Etape Caledonia 2013
Comments
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d4evr wrote:[
If I'm early I stand at the side of the street that my letter/wave will appear on letting others pass through who are off in waves before me. I then join in the mayhem a couple of waves before mine, it's never let me down so far.
That's interesting,so in actual fact you're not in the throng of riders, just on the pavement as it were close to the start line ?0 -
RandG wrote:d4evr wrote:[
If I'm early I stand at the side of the street that my letter/wave will appear on letting others pass through who are off in waves before me. I then join in the mayhem a couple of waves before mine, it's never let me down so far.
That's interesting,so in actual fact you're not in the throng of riders, just on the pavement as it were close to the start line ?
Sort of, I'm in less of a throng. Hundreds of others do the same so it's still pretty busy, I just 'try' and stay out of the way until its my turn to make my way forward so to speak. Don't get hung up on it, I am possibly making it sound worse than it is.0 -
Thanks for the replies. Do they mind if you actually dont take your stated start time mine is 6.50am. drive up from perth get parked,changed etc. dont see there being a problem if i left just before 7.30am ???0
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Seems to be acceptable to start later than your time, e.g. to go with someone else who's not in your wave. I guess it could lead to problems if too many people did it, but as far as I've seen it's quite commonplace.
What will get you grief, of course, is to try and start ahead of your wave.
As for the throng - there is definitely quite a crowd, but people always manage to get to the right place at the right time. I would guess that if you're in a later wave you'd be fine coming up the street, if an earlier wave then get on the pavement and come in from the side. I've always been coming from up the street, makes it very easy to jump in from the side when your wave is assembling.0 -
Gazzetta67 wrote:Thanks for the replies. Do they mind if you actually dont take your stated start time mine is 6.50am. drive up from perth get parked,changed etc. dont see there being a problem if i left just before 7.30am ???
I'd say yes they would mind, however who's to know. As I've said I've managed from Dundee each year up to now with no problems at all.
To be honest though you could leave Perth at 6 and possibly still make your time or just after.0 -
Ach that's it, I'm gonna mosey on up just whenever I get there, have a fag, a bun and a cup oh tea, go for a pish, then might just head off around ten....and I'll looking for a podium slot 8)0
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Forgot to ask sorry. what time is the registration open from on the friday night ?0
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Between 18.00 - 21.000
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Cheers Rand0
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I've got a couple of questions for those in the know.
1) Is it worth going up and having a ride round the route this weekend ? I'm familiar with the route as I've ridden it hundreds of times on a motorbike so no roads are new to me.
2) At what point do I stop my cycling prior to the day ? Do I keep on cycling next week and do no more from around Thursday or do I just take all next week off and rest up ??0 -
1) It's up to you. We rode it two weeks before just to get used to the route and it was also a glorious day so couldn't pass it up.
2) I took this week off and plan to pack in as much cycling as possible then stop on Tue and rest up. I did this last year too. Went out for a hilly 88 miler yesterday and will get in another 80+ on Thu. The rest of the rides will be short <50 milers. Then it's a week of eating quality food, drinking lots of water and a sports massage on Friday morning :-)
If you don't ride the route this week but want the Schiehallion experience in terms of length and average gradient (minus the bends) pop over the bridge and ride this a few times. It's good training:
http://app.strava.com/segments/14343250 -
It wouldn't hurt having a ride on some parts of the route, but it is pretty straight forward. Have a go at Schiehallion and the little steep climbs at and after Logierait perhaps?
Yip, I would not do much other than a gentle spin after Thursday, but that's just me.0 -
thegreatdivide wrote:1) It's up to you. We rode it two weeks before just to get used to the route and it was also a glorious day so couldn't pass it up.
2) I took this week off and plan to pack in as much cycling as possible then stop on Tue and rest up. I did this last year too. Went out for a hilly 88 miler yesterday and will get in another 80+ on Thu. The rest of the rides will be short <50 milers. Then it's a week of eating quality food, drinking lots of water and a sports massage on Friday morning :-)
If you don't ride the route this week but want the Schiehallion experience in terms of length and average gradient (minus the bends) pop over the bridge and ride this a few times. It's good training:
http://app.strava.com/segments/1434325
Nice climb that, infact there are a few decent climbs around the Gauldry area.0 -
d4evr wrote:thegreatdivide wrote:1) It's up to you. We rode it two weeks before just to get used to the route and it was also a glorious day so couldn't pass it up.
