Highland Trail 2019

[cyclingtiger]

https://twitter.com/TourInTune/status/1 ... 6168242176

[GregMay]

Dotwatcher just tweeted (26 minutes ago) Cath Wightman confirmed scratched... Well done for braving it this far ... wow

It's almost as if they are getting that data from the actual feed.... oh wait, that's me.

Greg.. are you indeed DotWatcher... I've been watching you whilst you've been watching the dots

Not involved with Dotwatcher. I've run the Twitter feed since 2014 - with Ian helping in the past two years.

I am the point where the riders scratch - hence the avatar >>>

[Dave Barter]

Think Steve Large has a problem as he is heading back down the route

[cyclingtiger]

Is the problem water?

[slarge]

Too much of it!

[Richard G]

Man, what a nightmare.

[GregMay]

Think Steve Large has a problem as he is heading back down the route

Aye, he just confirmed with me.

[gairym]

Wow - absolutely no loss of face to everyone who decides not to carry on this year!

And let's hope that everyone who carries on stays safe.

I'm sure deep (deep, deep) down it's fun riding in such biblical conditions

[Richard G]

I actually quite like insane weather (assuming you have the gear for it), but f*ck crossing rivers like that.

[benp1]

just catching up on this

Bad weather is one thing, and to a point can be dealt with by kit, Robert crossings like that are nuts and really not safe

[fatbikephil]

Back home after much dampness. The rain started much later than predicted so the first 80 miles ran really well. Even the Ben Alder bog path was pretty dry - Perthshire has had BA rain for ages. I was pleased to get up the Ben Alder climb clean (ish) apart from the river crossings. It got progressively damper on the corrieairyack and was cold descending. Knees had been gyppy since Pattack and on the climbs on the way down to fort Augustus they really started nipping. Pretty much made the decision there and then. Steve L (who I'd caught on the Ben Alder climb) said to sleep on it but given the sh*tey weather there didn't seem much point as its not like 450 miles of cycling would make them get better.

When I told Alan at the pizza shop he seemed surprised but then said, he didn't feel the need to continue in such conditions after having done it six times already.....

Cruised down the GGW last night, failed to find the shelter at Glas coire so pitched the tarp in the woods and had 8 hours of solid kip. First properly wet bivvy for ages - got most of it right but I need more practice as I made a few schoolboy errors which would have been a problem if I'd had to be out another night. Got to fort bill this morning to be joined by a gaggle of other riders all looking to get on the train. Low and behold we all got on and the guard even forgot to charge us

Hey ho - still had a right laugh. My pace seemed to be fine but I beat my record to Fort A (10 hrs done in '14 on the old route with a headwind) by 10 mins. Not bad as my weekly average has only been 9 hours since January. If my knee hadn't given up I'd likely have kept going as I had the gear to survive the rain but I suspect the first scary water crossing would have stopped me so nothing lost all in all.

Bumped into Lee c fixing a grim puncture at the bottom of the Ben Alder descent but she hooned past me soon after. In FA she said she had to put a tube in and only had one spare.....

Good to bump into Steve as we had a good natter over the corrie A. Interesting hearing his racer head for perspective. For me its always going to be survive first race second (or not at all) also good banter in the pizza shop which is why I Iike these things.

As I was cruising down the GGW last night in my head I planned the Highland Trail lite - watch this space

[Richard G]

Only 9 hours a week on average... man, I'd kill for that average right now.

[JoseMcTavish]

This is making me feel much less gutted about not riding again this year - good luck to all those persevering through the conditions, hope they stay safe. This is very similar to the Cairngorms Loop a couple of years back where I was 3rd man home and also last due to the humongous scratch list that didn't want to risk some of the more mental river crossings. It was okay for two days, but not sure how I'd have felt about another 3 days out in those conditions!

[BobCatMax]

Can't believe James Hayden still part of the race... He's obviously becom/becoming a more rounded rider and got what it takes to face the elements...

I think given his previous results I think this is a bit of an understatement?

[AlasdairMc]

I’m back in Tyndrum after a long day’s driving taking a few folk down the road in the van (I was in Durness this morning). I’m happy to do more shuttling tomorrow if anyone else wants brought back down here. Can someone on Twitter share this please in case it’s of any use?

I can take 3 people at a time, either to here or a train station.

[JohnClimber]

Hat's off you to AlasdairMc

[FLV]

I’m back in Tyndrum after a long day’s driving taking a few folk down the road in the van (I was in Durness this morning). I’m happy to do more shuttling tomorrow if anyone else wants brought back down here. Can someone on Twitter share this please in case it’s of any use?

I can take 3 people at a time, either to here or a train station.

Yeah, nice one Alasdair. That can and will mean a lot to some people. Top stuff mate.

[redefined_cycles]

Can't believe James Hayden still part of the race... He's obviously becom/becoming a more rounded rider and got what it takes to face the elements...

I think given his previous results I think this is a bit of an understatement?

I see your point. But he's not really used to offroad stuff (as stated by himself) you see... add in uncrossable river crossings and bogs (and possibly the 4 seasons in one day of the highlands) and everything in between that rrally knocks your confidence.

Well done him, top banana

[ScotRoutes]

Complete speculation, but....Jenny seems to have slowed right down. She was with Markus for a while and has now been overtaken by Karl. Hope everything is OK.

[GregMay]

*Comical bugle noise*
Scratch of the day:
Lee Craigie
Pete Worsfold
Scott Lindsay
Cath Wightman
Aidan Robbins
Bryan Singleton
Steve Chapman
Ben Yarnold
Ben Houdry
Sean Belson
Lars Henning
Fiona Massey
Richard Wilson
Clem Shovel
Craig Dolwin
Steve Large
Remi Lequint
Peter Brooking

[Wotsits]

I see your point. But he's not really used to offroad stuff (as stated by himself) you see... add in uncrossable river crossings and bogs (and possibly the 4 seasons in one day of the highlands) and everything in between that rrally knocks your confidence.

Well done him, top banana

Every roadie should have to climb down those peat hags in the dark that he's just had to do with his bike

Just hope he's got a good sense of humour

That scratch list is something else & just shows how bad it must be out there

[Mart]

I’m back in Tyndrum after a long day’s driving taking a few folk down the road in the van (I was in Durness this morning). I’m happy to do more shuttling tomorrow if anyone else wants brought back down here. Can someone on Twitter share this please in case it’s of any use?

I can take 3 people at a time, either to here or a train station.

Alasdair - I’ve just posted your offer on Twitter
Mart

[ScotRoutes]

Looks like 3 missing out the northern loop and heading back.

[fatbikephil]

Liam Glen hasn't moved for 5 hours and the other front runners apart from James Hayden have been stopped for a while.....
Weather showing more horizontal dreich tomorrow then finally drying up in the evening with Tuesday looking pretty good

[FLV]

I dont doubt James Haydens toughness. Seeing what he did to attempt to keep going by taping his head in place with shemers neck will always sit as a mark of sheer bloody mindedness in my book. I wish him well.

Not sure but it looks like a few guys have stopped for a while and James is closing.