Highland Trail 550 2015

@cynic-al

When I first had a look at the route there’s a few small bits of tarmac here and there like in Kinlochleven and Fort Augustus but the biggest sections appear to be the Drumbeg road; Ledmore Junction back to Oykel Bridge and Loch Maree to Torridon.

Ledmore comes after the hike-a-bike section through Glen Canisp and the Torridon section comes just before the climb up from Annat.

There’s a few other bits and pieces like riding out of Ullapool

dotwatcher – Member
There appears to be a party going on in Crontin, or the cafe service is really slow.

It’s one of the last food stops for a long time. Tiny shop, sporadic opening hours.

Rich has just tweeted: “Mile 157 Contin. Food resupplied. Onwards…..”

Ledmore comes after the hike-a-bike section through Glen Canisp and the Torridon section comes just before the climb up from Annat.

I hated the Ledmore section last year. On paper, an easy roll. In reality, I was very fed up after the Lochinver / Glen Canisp trudge, there was a 15mph headwind, and I had a slow flat that I didn’t notice the whole section. Hard going!

riding out of Ullapool

That is another least favorite section. Busy main road near the only major town in the area, I hate getting buzzed by cars, even less by lorries. Also it is the section where both times I have been struggling with an injury that would see me throw the race a few miles further on… both times… I am not bitter or anything 🙂

The road out of Ullapool blows.

It’s one of the last food stops for a long time. Tiny shop, sporadic opening hours.

Haven’t they heard of Ocardo? That is the last time I am letting Rich take Tom out on a pootle around Scotland. It is bad enough that he left the underwear I carefully ironed for them behind. 😉

Yeah..

“Hi I’m standing on the side of the trail at Bealach Horn can you deliver?”

Just before entering Contin, if they hang a right up a farm track which is a shortcut to Strathpeffer, in less than a mile you’re at a shop called Deli in the Square with heaps of nice food. Also a shop next door to it.. or a barber. If you’re planning on taking your time on route ;o)

The service has gone downhill since they started doing for Morrisons

I have put up photos of the individual riders as they passed the Glencoe ski centre

http://niksbikingblog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/highland-trail-race-2015-riders-as-they.html

Thought I’d be able to fill in more names, but track leaders board is not that accurate, plus many riders didn’t put in what they are riding, so impossible to tell :-/

“I am on a (colour) (brand) (model) (any distinguishing features)” would have helped 🙂

Here is the leader at the moment, Josh Ibbett, photographed yesterday as he passed:

Apparently, he is fueled by “6 Hot Cross Buns” 🙂

Thanks Nick! Posted these to the Twitter feed

Surprised to see Josh taking a roll mat TBH!

Rickie Cotter is in Okyel Bridge. She had her tracking turned off. All is well.

Tallboy in front on this
Tallboy doing a quad SDW

Nick – this is Phil Fraser T

Karl Booth

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

and Steve Heading

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 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9i6cHcUhFnc

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.

dotwatcher – 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?

Home

🙂

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.

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.

NICE ONE!

Awesome! Good to see smiles. Looks more like the Scotland I know as well. Sunshine, pah!

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.