Cycle Cairngorms
Peter Main
Posts: 60
Cycle Cairngorms
We were so lucky with the weather; it had rained solidly on three consecutive days in the week before the event, but the weekend itself dawned fine and was forecast to stay that way, so it was out with the shorts, the sun cream, and the shades. With only 50 riders on the Saturday the whole event felt very relaxed. I got a bit too relaxed and ended up starting in the last group! Not what I’d intended. After an easy, fast section from the start near Coylumbridge to Nethy Bridge, the hills started with the climb up past Corriehullie to the A939, followed by Bridge of Brown, Tomintoul to the Lecht Ski Centre, and Cockbridge to Bridge of Gairn. A total of over 4146 feet of climbing. The last few miles were a fast run in to Ballater. I really enjoyed the whole ride; it felt very warm for late September. The SW wind gave us a good tail wind on most parts of the route. Event HQ was right in the centre of town at Cycle Highlands and the organisers had laid on a BBQ so we all got a burger and a beer at the finish. Not sure that that’s exactly what a highly tuned athlete like me needs after a hard ride, but it was very nice. My time for the day was 03.13.59 and I was 19th out of 50 finishers.
Ballater is an attractive small town; we stayed at a very comfortable B&B, Tangley House run by Tom & Shirley Oliver, and can also recommend the Station Restaurant as a great place to eat. The trains are long gone, but Queen Victoria is still there in her Royal Carriage. A good rest followed by a cheerfully provided breakfast at 6.30am on Sunday saw me, together with 24 other hardy souls, on the start line just before 8am. At little autumn mist simply enhanced the superb scenery and the day soon warmed up. Knowing that the first 20 or so miles were fairly flat I determinedly stuck with the lead group until Braemar and then deliberately let them go and settled down to ride at my own pace. My legs reminded me I had done a hard 50 miles the previous day. The climb from Braemar up to Glenshee Ski Station is long and a bit tedious, ending at the highest point of the event at 2195 feet. The descent was awesome; only a slight headwind prevented me from reaching 50mph. After some fun and fast undulations down Glenshee, a right turn took us to the first feed at Kirkmichael. I was surprised to find several of the lead group still there scoffing cakes. Another long climb took us over the hill to the tourist trap of Pitlochry and the long slog along the B8097 towards Drumochter with an annoying side wind. On this section I suffered a power failure and was glad to reach the second feed point at Calvine, where the organisers had thoughtfully provided tea and coffee, most welcome.
Onwards and northwards through Drumochter the route runs parallel to the deadly and dangerous A9, on the old main road or a purpose built cycle track. The track was built in 2000 as a millennium project, but since then it has been sadly neglected by the authorities. Typical of many a UK project, we find the capital to build and then there is no maintenance so everything falls into disrepair. My brand-new, expensive machine didn’t really like it as we we cycled through sections of a roughly chipped, frost damaged surface, with rock fall, broken glass, general litter, and overgrowing vegetation. It shouldn’t happen to a bike! (At this point I was very glad that I have never aspired to ride the ‘Paris-Roubaix’ route). It took a lot of concentration to negotiate this part of the route and it was impossible to go fast with the sharp corners and tricky bridges. The bike and I survived and, as George Harrison once sang, “all things must pass” and so it did as I reached the last feed station just before Dalwhinnie; I didn’t stop as I had other plans!
Dalwhinnie to Newtonmore is slightly downhill, was very fast with a good tailwind and I reacquainted myself with the remnants of the lead group; they had stopped for a picnic at Dalwhinnie and were really motoring by the time they caught me. I hooked on, did a turn at the front, and then dropped out at Newtonmore, musing on the fact that most of the time this group had ridden too fast for me; yet riding alone I didn’t seem to be that much slower. My mind filled with images of tortoises and hares.
