Highland Trail 550

Being fashionably late 🙂

Don’t see too much chance of her losing the ladies record time round the course.

Oh well, will look in tomorrow night now, after work see if it’s all over.

Good show Iona 🙂

Word on the street is she has just finished, update to follow
🙂

haha, did wonder if the **** tracker was stalled.

Brilliant effort. I’m impressed.

And she’s finished. Brilliant display of tenacity, endurance and stamina! Even my other half has been watching the dots religiously and cheering Ione along!

Whoop! Well done Iona.

Yay, well done Iona! Whoever you are 🙂

Tracker site has updated now 🙂

Well done to those that entered and had a go.
Well done to those that finished.

🙂

Yes, well done all – very inspiring! I did a tiny part of the route last month and I’d love to have a crack at the whole thing. Not going to kid myself I’d be up to racing it though.

Brilliant, been following the dots and willing everyone on from the comfort of my sofa/office chair.

Everyone that rode, had a go, finished or not is an absolute legend in my book.

Glad iona’s back safe and sound, I don’t know her, but following the pink dot around Scotland and hearing of her attitude and spirit through this thread and on bearbones I have total respect for her.

Well done indeed. Brilliant show. I hope we get to read some accounts of those that ventured. I might need something of a reality check to temper the inspiration and stop me getting any silly ideas about taking part next year.

Awsome event, addictive viewing, to all those involved and that took part,well done… nuts the lot of you – best wishes.

Kunstler – Member
…I might need something of a reality check to temper the inspiration and stop me getting any silly ideas about taking part next year.

On the other hand the Twinkly Pootle 550 may be more civilised….

The TP550 sounds like a motor powered bum cleaning solution.

Well done to all and well done Iona. Put some words to keyboard and a short vid here.
Highlandtrail blog and vid.

So overall 12 finishers out of 36 starters – an attrition rate of 2/3.

The trackleaders page is still showing Johan de Keukelaere as a finisher but if you look at his log he didn’t do the Fisherfield and Torridon sections.

Great effort to all who had a go!

Didn’t he do the permitted diversion or was that somebody/somewhere else.

Gunther Desmedt went in to Shenavall and then back out again, but scratched after that. Don’t think anyone did the permitted diversion.

My Highland Trail race in words and pictures.

http://sometimesridesbikes.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/highland-trail-550-race-overview.html

HT550 was ace. Thanks for the support. I have a long challenge planned with mates this summer, and it might make STW forum threadage. You’ll like it, and hopefully it’s something that both racers and bikepackers (or the hybrid packer-racer 😉 can use as a stepping stone to a full-core ITT.

My ramblings and photos from the race are here:
http://newretrotom.blogspot.fr/2014/06/highland-trail-550.html

Epic stuff – thanks for sharing Tom.

Nice read that tom

Well done Tom. That was a good read.

brilliant. you make it sound easy 🙂

Great read Tom. And a big well done!! 😀

http://bearbonesbikepacking.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/highland-trail-550-view-from-front.html

This is worth a read.

That’s (superlative inadequacy) awesome!

Ian’s excellent video is worth a watch.

One for the Iona Fan Club…

http://www.jonesbikes.com/?option=com_wordpress&lang=en&Itemid=58

Unlike this year, the HT550 group start in 2015 is not going to be a first come, first served basis. There will be qualifying routes which you will have need to have done at least one of, the first of which will be the HT550 itself (an ITT will count if you have proof). Finishers from the last two years will have a guaranteed place. Other routes will be the CTR, AZTR or similar events overseas. Cairngorms Loop and Lakeland 200 will also be on the list.

Better get busy folks….

Lakeland 200 was completed in under 18 hours recently……

16 hours 45 minutes apparently…

http://www.selfsupporteduk.net/routes/Lakeland200.html

Another excellent video

OK – shitty camera work and crap sound in places, but he really tells a great story.

Go gentle on my first ever MTB video 😉 Camera work was pants due to extreme fatigue.

Oh – I absolutely loved the video. Could be the sequel to The Blair Witch Project. 🙂

I think it’s incredibly honest and captures the mood and conditions really well.

Lucky I didn’t add the arse pictures I took

For everyone involved! Enjoyed that, thanks.

Time to resurrect this one – entries open on Monday for next year’s race. Who’s in?

Just to make everyone aware. Before you think about entering read this:

Hard as Nails