Trossach's Ton

Wallace1492

Just completed this. Superb day in the saddle, great weather, most I have ever ridden in a day - a total of 103 miles including my short hop to the start/ from the finish. Quite a tough route with the climbs of the Dukes Pass and the slog up the Crow Road and on up to Carron Valley Reservoir, and beyond.

Very well organised, great feed stations and plenty of direction indicator's amd marshals where required.

Only down side was dropping my sun glasses at the lunch stop and finding out that someone else picked them up, but has not handed them in. As they were quite expensive ones, it has been a costly run. Also quite annoyed that a fellow rider could pick them up and not (as yet) hand them in. Meant I did second half with no eye protection, and got eye's full of insects.

I am hoping that whoever picked them up will do the decent thing and hand them in at the finish or contact the organisers so I can get them back. If anyone on here picked them up, please pm me. I will happily pay for postage.

pneumatic

Wallace1492 wrote:

Just completed this. Superb day in the saddle, great weather, most I have ever ridden in a day - a total of 103 miles including my short hop to the start/ from the finish. Quite a tough route with the climbs of the Dukes Pass and the slog up the Crow Road and on up to Carron Valley Reservoir, and beyond.

Very well organised, great feed stations and plenty of direction indicator's amd marshals where required.

Only down side was dropping my sun glasses at the lunch stop and finding out that someone else picked them up, but has not handed them in. As they were quite expensive ones, it has been a costly run. Also quite annoyed that a fellow rider could pick them up and not (as yet) hand them in. Meant I did second half with no eye protection, and got eye's full of insects.

I am hoping that whoever picked them up will do the decent thing and hand them in at the finish or contact the organisers so I can get them back. If anyone on here picked them up, please pm me. I will happily pay for postage.

I have good news for you. Your sunglasses ended up at my lunch table. One of the staff put them down at someone's place while he was getting food, assuming they were his. He seemed like a straightforward bloke and went off straight away to hand them back in, so if you phone the hotel (or the organisers), they'll probably have them. Hope that helps.

Agree with you that it was a cracking day. Beautiful weather, tough course, great scenery, some fantastic descents (and of course the climbs to make them possible! ). My only downside was that I only missed 99% of the potholes. Towards the end, when I was tired, I hit four or five of them really hard (my bottle flew out of the cage once). They did warn us, but it was hard to dodge them all.

Hope you get the glasses back.

Wallace1492

Pneumatic, wow, that is good news! I did leave my contact details with the hotel and the organisers. Not heard back as yet, but I will follow this up. They are a few years old, but reasonably expensive shades and I really like them.

Pretty knackered tonight, in no fit state to follow up! Too busy with beer and food.

Missed virtually all the potholes, but did hit a few. Liked the comments from a fellow rider that they have better roads in Afganistan! He was referring to road between Loch Katrine and Aberfoyle. It was a nightmare, but I knew what to expect as I have done it a few times. Climb near the end was brutal, never done the one up to Carron Valley, and then there was more before the descent.... :shock:

Very pleased at doing it, and will be supper pleased if glasses turn up!
Many thanks for your post.

AndyD2574

Brilliant Day. Cracking weather.......although I have a mad sun tan now.......lovely brown arms and white hands and mad lines on my legs.

Very well organised and great crack going round.

Everyone seemed to look out for each other today and thanks to the groups I joined in with especially Mark and Paul..............totally enjoyable day.

Monty Dog

I rode this today too! Was probably the first time I've ridden these roads in over 20 years - brilliant weather and a fairly challenging course. Great enthusiasm and support from the organisers too - nice personal touches. Cheers to Colin who I rode with - started in the first group - rode tempo into Aberfoyle, hit the Duke's Pass and there were only two of us left from the group! Could have done without the headwind on the way to Balfron after the stop and the potholes and rough roads gave it a distinctly Ardennes feeling. 7.5 hour drive home wasn't such good fun!

mr_quiggs

Also rode this yesterday and had a great time, apart from the potholes! These were some of the worst roads I've seen. The local councils (Stirlingshore) should hang their heads in shame. :x
Ignoring the road conditions the organisation was first rate, the lunch stop excellent and the route was spectacular. Had good company round the route and particularly enjoyed the fast ride into Dukes Pass when a decent buch got together.
Never having been up Crow Road before it just seemed neverending. I was most impressed by the local cyclist in Katusha kit who went flying past my group near the start of Crow Road. On our descent down he passed us again coming back up the other side - show off!

pneumatic

Mr_Quiggs wrote:

I was most impressed by the local cyclist in Katusha kit who went flying past my group near the start of Crow Road. On our descent down he passed us again coming back up the other side - show off!

