Nice one Mart.

The weather makes all the difference on that route imho.

Here's a link to a short visualization of my HT550 ride.
Made some totally rookie mistakes of missed turns (usually because I was too deep into the moment ) and miss-timed resupply stops.
I totally loved the route and was overwhelmed by the beauty and perfect conditions. I couldn't believe we could ride where we were riding. It was like riding in a national park.
I kept thinking, this is it! it's never going to get any better than this. Ever. Then it it did. Heid blown!
Most special thanks to Jenny Graham who reunited me with my riding gear 2 hours before the start.

https://www.relive.cc/view/1624325509

Ironically, it takes much longer to write about the HT550 than to actually do it - at least it did for me! All written up here for anyone still interested:

http://highlanddrifter.com/highland-trail-550-2018

Good stuff
I hope to do it, maybe next year, but not as the group start and probably more like 10 days.

Nice one Craig, I'd been waiting for your final instalments

JoseMcTavish wrote:Ironically, it takes much longer to write about the HT550 than to actually do it - at least it did for me! All written up here for anyone still interested:

http://highlanddrifter.com/highland-trail-550-2018

Excellent story-telling. It reminds me (again) how lucky you all were with the weather this year too.

Good read, reckon those trail conditions will be once in a lifetime....
Wonder what they are going to do to the trail down to Glen Ling - smooth track all the way to the road mebbes??

Hi Craig, thanks for posting that, I enjoyed reading it and it was good to see how the rest of your jorney panned out after I last saw you at the end of Glen Cassley on the evening of day 2.
Cheers Mark

Thanks chaps - think I must have forgotten loads of stuff that happened along the way with the time I took, but at least I've got something to remind me now! Mark, think I caught you that night during one of my "up" moments, was sad to hear you'd been scuppered by a mechanical - good excuse to go round again though!

I really enjoyed reading that, it all makes more sense when you've been there. I chatted to you briefly on the first day on a road section I think? But I soon got dropped on the flat on my singlespeed.

I think Le Shadow is Pascal, he came into the Achness Hotel just after myself, Mike and Bas. He sat down and looked at the menu. The landlady came over to see what he wanted to order and he said his classic 'I am French' to which she replied 'Don't worry about it love, it's not your fault'

I also saw the pick-up truck tearing up and down the tracks where all the work was going on at Attadale but it didn't stop to bother me, I was suffering a bit at that point and must of looked like I was not in the mood for a chat

Aye Sean, that was me - I think you passed me later on and were away into the sunset! Le Shadow is indeed Pascal, we're buddies on Facebook now. Will stick it all in the Epilogue post when I get a chance...

I look forward to reading the epilogue I pushed/rode/stumbled around Loch na Stac with Pascal early on the Sunday morning, a lack of language skills between us wasn't an issue in indicating our appreciation of the ground conditions He's a great guy, but then everyone I met on the HT550 was

That's a brilliant report I really enjoyed all of it.

Great write up and pics Craig.

A thoroughly enjoyable read that, thanks. Along with your photos it really brought some reality of the ride to someone like me that studies the maps, follows the dots but has never actually ridden in the region

Great write up Craig good times looking forward to a wet one next year

postierich wrote: looking forward to a wet one next year

No.

Epilogue finally added with massive gear nerd-out!

http://highlanddrifter.com/ht550-2018-epilogue