Strathpuffer 2010 and all this snow

A few more Strathpuffer questions from me. Sorry.
I am heading up a team of 4, I am considering a tent (for living in) and gazeebo (for working under) How much space does each team get away with? I'm looking to buy the tent this week and I'd hate to buy something too big and have the rest of the people rolling their eyes at us 🙂
Looks like we're going to be staying in the hotel the night before so will it the case where we will get the opportunity to pitch up on Friday then go off and stay in the hotel and return to our tent (if we can find it under the fresh 3ft fall of snow 😀 )the morning of the race?

Cheers

Paul.

It's a bivvy bag only event – no tents.

If you manage to pitch a tent in that snow and use it without destroying it.. you will be doing very well.

George/ISBI, you really should put a winky after that post, you naughty thing!

Barney, it's pretty much first come, first served on site space, but some consideration to the fact that there are heaps of people and not much space would be prudent… The area for camping is restricted by lots of trees, so smaller is easier to find a site for. I just managed to creatively squeeze our team's 6 berth tent into the trees around the picnic site that is the main camp, but it was more by luck than anything else.

I reckon the best approach would be to think 'New Age Traveller' creative for stringing up tarps etc amongst several smaller tents.

I shall have a van a couple of small tents a series of tarps and bungee cords and the biggest space heater I can find. Just for this weekend its sod the environment – melt some snow 🙂

its pelting down with snow and blowing around the garden now.heading up the catsback in the next hour!

up the cats back will be a push at best, and down the way your front wheel will probably get buried in snow and you may flip, if your not very cautious.
EDIT: enjoy all the snow thats falling as i type.

cullen you and your ilk are too young and made of elastic to be mr bmi. which is another reason why your giant hasn't fallen to bits. aside from the 'joy' that is avid and my break if you look at them srams the spesh has to cope with my fuller figured approach. oh yeah, and the lack of skills.

having just been out in my much more user friendly environment and by some miracle not come off (or been taken out – anyone else noting that four wheeled vehicle drivers seem to lose the plot when they see a bike out in the current weather?), in the words of that great cycling advocate mr t, i pity the fools who don't have snow tyres if it stays like this.

i wish i was made of more elastic than i am, im in so much pain, my knee and tailbone are preventing me from walking or cycling today.

eh? you've not gone and broke yourself? do tell. i thought it was only a certain gentlemen of our acquaintance who managed that sort of caper when he was trying to keeping up with his kids

You'll hear all about it a week saturday. It is a thrilling tale though. so your entering as a pair swiss? where are you going to camp?

i'm not entered! i waited up on the entry day but fell to blethering and was about two minutes too late. and while there's those that might say i'm a johnny no mates on the bike front those i did hint that it might be an idea to do it as a team were all too unfit/fat/old/scared.

a woeful performance. but not that surprising when i consider i've just been out in order to suss out if it's 'safe' enough for them to go out tonight.

let that be a warning to you about the nature of the lands of the soft southern softies.

metcheck are forecasting 5 degrees again. i love how bad that site is…. 🙂

check puffer wedsite for up to date info

Hi swiss,sorry you not in but pleased you don`t ride that genralised anymore.Hope to have my new Giant in time for the race.See you soon

NR, could you check your e-mail please.

Cheeeesekate, i can take your soloist place, my e-mail is in my profile…. thanks!

I never made it up to strathpeffer earlier but on new years day it was a great descent down from the viewpoint. the front wheel didnt dive in once. ive got a racing ralph up front and it seems to do the job fine! I might leave it on after all.was planning another bonty mud-x 1.8.

Just for a laugh. Join our teams Facebook group, and I'll provide updates as the race goes (if it goes) on the day

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&gid=234513621545

I was out again on the snow tyres this evening, south Scotchland so no comparison to the snowy-balls of the kilted crowd oop north. But still, those tiny metal bits are amazing, 30 laps of the football field and I was ploughing into the turns like it was summer 🙂

No blimmin use in drifts though…

Also fell on the steps out front this morning and whacked my back. No! Not the Puffer injury curse! No!

Back to bloody work tomorrow too.

Cheers, al.

alan, i fell last week down three steps in the snow.went down them on my back too!

i was wearing flip flops at the time and my elbow took most of the weight and its now hard to put pressure on it.

top tip: dont walk in snow in flip flops.

i was sledging yesterday, when we decided we didnt like the igloo we made, we started dismantling it, i tried drop kicking it, landed on my left leg, curled under my body, and now i can hardly walk… my tailbone hurts front the sledging.

Gentlemen, this is the Puffer injury curse. This is my 3rd year. In 2008, I hit black ice on the way to work in early Jan and ripped my shoulder muscles trying to break my fall. The many falls on the 2008 Puffer skating rink were excruciating!

In 2009, I avoided commuting injury and instead broke my patella (knee-cap) at 2AM about half way round my 10th lap. Nasty! I hobbled/coasted back to the finish (and that earned me a quaich for being old & SS! Thanks!). 3 months off the bike.

This year: well, I've dodged it so far but watch out it's a bit nippy.

Cheers, al.

leg seems better today WOO! gonna take it careful between now and the puffer…

So local guys…..how many 'feet' of snow did you get last night?? I see they are determined the Puff will go on…..D Day next wedesday!

We didnt get much last night, if we got any at all higher up…

Right! I'm feeling inspired, I'll forgo the turbo session tonight and get out- another tyre swop I think and a few laps on the cycle way.

I wish i had some motivation… looks like im Soloing the puffer now!

Gonna be great – I hope

tried to get up the fireroad in a landrover this afternoon,we had to reverse down before the first corner.It is being ploughed tomorrow so hopefully it will be more accessible

are you going up tomorrow aswell? d'you want help?

No help needed cullen as the FC are doing it

I thought the singletrack was going to be cleared as well in some places?

Good to see the FC have thier priorities right….bugger the locals get the course cleared….Puffer comes first…quality 😀

I'll be heading out on Saturday to clear some tree fell on the singletrack with a hand saw.

Not been out since before December so where best to start?
Park at Steves' old place and walk in reverse from there up to and past Bill?

You guys are really putting in a great effort to get this thing on….you deserve a few pints!! really hope we dont get much more snow so we can get up the A9 to race with you….

Just looked at my weather app and strathpeffer is the warmest (with exception to Marbella which is +9)out of all my saved places. It's only -5 compared to

Edinburgh -10
Airdrie -9
Peebles -10
Dumfries -10
Aviemore -6
Glasgow -14

Things are looking up haha

Xan, that app is lying…

and Alek, walking back from steve's old place is the best way…

Weather permitting – Decided to take the bike for a spin too! Folding spade and bow saw in camel back…………happy days 🙂

Il have the kettle on ready for you. 😉 I doubt you'll be able to take your bike on the top half of the course, but the lower half should be fine.