highlandsflyer
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Funny to see my old haunts forty years on..
Show us what you did today, thread
- Thread starter clockworkgazz
- Start date
This afternoon I had a great ride round Tentsmuir with Rob "turbo" Mac, with a tasty crepe stop part way round to celebrate me being the first one of us to clear a particularly bothersome climb. Must be that fabled Jones geometry 
Rob wasn't quite so successful, but did at least have matching bike and jersey :roll:
https://vimeo.com/169592862
Rob wasn't quite so successful, but did at least have matching bike and jersey :roll:
https://vimeo.com/169592862
Had a lovely ride out yesterday, well it was until I food bonked just near the end, but still lovely.
It was a really lovely sunny day with not much of a breeze at all, so a late morning decision seen me decide on a ride out from Tongue to Durness and then return.
It was a good idea at the time, quick check of distances and then I put an online route card in to Audax UK with a map and distances, etc. It came staright back giving me a time of 7 hours 13 minutes to complete the 124klm route. I doubted I would do it in that as I was using the Trucker which is substantially heavier than the Merckx, this combined with the map saying the outward journey was 46% climbing and the return 43%. The real plan was to test it back to back with another machine in a few weeks so if I didn't make the time cut I wasn't too bothered, I just wanted to have a nice run out.
The late start seen me arriving and parking up above Tongue around 1.30pm and leaving around 15 minutes later. It was quite warm for up here and so shorts and jersey were the order with longs in the trunk bag. Plan was to hopefully get to Durness before the halfway mark time wise, get a decent bite to eat and then rerun the route.
I was not in any rush as I had lots of stops for pics and chatting to a couple of tourers I came upon on my way back. They were heading to Durness and down the west coast. Durness was made just on 3 hours which was decent but I was tiring a bit. I went south to my turnaround point and then when I got back into Durness I couldn't find anything open to get some food. Everything was shut, both hotels and the small shop and wouldn't reopen until 6.30. By this stage I was running out of snickers and muesli bars but regardless I headed out back towards Tongue. This was to be my undoing in the end.
The rerun was great weather but there was now a steadily increasing easterly wind that was really slowing my down. This was of course in combination with dwindling energy as well.
Now this distance may not usually seem like much but considering there are quite a few big steep climbs whichever way you head it can soon catch you out if your fading. My instance of grinding to a halt was just after you leave Loch Eribol and head slightly inland there is a loch and a long two or three kilometre climb with the first kilometre at 15%. This was where I cracked, paced reduced and then a long slow grind, and grind, stop for a minute, then grind, and grind. At the top I was freezing as the headwind had picked right up and it was quite a cool wind as well which made for my wet jersey cooling me more. I quickly put my long trousers and top on and instantly felt much better. I don't know how long that climb and the following one took me but I was definitely not going to make the time cut, not that I cared by this stage, I either wanted to throw my bike in the ditch and get a lift back to Tongue then come and get it or I just wanted to lay down on the soft grass on the side and have a sleep :idea: Neither were good thoughts especially as it was after 8pm by now and I hadn't seen a car for at least an hour anyway . Once in my longs and over the top of the last major climb, there were a couple of little ones to come but they were no problem, I felt much better and pushed into the headwind on the slow downhill/flat section before dropping down onto the causeway and across to Tongue itself. The last effort was made riding through Tongue and then up the road above it to the car.
A long ride but despite how this sounds it was a good ride in some glorious country in some great weather. A bit more food and it would have been brilliant.
Anyway just thought I would share and put up some pics.
Jamie
The long and winding road
DSCN2521 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSCN2523 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSCN2527 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
Selfie
DSCN2528 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
You can see the road winding slowly upwards, this is where the headwind just about stops you
DSCN2529 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSCN2540 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSCN2546 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSCN2549 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
Over the hill to Loch Eriboll, now down one side and back up the other
DSCN2553 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
DSCN2555 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
Onto the coast near Durness
DSCN2564 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
Kyle of Durness
DSCN2567 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
My 15 minute lunch stop/rest - halfway point
DSCN2570 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
Back down Loch Eriboll
DSCN2572 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
It was a really lovely sunny day with not much of a breeze at all, so a late morning decision seen me decide on a ride out from Tongue to Durness and then return.