2) I took this week off and plan to pack in as much cycling as possible then stop on Tue and rest up. I did this last year too. Went out for a hilly 88 miler yesterday and will get in another 80+ on Thu. The rest of the rides will be short <50 milers. Then it's a week of eating quality food, drinking lots of water and a sports massage on Friday morning :-)
If you don't ride the route this week but want the Schiehallion experience in terms of length and average gradient (minus the bends) pop over the bridge and ride this a few times. It's good training:
http://app.strava.com/segments/1434325
Nice climb that, infact there are a few decent climbs around the Gauldry area.
Totally. This is a wee leg ripper http://app.strava.com/segments/38208790 -
thegreatdivide wrote:d4evr wrote:thegreatdivide wrote:1) It's up to you. We rode it two weeks before just to get used to the route and it was also a glorious day so couldn't pass it up.
2) I took this week off and plan to pack in as much cycling as possible then stop on Tue and rest up. I did this last year too. Went out for a hilly 88 miler yesterday and will get in another 80+ on Thu. The rest of the rides will be short <50 milers. Then it's a week of eating quality food, drinking lots of water and a sports massage on Friday morning :-)
If you don't ride the route this week but want the Schiehallion experience in terms of length and average gradient (minus the bends) pop over the bridge and ride this a few times. It's good training:
http://app.strava.com/segments/1434325
Nice climb that, infact there are a few decent climbs around the Gauldry area.
Totally. This is a wee leg ripper http://app.strava.com/segments/3820879
Is it ever. I have a wee circuit/route that has around 10 climbs on it around there :twisted: , it's early dark for me after it though!
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Stedman wrote:
It is always worth knowing what is around the corner at Logierait and why other riders often fall off here!d4evr wrote:Have a go at Schiehallion and the little steep climbs at and after Logierait perhaps?
I am well familiar with the road from Logierait, though as I say, not on a push iron. Seems I should maybe pop up at the weekend and pick my way thru some of it as I intend on having my support car with me 0 -
Never any harm to go for a ride along any of the route - although it's worth noting that it is invariably easier on the day, so don't get too put off if you find it hard going.
The Logierait hill does deserve its reputation, but it's only the half-asleep who need to worry - you see the turn coming up, get into a low gear (downtube shifters mean granny gear before the climb starts for me) and up you go - sharp but the steep bit is very short.
The couple of climbs along that road always kill me though, that's when my legs have started cramping pretty much every year.0 -
Yip, they are little killers after the initial one at Logierait. I've always managed that one fairly well, although it was really congested one year and I had to almost track stand. The crowds there seem to be getting bigger each year, which is nice!0
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Righty, decided I'm gonna do Fascally to shehalion (canny be ersed trying to spell it properly) then do Logierait to Athol St. Should give me about 35ish miles of the route. (don't want my support car waiting all day on me ) 0
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RandG wrote:Righty, decided I'm gonna do Fascally to shehalion (canny be ersed trying to spell it properly) then do Logierait to Athol St. Should give me about 35ish miles of the route. (don't want my support car waiting all day on me )
That will be a good ride mate, and give you an idea what to expect on the day. 0 -
I usually wind things down the week before but still get out on the bike just take it easy to keep the legs fresh. Always like to go for a ride up the queens view after signing in and getting my chip on the saturday, try and make sure the bike is running sweet and soak up the atmosphere.0
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I did my last big ride yesterday (80mls) I'll do 20 tomorrow night again on Sun and then Wed. Pasta for tea all next week.
Any road is ALWAYS different when you cycle it, as compared to any motorised transport, all of a sudden there are subtle little gradients you never noticed. Well worth having a pootle round at least some of it.You've no won the Big Cup since 1902!0 -
Went out this morning to do 70 miles, 25 miles from home the chain broke and I fell off, great build up for next Sunday.0
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Seems my fitness has improved, second time ever up the Knapp today and only died a hundred deaths compared to thousand I did the first time 0
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tbh, I found it relatively easy tonight, tho it did cross my mind about shehalion being 40+ in. I'll go up it Saturday and see how I get on.0
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d4evr wrote:RandG wrote:Seems my fitness has improved, second time ever up the Knapp today and only died a hundred deaths compared to thousand I did the first time
If you can get up The Knapp you can get up Schiehallion, Schiehallion does come after 45 miles or so though :evil:
Totally. The Knapp is a brute. You're going to be fine RandG - you'll be buzzing from the event!0
