Drumlanrig entry now open

DaveMoss

The 2010 entry form is now on the web site and entry is open for the Drumlanrig Tearfund Challenge which now includes a 104 mile option.

amaferanga

I really want to do this

Is there a limit on the number of entries and if so do you expect it to fill up quickly?

DaveMoss

Entries comeing in thick and fast, entries to date now on the web site.

POSSIBLE ROUTE CHANGE . I would value comment about a possible change to the route. The suggestion is to go from Penpont to Moniaive on the main road all the way, the A702 ( for those who don't know, this is still a very lightly trafficed, pleasant, rural road ). This adds 1 mile to the distance but cuts out Tynron and the 25% climb and descent on a very narrow, rough and bumpy road. The time is probably pretty much the same either way.

The pros for the change are, 1) whole route is then more friendly for tandem, recumbant, and race bikes with normal gearing. 2) Since this will be early in the event this year, this change is probably better for larger groups close together and allows froups of friends to do a reasonable distance without splitting up. 3) makes the shortest route option a bit less sever, and the 105 mile route is probably tough enough with this bit less climbing. 4) It cuts out the rough 25% section 5) the route is a bit more straightfoward to follow/signpost/marshal. 6) It introduces a nice stretch of road in good scenary.

The cons are 1) it misses out the challenge of the rough 25% section 2) On a good day the view over Moniaive from Dunreggan brae is special, but dare you look?

peter_andrew

I would agree with the changes. The descent off the hill is incredibly steep and very rough.
The climb would get blocked with people like me walking up it also.
Why not let people go up it if they want?
What happened to the short route of around 40 miles?
Peter

Brian B

peter andrew wrote:

I The climb would get blocked
Peter

The climb does get blocked but it is good if you get up it. Its challenging but not too difficult. Its hard though as its a complete change of pace from what you have been on for the last 30odd miles.

allezcourage

In many ways it would be a shame to drop the climb over from Tynron to Moniaive. It's the hardest part of the route, represents a good challenge and gives the event some of it's character.

On the other hand, the road surface is really very poor, especially on the bends through the trees, and will no doubt have deteriorated even further for being under snow and ice for a month recently. Last year I passed a couple of guys having to fix flats on the climb. I guessed the state of the road had led to pinch flats. Perhaps they were just in need of a break!

Whichever way you choose to run it, it's a fantastic route. Looking forward to it!

Brian B

allezcourage wrote:

In many ways it would be a shame to drop the climb over from Tynron to Moniaive. It's the hardest part of the route, represents a good challenge and gives the event some of it's character.

On the other hand, the road surface is really very poor, especially on the bends through the trees, and will no doubt have deteriorated even further for being under snow and ice for a month recently. Last year I passed a couple of guys having to fix flats on the climb. I guessed the state of the road had led to pinch flats. Perhaps they were just in need of a break!

Whichever way you choose to run it, it's a fantastic route. Looking forward to it!

Or perhaps it was me and my mate who stopped when my derailer went flying into my back wheel on the climb and smashed my seat stay and ruining my lovely Storck Scenario 0.9. Pity(apart from £1900 out of pocket for a new frame and wheel) as I had got round the first half in 2hrs1min and was on good form.

Philip S

I thought the climb was manageable (although I hit it without much traffic as we'd been dawdling for the first half, so didn't have to worry about other riders weaving across the road).

What was scary was the descent over the other side of the hill - cramping arms, smoking brake pads, and the realisation that there was a T junction with the main road right at the bottom of the hill... On balance, I'd probably prefer to see the route changed.