I'll do my best to update here as well.
Quick Twitter update from IanB of Wildcat
"Like my luck couldn't get any worse this month- bike fell off bike rack and written off Jones Loop Bar. Anyone near Glasgow ... ... to either sell me one or lend me one for the htr550? Thanks!"
Anyone?
If anyone is driving to the HTR past Hemel Hempsted area today let me know, I have spare loop bars, grips and tape Ian can borrow. zero double 7 98 7874 nine five if so.
Charging of device can be done in cafes fairly easily.
Charging of device can be done in cafes fairly easily.
Well that depends on how long you spend in cafes 😉
Greg, I have put this on other forum hoping that someone in Glasgow can assist..
Charging of device can be done in cafes fairly easily.
There seems to be a few people using dynamo hubs this year. I'm going for a big battery instead, I get three or four full iPhone charges out of it or loads of Garmin recharges.
And he is sorted:
"Diverting to Manchester to see @keep_pedalling.
Jones bar being hand delivered to Manchester Piccadilly. That's service - thanks! #htr550 "
Apparently there is a crash around Loch Lomand and AlanG has been sat in traffic an hour...you've been warned.
Good luck to all riding this.
Epic is an overused word nowadays, but its definitely applicable to this. I'll follow on the spot-tracker website. [[s]off to find the link[/s] - found a few posts up 🙂 ]
It's about now that I'm wishing I'd stuck to my plans to do this, though I know really that I'd have struggled and therefore not enjoyed it at all. I will still be immensely jealous watching the trackers and I just can't express how much admiration I feel for the participants.
Aye, good luck everybody involved 🙂
amen to that.
I've been out most of today.
A bit of rain, so tracks aren't going to be dry unless they're rocky. And still plenty water oozing out of the soil.
I hope everyone has a great ride.
Do you need to have brilliant off-road bike handling skills to ride something like this?
I recognise the name of one of the riders, and there's a massive gap in abilities between us! I've hardly done any off-roading. I've a little experience of riding a few longish road events, so have some idea of what to expect with lots of miles and little sleep. I'd quite like to be able to do this route, even if in shorter segments, and not as a race against the clock.
Good luck to everyone riding. Is there going to be live tracking on the net like last year? I don't see anything set up on the HT550 site.
[quote=deejayen ]Do you need to have brilliant off-road bike handling skills to ride something like this?
I recognise the name of one of the riders, and there's a massive gap in abilities between us! I've hardly done any off-roading. I've a little experience of riding a few longish road events, so have some idea of what to expect with lots of miles and little sleep. I'd quite like to be able to do this route, even if in shorter segments, and not as a race against the clock.
There are long sections of "doubletrack", bits of tarmac/minor roads and some lovely singletrack, all interspersed with the occasional river crossing. However, there is also a significant amount of "hike a bike" and even more so if you're not capable of riding a loaded bike over boulder-strewn peat hags and up/down rocky, stepped paths. What's more, every time you are off and pushing is eating into your daily average distance. The other major factor is one of logistics; the NW Highlands are not exactly over-run with opportunities to buy food so you'll end up carrying lots and could well be held up waiting for shops to open should you run out completely. In summary, I'd say it's not much like a long road ride at all 🙂
Cheers Alasdair. Good luck tomorrow.
and they're off!
Go Stu
I think Phil may have forgot to turn on his tracking.
Couple of others too
They'll remember at some point 🙂
My mate Gary Tompsett is a bit of an outsider in this, but is doing well in 4th place.
NewRetroTom doing well on his rigid ss. He's a good rider but I'm sure that bike is helping 😀
Steve Heading is absolutely smashing this out!
[img] https://flic.kr/p/nJ6vgv ][img] https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2913/14259858975_eac8582b91_s.jp g" target="_blank">https://flic.kr/p/nJ6vgv ][img] https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2913/14259858975_eac8582b91_s.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/nJ6vgv ]mike1[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/78348928@N00/ ]singlespeedvegan[/url], on Flickr[/img]
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looks like i messed up that a bit but if you click on them you will see larger pics of newretrotom, micheal cleavland and marcus stitz at the start this morning.
