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Thanks all, I have added the names, and also updated the order as the upload had put them all out of order :-/
So, Josh is just coming down the Northern Loop descent to Achfary - the best part of the route IMHO 🙂
he is chased by Tom Rowntree
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and Steve Heading
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There is only 7 miles between these three, looks like it is going to be a three man race home. They may or may not be aware they are so close to each other. A lot rides on who can stop for the shortest time tonight, yet still keep riding strong tomorrow.
If you look at Josh's SPOT history you can see that he's roughly 2 hours ahead of Tom with Steve a further hour behind, so seven miles doesn't quite tell the whole story. Basically Tom and Steve have to finish the hike a bike to the summit of Bealach Horn.
However since no-one else has yet reached CP2 at Duchally, I think your three man race is about right. There's going to be some tired bodies up there. It's quite possible that Josh could reach Suleag bothy just after Lochinver tonight, it would be logical stopping point before the hike-a-bike of Glen Canisp.
!! they're not carrying much kit are they??!
I have a short video of the start of the race up at
If you look at Josh's SPOT history you can see that he's roughly 2 hours ahead of Tom with Steve a further hour behind, so seven miles doesn't quite tell the whole story. Basically Tom and Steve have to finish the hike a bike to the summit of Bealach Horn.
For sure, and Josh is looking strong still. But they still have 2 nights out there. 2 or 3 hours can be made or lost just on how long you sleep for, or even how long you spend eating, or having a mechanical, or an injury, or... there are a lot of variables 🙂
What I am saying is it is quite exciting watching these guys!
It is quite awe inspiring - I can't go without my 8 hours sleep. Let alone ride a bike while sleep deprived (some would argue that I can't ride a bike at all). The distances they are covering day after day are huge even for a single day.
Nerd moment.
Phils place from last year vs Josh this year.
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do****cher - Member
It is quite awe inspiring - I can't go without my 8 hours sleep. Let alone ride a bike while sleep deprived (some would argue that I can't ride a bike at all). The distances they are covering day after day are huge even for a single day.
Oddly, the sleep deprivation isn't the worst part. It's the fall out from the race that sucks the most. Mental and physical.
I'm just in from a spin into Loch Fannich. Passed four riders at Contin shop on the way out and four at the filly on the way back.
The 'moderate breeze' in the weather forecast turns into a howling hoolie once up over 150M and in the glens. Must be incredibly tough up the North West tonight. Blustery rain too.
True - Rich was wrecked when he got back last year. Apparently even the smackheads outside Glasgow station avoided him. It took me a couple of looks to realise the skeleton getting off the train was him. If Tom didn't make him do it this year I doubt he would have put himself through it again.
Scratch Update:
Ed Procter with a calf injury - can't walk uphill :/ Off to a B&B in Lairg.
Oh dear - has Marcus decided enough is enough or is there a comfy bed up th Ullerpool Rd?
has Marcus decided enough is enough or is there a comfy bed up th Ullerpool Rd?
🙂
Tough conditions over Bealach Horn apparently. Heard from Tom who is now in the pub.
"Hailing and blowing a gale that was hard to stand up in and impossible to ride in. Windchill was off the scale"
I'm certainly going to relish my warm bed tonight.
Josh Ibbet is now half way round 😯
I can see the attraction of the Inn.
I'm currently playing "Drink your way along the HT550 route"
I am also currently off route some where in Orkney.
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What's Josh doing on the B869? Doesn't appear to be anything there (pub, hostel etc).
Refresh. It's a SPOT bounce. He's en route.
Ah yes.
Mind of their own these SPOTs.
They only refresh every 10 mins - at that they need clear sky. They are more for safety than anything. Also, the waiting makes it better 🙂
I rode a loop from Dingwall today and passed a bunch of the mid pack riders between Croick and Garve. It was pretty dreich most of the day but almost everyone seemed in good spirits. I tried to get photos of everyone that went by. Gloves and cameraphone means some arent great quality but if anyone wants to tag them or repost them anywhere then feel free.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/78348928@N00/sets/72157653397407275
NICE ONE!
[quote=uistboy]I rode a loop from Dingwall today and passed a bunch of the mid pack riders between Croick and Garve. It was pretty dreich most of the day but almost everyone seemed in good spirits. I tried to get photos of everyone that went by. Gloves and cameraphone means some arent great quality but if anyone wants to tag them or repost them anywhere then feel free.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/78348928@N00/sets/72157653397407275
Awesome! Good to see smiles. Looks more like the Scotland I know as well. Sunshine, pah!
