Highland Trail 550 - 2018

[whitestone]

The pointy end is wide open

Isn't that a prong?

Finally managing to get some longer rides done - lost most of Feb and March due to a bad back then a bout of sciatica Wouldn't wish that on anyone. Mileage is well down on last year but hopefully it will all come good. Getting the hang of the Spearfish now as well

[ianfitz]

The pointy end is wide open

Isn't that a prong?

Finally managing to get some longer rides done - lost most of Feb and March due to a bad back then a bout of sciatica Wouldn't wish that on anyone. Mileage is well down on last year but hopefully it will all come good. Getting the hang of the Spearfish now as well

maybe a contradiction in terms!

But the front end of the race will be brutal and several are capable of the win.

[whitestone]

The pointy end is wide open

Isn't that a prong?

Finally managing to get some longer rides done - lost most of Feb and March due to a bad back then a bout of sciatica Wouldn't wish that on anyone. Mileage is well down on last year but hopefully it will all come good. Getting the hang of the Spearfish now as well

maybe a contradiction in terms!

But the front end of the race will be brutal and several are capable of the win.

Hopefully I won't see them for dust!

Yes, I think the strategies for a fast time are well known now, it will be interesting (post ride) to see how they played out.

[ianfitz]

Fast strategy =

stock up from the shop at Fort Augustus on Saturday evening 'cos there'll be nothing open when you pass it until Drumbeag Stores on Sunday afternoon.

Miss the shops in Ullapool as you'll be through there before anything opens on Monday.

Enjoy a Monday Kinlochewe resupply.

Fort August as the shop opens Tuesday and get the hammer down to finsh

Simple! Not easy, but simple

[landel]

Google says the Londis in Fort Augustus closes at 7.30pm, is that accurate for May? Starting an ITT Mon May 21st, I may adjust my start time if that's the case.

[fatbikephil]

The petrol station shop shuts at 8, the pizza place at 10.

[landel]

Perfect thanks.

[whitestone]

I took 11 1/2hrs last year to get to FA (and got the last pizza ). It was hot and very humid which I don't like and it felt like the hardest day's riding because of that.

It's a long stint to get there in time but the only bit of hike-a-bike is the bog to get to Benalder Cottage and the only technical bit is then from Benalder Cottage to Culra bothy. Those in the pizza cafe at the same time as me were just ahead or slightly behind by the time I got back to Tyndrum in just over 5 days. If that or quicker is your intended schedule then getting to FA in time for food or reprovisioning would be well worth it. After FA you sort of fall into a scheduling slot where you hit things at about the right time or have got a few options.

[landel]

Great info thanks. Target for first day is set then . I'd be delighted with that kind of finishing time but realistically it'll take me a bit longer.

[whitestone]

Great info thanks. Target for first day is set then . I'd be delighted with that kind of finishing time but realistically it'll take me a bit longer.

The group start has a 0900 start but if you are ITTing it then I'd set off a bit earlier to give yourself more time. I think it's that "loss" of five hours of daylight that makes day 1 feel hard.

[sean_iow]

The group start has a 0900 start but if you are ITTing it then I'd set off a bit earlier to give yourself more time. I think it's that "loss" of five hours of daylight that makes day 1 feel hard.

I understand the logic there Bob but it shows the mindset of the ITTer. Normal people wouldn't think a day was hard because they didn't start riding at 04:00

[landel]

Yep as an ITTer might give myself a bit of breathing space and set off a little earlier. Probably be awake anyway with nerves . I'd like to ease myself into it and not be in a mad panic the first day. Probably not a 4am start on the first day though!

[Richpips]

Yep as an ITTer might give myself a bit of breathing space and set off a little earlier. Probably be awake anyway with nerves . I'd like to ease myself into it and not be in a mad panic the first day. Probably not a 4am start on the first day though!

If you set off too early, we left at 5:30 last year, the tea room at Bridge of Balgie isn't going to be open when you get there.

