Karl looks to have gone off-route. I hope that doesn't mean something is wrong.

Edit - was maybe just a navigation error. He seems to have gone up the wrong bit of the Annandale way to Ericstane.

Most definitely off route I'm afraid. Hope nothing bad has happened.

Phil is moving again, could be aiming for a kip at Over Phawhope bothy which he would hit around nightfall at this rate or even push on to Greensykes but I think that would mean cycling in the dark then kipping after sunrise.

Does anyone know if Jason Miles made it to the start?

It was just us and Karl in the pub last night, so I have no idea. Is it just two riders then?

There is that steepish climb up the gravel after Over Pawhope but after that it is a lovely slightly downhill cruise on tarmac - easy enough in the dark - until Ettrick anyway.

Bailed. Not be able to eat enough today as I was feeling a wee bit I'll. Staying in Moffat tonight then deciding what to do for the rest of my time here.

No jason. Just me, phil and Ollie started.

Gutted to hear that Karl. I hope it wasn't the muffins - they didn't make us ill
Dodgy lasagne?

Karl wrote:Bailed. Not be able to eat enough today as I was feeling a wee bit I'll. Staying in Moffat tonight then deciding what to do for the rest of my time here.

Sorry to hear that Karl, you seemed to be going so well.

Karl wrote:No jason. Just me, phil and Ollie started.

Thanks for letting me know.

Phil definitely stayed in Over Phawhope bothy for about six hours and is now on the move again. The next 120 miles is mostly forest gravel before hitting the Cheviot Hills, I wonder how far he'll push it after that?

Bugger, Phil's spot has not move for over three hours. Sure it's the spot and not him in trouble.

Ray Young wrote:Bugger, Phil's spot has not move for over three hours. Sure it's the spot and not him in trouble.

Sorry Ray I'm another DNF. The trail from Fruid to Moffat totally broke me mentally and physically. Got a large pizza down my neck in Moffat but the climbs on the Southern upland way were causing me some serious knee pain and more worryingly back pain of the buldging disc hitting sciatic nerve variety. I got to the bothy at 10 and I hoped to be fine this morning but on the first climb in Craik I was back into a world of pain. As it happened I knew of a way out (just where I sent the OK message) onto the road back to Tushielaw so bailed back to peebles.

Sorry to hear you are out to Karl - I was a bit worried when you never turned up whilst I was at Moffat so glad your safe and well.

Also cheers to Bridget aka Borderer for providing all riders with banana and choc chip muffins at the start via Karl. My breakfast bannanas turned out to be rotten so these were very welcome!

Sorry Ray I was really hoping to get round this year but I knew knee trouble could be an issue post Highland Trail and my back has been giving me gyp of late too so I'd told myself I wouldn't push it too much.....

Fruid to Moffat was utterly brutal! I took a few photos of what I did so I'll maybes pen a few words by way of a route evaluation!!

Ollie made it to Over Phawope at about midnight but hadn't woken when I left. Pretty good going as he was saying that the last ITT he did was the '12 BB200!

Sorry to hear that Phil but as a fellow sufferer of back problems I know that you will have made the right call. All eyes now on Ollie but we won't know how he's doing until he posts something or contacts me.

Day one is definitely the hardest physically and psychologically!

'Good' to see the borders 350 continues to be as utterly brutal as ever! Even with an easier start

Is Ray's the only completion to date?

ianfitz wrote:'Good' to see the borders 350 continues to be as utterly brutal as ever! Even with an easier start

Is Ray's the only completion to date?

As far as I know, yes, in 5 days, 6 hours and 52 minutes. I am not a fast rider and was only moving 50% of the time I was out with an average moving speed of 6.4 mph. Completing it was far more important to me than a fast time.

htrider wrote:Also cheers to Bridget aka Borderer for providing all riders with banana and choc chip muffins at the start via Karl. My breakfast bannanas turned out to be rotten so these were very welcome!

All Joe's work - I merely facilitated. He is the wee baker man. Glad to hear they went down the hatch.

Sorry you didn't progress any further though. I would be interested to see your photos and read the write-up once you have recovered a bit.

ianfitz wrote:'Good' to see the borders 350 continues to be as utterly brutal as ever! Even with an easier start

Is Ray's the only completion to date?

Yup - Alan should make it a Highland Trail qualifier! Or Ray should make the Highland Trail a B350 qualifier....

The 'easier' way over Dollar Law and not having to do it twice ( )does make getting to Over Phawhope a bit more achievable on Day 1 but easy it aint!

htrider wrote:

ianfitz wrote:'Good' to see the borders 350 continues to be as utterly brutal as ever! Even with an easier start

Is Ray's the only completion to date?

Yup - Alan should make it a Highland Trail qualifier! Or Ray should make the Highland Trail a B350 qualifier....

The 'easier' way over Dollar Law and not having to do it twice ( )does make getting to Over Phawhope a bit more achievable on Day 1 but easy it aint!

I really meant less difficult start rather than easier!

That first year Mark and I ended up back together for the HaB upto Devils beeftub. After having moved quickly all day we bivied just after it after 1am at 118km (72miles!)

I guess no news from Ollie is good news.

He mentioned that he has a baby, so I guess four hours uninterrupted sleep a night on this ride will be a treat for him...

Seriously Scottish weather out there. Just went for a wee spin on the very slim chance I could spot Ollie on the cross border drove road but no sign. Had a wee scoot round Hawick after to see if he was refuelling somewhere but again no.
I was only out for an hour and a half and it was enough for me. Sodden. Fair play to him if he can keep going in this.

Not fun when it's like this all day, still keeping my fingers crossed for him.

Bad news. Ollie emailed me at 13.50 saying he had spent the last hour in a cafe in Jedburgh and wasn't getting back on his bike. So close too but the weather is pretty dire out there so I can understand. He says he will pen something for us at a later date.

On an up note there are two boners attempting separate solo rides in August. I won't hex them by naming them but I'm sure they'll make themselves known to you at some point.

Ray, what's the vegetation like on the route? Do things get overgrown later in the year? One or two of the narrower bridleways at the weekend on the YD300 were a bit of lottery - bramble on left or nettles on right? Ouch!

I think the only overgrown bit will be the big bikehike section, tussocks and heather.

Ray Young wrote:I think the only overgrown bit will be the big bikehike section, tussocks and heather.

Is that the Fruid to Moffat bit or is there a bigger hike later on?

Bad news for Ollie - looking at the weather today I'd hoped he'd have made it back yesterday. Blimey this is proving to be a killer!
Bob there are a few lower sections that could get a bit overgrown - mainly on the Southern Upland way sections in valley bottoms which get little use or maintenance. Shouldn't be a show stopper just a job for long, thick socks!

Maybe we should crowd fund sorting the path from Fruid to The Annandale way - I reckon £160k should do it

AlasdairMc wrote:

Ray Young wrote:I think the only overgrown bit will be the big bikehike section, tussocks and heather.

Is that the Fruid to Moffat bit or is there a bigger hike later on?

Yes and it's the biggest bit of bikehike by far.