Anyone going along for the ride? (or alternatively, anyone going along to shout some abuse?)

Pretty near to Golspie so tempted to go up and camp and do the wildcat trails on monday too, never been before. Is it worth the trip from Glasgow?

Would love to meet him key alone ride. Alas opposite ends of the country. Of you can make it then why not.

no one turn up, please! bring him down a peg or too!

Bring him down a peg or 2?
He’s a legend cheat or no cheat. I’d go up just to wash his bike afterwards!

Missed his last Scottish ride due to work and unfortunately I’ll miss this one too 🙁

Omar Little – Member

Anyone going along for the ride? (or alternatively, anyone going along to shout some abuse?)

Pretty near to Golspie so tempted to go up and camp and do the wildcat trails on monday too, never been before. Is it worth the trip from Glasgow?

Golspie’s fantastic. Balblair’s better.

Golspie’s fantastic. Balblair’s better.

Would it be possible to do them both in a day?

Its worth it if you live near. I agree the bloke is a legend. I just see cycling like body building. They all take stuff but does that take away how hard they train and diet etc. Try and get him to stick his signature on your frame!

Omar Little – Member

Would it be possible to do them both in a day?

I could do it but not at full pace/power, quite a bit of the pleasure of both is in the climbs/slow speed stuff and that’s fairly draining.

of all the days i cannot get a babysitter, and i live 20 odd miles away…grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Was this road or mtb?

Would love to, just live at the wrong end of the country

Its on and its not windy or wet like they said.sun here in Inverness and its fairly warm out there.Think i`ll tag along.

riding with a control freak doper and a load of arse kissing sycophants.
can think of better things to do TBH

Think I’ll go and take a marker pen with me. Hope there are other slow people. 🙂

Want to share a lift Martin?

doper

Proof?

proof….. news of the world sport section!!

Well it seems that quite a few folk still think that he’s a legend. Over 1000 people turned up for the ride.

I was on holiday in dornoch all last week!

bit mad at the start with everyone trying to get up near him and some heavy rain halfway through…Naysayers may snipe due to the drugs baggage he has but it was still a really good experience and i’ve also been fortunate enough over the years to have riden with Gilbert, Moncoutie and Obree too…you dont exactly get a chance to do this sort of stuff in any other major sport – imagine having a kickabout down the park with Messi or game of tennis with Federer. Even just been able to ride alongside so many other cyclists and take over the roads is pleasure enough in itself.

Argh,sorry John i closed the computer down not long after and just read your reply.I got soaked but we dried out quite a bit by the end.was a good day.Did you turn up? So many folk turned up,folk that you know but never ride with.Lots of old school bikers from the highlands too.

doublepost

riding with a control freak doper and a load of arse kissing sycophants.
can think of better things to do TBH

Contributing constructively to an internet forum debate, for example?

On reflection, Lance needs to think a bit more about what this is all for. I’m an experienced biker on and off road and turned up thinking that at least part of the ride would be at a sensible pace so that ‘the people’ rode with Lance. However, it was as mad as most sportives and given the narrow roads and inexperience of many riders there were quite a few crashes. I was breathing out of my arse to work up to the back of the front group where things might be more sensible. Huge concertinas and much shouting. Many folks who turned up were blown out from the start. You hardly saw Lance and he turned off into Skibo and didn’t ride to the end. 22mph uphill may be easy for him but not for his fans. (Double puncture in the rain may have affected my mood.)

Hi,

I suppose it depends on what you expect from it. I was under no illusion that I would be unlikely to get to ride beside Lance and chat about kids and holidays or who would win the tour.

I went with a mate for a day out and a bit of a laugh. A chance to ride in a big bunch on great roads and meet new people.

I met some old racing friends I hadn’t seen in years, it was good to catch up.

I then got really lucky as my old buddies took us on a short cut and started at the front. Did actually manage to ride with Lance and chat about all of the above. I then dropped back and bit to allow others to get up to him. Spoke to some other interesting people including the guy who worked at Skivo Castle and who was the route guide for the day!

It was hectic up front and although the legs are no longer as fit as they were my mispent youth meant I was able to stay in the first 10 riders.

Eventually punctured with about 10 miles to go (a huge thanks to the guy from Inverness who stopped to lend me a pump, I forgot mine!) so got to see the back groups too who all seemed to be having a good day out without having ridden beside Lance!

He was never going to be able to speak to everyone, but at least he does these rides. I wish more pros did, it is a great impromptu event.

The crashes are inevitable in such a big bunch of inexperienced riders (just like that ride in france!).

To me the day was enjoying a cycling experience with a friend and it did that.

Regards

Over a 1000 people? My worst nightmare.

They reconed 200 riders.The smallest field his twitter rides will probably ever see!

Frankz,dagmar commented on how fast she did the 30 miles.she wasnt the only one.at the start i thought the pace was slow and i stayed back just to warm up which was a bad move.It was so hard to get through the pack.The folk that soon blew up were now blowing out their arses 8 miles into it and a lot were riding on the r/h side with no idea of who was behind.I could have passed but i wasnt going to start undertaking folk.The descent leading up to the junction where we turned left nearly ended in tears for some folk as they continued straight on past the junction as a car was pulling out.No brakes in the rain didnt help.There could have been some mad accidents on that hill but luckily (i think) nobody was seriously hurt.

So happy i had conti gator skins on!

Out of curiosity, what route was it? Did they use the Loch Buidhe road?

Here’s a link to the route someone uploaded to the garmin route sharing site;

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/99883974

Contributing constructively to an internet forum debate, for example?

there was a debate? i thought it was an answer to a question about going for a ride? i suppose a plain ‘No’ would have been suffice but i decided to give my reasons. (these aren’t up for debate).
sorry for any confusion.

Didn’t really expect to chat with him but a few miles at a steady pace may have been more inclusive. Either that or make it clear that turning up on a mountain bike was not ideal!

This is not an anti Lance rant – he may simply not realise what is going on behind.