Police are reporting a fight breaking out in Oykel bridge. Apparently a dispute over of the last bag of Haribos…..

Nah, they’re all gentlemen, they’d give Lee first go… 🙂

Confirming Ian Wilmshurst as a scratch – injured back, is pootling back to Tyndrum.

Awesome efforts as always!

Passed a few at Contin shop this morning on my way to fisherfeld this morning. On the way home, about 4pm on the short road stretch at Inchbae, I saw a bike coming towards me with bags on it. I tooted and gave a thumbs up but then realised my mistake as it was actually a tandem….except there was no mistake – there are actually two nutcases doing it on a tandem 😯 😯
How horrific is the Hikeatandem going to be??? Perverts.
Then I saw another rider almost get taken out by an utter, utter arsehole in a Porsche. Just to be clear, should you read this in the future unknown rider, my **** gesticulation was for the driver, not you. 🙂

but then realised my mistake as it was actually a tandem

That’ll be Rich and Shona the purveyors of shiney things at Keep Pedalling on their Salsa Powder Keg.

So the weight of that tandem is quite stunning – 40lbs dry without kit on it.

I think they’d got the whole thing to <60lbs bar water.

More than awesome, superhuman more like. Stuart Cowperthwaite is almost at CP4 which is 250 miles.

Ian B had a long stop at the last place, hope he’s doing ok.

Stuart Cowperthwaite isnearly at the halfway mark!

Lee is running 4th.

Edit:

He’s past it

Great weather forecast until Thursday .. 🙂

There were a few showers this afternoon further out North and West and in the Contin area. Another cracking evening though. It’ll easily be light enough for riding without lights at 11pm.

I have a drive to Kylesku tomorrow afternoon. I’ll see if I can spot any riders.

And Fisherfield looks dry at the moment!

Just done an evening ride around Fisherfield on the motorbike. As I dropped down into Kinlochewe, a rider loaded up was coming out of Incheril. Someone scratched and chose to take a direct route from Shenavall to Lochan Fada?

It’s like chalk and cheese between the Letterewe estate and Fisherfield Estate (north) weatherwise this eve. Beautiful around Slioch but north of Gairloch its low cloud/misty and very scenic. Nice temperature though so it’s all good for them.

None of the HTR riders has got anywhere near there yet.

So I see! I guessed they were coming through that area when I spotted the guy all loaded up.

Lots of people bikepacking up here this year, great to see. Low cload and mist has only been inland. Been mostly sunny out here on the coast.

And right now, Lee IS IN THE LEAD!

Looks like Stuart is in the lead, Lee close 2nd.

Lee seems to have missed out the off road section coming into Lochinver this morning. She tweeted that she was having Garmin issues last night and was using her phone to navigate.

Yep, looks like she was on a fast road rather than off road. That’s a crying shame.

Here are some pics from around Ben Alder on Saturday. Fantastic conditions.

Ben Alder HT550 – album here

[/url]Zbyneck and Adam by Andy Williamson, on Flickr[/img]

NewRetroTom – Member
Lee seems to have missed out the off road section coming into Lochinver this morning. She tweeted that she was having Garmin issues last night and was using her phone to navigate.

How much time do you think that would that save?

Oops. I think Alan has made concessions in the past for similar lapses of concentration. Both that section and the off-road section into Ullapool. Otherwise that makes Jenny the “leading lady”.

Decisions are made afterwards by Alan – please let’s assume Lee went back for now, the SPOT trace is not fine enough for anyone to make assumptions. This is going to be a GPX to prove you didn’t moment I fear :/ Hard if your phone has crapped out and not tracking you.

Steve Heading has had a mechanical – one of the Al’s is having gastric issues (assuming Goldsmith) and they’ve bailed to the road.

Not Goldsmith – as he’s started to move, looks like Alan Sheldon.

How much time do you think that would that save?

Probably about 25 mins.

Historical Split Update from Matt C.

Ledmore Jct
2014: Phil Simcock 1:22:34
2015: Tom Roundtree 2:00:42
2016: Stuart Cowperthwaite 2:00:32

Bloody hell.

Don’t forget Josh was about 2.5 hours ahead of me in 2015 at Ledmore.

Not much between the first 4 at this stage (Oykel Bridge return bit)

Indeed, but plenty left to come yet. Much, much HAB in the next day.

Yes, it’s always the last bit that’s the killer in anything this long. 🙂

[/url]Liam by Andy Williamson, on Flickr[/img]

Is this Liam? He’s riding strongly since Sat p.m.

If a tag on the spot tracker is greyed out has the rider pulled out? Or is it just waiting for an update? Our lad Scott hasn’t moved in a while…

I think that after a certain number of missed updates the tag becomes greyed out. Greg will answer definitively. It seems that he’s currently in the vicinity of the Oykel Bridge Hotel so might be getting refreshments 😀

Grey tag means they haven’t registered in a SPOT chirp in 30mins – nothing else.

Not Goldsmith – as he’s started to move, looks like Alan Sheldon

Showing Alan Sheldon as scratched now. Hope he’s OK as he’s a good mate who I ride with regularly.

I bumped into Phil Addyman in Ullapool Tesco. Talk about a man on a mission!!!! It’s hard to explain just how focussed he was in getting in, getting food and drink, using the toilet and getting out again. 😆

I’ve seen a couple of comments regarding the fisherfield section coming up so it’s “about to get interesting”. What’s the deal with this, is it a difficult, hilly, hike, remote, all of the above, kinda section?

Fisherfield is a very wide river crossing, I think