Cairngorm loop May B/H

fatbikephil · Post by **fatbikephil** » Sun May 03, 2015 8:29 pm

Bloody hell thats some going. At least he would have missed the worst of the rain!

Alastair thats what I did on my first attempt last year (in much nicer conditions than this weekend) and thats a great circuit. I bumped into Alan G and Greg May between Dorback and Tomintoul and had a quick chat, looks like not many people set off.....

AlasdairMc · Post by **AlasdairMc** » Sun May 03, 2015 8:38 pm

Yeah, it's a nice circuit. I reckon I could drop some time off my PB given decent conditions so I'm thinking of an ITT in the summer at some point.

I spoke with Alan and Greg at Glenmore, and Alan ended up with Steve at a bunkhouse in Braemar. A horrible weekend for it so it would be good to see who finished this time, other than Phil.

Javi · Post by **Javi** » Sun May 03, 2015 8:52 pm

Just met Gary at the platform at around 20:08 or so. He managed to do the whole route on these conditions. Well done!

GregMay · Post by **GregMay** » Mon May 04, 2015 8:28 pm

Well that was a bit epic.

As said, I bailed to the outer loop at Glenmore. Original plan was to do the whole thing in one, so figured, why not and rode/pushed round the rest of the route. I did not bail down Glen Tilt, hence I claim a DNF* :)

It got a little interesting at around 2am when my drivetrain (SS), brakes and pedals froze solid. Luckily, I needed a pee so that sorted the pedals out anyway.

Either way, rolled into Blair Athol at 4:29am, 215km, and many hours later. All good.

https://www.strava.com/activities/29817 ... 1bf86c382f

*more vaguely exciting than Al and Steve who had a sleep - but still crap

fatbikephil · Post by **fatbikephil** » Mon May 04, 2015 8:53 pm

Bleedin ell thats good going, particularly choosing to go up over to Fealar lodge instead of a nice run out of Glen Tilt - bet you slept well after that...

PS I was the guy on the fatbike you met on the Dorback to tomintoul path

GregMay · Post by **GregMay** » Mon May 04, 2015 9:03 pm

*ello* I was a little zoned at that stage hadn't really digested my two full fat toasties from Glenmore. Nice too meet you though :)

Yeah, it wasn't something I'd even thought about - I just turned left and went on following the little purple line. Figured I'd driven up, wasn't in imminent danger of death...why not. I'd never planned to sleep anyway.

Should also point out that that ride was 4 times longer than the longest ride I've ever done on a single speed, and it was ace!

Only interesting picture I took, of my notes for the ride.

GregMay · Post by **GregMay** » Mon May 04, 2015 9:05 pm

As for sleep...I got two hours before my body woke up wanting food and a pee :(

AlasdairMc · Post by **AlasdairMc** » Mon May 04, 2015 9:36 pm

Nicely done Greg. I did the inner loop to the Geldie and straight down the Tilt.

At 4:29am on Sunday morning, I was snuggled up trying to sleep in my car...

I also had issues with my toasties - they didn't seem to work their magic on me at all, I ended up pretty wiped out on the Bynack Mor climb

fatbikephil · Post by **fatbikephil** » Tue May 05, 2015 10:08 pm

Funny that when I did the route last August my toasties (and carrot cake) didn't kick in until the Lairig an Laoigh. Bynack more and the strath to the fords required many haribo...

I'm tempted to try the route backwards as I reckon it would work just as well plus you could have a pint in the GLenmore Cafe to help you down the last 50 miles!

drjon · Post by **drjon** » Sat May 09, 2015 8:56 am

Blimey! Pretty gnarly conditions for it... Well done guys! Esp phil! Amazing effort!

ScotRoutes · Post by **ScotRoutes** » Thu May 14, 2015 9:41 pm

A bit different today.

rudedog · Post by **rudedog** » Thu May 14, 2015 9:51 pm

We are doing the outer loop this weekend - forecast doesn't look great but not too bad either

GregMay · Post by **GregMay** » Fri May 15, 2015 12:32 pm

Wrote some words down finally: http://www.gregorymay.ie/?p=2624

Zippy · Post by **Zippy** » Fri May 15, 2015 1:50 pm

GregMay wrote:Wrote some words down finally: http://www.gregorymay.ie/?p=2624

Nice write up. How much did your bike and kit weight though!?

GregMay · Post by **GregMay** » Fri May 15, 2015 2:19 pm

Zippy wrote:
GregMay wrote:Wrote some words down finally: http://www.gregorymay.ie/?p=2624
Nice write up. How much did your bike and kit weight though!?

No idea. I don't weigh things. More than a cat, less than a hippo.

Zippy · Post by **Zippy** » Fri May 15, 2015 2:45 pm

GregMay wrote:
Zippy wrote:. More than a cat, less than a hippo.

Lion ≈ 190kg, Hippo ≈ 1500kg

GregMay · Post by **GregMay** » Fri May 15, 2015 3:14 pm

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Fri May 15, 2015 3:46 pm

Thanks to Beth and Ian at Wildcat for making ace bags, even if I did deviate a bit from normal.

Words fail me

GregMay · Post by **GregMay** » Fri May 15, 2015 4:39 pm

I know...one of the sad bits about testing kit :) FWIW, I won't be taking that front roll bag again. Just didn't work for me. Back to the Lion I bought for the HighlandTrail!

The Tomcat is working out really, really well. Even if I've put a hole in it due to my muppetry,

Cairngorm loop May B/H

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