Ian wrote:In case anyone was wondering, I'm not going to ride it next year. Need a year off it I think. Would like to focus on a few other things, not least my son's birthday which is the same weekend
What's that, one or two days before chief sadist's?
Would love to come along too. It'll have to wait another year.
I was having a virtual wander round the route on bing maps earlier and I noticed they have been buying some new aerial photos - more up to date than google ones as they show the new pylon access track near to Cannich so that means they must be only a year or two old. Not all of the route is covered but all of the northern and western sections are. You can switch between OS and aerial so you can get an idea of where the actual path is versus whats marked on the map and it clearly shows the peat boggy bits you have to cross on the Arkle path before you get to the new bit and where the Suilven path deteriorates
I have a broad plan being formulated in my head. I think I shall go and see the mass start of the HTR 500, then go and bugger off and do the Cairngorm loop which should then help for other events / pre-qualify for the HTR550 if I felt like it.
Zippy wrote:I have a broad plan being formulated in my head. I think I shall go and see the mass start of the HTR 500, then go and bugger off and do the Cairngorm loop which should then help for other events / pre-qualify for the HTR550 if I felt like it.
Zippy wrote:I have a broad plan being formulated in my head. I think I shall go and see the mass start of the HTR 500, then go and bugger off and do the Cairngorm loop which should then help for other events / pre-qualify for the HTR550 if I felt like it.
AlasdairMc wrote:Anyone else Cairngorm Looping it three weeks beforehand?
Aye I reckon I might if the snow conditions are good - I'm anticipating the entire strath from bynack more to Glen derry will be full of firm spring snow over which the ICT will cruise in less than an hour
FLV wrote:Checking the route, did you have to cross glasgow to a different station?
Yes you'll have to change stations, although its only a 5 min ride across town. (Central to Queens Street if I remember....)
Also if you're booking tickets its a lot cheaper to book both parts of the journey separately.
When I went Leeds > Oban they were asking +£150 for a single ticket
Booking Leeds > Glasgow was about £25 and a similar amount for Glasgow > Oban
FLV, depending which vehicle we take I may be able to help with the journey up. Not sure if we're making it a two week holiday yet so not sure about the return journey. I'll keep you posted.
FLV wrote:The missus and I have recently reduced to one car so to avoid leaving her without for a week I'm thinking of going up by train.
A couple of questions for those of you that have traveled to tyndrum this way.
Checking the route, did you have to cross glasgow to a different station?
Also, did you take extra stuff and find somewhere to store it?
Cheers
I've taken the train up both times from Edinburgh, so no station change as it arrives in Queen Street. It's only a few minutes from Central to Queen Street, or there is possibly a way to get there without transfers by going from Central to Helensburgh.
I didn't take extra stuff up with me - this year I went super light so just bought a t-shirt in Tyndrum when I finished as I figured my week-old base layers might be pushing the limits of decency. A baby wipe shower in the Green Welly and I was sorted - nobody complained anyway...
Good info on the stations. dosnt seem like too bad a trip.
I was tempted to take a little dry bag and stash some clothing to travel home in somewhere. that's my usual trick when I fly somewhere to go bikepacking
Iona Evans asked me to put this post up on her behalf. As you know Iona was the only female entrant and finisher of HTR14 after an epic ride described eloquently in Singletrack mag a couple of months back - well worth a read if you haven't already. Iona hasn't entered this year as she is currently tackling a far greater challenge - 6 months chemotherapy for Hodgkins Lymphoma which she was diagnosed with last month. Overall things look very positive for Iona to make a full recovery but she's got some hard times ahead obviously. Fortunately she is still able to get out on her bike and exercise will greatly help with her recovery; but not the type that involves dragging a laden bike through rock filled bogs masquerading as singletrack!
Anyway Iona is asking for a favour from anyone who is going to get a spot tracker for next years HTR. SPOT are doing a deal whereby if you recommend someone to SPOT who then buys a tracker you get a 20% discount off your next subscription - recommend 5 people and its free. Iona is keen to renew her subscription even though she won't be adventure racing as it will enable her man and family to keep track of her on her bike rides - they all have enough to worry about without wondering where she has got to! Her condition and treatment are making earning a challenge hence the desire for reducing her subsciption fee to SPOT. So if you are going to buy a SPOT and would like to do a fellow adventure racer (and all round thoroughly decent person who does not deserve this at all) a massive favour email her on ionapetalpower@gmail.com and she will then do the rest.
If you email SPOT and request to cancel your subscription at the end of your year they will offer
you a "special offer" of $50ish reduction to renew, which is open for 5 days only.
The referral offer is for the subscription to the annual service plan. The person referred by Iona will also get 20% off their subscription the following year. Since everyone needs to use a SPOT Tracker for HT550 I’m sure they’ll be enough people to easily get her a free subscription.
I’d like to wish Iona all the best for a speedy and full recovery.