Every time anyone overtook me (and it happened a lot! ), I did a quick take at the speeding rider and said to myself "Half my age, half my weight, on you go!", which, even if it wasn't true, cheered me up. 8)

SurosaRider

What a day! Brilliant! The area is stunning, I'd never been to Loch Katrine before but I'll go back again. If anyone found themselves riding along next to someone with an annoying clicky noise coming from their bike.. sorry that was me. Still not sure what the problem is. Assume it's a loose bearing inside the BB but as they're sealed cups I'm going to have to go to the LBS for a second opinion!

Wallace1492

SurosaRider wrote:

What a day! Brilliant! The area is stunning, I'd never been to Loch Katrine before but I'll go back again. If anyone found themselves riding along next to someone with an annoying clicky noise coming from their bike.. sorry that was me. Still not sure what the problem is. Assume it's a loose bearing inside the BB but as they're sealed cups I'm going to have to go to the LBS for a second opinion!

I do recall someone having a very loud BB noise, perhaps it was yourself. I had a very noticeable Wallace and Gromit top on..... 8)

Update - Hotel never got my shades handed in, still waiting on the organisers to get back to me. Here's hoping!

LittleB0b

SurosaRider wrote:

If anyone found themselves riding along next to someone with an annoying clicky noise coming from their bike.. sorry that was me. !

Ha Ha - i think you over took us - it was very loud and very clicky.

ONly managed to burn in a few small places - which for someone who isn't scottish but very definatly has viking colouring is a result

SurosaRider

It seemed to get louder and more consistent as the ride went on. Really mucked up the feeling of a nice tranquil ride in the country!

fnb1

excellent ride in fantastic scenery made better by the 25 degs and sunshine. love the last 5 miles into Stirling, downhill cruise all the way, payback for all those climbing miles. Hope the chap in the HTC?Columbia kit walking with his bike at 5 to go made it back. Sign me up for next year please if the weather is the same

Wallace1492

Update: Well despite contacting the Hotel and the Organisers, who were both very helpful, I have not had any news of the return of my shades. Quite annoyed at myself for being so careless with them, but you live and learn! Looks like and expensive lunch stop....

If you are the rider that picked them up, and have not handed them in yet, please contact me. I will happily pay postage for their return!

howiejmidlands

I also rode this event and can say it has the most spectacular scenery on any sportive i have done this year.

Read my report at :http://www.cyclosport.org/article.aspx?id=1485

Howie J

Wallace1492

Further update:

Today I got back my glasses!! Big thank you to Cecilia at Action Medical Research who doggedly tracked them down to a box in a sweep up vehicle that had "forgotten" about the discarded bottles, sweets and paper that it had collected. Glasses were ensconced in the bottom of a box.

I am completely over the moon and eternally grateful to Cecilia and her superb work.

Thank you so much, and see you in 2011 for another ride!!

thecrofter

Glad you got your glasses back, sound like a great day. I'll need to give serious consideration to doing it next year. Was it much tougher than the Etape? And can you arrange sunshine for next year?

Wallace1492

Hi Crofter, it was indeed harder than the Etape, with 2 big climbs, but was a superb day out. Not as packed as the Etape, and you could easily ride by yourself for a good while. However, the scenery was great and the weather for it better than the Etape. Very well organised, and a really good challenge. I would certainly recommend it.

As for arranging sunshine.... well that is in the lap of the gods.... maybe they could arrange the Jam Tarts to win something....

pneumatic

Wallace1492 wrote:

Further update:

Today I got back my glasses!! !!

Brilliant news, Wallace! Really glad they got back to you.