Rapha Pennine Rally

Anyone done this? Edinburgh to Manchester unsupported bike packing. Mostly gravel/off-road, 512km, 7288m of ascent.

Too tough for me, but my daughter and a mutual friend started it as a “standard pair” this morning. Their GPS tracker has failed, so the last I heard they were in Peebles. Where our friend had to go shopping for a new Gortex jacket as her (new) one had already failed!

It looks a tad moist over the next few days. I’m ‘enjoying’ it vicariously through them, proud dad!  Looks tough but rewarding.

A few friends have done it. One of the guys who works at Rapha Manchester is on about his 3rd or 4th go. I think it’s one of those things that would actually be better after 2 or 3 goes once you kind of know the route, what to expect and so on.

Weather looks quite grim for the next few days but at least the wind is swinging around to a tailwind!

Can’t remember what the fastest time is but I know one guy basically smashed the whole thing out in one go, barely stopping.

I’m ‘enjoying’ it vicariously through them, proud dad!

Best of luck to them!

Hope they  complete it safely and “enjoy” the challenge.

Well everyone still looked “happy” as they went past my place in the rain, still looking fresh….But I knew what hill they had at the next turn!    A deffo push up one!

As I sat at my desk an interesting array of bikes and set ups passed by outside.

Some heavy prolonged downpours yesterday , I was caught in the morning and got drenched when on the road bike but came home to a nice hot shower!  , deffo  makes it more challenging for them,  last night around 9.30/10pm another huge monsoon, rain was drumming down on the house …. i was thinking if them camping at St Marys Loch or in that area somewhere , a good test for a tent.

I was feeling for those sleeping  in Bivy bags!

Good luck to all.

They got an absolute soaking yesterday.  Luckily they were allowed to sleep on a pub floor last night instead of bivvying which was a bit of a morale boost.  Their trackers are fixed now, they are heading towards the border and Kielder forest.