Etape Caledonia 2013
Comments
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Does leave it a bit open for abuse.
What's to stop someone looking at the list, then asking for that number, taking the chip and going, then turning up on the day and riding.0 -
HHHHMMMMM, I think I better put the crud catchers on the bike. It doesn't look like it will be raining but there could be some wet roads.You've no won the Big Cup since 1902!0
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MWIS who are usually very good have it as thus......West or southwesterly, 20mph through most of the morning but strengthening quickly middle of the day or early afternoon to 40 to perhaps 50mph.
How Wet?
Patchy rain, after dry start.0 -
d4evr wrote:MWIS who are usually very good have it as thus......West or southwesterly, 20mph through most of the morning but strengthening quickly middle of the day or early afternoon to 40 to perhaps 50mph.
How Wet?
Patchy rain, after dry start.
Is this on Harris and Lewis? The bad front isn't expected until late Sun. Been up here since yest and the ground dries out after a shower in no time.
I've got Belgians in my b&b. It's a popular event for sure!0 -
thegreatdivide wrote:d4evr wrote:MWIS who are usually very good have it as thus......West or southwesterly, 20mph through most of the morning but strengthening quickly middle of the day or early afternoon to 40 to perhaps 50mph.
How Wet?
Patchy rain, after dry start.
Is this on Harris and Lewis? The bad front isn't expected until late Sun. Been up here since yest and the ground dries out after a shower in no time.
I've got Belgians in my b&b. It's a popular event for sure!
Nope, South Eastern Highlands seemingly! :twisted:0 -
No sure what forecast you're looking at but there seems to be nothing in any of the ones I've seen that has any concerns about rain or wind up until midday.0
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I have lost a bit of faith in MWIS as I was up that way hillwalking 3 weeks ago. The forecast was horrendous, snow to 400m, cloud, wind the lot. We walked for 6 or seven hours in perfect clear skies and sunshine! I am going with the met office and bbc forecasts..... light wind and dry! ;-)0
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Mwis is no longer highly regarded for forecasts. The Monk of doom (Geoff to his friends) is overly pessimistic and you'll notice a liberal use of cut and paste from area to area and from day to day.
Met office mtn area forecasts are far more accurate.
And, i've always had to show id in the past, btw.
Jase0 -
JCBoy wrote:Mwis is no longer highly regarded for forecasts. The Monk of doom (Geoff to his friends) is overly pessimistic and you'll notice a liberal use of cut and paste from area to area and from day to day.
Met office mtn area forecasts are far more accurate.
And, i've always had to show id in the past, btw.
Jase
Fair enough, I stand corrected. I will say though I work next door to a Met Office and we get twice daily updates from them, which usually consists of what is happening at exactly the same time as they contact us. In fact they totally missed a snow storm which deposited 3-4 inches of snow in an hour or so in our area. We have very little faith in them.
Hey ho, what will be wiil be.0 -
You'll be enjoying a second celebratory pint by then.
Didn't intend to sound ersy btw.0 -
Picked up my reg. pack yesterday.
Now for the excuses:
Got hit by a car last saturday whilst out training and my bike was written off. I've super kindly been given a loan of a friends bike to do the etape on but no matter what I do, I can't get the seatpost high enough. Tweaked as much in the position as possible but a quick test ride there and I still feel like I can't put any power down
Tomorrow could be a dreadful day for me! But I'll just try to enjoy the ride.0 -
Anyone know if the timing chip works in a jersey pocket? No zip ties on me - doh - and my front drop out won't take it!
No bloody safety pins either. There are hundreds of folk in Pitlochry and Aberfeldy looking for some!!!0 -
I can bring you up cable ties and double sided tape tomorrow if you want ?0
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You can put the timing chip on the quick release - basically unscrew the nut on the opposite side of the qr lever slot in the chip (it is slotted to fit into the lawyer tab) then do the nut back up
Managed to get some safety pins at the sign in tent (although probably too late for that now) they have boxes of them kicking about somewhere. Is the number to go on your front or back though...think it was back last year but not quite sure, anyone remember?0 -
I've put mine on the back.0
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If you want to say 'Hi!' then I'm number 1426. Lots of you will probably pass me at some point as I set off in wave H but I have seriously revised my target time from 4hrs15 to 5hrs - it's not my year
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I think the number goes on your front, so that "Anne Robinson" can shout at you if you are in the wrong wave at the start line :oops: and also so that the photographers can catalogue the photographs afterwards. There is usually a number for your bike as well. The bike number is attached using cable ties, the jersey number came with little push studs last year. The timing chip gets attached by two self tapping screws drilled into your carbon frame.........