[Dave Barter]

You need earplugs for that tea room

[landel]

Yep as an ITTer might give myself a bit of breathing space and set off a little earlier. Probably be awake anyway with nerves . I'd like to ease myself into it and not be in a mad panic the first day. Probably not a 4am start on the first day though!

If you set off too early, we left at 5:30 last year, the tea room at Bridge of Balgie isn't going to be open when you get there.

I think pizza trumps tea on this occasion

[fatbikephil]

An early start could get you into the Lagan Wolftrax trail centre café as well - ideal spot to fortify yourself for the Corrieairyack climb but it shuts at 5.

[Chew]

#devils advocate#

If you have an invitation to the group start, then you are there to race.
If you’re going to ITT it, then there are the other 51 weeks of the year to have an attempt as not to disrupt those who are racing.

*racing means different things to different people

[sean_iow]

Iandel should be well ahead of the group start? Assuring he's aiming for an 8 day finish or quicker, and aiming for Fort A for pizza on the first day looks ahead of that schedule, with a 5 day head start on the group start someone would have to go under 3 days to catch him.

[postierich]

I aint racing but riding as fast as my legs can take me OK Chew

[landel]

Unfortunately I didn't get an entry to the group start. I was in contact with Alan and his direction was to start at least 3 or four days before or a day or two after the group start. ITT starting on May 21st was more to do with timing around work/family etc. But after training for 7 months, driving 600km with a 2.5hour ferry in the middle, I'm certainly there to race.

I suppose 5 days gives me a shot at being off the route before the group start so I can minimise any disruption caused .

[whitestone]

I've yet to visit the Bridge of Balgie cafe - I was told about it some years ago when helping a friend compleat his Munros further up the glen but we didn't get to call in and I didn't stop on last year's event.

A different option might be to start early afternoon: get to the BoB cafe before it closes and ride to somewhere like Culra (asbestos not withstanding) then the following morning get to the Pizza place in FA. Not sure how timing wise things would pan out after that.

[journeyman]

Hi all
Anyone got an update on the Inchbae hotel - I read that its in new ownership and more bike friendly - anyone got direct experience of this? Plus last year I had good service for meals etc at OBH but read some less than enthusiastic posts compared to previous years. Is the OBH still the hostelry of choice or does any one know what the hotel in Rosehall at the foot of Glen Cassley is like in term of hospitality towards tramps on wheels? Ive got more questions for later too...
JB

[ScotRoutes]

The new owner/manager of Inchbae posts on STW.

[whitestone]

Hi all
Anyone got an update on the Inchbae hotel - I read that its in new ownership and more bike friendly - anyone got direct experience of this? Plus last year I had good service for meals etc at OBH but read some less than enthusiastic posts compared to previous years. Is the OBH still the hostelry of choice or does any one know what the hotel in Rosehall at the foot of Glen Cassley is like in term of hospitality towards tramps on wheels? Ive got more questions for later too...
JB

I posted (possibly earlier in this thread) about the Inchbae being in new ownership, that info came from the owner posting on STW but I don't know anything beyond that. Someone like Scotroutes is a lot closer and might know more.

OBH: this changed hands about 18 months ago(?) and with the very dry spring last year there wasn't much fishing being done which is the main part of their trade so I think the new owners were a bit stressed. On my third night I stopped at their bothy and chatted to them for a while and they visibly became less tense when the talk moved away from what we were doing, i.e. the HT. The barman/member of staff who in previous years was bike friendly has also moved on, Ian Fitz might know more, the barman who was there last year certainly dot-watches as he told us Shona and Rich had scratched when we mentioned the tandem.

Not been to the hotel in Rosehall, I think some have used it from time to time, maybe even stopped there.

Slightly off-route is the Overscaig Hotel http://streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=241747 ... &A=Y&Z=120 but my wife rode past there last summer and it was shut and up for sale. Their website would suggest it's open but looking at the tariffs page, the prices are from 2016 so perhaps not.

[ScotRoutes]

And just off-route, Laggan Stores and Coffee shop will be re-opening early May.