HT550 2023

[redefined_cycles]

Done at just after one. Coo what a scorcher! Actually not too bad as it was always cool and misty in the mornings. Fisherfield was totally amazing!

Go cath!

Congrats Phil

[whitestone]

Done at just after one. Coo what a scorcher! Actually not too bad as it was always cool and misty in the mornings. Fisherfield was totally amazing!

Go cath!

Sadly she scratched at Ullapool. Even with a day of rest she is struggling to walk so heading through Fisherfield would have been a bit silly.

Now at The Sands at Gairloch and its wall to wall sunshine yet it was heavy drizzle and rain around Inverness at lunchtime.

[Wotsits]

Well done Phil & others!

Bob, any news from Cath?

[voodoo_simon]

Done at just after one. Coo what a scorcher! Actually not too bad as it was always cool and misty in the mornings. Fisherfield was totally amazing!

Go cath!

Sadly she scratched at Ullapool. Even with a day of rest she is struggling to walk so heading through Fisherfield would have been a bit silly.

Now at The Sands at Gairloch and its wall to wall sunshine yet it was heavy drizzle and rain around Inverness at lunchtime.

That’s a shame but, and I really mean this, fair play for getting onto the start line and giving the race a go Admire anyone who can do that

[whitestone]

Well done Phil & others!

Bob, any news from Cath?

She’s currently on the beer

[Wotsits]

She’s currently on the beer

Sounds dangerous

Hope she’s not soaking her feet in it

(Edit due to an overlap in posts)

Sorry to hear she’s had to bail

[whitestone]

See a couple of posts earlier. She can hardly walk due to trench foot and blisters

[Wotsits]

See a couple of posts earlier. She can hardly walk due to trench foot and blisters

With Fisherfield coming up it’s prob the right call.
Must be pretty bad, seen her in the early hours on a couple of BB200’s & she’s nails!

[Bearlegged]

Congratulations to Phil, well done to Catch, hope you both enjoyed it!

[fatbikephil]

Top riding Phil, and a pleasure to meet you en route.

Likewise Pete, sorry it didn't work out for you but there is always next year!

Some initial thoughts....
It seemed like most of the field were young, or am I getting old?
I made a deliberate effort to take it very steady on the first day - this meant that most of the field disappeared into the distance ahead and I hardly met anyone other that Pete (Hyppy) and a couple of others. Actually I did long lengths of the route with no-one in sight.
If you get a sore knee, do a really hard bit of bike riding and brutal hike-a-bike to sort.
I did two nights bivvy bag only, that's how dry it was! The tarp was only deployed twice to reduce condensation. One night was spent in a tin shed.
I didn't see much wildlife but some timorous wee beastie gnawed it's way through my fuel cell to nick some of my crisps when I was bivvied up Glen Cassley.
Encyclopedic knowledge of the route meant I could ride at my own pace and not stress about bivvy spots or re-supply
The Leadmore traverse was fab - the weather was stunning and the views out of this world. I stopped plenty to take it in and take photos but this didn't stop me getting a PB on it - 3hrs and 7 minutes from the Pie shop to Ledmore junction.
The descent off the coffin road was a blast - previously it's always been a muddy schlep but this time it was dry, so flowed really well!
Fisherfield was totally amazing...
The strath na sealga crossing was like a wet pavement.
Overall the trails were really dry but the bike still ended up covered in gunge - actually worse than '21 as there was no rain or rivers to wash it off!
I'm getting old - on the hardcore descents I took it easy to avoid smashing myself up. I walked a lot of the steep stuff on the tollie path and could not see how I'd ridden it previously....
Cold pizza for breakfast at 4am is totally amazing
Angus Young's moving average was 7.6mph, mine was 7.8



Sunrise over the northern hills

Suilven

Recovery beverages

Oh yes

Camo bike bags definitely worth while

Heated and midge free bike workshop and breakfast room

I had to wear shades...

The Ben at dawn

[Tam]

Well done, Phil. Great pics too!

[jay91]

I can't see any bags Phil well done mate

[redefined_cycles]

Thanks Phil on that weite up. Well done beating Angus

[Lazarus]

Heated and midge free bike workshop and breakfast room

Where is that ?

Congrats on putting that Youngster angus in his place

[fatbikephil]

Heated and midge free bike workshop and breakfast room

Where is that ?

Congrats on putting that Youngster angus in his place

Kinlochewe public toilets - an oft used bivvy spot although they get locked occasionally.

Just to need to trim down my stopped time from 52 hrs to 8 hrs....

[JimmyG]

Great effort and nice write-up as usual Phil.

[Mart]

Looks like Kurt’s having another crack - started this morning

[landel]

5th fastest to Correyairack this year.

[redefined_cycles]

https://youtu.be/Qbtjyst1vS4

Josh Ibbet just released his YT vid of the ride.

(Edit: sorry, it's actually just a post ride bike check - should've watched through before posting ).

[jameso]

Great pics Phil!

[Mart]

5th fastest to Correyairack this year.

4th fastest to Glen Cassley

[touch]

Kurt's tracker is super reliable! I don't think it's missed a single ping so far from about 90 in total*. Other people seem to lose around 1 in 5 of their pings.
I wonder if he's using a different device when most people have Spots? Or maybe the volume of updates during the group start causes some losses?

*There's a gap of maybe a bit over 1 hour around Inchbae lodge but it looks like he stopped and maybe turned off the tracker?

[Mart]

His tracking is pinging every 20mins whilst some of the other used a much faster rate of every 10 or even 5 mins.
Faster rate = more chance to drop a point

[fatbikephil]

His pace is about what he did on his first attempt - me and Alan G rocked up to Drumbeg stores and noted he was just about to start the Drumbeg road - nearly 24 hours up on us after just 2 days!

[touch]

Alan posted on instagram to say the climb out of Tomich towards Fort Augustus is closed because of fires. Not sure what will happen if it's still closed when Kurt gets there if it's still closed? Guess he just has to wait for it to open?