Where is the best place to park near the start?
Am I likely to struggle finding a space if I leave it too late?

Thanks. Contin is about 240 km's in, so I'm planning to pass there somewhere on Sunday (hope this is realistic). Good to know the shop is open until 18.00. That's what the internet says as well.

Except the hotel in Oykel Bridge and the Overscaig Hotel there's nothing until Baddidarach/Lochinver?

Quick question about shelters: of course there are some bothies, but are there also shelters like these along the route? http://www.baumgeist-unterwegs.info/hin ... um_06.html

Hotel at Kylesku and shop at Drumbeg

Parking - People left their cars at the campsite last year.

If you miss the shop at Contin (as I did), the one in Strathpeffer is open later.

Bert - no.

You may find ruins here and there in addition to bothies but no dedicated shelters.

The next shop after Contin is Drumbeg.

Bert wrote:Quick question about shelters: of course there are some bothies, but are there also shelters like these along the route? http://www.baumgeist-unterwegs.info/hin ... um_06.html

Sadly not they look great!

German forests pack a lot of these, aspecially along long distance walking routes. Great for sleeping.

Bert wrote:German forests pack a lot of these, aspecially along long distance walking routes. Great for sleeping.

This isn't really a tourist route so you won't see anything that caters for tourism - in fact you'll be lucky to see anyone else for many hours on parts of the route. There are however bothies or usable ruins in a few places that don't feature on maps. I slept on day 2 in Lubachlaggan, a ruined cottage that has real potential as a bothy but it's sadly only a few miles from another one that isn't on the route at all. If the weather is bad, I'll be considering it again. It's a dirt floor inside and is open to the elements, but it gives a lot more shelter than an open bivi.

I'm a bit lost on the fences with locked gates. As long as I follow the track I should find the gates, mostly open, in one case locked?

Bert wrote:I'm a bit lost on the fences with locked gates. As long as I follow the track I should find the gates, mostly open, in one case locked?

That's right. Alan posted a photo of the one locked gate recently.

Re car parking - I think if your parking at the campsite you'll need to tell them. Alternatively there is plenty of space in the car park next to the tourist office. There is also space at both stations.

THe locked gate is fine, just loop your bike on by the crank, climb over, sit on top, lift over, drop down. You'll be reet.

Looks fine indeed, thanks.

No need to climb over, the bit on the right is open to pedestrians. You won't get through if you are fat though!
The high fence in Glen Ling is about 50m off route but if you follow the GPX track and not the most obvious track on the ground you'll arrive at the gate that opens.

AlanG wrote:You won't get through if you are fat though!

Is this the one with the kids that keep shouting "fatty fatty fat fat!" I had those kids.

I had those kids

Sticks and stones....... Violence is never the answer with children.
Fatty

boxelder wrote:

I had those kids

Sticks and stones....... Violence is never the answer with children.
Fatty

*cries into his pie*

Any advice on what chain lube to bring that might get my geared drive train through a week of wet trails, with minimal TLC? I don't anticipate Squirt being up to the job...

Any advice on what chain lube to bring that might get my geared drive train through a week of wet trails, with minimal TLC? I don't anticipate Squirt being up to the job...

TF2 Extreme Wet works very well in wettest Wales ... however your drivetrain may take on the appearance of the Exxon Valdez

I've just purchased some more finish line ceramic lube. It's expensive, and not what I use day to day because of the cost. But for long rides, I find it really lasts well. I've tried out a good few lubes in my time (not all of them though I'd admit!). General lube wise, I use white lightening epic lube - I find it the best balance of durability, actual performance, cleanliness and price (you can also bulk buy it).

*All IMHO, ask a hundred different people for a hundred different results

Bring lube with you. Easy. FWIW, I used Squirt and only re-applied it once - but I had a dry run the first year with only 30mins of rain. Luck was on my side :)

Only 5 sleeps to go!

Can't wait to get to Tyndrum and begin the adventure!

I'm prepared for a cold and wet one based on the forecasts I've seen so far but there is still plenty of time for them to be proved wrong.

NewRetroTom wrote:I'm prepared

I'm not!

I may downgrade my race strategy to "bimble"

Don't think I need to buy anything else now, just make some maps and drive a long way.