HT550 - 2017

[Alpinum]

Like anything that uses satellite, SPOT requires line of sight to operate 100%. If the unit is not face up, or you're going through forested areas, transmission can be patchy. Hence the reason you'll often see people with their tracker affixed to the top of a saddle pack or on the handlebars. Mine currently lives in the front pouch of my Ortlieb waist pack. Nothing to obstruct it's line of sight and whilst it's not horizontal, I'm usually leant over far enough it's pointing somewhat upwards and can find a sat.

Greetz

S.

Wow!
Didn't realise the SPOT was so flaky.
My Garmin inReach lives in a padded pouch, inside a dry bag, and in my camelbak.
Or when hiking, inside my pocket.

Tracking works quite a bit different than OK message and even more so the SOS function of the SPOT.
Can't remember the exact numbers, but it uses only a few signal impulses to send the location to the sat. Then it's more diffucult for GPS devices to pin point the position under movement.
So there are a few factors. Add wet leaves etc. things get quite diffucult for tracking, which doesn't mean it's this way for OK messages too.

That said, I think Garmin (former DeLorme) InReach is the better system.

[ScotRoutes]

Just astounded how fast this is going this year - any idea what the weather is like so far ... and what's to come

Mostly overcast, 18-20c, dry. Last nights rain cleared through quickly. At least it's not the 28c we had a couple of days ago!

[Richard G]

I'd barely be able to cycle in that, let alone put out any meaningful pace. I'm sub standard in hot weather.

[Ian]

By my reckoning, Chris & Neil are 2 hours ahead of Phil.

Ian going extremely well - about 9-10 hours up on where he was in 2016. Impressive.

[Asposium]

I wonder if the lead guys will stop for rest tonight.

it seems they have pretty much cycled non-stop for 36hours

[boxelder]

Well, if Tesco resupply is the target, they'll have to wait for the 8am opening - about 4 hours from current position. Not much from there to Kinlochewe.....

[Richard G]

They're definitely going to be suffering.

[Asposium]

The New Zealand Tour Aotearoa has an interesting rule....

6. Between 9am one day and 9am the next, every rider must spend at least one block of at least six hours not travelling. In other words, the maximum time any rider may spend riding each day will be 18 hours (between each 9am-to-9am period).

[Ian]

Jenny Graham heading into one of the most isolated bits right now, solo. After the peat hag descent, you are quite literally in the middle of nowhere. Both intimidating and awe-inspiring at the same time...

[boxelder]

The New Zealand Tour Aotearoa has an interesting rule

No midges in NZ - puts riders into too much jeopardy in Scotland.

[ScotRoutes]

The New Zealand Tour Aotearoa has an interesting rule

No midges in NZ - puts riders into too much jeopardy in Scotland.

[boxelder]

Schoolhouse bothy for Chris. Good choice I reckon - Tesco and another big 'day'.

[atk]

The New Zealand Tour Aotearoa has an interesting rule

No midges in NZ - puts riders into too much jeopardy in Scotland.

Sandflies though. Do midge bites get infected? Sandfly ones do. Doesn't look nice.

[Ian]

Interesting night by the look of it
A 2 hour sleep for Neil, having dropped Chris at School House bothy, who stopped for 4.5 hours. This gives Neil a 18 mile lead.

Meanwhile, Ian Fitz appears to have passed Phil..?! Just 90 mins sleep for Ian is brief to say the least, while Phil just gets going as I write. Ian has a 13 mile lead over Phil, which could be interesting to watch as the day goes on.

According to the projections part of the leaderboard, Neil is on course for a sub 3 day finish (2:23:52). However, this possibly doesn't take into account the difficulty ahead of Fisherfield etc. But, not only that, there are 15 people on course for a sub-4 day finish. I can't imagine pulling off a sub 4 day time and not even finishing in the top ten!

[Alpinum]

According to the projections part of the leaderboard, Neil is on course for a sub 3 day finish (2:23:52). However, this possibly doesn't take into account the difficulty ahead of Fisherfield etc. But, not only that, there are 15 people on course for a sub-4 day finish. I can't imagine pulling off a sub 4 day time and not even finishing in the top ten!

