Look forward to some dot watching Tom - I see Andrew Hutchison is in as well so you could have a 2014 rematch! Are you going to be on the Shand SS again?

Yep, it's Andrew's fault I'm in! He emailed me on the morning that entries opened to remind me - otherwise I would have forgotten.
Planning to use the ancient Shand (got it in April 2009, so it will be 15 years old by the time of the HT550), but not yet decided whether to use it SS again or geared (as I did for the Tour Divide).

I'm on it too - got my work cut out eh!

We are all, of course, expecting your usual top class film of your ride Allan!

I’ll be lucky to get around mate

Escape Goat wrote: ↑Sat Dec 30, 2023 12:24 am I’ll be lucky to get around mate

You’ll be grand

The start date seems to be creeping up quickly now... it's next month!

How is everone feeling?

I'm not too bad, although bruised some ribs crashing on an icy tree root a while back and have had a persistent cough which won't let them heal. Can't complain in general though. The lack of snow in the alps this spring (at valley level) has made it easier than it should be to get some riding done.

Feel like I need to get a couple of big rides in to get used to long days though, and also to give my overnight setup a good test.

Moving house in a couple of weeks which is going to put a bit of a dent in my training time!

Ive done bugger all in the way of long training rides - the most ive done/ doing is about 3hrs on a sunday, but im managing to get 1-1.5hours daily, allbeit on the turbo using Trainer Road as a guide.

Fitness wise im feeling good, but not sure how that will translate to riding for 18hours a day for 4 days. Im also still waiting for my new bike to arrive - a Ti Pipedream Sirius, which i should hopefully get soon, so i can get a framebag made up and get used to it. The intention this year is to travel a bit lighter and ditch the stove and dehydrated meals, and swap teh tent for a bivvy, but i guess that refinement will be weather depandant probably last minute. There are some serious contenders on the start this year, and i think at least 10 people could hit a sub 4day time. My plan is to try and beat my 2022 time of 3days 23hours 42min and not worry too much what people 15years younger are upto. Similar to 2022 i have just set up a Just Giving Page and will be doing the ride for Kinder Mountain Rescue. In 2022 i raised over 2.5k, and it would be great to do the same - so many people on the Barebones forum were so generous and that was very much appreciated!

Links is below
https://www.justgiving.com/page/alex-be ... =5K5bdEWMN

Alexinthepeaks wrote: ↑Wed Apr 03, 2024 10:48 am Ive done bugger all in the way of long training rides - the most ive done/ doing is about 3hrs on a sunday, but im managing to get 1-1.5hours daily, allbeit on the turbo using Trainer Road as a guide.

My first HT (inaugural with ~430 miles) was done after about 1000 km of mostly 2 - 3 hrs rides, one 2 x 100 km (weekend) trip. Rode to Tyndrum the two days prior, again 2 x ~100 km, and that was enough to have a great HT experience, since I felt strongly about it. Mindset...

Alexinthepeaks wrote: ↑Wed Apr 03, 2024 10:48 am Ti Pipedream Sirius

Pipedream have some lovely bikes. I was becoming too soft for my Moxie and turned it in for a Starling Twist, but besides some other steel frames the Pipedream one was by far the best build quality. Such a beauty.
Surely your Sirius will be of the same caliber.

Alexinthepeaks wrote: ↑Wed Apr 03, 2024 10:48 am My plan is to try and beat my 2022 time of 3days 23hours 42min

fair goal
Fingers crossed for you.

Alexinthepeaks wrote: ↑Wed Apr 03, 2024 10:48 am Similar to 2022 i have just set up a Just Giving Page and will be doing the ride for Kinder Mountain Rescue. In 2022 i raised over 2.5k, and it would be great to do the same - so many people on the Barebones forum were so generous and that was very much appreciated!

During the HT 2013 I was asked by a shop owner what I was doing it for. "Myself"
I can muchly relate to Kinder, one of my favourite "playing grounds" when visiting family and friends in England. So thanks for setting it up and sharing the link

Apparently Tics are already rampant up there. Permethrin lotion keeps the feckers off.
Hard to come by, we bought our last stash from India .

Richpips wrote: ↑Sun Apr 07, 2024 10:20 pm Apparently Tics are already rampant up there. Permethrin lotion keeps the feckers off.
Hard to come by, we bought our last stash from India .

In checking ingredients, that's used for treating crabs, yeah? I'm not sure how closely a pharmacist would need to check down there, so maybe available from the counter at Boots?

I noticed that this mentioned being a tick repellant: https://www.bananaindustries.co.uk/prod ... ent-2-in-1

Permethrin works but is toxic to aquatics
Life systems do it in a spray
Spray on clothes and allow to dry and it should be ok

Another option might be Tickless, I’ve not used but seen it in action in the forests of Finland

https://www.purpleturtle.co.uk/product/ ... pcEALw_wcB

Smidge also keeps ticks off and made from natural ingredients. Plus will keep the midges at bay - given the mild winter, the midges are going to be out in force this year.

As I passed Tyndrum on friday, looked like someone starting a ITT…. Anyone here?

Not many midgies in Glen Nevis today, but it was a roasting day so that might bring them out

Yeah , ticks are rife up there now. My buddy got about 18 - one on his - probably who you seen :)

https://www.smidgeup.com/midge-forecast/
Encouragement to get to Contin on Day 1

NewRetroTom wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 10:59 am Yep, it's Andrew's fault I'm in! He emailed me on the morning that entries opened to remind me - otherwise I would have forgotten.
Planning to use the ancient Shand (got it in April 2009, so it will be 15 years old by the time of the HT550), but not yet decided whether to use it SS again or geared (as I did for the Tour Divide).

In a bizarre coincidence, I was just looking for some old documents and came across these pics at the weekend.

Its all getting a bit real now! Less than 4 days to go!

If anyone fancies they can sponsor me as im raining money for Kinder Mountain Rescue!

https://www.justgiving.com/page/alex-berry-ht550

Ill also be posting some updates on my Insta if anyone is interested! - https://www.instagram.com/alexinthepeak/

NewRetroTom wrote: ↑Thu Dec 28, 2023 1:51 pm Yep, as a couple have spotted up thread I'm in!
Big excitement, as it's 10 years since my last attempt!
I had a place for 2020 (we all know what happened then).
That got transferred to 2021 but as I had a 6 month old son and a daughter on chemo I wasn't able to take up my place

Let's hope the weather is better than 2015 was - my memories are mainly soggy from that year, plus a lot of hot food and good breakfasts and the odd pint of ale.

Great to hear Tom, I was thinking about the 2014 edition today while riding to work as it happens!

I want to say a favourite memory... but this section does stick out from the first year:

James in boulderland by Greg.May, on Flickr

Good luck everyone. I will head along to see the start since it’s 1hr from my door and catch up with everyone.

Just spent six glorious sunny days riding bits of the lower loops. Millions of ticks, especially around Shenavall, but not too many midges. The ground was also drier than I’ve seen it before and the loch crossing was only ankle deep. But now of course it’s started raining.

Good luck to everyone riding.

https://trackleaders.com/highland24

61 in the Grand depart.
I see Mike Debernardo has done an ITT with an extra bit and the '21 variation. Only him and Colin Baird listed as SS - take the gears off Tom!

Good luck everyone

Bikepacking.com have published a “bicycles of the HT550”
https://bikepacking.com/bikes/2024-high ... -550-rigs/

I had reached a state where I didn't care about not getting a spot and was almost relieved.

Now I'm looking at photos from the route and bikes and I'm grumpy again!