Rock & Road…….. so who "enjoyed" themselves?

Looking back upon it I actually enjoyed myself, but if you’d asked me at the time you might have got a different answer. All the hike-a-bike caused my legs to cramp quite badly by the time I reached the 2nd feed station (hence my dropping the 80km route and finishing the 54km route instead). The amount (and depth) of mud was brutal, I was well over the rims in many places.
I’ll be back for more next year, I’m just hoping that there a route rethink or that it’s drier……….. 🙂

Tough, but glad I completed it.

The signs from the finish line back to tomintoul took a strange route, adding an extra (unwanted by that point)hill onto the return route.

I enjoyed being out on tracks and trails I didn’t know, or didn’t know very well. In good company (four of us doing the Mighty, incl. swavis). Didn’t enjoy the big bike hike, and the boggy bits after that (as well as the moorland ‘explore’ on the Mighty loop). Not forgetting the big push up to the wooded section below Carn Daimh, that was soul destroying).

Rim deep mud ain’t so good for V brakes 🙁 On the upside, going singlespeed avoided some of the clagged mechs and broken chains I saw being repaired. I nearly lost a boot in one of the trudges across the moor, some thick black peaty ooze nearly claimed it..

But enjoyed the trails, the outdoors (birdsong in the Suie basin was lovely), the company, the food stops (!), the cheery marshals, and overall organisation.

Though, post-ride goody bags? Didn’t know about that! Must have returned to Tomintoul too late – think we got back, finally, near 7pm 🙁

kcal How was the final section after the route split?
I wouldn’t have made the extra 26km, my legs were failing me.

You didn’t get your goody bag? That sucks…… bottle of Windswept beer of your choice and a miniature of Glenlivet’s finest took the edge off the suffering……

In hindsight white may not have the best colour choice for the day !! 😆

The extra section was 85% lovely! real outdoors style, steep loose climb but not as boggy, looped round towards Chapeltown of Glenlivet, onto tarmac for a bit, then through some boggy forest, then across some boggy moorland, bit of search for a path, then spin round estate roads to Tamnavulin, lush little grassy track round the river and through distillery – then rejoin the Brave route.

We hung around the feed stations for a while, just enjoying the chat.

Spot the man in white … 🙂

Goody bags were in the tourist info centre by the time I got back (after 6).

Missed the BBQ tho 🙁

There was a young lass going round on a halfords bike with rim brakes which were completely ineffectual by the first food stop. Managed to sort them a bit for her, but have no idea how she managed that first 20 miles, some determination in her!

kcal I didn’t have anything brown to wear !! That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it…… 😀
That photo makes it look a lot whiter than it was by that stage too !!
Was good to meet yourself and swavis.

paladin I got my goody bag but I never saw a BBQ anywhere. The evening event in the hall wasn’t very well attended either which was a bit disappointing……..

The prize giving was a bit of a farce to be honest, even though it was delayed for more than an hour most of the winners weren’t there and the 2nd and 3rd place females were only just finished (they couldn’t even confirm the times). 😕