It’s not often that a sportive event goes right past my house, but this one did so I had ‘er indoors’ organised with a pint of tea and a chunk of apple cake for me. Thanks Kathryn, (and for the lift home afterwards) I couldn’t have done it without you. I reached the 100 mile mark near Kingussie and saw no other riders until the finish. Now on my local roads, I enjoyed the beautiful route via Insh and Feshie Bridge to Coylumbridge. The last few miles to Badaguish were all gradually uphill and felt really hard, but I buoyed myself up with the very positive thought that at least we didn’t have to cycle up the Cairngorm Ski Road to finish. (Please don’t get any ideas for next year, organisers!). My time for the day was 08.30.07 and I was 11th out of 24 finishers, very tired after 120 miles and 8478 feet of climbing. Tea, soup, and sympathy were on offer from the fantastic band of helpers.
The whole event was extremely well organised by The Speyside Trust. Their objective is to make money for the Trust but as you are permitted to enter as a non-sponsored rider, I had none of the hassle of having to go round raising money from our ‘sponsored out’ friends. The route is delightfully scenic and the climbs long and steady (mostly). It would be a tough call in wet or very windy weather. A special mention should be made of the signage and marshalling which were awesome. The numbers turning out were low(ish) but this did give the event a relaxed feel and it is the first time the event has been held. Cycle Cairngorms deserves to become a much bigger event and I hope it does so next year. Overall I was 11th, covering 170 miles in 11.44.06; a satisfying result in an event that has been one of my targets all season. I am told I now hold the ‘vintage’ record for the route, but, with only two of us in that age group, there was always a 50/50 chance.
The Speyside Trust is a recognised Scottish Charity, based at Badaguish Outdoor Centre near Aviemore. The Charity has 25 years experience of providing quality 24-hour respite care activity holidays for adults and children of all abilities. Cycle Cairngorms is part of their fundraising activities and the two day cycling challenge circumnavigates the Cairngorms National Park using some of the most attractive roads in the UK. It is an unusual, scenic, well organised, interesting two day event held on quiet roads. The extra challenge of the Drumochter cycle track allows riders to try their cyclo-cross skills. Why not go for it next year.
There are a few pics at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30736993@N03/
You can enter and get details at:
http://www.cyclecairngorms.org/
We were so lucky with the weather; it had rained solidly on three consecutive days in the week before the event, but the weekend itself dawned fine and was forecast to stay that way, so it was out with the shorts, the sun cream, and the shades. With only 50 riders on the Saturday the whole event felt very relaxed. I got a bit too relaxed and ended up starting in the last group! Not what I’d intended. After an easy, fast section from the start near Coylumbridge to Nethy Bridge, the hills started with the climb up past Corriehullie to the A939, followed by Bridge of Brown, Tomintoul to the Lecht Ski Centre, and Cockbridge to Bridge of Gairn. A total of over 4146 feet of climbing. The last few miles were a fast run in to Ballater. I really enjoyed the whole ride; it felt very warm for late September. The SW wind gave us a good tail wind on most parts of the route. Event HQ was right in the centre of town at Cycle Highlands and the organisers had laid on a BBQ so we all got a burger and a beer at the finish. Not sure that that’s exactly what a highly tuned athlete like me needs after a hard ride, but it was very nice. My time for the day was 03.13.59 and I was 19th out of 50 finishers.
Ballater is an attractive small town; we stayed at a very comfortable B&B, Tangley House run by Tom & Shirley Oliver, and can also recommend the Station Restaurant as a great place to eat. The trains are long gone, but Queen Victoria is still there in her Royal Carriage. A good rest followed by a cheerfully provided breakfast at 6.30am on Sunday saw me, together with 24 other hardy souls, on the start line just before 8am. At little autumn mist simply enhanced the superb scenery and the day soon warmed up. Knowing that the first 20 or so miles were fairly flat I determinedly stuck with the lead group until Braemar and then deliberately let them go and settled down to ride at my own pace. My legs reminded me I had done a hard 50 miles the previous day. The climb from Braemar up to Glenshee Ski Station is long and a bit tedious, ending at the highest point of the event at 2195 feet. The descent was awesome; only a slight headwind prevented me from reaching 50mph. After some fun and fast undulations down Glenshee, a right turn took us to the first feed at Kirkmichael. I was surprised to find several of the lead group still there scoffing cakes. Another long climb took us over the hill to the tourist trap of Pitlochry and the long slog along the B8097 towards Drumochter with an annoying side wind. On this section I suffered a power failure and was glad to reach the second feed point at Calvine, where the organisers had thoughtfully provided tea and coffee, most welcome.
