So boys. …………. have we decided on a destination yet??

I’ve got selkirk Merida 1st weekend of August so be busy on both sat and sunday (doing road them mtb)

Last 2 weekends of August should be fine for me since i’ve booked them off hols ( i unfortunately work in the license trade so weekends off are touch and go)

So, once we’ve set route guide, i’ll suggest Saturday 29th August as date, sunset will still be 8:30ish up north so plenty daylight and the 8 weeks should give people sufficiemt time to plan time off and accommodation

All we need now is a route then we’ll get name call

Sound good, and is anyone interested??

Good show, old chap!

29th Aug good for me as it’s post-Transalp. I’ll either be a) dead, or b) a riding god.

Suggested venues:

Aviemore
Torridon

Wherever we go, midges will be hellish so it’s vital to start before dawn, keep moving, ride ’til nightfall and then get pished. None of this nancy-boy Skin So Soft nonsense.

i naturally expected no less than a 14 hourathon ride

Stuart – could you possibly come up with a route, and we’ll agree 29th August as the date

Roll call everyone, who’s interested??

Based upon my performance and mental state on the previous Glen Clova SWTathon ride, I think I shall keep my hand lowered for this one..!

why not come to the highlands and do the 3G Challenge – thats on that weekend. It’s ace – http://www.naturalhighguiding.co.uk

I am OK for the date, but if you guys are doing 9-10 hours with serious climbs it probably counts me out.

Midges will be bad, but get worse further west – Torridon will be hellish. The other thread also suggested Ballater/Braemar – Ben a Bhuird, Ben Avon, Lochnagar circuit

I’m game, will try to restrain my natural instinct to crash in front of people this time…

I would look at doing Braemar out past Mar Lodge and down to Blair Athol through Glen Tilt (magic bit of ST on route), up by A9 to Dalnacardoch Lodge. Then upto Sronphadruig Lodge, Gaick (another lovely bit ST by loch) and down to Weir above Bhran cottage.

Here is the crux, we went onto down towards Kingussie, Feshiebridge round the lochs and back to Glenmore near Aviemore. BUT there is a track showing that takes you into Feshie where you can do the run up Geldie burn and back to Braemar.

We did a longer loop out through Abernethy to Tomintoul, Inchrory and past Culardoch to Braemar then onto described and we did it over a few days but I am an old fart and you young uns could probably beast it in no time.

Have been looking at a route from Glenmore, Ryvoan, Strathnethy, Fords of Avon refuge (could be well named) Glen Derry to Linn of Dee and then back via Feshie. The best bit about that way would be the fast ST round Loch Gamma & an Eilein and then Morlich at the end.

Then of course there is Skye, Arkle loop, Evanton to Ullapool via Croick Church etc.

Whatever you do hope you enjoy. 😀

i hope to be involved as long as my health / fitness is in tact from the next 7 weeks of library action. Sit me on my bike and give me a shove…

BTW, I’m more than keen for anything Aviemore way.

HH – MTFU and get yourself out!

i’m a maybe, depends on how training for my sportive in September is going (and how much mtb’ing i’m still doing)

All good suggestions but Torridon is where I’d like to go:

I’ll put some route maps together and post them here later (going oot on ma bike – hooray for end of term!!)

+1 for Torridon. Fingers crossed for a wee breeze and loads of sun to keep the midgies away.

Hi all Torridon is where i’d like to go as well,definetely up for that weekend as well, as long as 13th floormonk keeps away from me 😆

Haha, was that you on the silver stumpy that i kept crashing in front of/into? Sorry about that…

Another vote for torridon, if i ride it unencumbered this year i can justify skirting around the nasty stuff when i’m touring fully laden through there next year…

Torridon photis look good. Im on school hols too, abroad in alps, but may join u guys, bck in falkirk 07-08.

Nick

*where’s stuart and that map*

Where: Torridon
When: Saturday 29th August
Time: 10am
Route: Stuart C to confirm and post

For those who wish to come along and have never done one before, it will be a mix of abilities (or non abilities if you ever watch me), and generally it should last 4 – 6 hours, maybe a tad longer depending on the route Stu will provide, but this will include plenty of stops, photo’s, watching people crash, talking absolute nonsense, plenty of clothing changes (if girls decide to come 🙄 , and generally mingling amonst everyone. The pace will be whatever but will mainly have the faster ones (with carbon HT) leading until the next stop point, which judging by the last ride was only about 5-10 minutes away, so 75% time everyone will be together. Most importantly it will be hugely fun unless your househusband and decides to crash within 5 minutes of starting before we even got offroad :wink:.