[quote=pt0608]What's Josh doing on the B869? Doesn't appear to be anything there (pub, hostel etc).
He missed the turnoff to the off road singletrack approach to Lochinver. Easy to do, I did that last year. That road is kinda hypnotic, churning up the rise, coasting down, repeat x 30. As I said, "there are a lot of variables" 🙂
I'm currently playing "Drink your way along the HT550 route"I am also currently off route some where in Orkney.
In that case, I have been to Denmark, then Mexico tonight 🙂
Ive been watching this with a keen eye. For anyone that has done it already, what sort of training did you do? Is it a mile munching exercise or specific endurance training with the road bike too? Impressed with the pace the guys are going at so far.
Huge respect to richpips and minipips in particular, nothing short of amazing at that age.
I'll step in first - rode and finished in 2013 when it was only 420miles.
Ride your MTB a lot. Ignore your road bike. Ride your MTB. Days need to be back to back. Loaded. With little food. Ride more. After a while you'll want to stop. Don't. Ride your MTB more. You need to be technically good, like really good, especially when you've had no sleep-food-water. Hike, lots, with your bike.
The bike you ride, and the kit you carry mean nothing if you're not fit. So ignore kit fetishising and train. Be fitter than you have ever been. Stronger than ever mentally. Then do it.
You may fail. About 50% of people do.
Pretty much what Greg said. Days of 100 miles should be easily attainable, and repeatable. I finished 2nd in 2013, but DNF'd in 2014. It's that kind of route. Some much to get right, and so much to go wrong.
I blame it on the gears Ian 😉
Well, yes - 3 singlespeeds in the top four in 2013 can't be wrong 😉
Totally agree - lets ask Phil in year one too.
Hence, why I've been riding one a lot of late.
Tom's not far behind now.
I've got to stop waiting up to see who makes the last move - I can't stand the pace 🙂
Minipips training has consisted of going out on his bike lots to avoid tidying up the swamproom that he sleeps in. He has combined this with plenty of playing in the park and eating his own body weight in cake and sweets, with crisps as a savoury accent. He has also done extra thumb specific training on the playstation.
😀
I'm almost afraid to ask, but how do the "rules" handle that if it's a genuine mistake?He missed the turnoff to the off road singletrack approach to Lochinver. Easy to do, I did that last year
Morning blue dot junkies.
No overnight change in our leaders positions - Phils record (LSH) is still safe.
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scotroutes - Member
He missed the turnoff to the off road singletrack approach to Lochinver. Easy to do, I did that last year
I'm almost afraid to ask, but how do the "rules" handle that if it's a genuine mistake?
You backtrack, then go the right way.
If you cut it out, a GPS trace - which you need to provide to have a completion - will be checked to make sure you didn't.
Overnight Scratch Update:
Giacomo Maltman has scratched at Oykel Bridge with an old Achilles injury kicking in.
When looking at the track history files I assume that the green wedge shaped icon is a tent and that's where the individual stopped for the night? If so then Josh and Tom appear to have paused (I hesitate to use the word rested) very close to one another, it looks like Tom used the road past Drumbeg to his advantage.
Josh is now back at Oykel Bridge, that's 313 miles in 48 hours!!
As Greg says, practice pushing your bike up and down big, steep, rocky hills. A failed ITT in 2013 left me unable to walk for a fortnight.I might have been unlucky but to a degree you have to make your own luck out there.
That Ledmore road section can be a right bugger because there's usually a strong headwind funnelled through the valley, but if it's going your way it's great. (Done it twice in the last couple of weeks and cursed it all the way 🙂 )
Right now the wind is in the right direction so they'll get a well deserved push along.
Invercassley Stores has a rush on.
do****cher - you have been cool, calm and collected considering that not only is your other half doing this daft race but your son too. Have to take my hat off to you for being so supportive and you must be so proud of your lad who will remember the adventure for many many years. Do hope that you're managing some sleep away from the tracker! 🙂
+1 ^^^
Rich knows that if Tom comes back in bits we will be getting a BOGOF deal at the undertakers.
They have shit hits the fan contingencies in place - although I do worry when the tracker doesn't update for a while. On board the bike is 11,000 calories, Tom has had the call emergency services drill down to a fine art (both phones are registered with 121 and whistling was practiced until the deaf neighbour complained). He can also set up the tent by himself so if something happens to Rich he is OKish. My biggest worry is the river crossings - Tom is not a strong swimmer.
If he wasn't doing this I would have to worry about childhood obesity and the long term health effects of sofa surfing & playground bullying because he is not very good at ball sports...
Invercassley Stores has a rush on.
😆