Highland Trail 550

twinklydave – Member
These supposed ‘backmarkers’ are actually flying round…

That’s true.

I like the idea of a civilised version, but if it’s your pace, I’m not sure how civilised that will be… 🙂

When is the Pootle 550? 😆

I’d sign up for that 😉

Where’s the fun in that 🙂 No suffering, no trench foot… wait…maybe I’m in.

scandal42 – Member
When is the Pootle 550?

Great name for it, and seeing Dave suggested it first, I vote for the Twinkly Pootle 550. 🙂

Hehe, I’m in for the pies, fish & chips and pubs Pootle 550.

Having ridden bits of this in holiday bikepacking mode – and some bits just on day rides – I am in awe of the folk covering the terrain at such a pace.

Looks like Iona is heading into the Fisherfield and AlasdairMc is about to hit the Drochaid Coire Lair descent. Both amazing places to ride, but with and 340 and 400 miles behind them respectively it’s, well, just… wow.

Cannot quite believe how engaging a spectator sport this is.

So… looks like Jonathan Edwards is back in Tyndrum. As his SPOT was off I’ll leave it up to Alan to check his GPS. Hopefully he went the whole way round!

When is the Pootle 550?

In all seriousness, I think that is a fair question. The thing is though, for this route (certainly some of the sections), doing it slower just prolongs the hike a bike to the point that you won’t be riding at least half the day, and some of the rest is not possible to ride ‘relaxed’, you have to commit if you want to stay on. So ‘taking it easy’ can potentially make it less fun (!) and harder.

I’m at home now licking my physical and metaphorical wounds. I am happy I tried my best for this, but it wasn’t enough. I doubt I’ll attempt it again as I found the commitment in terms of time spent training and away from friends and other fun activities a big sacrifice. On the positive side, I feel the fittest I have ever felt, and I think my riding ability has come on a bit.

In all seriousness, I think that is a fair question. The thing is though, for this route (certainly some of the sections), doing it slower just prolongs the hike a bike to the point that you won’t be riding at least half the day, and some of the rest is not possible to ride ‘relaxed’, you have to commit if you want to stay on. So ‘taking it easy’ can potentially make it less fun (!) and harder.

This. 100% this.

Faster also keeps you out of the weather and gets you between food stops quicker, so you can carry less. On this route…I’d rather go light and fast, than slow and heavy.

5th Gary
6th Dave Buckden
7th Alan

Assuming Jonathan didn’t ‘stealth’ the lot.
Accumulator anyone?

5th Gary
6th Dave Buckden
7th Alan

You are forgetting about Keith! His SPOT tracker has been intermittent. I’m sure he will have left Fort Augustus by now.

Sadly confirming that Jonathan did not finish the whole route. He had some mechanicals then managed to get across to Ullapool and go from there. He rode with AlanG for a bit and Gary today.

Amazing effort to complete and the only advantage I can see of a s/s is less weight to push and carry.

I wondered about this, I figured any hill where you needed low gears was probably just as easy/fast to walk, which gives your bum a rest from the saddle!

Also not sure how many long fast downhills there are where a big gear would really be an advantage.

In the little fantasy pipedream world where I’m entering this race in 2016 and have already specced a bike, it would be a singlespeed, rigid 29er with a Cane Creek Thudbuster 8)

I think Gary is shooting for Tyndrum pre 10pm; that way, he can eat something other than cereal bars 🙂

I wondered about this, I figured any hill where you needed low gears was probably just as easy/fast to walk, which gives your bum a rest from the saddle!

I’d have thought the main disadvantage would be the flat pedally bits and roads. I guess the reduced chance of disastrous mechanicals could outweigh this though if you weren’t bothered about doing it ‘fast’. Or choose a gearing which favours making progress on the flats and resign yourself to walking the uphills. In my fantasy pipedream I think I’d go for gears and be careful not to smash the mech against any rocks 🙂

I reckon dinglespeed would be the best option.

Again, in the fantasy pipedream world, if I had any chance of completing in a respectable time I wouldn’t be worried about outright speed, I think any gear I chose (probably 32×18 or even 32×20?) would be sufficient to get me along the roads at a reasonable pace, and I would just focus on long days, rather than trying to go particularly fast.

Slow and steady rules apply!

Or yes, dinglespeed.

David Buckden is gaining on Gaz.

Gary’s getting closer to Glencoe Ski center, maybe 30-45mins

Davids doing 8.8mph and bearing down on Kinlochleven, should finish before midnight.

Alans about 5 miles behind David running at 7mph, should also get to the finish.

Keith appears to still be in Fort William and several miles behind Alan.

Might have 4 more in before midnight 🙂

Alan sleeping in Kinlochleven tonight. He will get an early start tomorrow to finish in under 6 days.

Come on Gary. 90 mins to the finish!

Coming round to Orchy and the final run down to the finish, might be sat in the bar just after 10 🙂

Johan through check point 8 and still rolling, will he pull an allnighter for an early morning finish ? or lay up for a bit, either way he should finish Friday.

Davids about 14miles behind Gary, still got to climb up to the Ski center but still moving.

Iona is just over 7miles from checkpoint 6 going by the times, she is in a hike-a-bike section.

🙂

Johan isn’t in the race. He missed out a major section between Ullapool and Torridon. We had him in the shop getting new brake pads fitted (he’d worn them right down). Kudos to him for heading back to finish off what he could though!

Iona may have decided to stick at Shenaval for the evening though.

I think, barring tragedy, the GT-1000 is gonna be 5th 🙂

Is Gary stopped ?

At the Bridge of Orchy Hotel. Probably just making sure his water bottles are full for that last stretch 🙂

Are you out on the course Colin ?

Pub at bridge of Orchy, maybe a swift pie and pint ?

He might be getting his end of ride nosh up at the pub at the bridge of orchy…… Tracker could be inside hence no update for 25 mins?

Nah. Just hypothesising.

Bridge of Orchy hotel is probably a better option for a decent feed at this time of night to be honest.

The V2 trackers only update when you move, even if still outdoors.

Iona is on the move again. GO GIRL!!!

So Johan is out but still riding as still in 🙂 nuts

Iona’s about 5miles from CP6

Gt rolling again…

Trackleaders says he finished at 9:48. We should get a more accurate figure some time though.

Garys status says finished 9.58pm

Pie and pint must have done him some good then 🙂

Davids through the ski center and rolling to Tulla and Orchy

Well done GT. Fantastic ride, just wish I was there to shake your hand!

Still on course on my version of track leaders