Has Marcus got a sister called Norma?
Has Marcus got a sister called Norma?
*like* 🙂
Phil Simcocks tracker wasn't working at the start and only came on after Fort Augustus so he isn't showing up on the leaders board. However, he is still riding (16 hours now) and has built up a decent lead.
Looks like we have one retirement already.
Any news on richpips? His tracker hasn't moved since last night, about 85 miles in. That tracking website isn't the most user friendly design I've ever seen although that maybe cos I'm viewing it on a tablet.
Looks like he's on his way to Fort Augustus for breakfast
Oh yeah, his tracker has moved forwards a bit now. He was stopped for a long time!
Can't believe the lead that Phil Simcock has got already! He's almost up at Bonar Bridge.
Tyndrum to Bonnar Bridge in a day is outstanding. Good to see Andy Toop, Iona Evans and Brian Dawson are getting on well. The site is strangely compelling to watch............I'd love to do the route without limit of time as a tour. Hope the midges aren't too bad. I went out for a spin north of Glasgow yesterday evening and was well and truly descended upon when I stopped for a couple of mins to take a call from a mate. 😯
Wow, some crazy mileages going on as usual.
I can only imagine the pain of getting going again today, it's bucketing rain up here 🙁
Rider Gareth Clutton officially scratched last night at Lagan.
it's not nice weather here (NE Scotland) for sure. ugh.
Going to be grim if you are using a bivi rather than tent in that weather today
Oh deear, Phil Clarke looks to be off route, last showing 55 mins ago. How often do they refresh? Is it every hour?
So do they all get given some sort of tracker prior to the start? How often does it update their position?
Back on track two mins ago 🙂
r8jimbob88 - MemberSo do they all get given some sort of tracker prior to the start? How often does it update their position?
They are using spot trackers, some will be riders own some will be hired.
The track leaders map can be set to refresh every 3mins. The trackers themselves will send an update every 2.5, 5, 10, 30, or 60 minutes depending upon the exact service plan they are using and what they have it set to.
Sending an update doesn't mean receiving one though. 😉
That's odd, Phil's at Bonar Bridge? Is that on the route?
Ah cool. Can't believe some of the guys were riding until 1:30am and were up and off again for 5:30am?!
Wow! Phil Simcock is beyond Oykel Bridge already 😯
Some of these people clearly need something more difficult.
Dave Kane has officially scratched.
Phil is a machine, seriously impressive.
That's a shame to hear about Dave and Gareth - I spoke to them last night just before Laggan and then they weren't behind us.
Nik Kinloch and I are currently refuelling in Cannich.
Matt Slater snapped his rear mech after 6 miles, tried to carry on singlespeed but after another mechanical has turned back to Kinlochleven.
Michael Cleveland has had 4 punctures and after suffering in the rain is recovering in Fort Augustus unsure if he will continue.
The weather is pretty unpleasant up here at the moment. These guys are supermen (and woman 🙂 )
Looks like Phil S is right at the northernmost point now.
WAY ahead of everyone else!
past N most point heading S. In current weather I'd be doing the same 🙂
Update from Ed Proctor:
[i]This is Ed Procter, I've scratched from the HT 550
I decided to pull this morning, I was riding at the time with Ian Barrington in Contin and that's were I finished.
This is one of the first times I've done one of these races and I'm so under prepared. Mentally, physically and what I'm capable of, it's been a massive learning experience!
Yesterday ranks as one of my hardest in the saddle, just over 120miles in 17 hours, getting to a bothy at just after 2am. I think I did too much! The thought of 5 days more did not compute
I hope the rest of the race goes well and I'll be following it avidly.[/i]
I have a few other people who are "having a hard time" but not yet officially scratched, I'll update in the morning.
