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That's a shame to hear about Dave and Gareth - I spoke to them last night just before Laggan and then they weren't behind us.
Nik Kinloch and I are currently refuelling in Cannich.
Matt Slater snapped his rear mech after 6 miles, tried to carry on singlespeed but after another mechanical has turned back to Kinlochleven.
Michael Cleveland has had 4 punctures and after suffering in the rain is recovering in Fort Augustus unsure if he will continue.
The weather is pretty unpleasant up here at the moment. These guys are supermen (and woman 🙂 )
Looks like Phil S is right at the northernmost point now.
WAY ahead of everyone else!
past N most point heading S. In current weather I'd be doing the same 🙂
Update from Ed Proctor:
[i]This is Ed Procter, I've scratched from the HT 550
I decided to pull this morning, I was riding at the time with Ian Barrington in Contin and that's were I finished.
This is one of the first times I've done one of these races and I'm so under prepared. Mentally, physically and what I'm capable of, it's been a massive learning experience!
Yesterday ranks as one of my hardest in the saddle, just over 120miles in 17 hours, getting to a bothy at just after 2am. I think I did too much! The thought of 5 days more did not compute
I hope the rest of the race goes well and I'll be following it avidly.[/i]
I have a few other people who are "having a hard time" but not yet officially scratched, I'll update in the morning.
Ride on kids, remember - I told you it was hard, really hard.
[url= http://singletrackworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/the-highland-trail-400-part-one-hard-has-never-been-so-fun/ ]HT2013 Part 1[/url]
[url= http://singletrackworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/the-highland-trail-400-part-two-hard-is-still-fun-just/ ]HT2013 Part 2[/url]
I'm still in. 🙂
I'm still in.
Marvellous 🙂
Seems to be at least five folk off course at Contin now, heading for Dingwall?
One of them is Markus Stitz, I've done some riding with Markus and know what he's capable of in terms of long hours in the saddle, wonder what's happened...
Agree, the site is very compulsive viewing!
Wish this event had existed three years ago when I was doing one or two bikepacking trips a year, and pre-herniated disc of course 🙁 Having said that I doubt I ever averaged more than 60km a day with the bikepacking gear, spent more time sniffing out bothies and fried breakfasts than I did pedalling!
Missed the start 🙁
Was up last week wild camping around Glenelg and Raasay, only got about 12 midge bites, and 1 tick bite, however the tent was crawling with ticks and Mrs Acehtn got ticked loads.
Talking with outdoorsy shop staff in Fort William and they reckoned ticks will be real bad this year......
Weather was ace last Monday/Tuesday got heatstroke, it's worsened all week, Saturday morning was brilliant, the forecast from there on didn't look good so we headed back home.
From the piccys in this thread some are really in the no pain no gain camp 🙂 some really minimal equipped bikes.
Will be following this thread with interest, my wild guess, about 4 1/2 days for contenders to get round ?
Good luck to all still going !
If Markus lives in Edinburgh he's just made it in time for supper.
Markus does indeed live in Edinburgh. He's a good lad. Tell him to check his Facebook. 😉
This Philip Simcock fella is absolutely flying. Boggles the mind!
Ha, I'm beginning to understand!
Looks like Phil Clarke has taken a huge wrong turn?
An update from Andy Toop said he's out with a smashed brake lever 🙁
Looks like he's missed the top loop out for some reason
No rest for the awesome....
Big Mark M put a shift in last night - thought he might get the heid down at the base of the Northern loop, but he's more than half way round it.
Phil Clarke seems ensconced in Ullapool..
At oykel bridge hotel for breakfast. Heavy rain, very hard but keeping going. Hotel is a godsend. Spent last might in tent after cycling 16 hours 93 miles. This race is tough as hell and weather not helping!
Once more, I watch and listen to you folks in utter awe at the commitment you show...
COME ON!
Oykel Bridge Hotel is ace. Spent a night there on a multi-day trip, *huge* baths filled by taps the size of an oil pipeline, all-you-can-east buffet, welcoming and used to muddy outdoors folk.. you lucked out nikk!
More people list of people who have scratched over the last 12 hours:
Andy Toop - with a mechanical.
Phil Clarke - wet and knackered.
Stuart Rider - turning for home at Strethpeffer.
Mike Davies - wetter than an otters pocket in traditional local weather.
Phil Fraser-Thomson - exhausted and cold to the bone.
I'll update more as they come in.The weather is doing what it does best this year it would appear.