I thought the same yesterday as I had a look at my riding times (Strava); Neil would be in Tyndrum sub 3 d, even if you include more breaks then he had 'till now. But then ... we entered the Fisherfield rested and refuelled.
They're humans too and will be knackered by now and utterly wasted by tomorrow morning. The only (natural) wake up call will the fun descents.
Of course there's natural caffeine, but you get what I mean.

They will slow down. Philip may have chosen his rest wisely. We will see...

Jenny is doing really, really well. She really grew into the event.

Alan will be amazed, or already is, by the pace.
He's ridden constantly quick over the years. Only that this year at the moment he's 21st... 21st.
There's definately some serious amount of dynamics in there.

I kind of feel the HT550 is seeing a shift. Last year riding mid field for most of the time people were time aware, but it didn't feel like racing. Not for me. If I was in the same place this year I'd probably feel a bit... pushed by the others... or even stressed. Those are the dynamics of a race against others. Not saying it's good or bad, just different.

The only logic consequence; time to give it a try in winter.

[ScotRoutes]

Fraser is out?

[Ian]

Hmm, looks like it doesn't it? A night in Suileag bothy to contemplate and then plan your extraction - I've been there...

[Ian]

Neil's over the Coffin Road (that didn't take long did it?!)

Fisherfield next. He'll be well into Glen Affric by midnight I reckon.

[mountainbaker]

Jenny is riding hard, we climbed the Ben Alder singletrack together when I was slowing because of my knee, then she shot off ahead, she's made up a lot of ground since then. Amazing riding.

Neil is ridiculous.

[Borderer]

Ian's zeroing in on tesco's. If you are right about the opening times then Chris and Neil have forsaken it. Is it the only game in town? It's a while since I have been to ullapool - is there no garage there or anything?

[boxelder]

Rich Rothwell is the quickest of the chasing bunch. He lost 4+ hrs having to wait to shop at Contin apparently. If he holds up, I'd expect him to chase Ian etc hard. The run in from Torridon will suit his strengths.

[Ian]

Alan will be amazed, or already is, by the pace.
He's ridden constantly quick over the years. Only that this year at the moment he's 21st... 21st.
There's definately some serious amount of dynamics in there.

I'd like to think that Alan has a feeling that his creation is now fully fledged, more so this year than any other year.

If he's out there enjoying himself, he won't mind so much on the position I don't think

[Ian]

Rich Rothwell is the quickest of the chasing bunch. He lost 4+ hrs having to wait to shop at Contin apparently. If he holds up, I'd expect him to chase Ian etc hard. The run in from Torridon will suit his strengths.

Can't work out whether he followed the route correctly after Contin or not? Might be a spot resolution issue, but he appeared to go out of Contin on the road.

[Alpinum]

Alan will be amazed, or already is, by the pace.
He's ridden constantly quick over the years. Only that this year at the moment he's 21st... 21st.
There's definately some serious amount of dynamics in there.

I'd like to think that Alan has a feeling that his creation is now fully fledged, more so this year than any other year.

If he's out there enjoying himself, he won't mind so much on the position I don't think

Never really looked at it this way, but you're right. The route, the line Alan sketched out is one Thing, what riders do with it the other.
I think he's very pleased to see people are going to places within themselves they've not been before, pushing their boundaries.
Besides this it stays a beautiful route for those who choose to ride it for sightseeing.

I don't think so too, I put his position down to point out how the pace has changed in midfield. Usually he runs at 7th or so.

[landel]

Ian's zeroing in on tesco's. If you are right about the opening times then Chris and Neil have forsaken it. Is it the only game in town? It's a while since I have been to ullapool - is there no garage there or anything?

Wondering about this too, what are the two front runners doing for food? Are they carrying loads with them or surviving on very little? I can see from Neil's website that he was carrying a lot from the start but surely that's all depleted now.