Ride on kids, remember - I told you it was hard, really hard.
[url= http://singletrackmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/the-highland-trail-400-part-one-hard-has-never-been-so-fun/ ]HT2013 Part 1[/url]
[url= http://singletrackmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/the-highland-trail-400-part-two-hard-is-still-fun-just/ ]HT2013 Part 2[/url]
I'm still in. 🙂
I'm still in.
Marvellous 🙂
Seems to be at least five folk off course at Contin now, heading for Dingwall?
One of them is Markus Stitz, I've done some riding with Markus and know what he's capable of in terms of long hours in the saddle, wonder what's happened...
Agree, the site is very compulsive viewing!
Wish this event had existed three years ago when I was doing one or two bikepacking trips a year, and pre-herniated disc of course 🙁 Having said that I doubt I ever averaged more than 60km a day with the bikepacking gear, spent more time sniffing out bothies and fried breakfasts than I did pedalling!
Missed the start 🙁
Was up last week wild camping around Glenelg and Raasay, only got about 12 midge bites, and 1 tick bite, however the tent was crawling with ticks and Mrs Acehtn got ticked loads.
Talking with outdoorsy shop staff in Fort William and they reckoned ticks will be real bad this year......
Weather was ace last Monday/Tuesday got heatstroke, it's worsened all week, Saturday morning was brilliant, the forecast from there on didn't look good so we headed back home.
From the piccys in this thread some are really in the no pain no gain camp 🙂 some really minimal equipped bikes.
Will be following this thread with interest, my wild guess, about 4 1/2 days for contenders to get round ?
Good luck to all still going !
If Markus lives in Edinburgh he's just made it in time for supper.
Markus does indeed live in Edinburgh. He's a good lad. Tell him to check his Facebook. 😉
This Philip Simcock fella is absolutely flying. Boggles the mind!
Ha, I'm beginning to understand!
Looks like Phil Clarke has taken a huge wrong turn?
An update from Andy Toop said he's out with a smashed brake lever 🙁
Looks like he's missed the top loop out for some reason
No rest for the awesome....
Big Mark M put a shift in last night - thought he might get the heid down at the base of the Northern loop, but he's more than half way round it.
Phil Clarke seems ensconced in Ullapool..
At oykel bridge hotel for breakfast. Heavy rain, very hard but keeping going. Hotel is a godsend. Spent last might in tent after cycling 16 hours 93 miles. This race is tough as hell and weather not helping!
Once more, I watch and listen to you folks in utter awe at the commitment you show...
COME ON!
Oykel Bridge Hotel is ace. Spent a night there on a multi-day trip, *huge* baths filled by taps the size of an oil pipeline, all-you-can-east buffet, welcoming and used to muddy outdoors folk.. you lucked out nikk!
More people list of people who have scratched over the last 12 hours:
Andy Toop - with a mechanical.
Phil Clarke - wet and knackered.
Stuart Rider - turning for home at Strethpeffer.
Mike Davies - wetter than an otters pocket in traditional local weather.
Phil Fraser-Thomson - exhausted and cold to the bone.
I'll update more as they come in.The weather is doing what it does best this year it would appear.
And another one - Matt Slater is out
[i]I broke my derailleur and tried to SS to Fort Augustus. I managed to break or bend at least 4 cogs on my cassette, but have made it back to Kinlochleven after crossing "The Bog" twice.
I'm going to see if I can find an open bike shop somewhere close by tomorrow, but am definitely out of the race. Thanks to everyone who helped with this, but especially Alan! Hopefully the hike-a-bike gets easier, but it doesn't sound like it. What a gorgeous route; but the only thing nicer than the scenery is the people. If you ever have the possibility to get to Scotland, jump on it!
Thanks again, and maybe someday I'll get this endurance racing thing figured out.
Matt Slater[/i]