Bealach na Ba - 4 weeks to go
Comments
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Allan, that forecast's 20 hours old alreadythat's a lifetime in highland weather prediction. BBC now forecasting rain, sunshine, cloud and rain (but only 17mph wind).
Spoke to you briefly on the climb last year. What time are you starting and will you be wearing the Eurobikers shirt?================================
Cake is just weakness entering the body0 -
Oh yes, really fantastic. Latest MWIS is out and details nicely just how grim the climb is going to be
http://www.mwis.org.uk/mountain/NW.PDF
In particular, I draw your attention to "WNW'ly" and "50-55mph". Nice. Keep the midges at bay I suppose.
Crap forecast, shot knees and now my car's even playing up. Think someone upstairs is trying to tell me something!0 -
Ken
That's the same one as Allan posted. Plenty could still change. Don't forget your sunblock.================================
Cake is just weakness entering the body0 -
I know the old cliche about how quickly weather can change in the highlands. I also know how rubbish forecasters are at predicting highland weather more than a day in advance.
However the persistent high pressure in the atlantic is unlikely to fizzle out any time soon and so it will continue to be very windy from the NW and any fronts will be forced around it and straight into NW Scotland. My natural pessimism is only tempered by a faint hope that there will be no major fronts and we will only have the wind to contend with.
I look forward to being proven wrong and being roundly told on Sunday to stick to the day job.
But having just seen Heather the weather (spit) I am off to pack a second towel.
Best of luck to all, especially on the descent.
Jase0 -
wakemalcolm wrote:Allan, that forecast's 20 hours old alreadythat's a lifetime in highland weather prediction. BBC now forecasting rain, sunshine, cloud and rain (but only 17mph wind).
Spoke to you briefly on the climb last year. What time are you starting and will you be wearing the Eurobikers shirt?
Yes, that link should get updated daily, but lets face it, north of Watford the only sure forecast is that it'll rain or go dark before morning.
Wakemalcolm - yes, I remember speaking to you on the climb. The Eurobike shirt is falling apart, but I may still wear it - I've grown quite attached to it, sort of worn and frayed around the edges - like me. Besides, I don't want to ruin a good shirt in that weather ;-) Hope we can meet up again. Am staying in the Kinlochewe bunk house this year.
Oh, and don't mix me up with another Euroibiker who's riding - Brain Tomlin from Italy. Think he was Italian amateur time trial champion a few years ago! He's also staying in the bunkhouse with us, and if my ego gets the better of me, I may answer to the name of Brian ;-))
Here's to everyone having a good safe ride. Really looking forward to it. It was absolutely brilliant last year.0 -
Myself and Rendo are also staying in the bunkhouse at the Kinlochewe Hotel. Travelling up tomorrow afternoon.
Some final fettling of the bike this evening and get all my bike kit etc. laid out so I'm not rushing about like a headless chicken tomorrow
Good luck to everyone doing the eventFlying Scot? You must be joking!0 -
Latest from Met Office:
Outlook for Saturday
Cloudy with rain, drizzle and hill fog, the rain becoming heavier and more persistent from the north during the day. Windy with gales at higher levels.
After speaking to Jase last night and in light of the above I've made the crucial mental readjustment which should hopefully see me to the finish. The carefully thought race plan, the pacing, the target times for both climb and whole route, and even the nod to a good, almost elegant, culmination to a summer's hard work are all replaced with: Come on then, is that the worst you can throw at us!!?? Getting to the end by any self-propelled means is all the matters! Dunkirk spirit here we go.
Good luck everyone, bring it on!!0 -
Must admit to feeling a bit nervous. Can't wait though.
Now what is everyone wearing/riding so I can try and identify people from the Forum?
I'll start - Focus Cayo, wearing red Confidis top (don't think I'll bother with waterproof)
Good luck everyone
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Not sure what I'll be wearing yet but my stead is fairly obvious - massive Orbea Lobular frame. Colour? Bright orange, of course!0
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Thorn Raven Tour (Rohloff), wearing Helly blue top (or bright red waterproof)================================
Cake is just weakness entering the body0 -
After speaking to Jase last night and in light of the above I've made the crucial mental readjustment which should hopefully see me to the finish. The carefully thought race plan, the pacing, the target times for both climb and whole route, and even the nod to a good, almost elegant, culmination to a summer's hard work are all replaced with: Come on then, is that the worst you can throw at us!!?? Getting to the end by any self-propelled means is all the matters! Dunkirk spirit here we go.
Good luck everyone, bring it on!!
Inspiring words kend
I am sure most will be in the same frame of mind you've paid your money and traveled up so it has to be done no matter what...it ill be a laugh
good luck folks 8)
opps....yeah blue n white Spesh Roubaix blue n white top Rahpa if its dry or Nike if its not.0 -
Just sounds like the weather I have had for every audax I have ridden this year
I'll be on a Van Nicholas Yukon and wearing something. Unfortunately this will also include a helmet - wore one for the first tme since last year's Bealach last night and stopped 5 times in 5 miles as it was so bloody annoying. It then got turfed, and collected on the way back. I'll be the one moaning about helmets being bloody annoying and compulsory.