Onwards and northwards through Drumochter the route runs parallel to the deadly and dangerous A9, on the old main road or a purpose built cycle track. The track was built in 2000 as a millennium project, but since then it has been sadly neglected by the authorities. Typical of many a UK project, we find the capital to build and then there is no maintenance so everything falls into disrepair. My brand-new, expensive machine didn’t really like it as we we cycled through sections of a roughly chipped, frost damaged surface, with rock fall, broken glass, general litter, and overgrowing vegetation. It shouldn’t happen to a bike! (At this point I was very glad that I have never aspired to ride the ‘Paris-Roubaix’ route). It took a lot of concentration to negotiate this part of the route and it was impossible to go fast with the sharp corners and tricky bridges. The bike and I survived and, as George Harrison once sang, “all things must pass” and so it did as I reached the last feed station just before Dalwhinnie; I didn’t stop as I had other plans!
Dalwhinnie to Newtonmore is slightly downhill, was very fast with a good tailwind and I reacquainted myself with the remnants of the lead group; they had stopped for a picnic at Dalwhinnie and were really motoring by the time they caught me. I hooked on, did a turn at the front, and then dropped out at Newtonmore, musing on the fact that most of the time this group had ridden too fast for me; yet riding alone I didn’t seem to be that much slower. My mind filled with images of tortoises and hares.
It’s not often that a sportive event goes right past my house, but this one did so I had ‘er indoors’ organised with a pint of tea and a chunk of apple cake for me. Thanks Kathryn, (and for the lift home afterwards) I couldn’t have done it without you. I reached the 100 mile mark near Kingussie and saw no other riders until the finish. Now on my local roads, I enjoyed the beautiful route via Insh and Feshie Bridge to Coylumbridge. The last few miles to Badaguish were all gradually uphill and felt really hard, but I buoyed myself up with the very positive thought that at least we didn’t have to cycle up the Cairngorm Ski Road to finish. (Please don’t get any ideas for next year, organisers!). My time for the day was 08.30.07 and I was 11th out of 24 finishers, very tired after 120 miles and 8478 feet of climbing. Tea, soup, and sympathy were on offer from the fantastic band of helpers.
The whole event was extremely well organised by The Speyside Trust. Their objective is to make money for the Trust but as you are permitted to enter as a non-sponsored rider, I had none of the hassle of having to go round raising money from our ‘sponsored out’ friends. The route is delightfully scenic and the climbs long and steady (mostly). It would be a tough call in wet or very windy weather. A special mention should be made of the signage and marshalling which were awesome. The numbers turning out were low(ish) but this did give the event a relaxed feel and it is the first time the event has been held. Cycle Cairngorms deserves to become a much bigger event and I hope it does so next year. Overall I was 11th, covering 170 miles in 11.44.06; a satisfying result in an event that has been one of my targets all season. I am told I now hold the ‘vintage’ record for the route, but, with only two of us in that age group, there was always a 50/50 chance.
The Speyside Trust is a recognised Scottish Charity, based at Badaguish Outdoor Centre near Aviemore. The Charity has 25 years experience of providing quality 24-hour respite care activity holidays for adults and children of all abilities. Cycle Cairngorms is part of their fundraising activities and the two day cycling challenge circumnavigates the Cairngorms National Park using some of the most attractive roads in the UK. It is an unusual, scenic, well organised, interesting two day event held on quiet roads. The extra challenge of the Drumochter cycle track allows riders to try their cyclo-cross skills. Why not go for it next year.
There are a few pics at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30736993@N03/
You can enter and get details at:
http://www.cyclecairngorms.org/
pete-the-bike
the idea is to die young as late as possible
the idea is to die young as late as possible
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