My Borders 220 Group Start.

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Ray Young
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My Borders 220 Group Start.

Post by Ray Young »

I'd set my alarm for six am Saturday morning and woke at twenty past six discovering I'd accidentally set it for seven. Bugger, bang goes the cooked breakfast I'd planned. Luckily the bike was packed so I chucked it in the car and headed down to Peebles eating sandwiches on the way but didn't get to the start point until ten to eight. Approaching the start I met a bikepacker heading back to town thinking he'd got the wrong place as no one else was there. I put him right much to his relief and we talked whilst waiting for the others to show. He was called Tom and we were to spend the next two and a half days riding together. Eight o'clock and another eight riders arrive, six doing the 350 and four including me doing the 220. I'd been expecting a few more people so we waited a few more minutes before I said a few words then set the 350 lot off then the four of us set out on the 220.
John and Mark who were to be riding together immediately hit a problem. Their main gps device no longer seemed to have the route on it but they did have a smaller unit showing it but only in streetmap. They decided to press on anyway but it eventually led to them quitting as they found navigation very difficult at various points so ran out of time.
Tom and I pulled away from them just before the Broughton loop and never saw them again. By about midday we were at the start of the Devils Beeftub bikehike. With high heat and humidity we'd been drinking a lot and I reckon I drank nearly a litre of water an hour for every hour I rode. You didn't have to remind yourself to drink, you just did at every opportunity. Half way up the bikehike I remarked to Tom that we were covering the ground quickly and that "this is a breeze". He looked at me oddly and queried my remark. "Well compared to normal it is" I replied. The long dry spell had impacted on the tussock growth and I walked straight over two bits that are normally knee deep bog. Yes, this was definitely easy going compared to the usual state of affairs, in fact I knocked 45 minutes off my previous fastest time over this bit.
We arrived at Moffat late afternoon and headed straight to the co-op, ate some food, stocked up on supplies then pressed on.
The Garrigil push was hard as the humidity was so high and I was accompanied by a myriad of flying insects all the way to the top. If you've seen Toms video on the Facebook page you'll notice he's always videoing me from ahead. That'll be because Tom is a very fit man and could have pulled away from at any point he chose, he used to do endurance triathlons to give you an idea. He'd said that he was more interested in enjoying the route than setting a fast time so was happy to go at my pace.
We passed a few monks towards the end of the track to Eskdalemuir as the Samye Ling Tibetan centre is located not far from here. Greensykes bothy was our goal which we got to at 8pm. Three young guys were in residence and I think that they may have been a bit stoned although there was no smell to indicate this. They just seemed a bit odd is all, polite and asking intelligent questions about what we were doing but still coming across as not quite with it. They weren't drinking or playing music and their talking didn't keep us awake for long, I reckon I was asleep by half ten.
75 miles in 12 hours.

The alarm went off at six and after eating and packing were away by seven. We could already tell it was going to be another hot one. Near the high point of the Stennieswater climb we stopped at the mobile home situated below White Hope Edge. "The Deliverance Bothy " I've started calling it. Done out with bunks with mattresses on (can you imagine the damp) with hunting, fishing and pornographic magazines on the table the time I looked in it is not the sort of place I'd want to sleep in especially if the owners turned up for the night. Anyway Tom was checking the place out as I pulled up feeling a bit nauseous. Then I felt very nauseous and started wretching but bringing nothing up. Tom came out looking concerned. I was worried I'd eaten or drank something dodgy but couldn't think what and we'd both been using the same (filtered) water sources. With Tom's endurance experience he reckoned it was the heat and exertion of the climb to blame and he was proved to be right. The wretching and nausea diminished over the next half hour as we pressed on. Newcastleton supplied err, supplies and we pressed on towards Kielder. Tom left me just inside Newcastleton forest and I didn't see him again until Kielder. The climb following Kershope Burn to Scotch Knowe brought on another bought of nausia and wretching so I slowed right down and pressed on but by the time I got to Kielder I felt like crap. Tom said I needed to rest and I'd already decided that that is what I was going to do. Again Tom declined to press on without me. I downed a pint of coke from the bar then walked onto the campsite were I "stole" a beautifully cool shower. No door code or key needed and no coin fed shower. It felt great to just stand under the cool running water and I didn't want to get out. Much refreshed from that we had a cooked meal from the bar with another coke and ordered sandwiches to go as Jedburgh was the next supply point and it was a long way off.
We looked into Spithope Bothy before pressing on to Yearning Saddle refuge hut arriving at 8pm. I think Tom would have liked to have gone a bit further that night and although I probably could have coped I was all for the hut so that's where we stayed. Tom had been checking the progress of the 350 group on his smart phone and I reckoned we might be joined by some of them later that night but it turns out they decided to stay at Spithope.
80 miles in 13 hours.

Once again the alarm went off at six and we were away by seven with Jedburgh in our sights for a cooked breakfast. We had a hill mist and a little rain to accompany us which was a welcome change from the heat but I did miss the views. All went well until a mile and a half from Jedburgh when I got a big slit in my front tyre. I was running tubeless but the hole was too big to repair with a slug/leech/gummy worm or whatever it is they're called and even with a boot the tube I put in was bulging. The repair would have got me home by road but no way would it cope with the rest of the route. Tom had pedaled ahead oblivious and I found him in a cafe having just finished his full Scottish breakfast. Whilst I ate he checked the net for bike shops. Nearest he found was 2 1/2 miles away off route. Tom had decided to press on whilst I sorted a new tyre and I thanked him for his company and wished him well. Whilst drinking my second pot of tea I checked the net further and discovered a bike shop just down the road, maybe I won't have to cycle out of my way after all. My heart dropped as the shop turned out to be a hardware store with 3 kids bikes and a very cheap mountain bike in one window. Gotta try I said. On enquiring I was told no, no 29" tyres, tubes yes, tyres no. They asked how far I had to go so I told them of the ITT I was attempting. Hold on and I'll check to make sure one guy said. A minute later and he returns with 29 " x 2.25 tyre of Chinese make I'd never heard of before, the only 29" tyre in all of Jedburgh and all for the princely sum of £14.99. I nearly bit his arm off in my eagerness to get hold of it. Swapping it out presented no problems with the old one coming off and the new one going on easily. I left Jedburgh only an hour and fifteen minutes after Tom had left. The day was hot again now so I didn't push it but kept up a steady pace. I'd restocked at Jedburgh so rode straight through Hawick and Selkirk. Off road again and I didn't see another soul until dusk on the last climb when I disturbed a bloke in full camo gear with a hunting rifle and telescope. I didn't actually see him until I was almost right on top of him and he stood up. I apologized for disturbing his hunting but he was fine. Just about to pack up anyway as it was getting dark. At the top of the last climb I had to put my lights on in order to descend Gypsy Glen safely. I crossed the line at about 11.00 pm with a total time of 2 days 14 hours and 45 minutes.

I thoroughly enjoyed this ride despite the heat causing problems. I very much doubt I'll see these trails so dry again. 12,13 and 16 hours cycling each day saw me through but with 8 hours sleep both nights plus faff time I just know the 220 can be done in under two days.
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fatbikephil
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Re: My Borders 220 Group Start.

Post by fatbikephil »

Good one Ray - heat exhaustion in Scotland who'd have thought it! :-bd
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PJG
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Re: My Borders 220 Group Start.

Post by PJG »

Nice write up Ray !
We had no idea we were so close to you on Sunday night :-)
Blair512
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Re: My Borders 220 Group Start.

Post by Blair512 »

Finally got round to reading this Ray, nice write up, wish I'd made it along :-bd
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