It was a good idea at the time, quick check of distances and then I put an online route card in to Audax UK with a map and distances, etc. It came staright back giving me a time of 7 hours 13 minutes to complete the 124klm route. I doubted I would do it in that as I was using the Trucker which is substantially heavier than the Merckx, this combined with the map saying the outward journey was 46% climbing and the return 43%. The real plan was to test it back to back with another machine in a few weeks so if I didn't make the time cut I wasn't too bothered, I just wanted to have a nice run out.
The late start seen me arriving and parking up above Tongue around 1.30pm and leaving around 15 minutes later. It was quite warm for up here and so shorts and jersey were the order with longs in the trunk bag. Plan was to hopefully get to Durness before the halfway mark time wise, get a decent bite to eat and then rerun the route.
I was not in any rush as I had lots of stops for pics and chatting to a couple of tourers I came upon on my way back. They were heading to Durness and down the west coast. Durness was made just on 3 hours which was decent but I was tiring a bit. I went south to my turnaround point and then when I got back into Durness I couldn't find anything open to get some food. Everything was shut, both hotels and the small shop and wouldn't reopen until 6.30. By this stage I was running out of snickers and muesli bars but regardless I headed out back towards Tongue. This was to be my undoing in the end.
The rerun was great weather but there was now a steadily increasing easterly wind that was really slowing my down. This was of course in combination with dwindling energy as well.
Now this distance may not usually seem like much but considering there are quite a few big steep climbs whichever way you head it can soon catch you out if your fading. My instance of grinding to a halt was just after you leave Loch Eribol and head slightly inland there is a loch and a long two or three kilometre climb with the first kilometre at 15%. This was where I cracked, paced reduced and then a long slow grind, and grind, stop for a minute, then grind, and grind. At the top I was freezing as the headwind had picked right up and it was quite a cool wind as well which made for my wet jersey cooling me more. I quickly put my long trousers and top on and instantly felt much better. I don't know how long that climb and the following one took me but I was definitely not going to make the time cut, not that I cared by this stage, I either wanted to throw my bike in the ditch and get a lift back to Tongue then come and get it or I just wanted to lay down on the soft grass on the side and have a sleep :idea: Neither were good thoughts especially as it was after 8pm by now and I hadn't seen a car for at least an hour anyway
. Once in my longs and over the top of the last major climb, there were a couple of little ones to come but they were no problem, I felt much better and pushed into the headwind on the slow downhill/flat section before dropping down onto the causeway and across to Tongue itself. The last effort was made riding through Tongue and then up the road above it to the car. A long ride but despite how this sounds it was a good ride in some glorious country in some great weather. A bit more food and it would have been brilliant.
Anyway just thought I would share and put up some pics.
Jamie
The long and winding road
DSCN2521 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrDSCN2523 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrDSCN2527 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrSelfie
DSCN2528 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrYou can see the road winding slowly upwards, this is where the headwind just about stops you
DSCN2529 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrDSCN2540 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrDSCN2546 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrDSCN2549 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrOver the hill to Loch Eriboll, now down one side and back up the other
DSCN2553 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrDSCN2555 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrOnto the coast near Durness
DSCN2564 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrKyle of Durness
DSCN2567 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrMy 15 minute lunch stop/rest - halfway point
DSCN2570 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrBack down Loch Eriboll
DSCN2572 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
Nae pics but a day out in the westend. About 20ml round trip and typically in traffic you need to push it and keep up a bit.
Not fun at 28c But it confirms not all my fitness has vanished.
