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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.