Skye Mor as a 2nd Sportive?

Dr U Idh

After doing the EC last weekend, I think I might have got the bug. Thing is, I'm not really sure what to expect - other that it'll be very, very different. So, some questions...

Fewer riders and no assigned start times. How do you judge when to go? Will groups form and, if so, should I wait to see a larger bunch of riders go and set off with them?

Open roads, so does that mean keeping single file most of the time?

Will there be marshalls at regular intervals?

Food stops: cake. bananas and water? Anything else I should expect?

Oh - and what's the chances of just turning up on the day and getting a ride? I won;t know until last minute if it's going to be possible.


Thanks in advance - expect a whole heap of other newbie questions following these ones :-)

wakemalcolm

Hi
Can't speak for this year but last year they were taking entries the day before. The event's not full and money talks - unlike the Etape C, the organiser's eMail address does appear to be attached to a mailbox if you want to check beforehand.

In terms of what happened on the day last year the slower riders went off first but the faster ones didn't wait around too much longer.

Marshalling is good but it's nigh on impossible to get the route wrong - there's only about 4 junctions throughout the whole day.

Food stops are better than the Etape C with a selection of tray bakes and bananas.

Groups do form at the start and it's quite good to get in with some people trying to go the Beag route at a decent pace. The route's fairly quiet but generally going single file when there's traffic's just good manners. I barely saw anyone between the 50 mile marker and 10 miles to go last year (and suffered for it).

Best weather day of the year and good to finally see something other than the inside of a cloud around the Trotternish peninsula.

See you at the start line - I'll be the one pleading the case for flatbars.
Cheers
Malcolm

Dr U Idh

Ta for the answers. I reckon I'm currently averaging 17 or so mph (solo). Am I likely to find other riders at or around this speed - or do I need to get a bit faster before trying for these events (not that I'm expecting to win anything )

If I go up, I'll likely camp up at Torvaig. Do you think there'll be other riders there, or do they mostly stick to the posh hotels and avoid the riff raff?

wakemalcolm

Hi

An average speed of 17 (solo) will see you in the top half of the field for this event. With regard to the camping, there's normally a good mix of people camping and hoteling; there's no rules and no hierachy.

Hope you convince yourself to give it a go - I can't think of an event in Scotland less like the Etape Caledonia.

Dr U Idh

Well, I'm all signed up.

Good luck.

Dr U Idh

Well, that was tough. I thought I was doing not too bad until Dunvegan (only to be told the fast boys had been through an hour earlier), but from there to Sligachan was torture. At least we had some nice smooth tarmac for the fast descent into Portree.

As I've never cycled 100 miles in a day before, I rounded off the 95 mile circuit with a few more, just to get my first century!

Now then - what's next?

holmeboy

Found the first 20 miles a doddle, ave 19mph, then the next twenty, till you turned off for Dunevagen, bloody hard into the wind! Found it easier again till 5 miles from Sligachan then the bloody wind got back up! Got cramp on the last hill out from Sligachan and could'nt really get back up to full speed for the down part to Portree. 6 hour 11 minutes cycling time, never stopped at first feed station, stayed on bike for second, had to get off for third and fourth to take shoes off as feet superheating! The've got me down as 3hrs 30mins on the website for the Beag? so don't know my official time, how'd ya all do?

Next up Ullapool 130, how do I aviod cramp on this one? :oops:


PS I stayed at Torvaig campsite too, few other bikes spotted on car roofs.

Dr U Idh

Ah - I see the results now. 6:37 - so a few minutes behind my original 6:30 target. I stopped at the 2nd and 3rd feed stops, for about 4-5 minutes each time (my TC says 6:29 cycling time).

I was the 88th and last registered for the Mor, but there are only 60 named finishers. I wonder if some took the shortcut back to Portree? :-)

Sjaak

wakemalcolm wrote:

Hi

An average speed of 17 (solo) will see you in the top half of the field for this event. With regard to the camping, there's normally a good mix of people camping and hoteling; there's no rules and no hierachy.

Hope you convince yourself to give it a go - I can't think of an event in Scotland less like the Etape Caledonia.

What happened Malcolm?