Hope it stays like this :? I might go over to Stirling or Edinburgh. Potter about there.
Is that hill in your vid deceptively steep ? :?
Not fun at 28c
But it confirms not all my fitness has vanished.Hope it stays like this :? I might go over to Stirling or Edinburgh. Potter about there.
Is that hill in your vid deceptively steep ? :?
gmac123
MacRetro Rider
tentsmuir looks braw, the far north looks amazing, I REALLY need to get up there sometime soon.
just had a fantastic long (family) weekend in Argyle and Bute, what a place! managed a few short road rides, tough terrain but have come home wanting to tour the area... the big question is - is it a road bike or MTB bikepack? Anyone have any experience of the Cowal Way? (not Simon)
the previous weekend I was up north enjoying the fine weather, arriving in Poolewe late on Friday evening, in perfect conditions we picked up some wood on route to Carnmore
IMG_2689 by gmac123, on Flickr
once we crossed the causeway and reached the idyllic spot in the centre of this pic' near Carnmore bothy
WP_20160527_21_04_49_Pro by gmac123, on Flickr
we pitched our tents and got a little smoke going to keep the midges at bay so we could enjoy a dram and some p!sh talk
IMG_2722 by gmac123, on Flickr
the next morning started with a major push up the pass and a cracking ride through Fisherfield over to Loch na Sealga, crossing the river first.
IMG_2750 by gmac123, on Flickr
IMG_2771 by gmac123, on Flickr
IMG_2763 by gmac123, on Flickr
a bit of push over the side on An Tealach, then some FAST miles down to the road at Corie Hallie
IMG_2784 by gmac123, on Flickr
A few pints and some chips at Dundonnel, taking i the acoustic music festival with an ace ensemble were knocking out Simon Garfunkel, Guthrie and Fleet Foxes etc, and then some tough road miles up and down like a yoyo, passiing Gruniard bay (our planned camp spot, but it's was too wet to stop at the time) and onto the Mellon Uldrige (what a camp site) taking in view of some iconic mountinas across the water
IMG_2790 by gmac123, on Flickr
as usual, my photos don't do it any justice, there's more here https://flic.kr/s/aHskAS4rVV for anyone interested
just had a fantastic long (family) weekend in Argyle and Bute, what a place! managed a few short road rides, tough terrain but have come home wanting to tour the area... the big question is - is it a road bike or MTB bikepack? Anyone have any experience of the Cowal Way? (not Simon)
the previous weekend I was up north enjoying the fine weather, arriving in Poolewe late on Friday evening, in perfect conditions we picked up some wood on route to Carnmore
IMG_2689 by gmac123, on Flickronce we crossed the causeway and reached the idyllic spot in the centre of this pic' near Carnmore bothy
WP_20160527_21_04_49_Pro by gmac123, on Flickrwe pitched our tents and got a little smoke going to keep the midges at bay so we could enjoy a dram and some p!sh talk
IMG_2722 by gmac123, on Flickrthe next morning started with a major push up the pass and a cracking ride through Fisherfield over to Loch na Sealga, crossing the river first.
IMG_2750 by gmac123, on FlickrIMG_2771 by gmac123, on FlickrIMG_2763 by gmac123, on Flickra bit of push over the side on An Tealach, then some FAST miles down to the road at Corie Hallie
IMG_2784 by gmac123, on FlickrA few pints and some chips at Dundonnel, taking i the acoustic music festival with an ace ensemble were knocking out Simon Garfunkel, Guthrie and Fleet Foxes etc, and then some tough road miles up and down like a yoyo, passiing Gruniard bay (our planned camp spot, but it's was too wet to stop at the time) and onto the Mellon Uldrige (what a camp site) taking in view of some iconic mountinas across the water
IMG_2790 by gmac123, on Flickras usual, my photos don't do it any justice, there's more here https://flic.kr/s/aHskAS4rVV for anyone interested