P.s. bring insect repelant

Most importantly it will be hugely fun unless your househusband and decides to crash within 5 minutes of starting before we even got offroad :wink:.

Was it even as long as five minutes..?!

Was it even as long as five minutes..?!

What we talking about here?? 😉

Sign me up, I’m up for anything, as long as I dont fall off and hurt myself. Off riding to California & Oregon in Sept

Off riding to California & Oregon in Sept

showing of and making us jealous does not, i repeat does not, earn you brownie points

I’ll be flying and not riding across the Atlantic!

What we talking about here??

You were just plain lucky to get some foreplay – I was feeling remarkably generous*. 😉

* Ever noticed that ‘erogenous’ is an anagram of ‘generous’..?

cant commit …. need a job to pay the way.

SAAS have awarded my missus a loan of 25 quid a week to live on while at uni next year ….. so i have to support us both in aberdeen and thus i may have to curb back on the Riding excursions unless anyone has a job for a graduate engineer …. as a bike shop mechanic in the smoke starting at the bottom again doesnt pay much !

Hope to join up – last one was great. Torridon is a stretch tbh, timewise, so can’t definitely commit right now. Taking the family up to make a weekend of it would work, so I’ll see about that if we’re set for the west coast.

*where’s stuart and that map*

He’s back now. Been out on his bike – crazy, I know!

I’ll get mapping right away once I get some food down me and open some cider to celebrate the start of my six week summer holiday… Feel free to mock.

One bonus point about Torridon is that there are lots of options depending on mood/inclination/hangover. Here’s a few options to wet yer whistles: (clicky to biggerise)

Not ridden this one, but have walked up the descent which looks nice. Good short/pish weather/lazy bastard option?

Not done this one either… cracking final descent but the infamous drumlins of Coire Mhic Nobhuil in the middle.

This one is in Kenny F. Wilson’s book. I’ve actually ridden this and it is brilliant in every way.

An extension to the previous route which is even better by all accounts – I fancy this one on the Saturday.

Lots of scope for combining routes as well and if those routes don’t capture the imagination, there are plenty more in the same general vicinity.

What do we think?

Oh – and don’t forget:

(You might want to re-caption it “Aren’t you glad you…”)

I might well be up for this – Torridon sounds good/ Keep us posted nearer the time please

Got a heap on around then and I will be doing the 10 More in Moray the week before but definitely interested. I fear the Torridon midges though, it could be hell on a stick.

I fear the Torridon midges though, it could be hell on a stick.

they can smell fear you know

househusband – Member

What we talking about here??

You were just plain lucky to get some foreplay – I was feeling remarkably generous*.

* Ever noticed that ‘erogenous’ is an anagram of ‘generous’..?

Maybe if it was ‘ o generous’. 🙄 but lets not be pedantic

Anyway, maybe cause househusband is an anagram of ‘Abused huh son’

Maybe if it was ‘ o generous’. but lets not be pedantic

Ah. That’s exactly why I’m a CDT teacher, not an English teacher!

radoggair

I am back out Sunday 12th July (Only been 7 months off!) Should be good for end August.

Spot on with the last one Stuartie C. Can heartly recommend Coulags up past bothy to Bealach na Lice over and round the wee loch and onto trail to Annat. Give the hotel a phone to check on food if wanted and of course a pint 8O.

Return Options:

Trackle up road to turnoff for Coulin Lodge and take the pass across to Achnashellach Station, then down road to Coulags.

Return on trail upto Bealach na lice and turn left over Bealach Ban to Coire Lair and down to the station.

Coulin pass less fearce.

These routes do require big tyres as drainage ditches abound on first section but this is the real deal when it comes to mountain biking and has a beer stop to boot.

…

ijs445ra – Member
radoggair

I am back out Sunday 12th July (Only been 7 months off!) Should be good for end August

Ladies and gentlemen , i would like to introduce to you the return of the original biking god
* gets on knees and shouts hallelujah*

Still not seen you since 2008!! mr s2000 boy

For “god” read “dog”.

What, “ragodgair”?

Isn’t that an anagram of “radoggair”?

this sounds interesting. Long drive from the burgh? 4-5 hours or so?

Should be do-able in 4 Al.

Torridon village is an hour from Invershneckie.