Etape Caledonia 2008

pedylan

This closed road event is being run again in 2008 on 18th May on the same 81 mile challenge course. Same price £49

I enjoyed this year's event, the route is not in the "challenging" league of some other UK events but the closed roads and the scenery make for a good day out on the bike. So I'll probably be signing up again and hoping to beat this year's time as a mark of progress towards the Etape du Tour

http://www.etapecaledonia.co.uk/

noggincp

Brilliant planning there- 1 week after the Bealach Mhor

I was going to do the Etape but not now, as I need to get up that ruddy hill without stopping :oops:

zebedeecp

Me too. I was the up for the Etape Caledonia again next year having enjoyed it this year but agian the scheduling has been poor as its on the same day as the Etape du Dales. I'm not sure why they have brought it forward a month. Anyone know?

pneumatic

zebedeecp wrote:

I'm not sure why they have brought it forward a month. Anyone know?

Probably to avoid clashing with the date of the Sunday School picnic that was so severely affected by the road closures during last year's event!

I'll probably go: it was a blast! (the Etape that is, not the picnic!)

daowned

noggincp wrote:

Brilliant planning there- 1 week after the Bealach Mhor

I was going to do the Etape but not now, as I need to get up that ruddy hill without stopping :oops:

Was thinking about doing the The Fred Whitton Challenge for the first time on the 11th of May so that rules out the Bealach Beag on the 10th.

The only bad thing about the Etape Caledonia for me is the price but if you can travel up to register and on the day of the event without the stay over then it's worth a entry to me.

Brian B

I will do it only if I dont have to register the day before. I slated this event for that reason last year as none of the sportives south of the border require this and I thought it was just a blatant rip off to generate some money for the locals.

popette

I did the intermediate route last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'll definitely be going up again next year for the full course. It is a bit expensive but having the roads closed made it worth every penny to me.
From what I read on the site, it appears that you will have to register the day before. It's a bit of a pain as it means we'll need to drive over from Edinburgh (staying with in-laws). Given that we were in and out of registration within minutes, I'm sure that they'd be able to manage that on the morning of the event surely?
I didn't take my bike to registration day last year but I did enjoy drooling at some of the gorgeous bikes that were leaning against those railings in Pitlochrie.
See you there in May then.

wakemalcolm

No sign of the intermedite event on the website. Hope it's not been ditched - Mrs Wakemalcolm was going to try it with her father.

jorme

Did this event in June and thought it was one of the best!!!

Can't wait for next year already!!

wakemalcolm

jorme wrote:

Did this event in June and thought it was one of the best!!!

What else have you done?

Sadly the short course distance is canned but the organisers assured me that my wife and her father should have no bother in completing the longer course. All this advice without asking about ability, experience (or recent heart surgery). Must be psychic.

fraz167

one definately.
Cheers
Fraser

arranandy

I entered this event last year but unfortunately never got to do it due to illness. Seriously considering doing it next year although I'm not sure about why they make riders register the previous day :?:

ash68

anyone know when entry opens for the 08 event.?At the moment it just says very soon on the website.

nwallace

Did the intermediate event last year.
The hills killed me but I blame that for being the first time I had been out on a double all year having pottled around on a tourer so far that year.

On the basis that a) it was far too early in the morning for me and b) I struggled up some of the hills on the intermediate I reckon I have no chance of climbing Schehallion.

However I did deliberately get a new front wheel for the tourer with disc hubs, so that should I require a light weight bike, with low gearing for something the Zaskar could be temporarily converted.

I could also go an investigate the route when I am up at Kenmore next weekend.

hrm.

renard

Entry is open now - I entered about 30 mins ago. Really looking forward to it.

zebedeecp

I'm afraid I'll be opting for the Etape Du Dales been on the same day. Even though is not on closed roads its a more challenging ride with just as good if not better scenery.

Squiggsy

How tough a course is this?

I've only just got back into cycling after 15 years away this year. My mate has suggested it and I quite fancy the idea.

Have got a 50 / 34 and 12 / 25 set up, would that make it manageable with a reasonable amount of miles in the legs beforehand?

Steve928

Squiggsy wrote:

How tough a course is this?

I've only just got back into cycling after 15 years away this year. My mate has suggested it and I quite fancy the idea.

Have got a 50 / 34 and 12 / 25 set up, would that make it manageable with a reasonable amount of miles in the legs beforehand?

It's not tough at all - there's only one real climb: the one up out of Kinloch Rannoch over to the Appin of Dull, but even then there's only one shortish steep ramp (It warrants a single arrow on O.S. sheet 52 but not on sheet 51! :-) ).

Obviously there's no way I can tell you what gear you might need though..

BigG67

I started "training" in March last year with hardly any miles before and managed to do the run in 5hrs. As said there's the side of Schiehallion which is a decent climb but nothing too hard.

There is a wee sting in the tail with some rolling terrain at the end and while I used a a triple I'd have been fine with a compact.

For me it was all about getting used to being in a saddle for more than 4 hours - so all my prep was 1-2 hour hilly stuff or nice long jaunts for 5 hours.

Squiggsy

Cheers guys - may give it a whirl then, looks like we will have accommodation lined up in the area, so just a case of getting there from London!

After 2 days of not much other than eating and drinking I think training could start in earnest later this week.......

nwallace

Squiggsy wrote:

Cheers guys - may give it a whirl then, looks like we will have accommodation lined up in the area, so just a case of getting there from London!

After 2 days of not much other than eating and drinking I think training could start in earnest later this week.......

Direct Train from KX to Pitlochry once a day "Highland Cheiftain" in GNER days.