Only joking, last year they were designed to be attached to the QR skewer on the front wheel, when you crossed the line the army cadets descended on you to whip them off and take them away for processing.
Good luck to all, hope the weather is better than last year. Not participating this year but taking consolation from the fact that I am off to the Alps next week instead Bianchi ImpulsoBMC Teammachine SLR02 01Trek Domane AL3“When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race. “ ~H.G. Wells Edit - "Unless it's a BMX"0 -
I have been saving my 100th post - just wanted to say good luck to everyone today0
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Gubbed.
Worst day on a bike and best day on a bike.
Sleep and whisky please.0 -
Now, if my number had been held on with something more substantial than sticking plasters, it would have been less flappy and so more aero - and my time would definitely have been sub-4.
But 4:21 isn't too bad, although annoyingly a minute slower than my best. How long is that last mile?
Desperately slow uphill, went OK on the flat, a bike that refused to stay in first gear might make a better excuse but in truth it was the old double whammy of overweight and underfit that got me.
Still, a great day out as always, it's always good to have forumites and others in the cottage, and good incentive not to slack off with the diet and training. Next year I'll really get fit...0 -
Well what can I say, for someone who has done next to no mileage having only really got in to cycling, at the age of 47, at almost 15 stone and only 5.9 I thought this might have been a bridge too far, but I pushed myself probably further than I ever have. never stopped trying and bizarrely started to feel on top of the world for the second half.
Got on the tail of what seemed to me a fast group coming home and I knew then I was going well. I was hoping for under 5.5 but was secretly hoping to get near 5, but to come in with a time of 4.42 had me almost in tears at the end, I don't think I have ever been prouder on myself in my life.
So chuffed. 8)0 -
Excellent effort, next year sub 4.30RandG wrote:Well what can I say, for someone who has done next to no mileage having only really got in to cycling, at the age of 47, at almost 15 stone and only 5.9 I thought this might have been a bridge too far, but I pushed myself probably further than I ever have. never stopped trying and bizarrely started to feel on top of the world for the second half.
Got on the tail of what seemed to me a fast group coming home and I knew then I was going well. I was hoping for under 5.5 but was secretly hoping to get near 5, but to come in with a time of 4.42 had me almost in tears at the end, I don't think I have ever been prouder on myself in my life.
So chuffed. 8)
You've no won the Big Cup since 1902!0 -
RandG wrote:Well what can I say, for someone who has done next to no mileage having only really got in to cycling, at the age of 47, at almost 15 stone and only 5.9 I thought this might have been a bridge too far, but I pushed myself probably further than I ever have. never stopped trying and bizarrely started to feel on top of the world for the second half.
Got on the tail of what seemed to me a fast group coming home and I knew then I was going well. I was hoping for under 5.5 but was secretly hoping to get near 5, but to come in with a time of 4.42 had me almost in tears at the end, I don't think I have ever been prouder on myself in my life.
So chuffed. 8)
That's absolutely terrific RandG...I suffered a lot today and came in with a time of 4:48. Not what I was hoping for a few weeks ago but given recent circumstances I am happy to have broken the 5hr mark.
Really chuffed for you!0 -
Oh jeez, did you have to go and say that
Edit to say, this post is to thecrofter.0 -
nweststeyn wrote:
That's absolutely terrific RandG...I suffered a lot today and came in with a time of 4:48. Not what I was hoping for a few weeks ago but given recent circumstances I am happy to have broken the 5hr mark.
Really chuffed for you![/quote]
Ah thanks fella, I'm happier than a happy person who just won first prize in a being happy competition. 0 -
Was anyone else in the big pack just before Schiehallion when a guy at the front punctured and the bang / shout spooked the ewe with two lambs?
Said ewe the jumped into the road in front of the pack and 160 sets of brakes squealed into action. There was a wonderful smell of burning rubber. Thankfully it seemed nobody was seriously hurt.
Certainly raised an already high heart rate use before the climb.0 -
Post 101 - I should have known it was an omen.... Was going great guns, then at the bottom of schiehallion I realised my FD was fooked. Only had the 4 hardest gears heading into the wind, frightened of the thought of walking over logierait I pulled into weem service - no tech support for another 90 mins! So I released the mech all the way to the left, upshot was I only had the easiest 4 gears..... Pedaling like a mad thing gave me 15-16mph on the easiest section on the way home and watched with envy as folk blasted past. Anyway got over logierait and the lumps thereafter and got a 5 05. So all in all not to unhappy.0
