Navad 1000

[Bearbonesnorm]

Can't recall we've done this before but I could have missed it. 1000km in Switzerland with lots of up

http://www.navad1000.ch/Hallo/

[Ian]

http://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/phpBB ... 87&p=47780

[gairym]

I'm signed up - very excited!

[gairym]

So is anyone else doing this one in a month?

I'll be there (the one looking terrified and not on a fatbike).

[AlasdairMc]

AlanG was talking about it, but riding it using purist bikepacking rules (no drafting, no supply drops).

I'd be interested but HTR is my biggie for this year

[gairym]

yeah, the fact that it adheres to all the normal bikepacking/self-supported rules and then has a bag pickup point half way through seems weird to me???

I'll be doing it 'normal' too.

[AlanG]

I am doing this as are a few mates, Ben Eardley (a rookie), Dave Buckden (vet of HT550), also Stefan Maertens and Tom Sap (HT vets) from Belgium.
I pointed out to the organizer that drafting shouldn't be allowed and he agreed so has changed the rule on that. Sorry drafters!
The bag drop remains but I won't use it.
Looking forward to it although the advertised 30,000m of climbing is a little daunting!

[gairym]

Bugger!

I was all set and excited about this weekend (by all set I mean that I'm total unprepared and haven't yet even unpacked my bikepacking gear since the Tuscany Trail but you get the point) but I've got too much work on!!!!!

It's looking like the maximum time I could be away from home/work is now 6 days (including 2 days travel from/to home). I was thinking that the whole 1000km would take me 7 days (plus a days travel either end) which means that I'm now only going to be able to ride about half of the route before having to source a train home.

Really annoying but in the grand scheme of things I don't suppose I can complain too much about only having a 4 day bikepacking adventure in the Swiss Alps (well, not and expect any sympathy anyway) but it is a shame that I won't be able to complete the event!

Looking like there's an easy place (a town called Entlebuch) to bail in around the half-way point (not sure if I'll use the bag-drop option now for some clean/dry travelling clothes) which will mean that I'll be riding 500km/310 miles (and climbing two Everests or 17,000m in height gain) and so it's still not too shabby a trip.

Ok, whinge over, I'd better starting thinking about getting my crap together.

There was a moment earlier when I was considering taking the fatbike but luckily I've resisted and will be a taking a more efficient long-distance machine.

Later, Gairy.

[Alpinum]

Gairy; Entlebuch is only a couple of train stops from where I live which is Konolfingen. SBB have a very good app. I'm around till 30.6. and then away for three months. But should you bail out in Entlebuch whilst I'm still at home give a shout.

Same for you, Alan and Tom.

Best of luck and fun!

[gairym]

Hey Gian, do you happen to know of anywhere to stay for the night and/or a good place to eat around Entlebuch - fancy coming over for a beer?

Also, do you know about getting the train to either Geneva or Martigny from there as I've installed the SBB app and it's showing that both options involve an Intercity train which I thought I couldn't take a bike on???

I know you came to meet me near Geneva with your bike and so presumed it'd be simple enough.

Any info appreciated.

Gairy.

[Alpinum]

Using the SBB app you can activate transport of bikes in avanced search. That'll leave out all ICE and some of the IC trains that don't take bikes or only with a reservation. Remember to buy day ticket for your bike, cheapest option for a couple of hours journey.

Only place I've ever been for a meal was the restaurant Bahnhöfli. I have friends living in that area, so can't really help out with hotels etc. as I simply don't need em.
When do you think to be in Entlebuch? Roughly?
Think about riding the second half. That's surely the more impressive part. Much much more...

[AlanG]

Hi Gian, I'm going to be travelling by train from Nyon by Lac Leman to the start at Romanshorn on Friday. Any money saving tips I should know about?
I'm getting excited now! I see yesterday's Tour of Switzerland stage had to be cut short due to bad weather. I fear the HT550 weather is relocating!

[Alpinum]

Money saving? Switzerland? Haha Alan, very funny.

Seriously, you can get a tourist half fare card for 125.- CHF which is valid for one month. The train from Nyon to Romanshorn would cost you 49.- instead of 98.-, but then you still have 76.- to be spent in train tickets before the half fare will have paid off. If you plan to come again, the half fare card for one year at 175.- could make sense. For the true tourist offers you really need to spend a lot of time in the train, as they start at > 200.-. All prices in CHF.

As I don't drive a car I can't offer you a lift either.

Tour de ? Junkies turned softies?
Or was it because the aerial coverage wouldn't have been possible?


Weather wasn't too bad. Just some rain and thunder storms in the evenings. Very usual for this time of year.
For forecasts I recommend http://www.meteocentrale.ch and it's weather pro app.

[gairym]

Using the SBB app you can activate transport of bikes in avanced search. That'll leave out all ICE and some of the IC trains that don't take bikes or only with a reservation. Remember to buy day ticket for your bike, cheapest option for a couple of hours journey.

Thanks, sorted now. It appears I can go either way so I'll go via Martigny to Chamonix.

When do you think to be in Entlebuch? Roughly?

Unless something goes wrong I'll be arriving on Tuesday evening (assuming 4 days of 125km).

Obviously many things could change this but that's the plan so far.

I'll have t'interweb so will let you know.

Think about riding the second half. That's surely the more impressive part. Much much more...

If I hadn't already booked my train and accommodation in Romanshorn for the start I'd be doing exactly that but now my plan is to return to Entlebuch and finish the route off another time.