I may stop round at the bunkhouse on Friday evening to say hello. I was there last year and got next to no sleep. Too many people getting up for a slash, snoring or arsing about worrying.
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Oh, I forgot to mention.
One of my wife's friends, who is a frequent visitor to Applecross has just returned from there and said the midgies were the worst he has ever expereinced. Ever.
That should hopefully take your mind off worrying about the weather. 0 -
I'll be the one in the fluoro jacket latched parasitically to ken's wheel. Until the climb, of course, when i'll be dropped like a sack of spanners.
Jase0 -
Blue & white Bianchi - haven't decided what wheels I'm running yet, depends on the weather. As for kit - all black Castelli with gold and black Met helmet and probably Rudy sunspecs.
You get the picture - all the gear, no idea Flying Scot? You must be joking!0 -
arranandy wrote:Blue & white Bianchi - haven't decided what wheels I'm running yet, depends on the weather. As for kit - all black Castelli with gold and black Met helmet and probably Rudy sunspecs.
You get the picture - all the gear, no idea
better than me. I have nae gear AND nae idea :oops: :roll:
I'll be wearing Angus Bike Chain red/black kit, under lots of waterproofs. There will be a few ABC lads there but I'm the only one with a triple, a carradice (which I am open to offers to carry waterproofs for anyone at good rates ) and a brooks saddle.
I know wakemalcolm and rab, so should recognise them.0 -
Black Bianch 928L with red bar tape and saddle.
Silver helmet, black shorts, red S/S top, weather permitting.
Going for a 09:30ish start - like everybody else..0 -
I'm glad I'm not taking my Bianchi. Mind you, mine is the "proper" colour 0
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Beware the wind! Especially side winds near the top. Last time I did the climb, I was tailing a mate of mine and saw him veer suddenly ahead of me. "Plonker!" thought I, "Wake up and concentrate." A couple of minutes later, as I reached the same spot, I was practically lifted from the road by a blast of air funnelling up the cliff. The thing is, I weigh about 95kilos on was sitting on a steel-framed tourer. I reckon newer carbon bikes with outsized tubing would have responded like an umbrella in a hurricane.
Have fun, though. I envy you all. What a great circuit (and yes, the majority of the climbing comes AFTER Applecross!)0 -
pneumatic wrote:Beware the wind! Especially side winds near the top. Last time I did the climb, I was tailing a mate of mine and saw him veer suddenly ahead of me. "Plonker!" thought I, "Wake up and concentrate." A couple of minutes later, as I reached the same spot, I was practically lifted from the road by a blast of air funnelling up the cliff. The thing is, I weigh about 95kilos on was sitting on a steel-framed tourer. I reckon newer carbon bikes with outsized tubing would have responded like an umbrella in a hurricane.
Have fun, though. I envy you all. What a great circuit (and yes, the majority of the climbing comes AFTER Applecross!)
I recall reading an article either in cycling weekly or cycling plus just before last year's event. I think it was Mike Coty who tried to cycle up when it was stormy and was blown over the barrier and had to eventually give up.
Hence why I am feeling slightly nervous 0 -
Yes, now I think of it, that was the scary bit! Instead of being blown in towards the cliff, I was being sucked out towards the precipice.
Ach, it'll be ok, you'll be fine, dinnae fret!0 -
Me? Fret? na whatever gave you that idea?
-Quickly heads to the toilet with paper in hand!
Despite what I said, really looking forward to it - what fun :P0 -
Well done to everybody that did the event especially given the weather conditions. However due to a combination of forgetting my shoes and having a sore back I was a DNS. Rather than sit about all day I volunteered my services as a marshall and it was great to see everybody coming into the finish with a massive look of relieve, joy, pain and satisfaction on their faces!!
Once again well done to everyone.
BTW does anyone have any update of the condition of the rider who crashed at the cattle grid just outside Kinlochewe? Last I heard he had been airlifted to hospital in Inverness with a head injury. I sincerely hope that it wasn't too serious and that he's now on the mendFlying Scot? You must be joking!0 -
Did this event for the second time and have to agree that if you finished this year then pat yourself on the back for your efforts.
Overall it was well organized with great support from the locals and of course is a pretty hard route which is definitly harder after the main climb. I thought this year people seemed to climb the Bealach better as I did not see as many walkers and I was delighted to find that instead of a headwind on the run into Kinlochewe there was a brisk tailwind to help carry you to the finish at a fair speed I might add.