And another one - Matt Slater is out
[i]I broke my derailleur and tried to SS to Fort Augustus. I managed to break or bend at least 4 cogs on my cassette, but have made it back to Kinlochleven after crossing "The Bog" twice.
I'm going to see if I can find an open bike shop somewhere close by tomorrow, but am definitely out of the race. Thanks to everyone who helped with this, but especially Alan! Hopefully the hike-a-bike gets easier, but it doesn't sound like it. What a gorgeous route; but the only thing nicer than the scenery is the people. If you ever have the possibility to get to Scotland, jump on it!
Thanks again, and maybe someday I'll get this endurance racing thing figured out.
Matt Slater[/i]
have pinged a friend near to KLL to see if assistance can be offered.. at least some accomm.
I was at Contin riding the puffer course yesterday and rode briefly with Mark McPhillips. I was amazed how far he'd gone so quickly and he was only in 9th! He seemed tired but in good fettle. Gutted for Andy Toop. That's a tough race that, huge respect to all even thinking about attempting it.
Alan Parkinson (not Partridge) has now scratched.
He had a crash two days ago, took a day out, it's not right so he's pulled out.
Is Brian Dawson out? Looks like he is passed Strathpeffer so off route and heading home?
Cheering on Iona......she's a legend even to have just started given that she mashed her ankle up earlier in the year and was off the bike for weeks. GO IONA!!!!!!!!!!! HUGE respect for her.
Think Bryan is out Sanny.
Message via Ken at 7.30 this morning. Conditions/weather proving tough...
Was going well too.
Phil Simcock is a machine!
Confirmed scratch for Bryan Dawson.
I reckon that's 15 of 36 "scratched" so far (though some have shortened the route).
I bumped into Ian Barrington yesterday lunchtime just past Garve (I was on my way to Torridon and saw he was about to pass). He was feeling very tired, not having had much sleep in the bothy on account of arriving late and everyone else getting up early. He had planned a wee bivi in the woods but the midge were horrendous.
I think the fastest guys are getting the best of the weather too. It was drier in the more northerly reaches yesterday and better way out west today
Confirmed scratch for Michael Gruenert
I can confirm the presence of midgies.
From Michael:
[i]I am out, definitly. I am sitting in the train back to Tyndrum. Hope to get there in the evening.
The why question? If I am starting in a race like this I expect to male some progess. First day 100 mies in almost 15 hours. Yesterday 60 miles in just abtut 10 hours in real nasty weather. Fitness for my personal level was quite good. But maybe not good enough for this countless boggy sections. I've got the notion I was more pushing my bike than riding it. And I don't expect any improvement for the next days. My deepest respect all those who are going to finish the race under those really bad conditions.
Michael Gruenert[/i]
Maybe Markus made the right decision to stop half a mile short of Melgarve bothy then! I didn't know if he knew it was there or not, could see the cluster of dots of other people staying in it.
It's pissing down here on the east coast at the moment.
If it's like that over west, the misery quotient will be high...
Very interesting to see how slow Phil was going through the Fisherfield traverse. Does not bode well for others... Got a text from Alan G, it's been raining all day on the top loop as well.
There's a big climb from Strath na Sealga to the high point of the Fisherfield traverse, can't imagine anyone climbing it under any conditions, and the lower section looked like it could be VERY wet if the river was high.
Plus the Strath itself of course, at least one high river crossing and maybe lots of extra saturated bog in between? Lucky guys! (and girl..) 8)
Been there last year 🙂 It's a big push.
I knew Phil Simcock before he was famous 😀
He is smashing it at the moment (as those who know him knew he would), but everyone out there doing it is utterly bonkers and as hard as nails.
Seriously. Awesomeness all over the live tracking website.
(Go Phil. Woo!)
I'm very glad I missed out on a place in this madness now 😯
It's finally dried up here and is a fairly fine evening. Forecast is much better tomorrow for the hardcore still in it.
I missed it because there were 67 iirc entered. From that, 36 started, now down to 21 by the looks of it.
Just getting round this course at all withint the alloted time is a major achievement.
Next year..
IB (Iain Barrington?) appears to have found the Suileag Bothy! 😀
Iona Evans has leapt along the course? Tracker problems? Or have I not been paying attention?
[quote=13thfloormonk ]IB (Iain Barrington?) appears to have found the Suileag Bothy! Midge-free I hope.
Her Tracker has been playing up - or she has it set in a poor position.Iona Evans has leapt along the course? Tracker problems? Or have I not been paying attention?
Mark McPhillips has called it in Ullapool. Weather and riding for 36 hours straight have taken their toll.