Alan, see you Friday for the meet and greet!

[Alpinum]

Using the SBB app you can activate transport of bikes in avanced search. That'll leave out all ICE and some of the IC trains that don't take bikes or only with a reservation. Remember to buy day ticket for your bike, cheapest option for a couple of hours journey.

Thanks, sorted now. It appears I can go either way so I'll go via Martigny to Chamonix.

When do you think to be in Entlebuch? Roughly?

Unless something goes wrong I'll be arriving on Tuesday evening (assuming 4 days of 125km).

Obviously many things could change this but that's the plan so far.

I'll have t'interweb so will let you know.

Think about riding the second half. That's surely the more impressive part. Much much more...

If I hadn't already booked my train and accommodation in Romanshorn for the start I'd be doing exactly that but now my plan is to return to Entlebuch and finish the route off another time.

Alan, see you Friday for the meet and greet!

Alright, Tuesday should be good. It'll be a nice change from preparing for the upcoming trip. Although not sure if I'll come by bike, those british 1750 km have put it in a dire state
You still have my phone number, don't you? If there's anything else I should bring along just give a shout (perhaps a real beer ). Stay away from the Eichhof beer. It tastes rubbish and is awful for any sound body.

[gairym]

Yep, got it - will give you a shout (text) when I know a more precise landing time.

And if you were to arrive with fine ale you would be a hero and a gentleman!

All I've got to do now is put together some kit (at least I've finally now unpacked from Tuscany) and I'll be ready for the off in the morning.

[Alpinum]

Yep, got it - will give you a shout (text) when I know a more precise landing time.

And if you were to arrive with fine ale you would be a hero and a gentleman!

All I've got to do now is put together some kit (at least I've finally now unpacked from Tuscany) and I'll be ready for the off in the morning.

Jolly good.

Ach, just head out. Don't bother kit wise. You're likely going to need pretty much the same don't you think?

[Alpinum]

Forgot to mention, your welcome to spend a night at my place.

[gairym]

Forgot to mention, your welcome to spend a night at my place.

Will have to see where I end up as it's not yet lunchtime on day 2 and I've just booked into a crappy room for the day/night!

My tyre imploded on a descent, isn't reparable and nothing is open until tomorrow.

Annoyingly it stopped raining as soon as I walked my sorry ass into town!

Yesterday was brutal with the weather (though fairly easy going terrain-wise).

Rode most of the day yesterday with Jacqueline Quant who's hard as nails and pushed on with me for 14 hours of rain soaked type 2 fun until we found a bunkhouse/restaurant and crashed there.

Torrential rain this morning made for interesting trail conditions.

Amazing pace from Alan and those at the business end of the race.

Doesn't even compute how they can keep that pace up for the hours they do - proper hardcore!

Ok, better shower and choose a movie to watch while my clothes dry out.

It's gonna be tough resting, sleeping and eating all day today but I'll manage.

Back to it tomorrow.....

[Zippy]

Doesn't even compute how they can keep that pace up for the hours they do - proper hardcore!

Ok, better shower and choose a movie to watch while my clothes dry out.

It's gonna be tough resting, sleeping and eating all day today but I'll manage.

I think you've answered your own question there

Keep at it Gairy

[gairym]

Hey! No fair!

If not for the tyre I'd have caught and passed the lot of 'em, I was just getting into my stride?

Seriously though, some of these hills are mean and I've got nowt but respect for folks who can keep at it at full pelt for days on end on so little sleep.

When I do stuff I give it all I've got and it's humbling to see that there are people who've got so much more to give - fair play to the time and effort they put in to get where they are.

I'm gonna struggle to reach my 500km target in the next two days but we'll see what tomorrow brings.

Need two days of 160km per day (and then a sniff more) so it'll be tough (unless you're s super hero).

Stunning countryside though, which helps.

[gairym]

In the immortal words of Walter Sobchak: "F*ck it, Dude, let's go bowling"

Apparently all bike shops in Switzerland are closed on Mondays.

Information that could've been brought to my attention YESTERDAY!

(To be fair with knowing the correct language it would have been possible to read the times on the shop window so I can't really blame the Swiss entirely)

Even the other nearby bike shops are also closed on Mondays. I could get a train to a bigger town, return to Wattwil and then carry on but by then I'll have missed another half a days riding.

I only had 4 days to begin with. Rode 1, wasted 1 and so wasting half of another one really won't give me enough time to get where I need to go.

Feeling demoralised and a bit miffed but I'm not sure my bank balance would've survived much longer in Switzerland anyway!

You win some, you lose some. Time to go home and shave some time off the number of days I owe Mrs Gairy for this trip.

Later, Gairy.

[Alpinum]

Sorry to hear. I hope tuscany trail isn't being over shadowed by your navad experience. How was the route so far?

[gairym]

Thanks and no, failure is crappy but I'm already focusing on my next daft adventure.

The lead fella is about 20km short of the finish.

He'll be coming in under 5 days which is pretty bloody impressive considering just how much climbing is involved!!!

Alan is going strong in 6th place just about to hit 800km.

The weather's been better than the first couple of days too which will be making a big difference.

Hardcore stuff.

Shame about not meeting up but next time.....

[gairym]

Looks like Alan finished 15 minutes ago.

6 days, 11 hours and 15 minutes - that is a crap load of riding, climbing and suffering - chapeau sir!