Best wishes to the chap at the cattle grid as it looked like a sore one and thanks to all who organized and supported. Unfortunately I had a slower time this year of 5.36 which was probably down to the appauling weather and winds that we had to battle with on the way out and a distinct lack of a group to share the work with. Good effort again Captain.0 -
Aye, well done everyone. The wond on the bealach was horrendous. Along with many others I was almost blown off my bike and off the road and decided to get off and walk. Even pushing the bike in the wind proved difficult at some points!
At least the final 10 miles were fun
I spoke to a few riders who had been in the same group as the casualty and they were fairly spooked by it (probably why I was able to pass them ) and they were saying he was unconscious for a while before coming round. By the time I went through he was in a neck brace and paramedics were with him. I saw the air ambulance flying down to him and I hope he is making a good recovery. I have tried checking the webpage but everytime I log on my connection cuts out.
As for time, I was well well down on my time last year, which is not too surprising as I had not been training for this event this year and was not aiming at a good time, rather get round it and take in the scenery (although there was little of this on view on the big climb!). The weather didn't help either. I came in at 7hours 49minutes and a bit. And wearing a helmet was not as bad as I had feared - although I was still glad to get the bloody thing off at the end.
Hope everyone else managed to achieve the time they wanted.0 -
Cheers bigal - another "enjoyable" ride!! Very well done to anyone that finished. I almost didn't bother starting when I saw how grim the weather was.
Ride-wise, it was a mixed bag for me. Me and bigal worked too much in a group of four over the first 20 - 25 miles (actually, we all did!) and then I paid for it when climbing the Bealach, which took me 48 minutes. However, after the blustery descent and the subsequent cold spell at the feedstation, I warmed up again and it was a markedly improved performance after that. Like last year, me and bigal swept up quite a lot of people on the second half of the ride, which was very satisfying. I like to "keep my powder dry" for this stretch!
However, while I think this is a great event, I wish they'd correct the amount of climbing they say is in the route. It's nowhere near 2935m!
Lastly, I wonder if Dougie Vipond did the ride. He said in BBC2 Scotland's "The Adventure Show" covering last year's event that he would be riding, but I certainly didn't see him.0 -
Yes, best wishes to the guy at the first cattle grid. I gather that there were a few riders down at the 'cattle grid-level crossing-cattle grid' combination between Achnasheen and Loch Carron too, and that one the leaders crashed out with 10 miles to go..? Each grid was a leap of faith for me - horribly slippy and not my idea of fun.
I think that that's without doubt the wettest I have ever been on bike and there was about half a litre of water in my frame at the finish. Nearly got blown off the road on a couple of occasions. I just managed to crack my 5 hour goal though, getting home in 4:52 for 20th. overall and third M50. Well chuffed
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That certainly was the toughest day that I have ever spent in the saddle - though looking back on it now I'm really pleased with my efforts.
I felt really sorry fo my mate Jimmy, whose derailer snapped off near the bottom of the Bealach na Ba - would love to be a "fly on the wall" when he takes his bike to the LBS tomorrow to try and get an explanation as to why that happened - as he put a lot of training in for this event.
Special mention to my other mate, Alasdair, for completeing the event on his fixed wheel bike - it just confirms how mad and and fit he is.
Would love to get the recipe for the flap jacks that we got at Applecross - "pure Highland rocket fuel!!!!"
Will I do it again next? "Maybes No, Maybes Yes."jimbo0 -
SteveNcp wrote:I think that that's without doubt the wettest I have ever been on bike and there was about half a litre of water in my frame at the finish. Nearly got blown off the road on a couple of occasions. I just managed to crack my 5 hour goal though, getting home in 4:52 for 20th. overall and third M50. Well chuffed
stevencp
must be a fault with the 928L, i just 'emptied' mine today, and had about the same. must come in thro at the seatclamp.
i just managed to break my target of 6hrs at 5h55mins, so was well chuffed, considering in the last few weeks i expected it to be nearer 6.5hrs. the bealach felt easier, didn't have to walk this time despite wearing mtb shoes (just in case). the raod from applecross to shieldaig is a ridiculous road for cycling, absolutely hated it. but after shieldaig was great, except the climb before torridon.
well done to everyone, particularly those cheering us on and the marshalls.0 -
What a completely nuts way to spend a Saturday!!
I was doing it for the first time yesterday (though have been right round the Applecross loop a few times in the past) and really didn't know what to expect - the bunch cycling, length of the route, the weather were all concerning me. And passing that poor bloke on the cattle grid at 0.6miles was very sobering. Really hope he's ok.
Keeping up with the group that swallowed me up down to LC was hard work and I paid for it on the climb when the cramp kicked in (45min split). I always forget how many ramps there are on the approach to Shieldaig though with the wind behind you for some of them it could've been worse. Final blast through Torridon was most enjoyable! Got in at 5.38 which I was pretty damn chuffed with.
Again, well done everyone who competed and finished!0
