Ironman

River Loch & Glens 200Km 13 April 2014
 
Forecast was not great for this, high winds, driving rain & cold weather. It did not disappoint.
Relaxing cycle down to Gourock for the 08.00 o’clock start got there in time for a cup of coffee before the start. There were around 35 starts. We set off with a brisk pace due to the tall wind that soon changes as we crossed the Erskine Bridge. It was up through Glen Fruin and onto Arrochar to first check point 10.55. Roll & tuna washed down with a Can of ginger bear for me. Then of to Strachur. Strachur was were the fun started rain, wind hills and more rain, I was going well so did not mind you pays your money and go for it. Strachur to Tiganabruich via Ardlamont point (15.10) at the Ardlamont check point. Tiganabruich for more food top up then over to McInroys Point for ferry to Gourock timed it niece, short run to the finish (18.00). Cup of coffee we chat with the finishers so far, the ride home with tail wind & in the house for (20.00). 161 miles in the bag gps says 10111 feet of assent. Legs felt like it.
 
Campbell
 
Ps GrahamF how did you get on?

River Loch & Glens 200Km 13 April 2014
 
Forecast was not great for this, high winds, driving rain & cold weather. It did not disappoint.
Relaxing cycle down to Gourock for the 08.00 o’clock start got there in time for a cup of coffee before the start. There were around 35 starts. We set off with a brisk pace due to the tall wind that soon changes as we crossed the Erskine Bridge. It was up through Glen Fruin and onto Arrochar to first check point 10.55. Roll & tuna washed down with a Can of ginger bear for me. Then of to Strachur. Strachur was were the fun started rain, wind hills and more rain, I was going well so did not mind you pays your money and go for it. Strachur to Tiganabruich via Ardlamont point (15.10) at the Ardlamont check point. Tiganabruich for more food top up then over to McInroys Point for ferry to Gourock timed it niece, short run to the finish (18.00). Cup of coffee we chat with the finishers so far, the ride home with tail wind & in the house for (20.00). 161 miles in the bag gps says 10111 feet of assent. Legs felt like it.
 
Campbell
 
Ps GrahamF how did you get on?

ALL
JUST FOR INTEREST I WILL BE DOING THESE EVENT ALL BEING WELL. LETS HOPE FOR SOME GOOD SUMMER WEATHER.
CAMPBELL
 
Sun 13 Apr 2014 - 200km - 08:00 from Gourock Rivers Lochs and Glens 200km
http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/14-169/
 
Sat 21 Jun 2014 - 200km - 08:00 from Bridge of Weir, Renfrewshire Katrine Kapers Revival
http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/14-204/
 
Sat 05 Jul 2014 - 300km 06:00 from Stornoway, Isle of Lewis Golden Road and Standing Stones
http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/14-119/
 
Sun 06 Jul 2014 - 200km - 08:00 from Stornoway, Isle of Lewis Outer Hebrides Island Hop
http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/14-111/
 
Sat 12 Jul 2014 - 600km - 07:00 from Galashiels Borderlands Roc Trevezal
http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/14-25/
 
Sat 09 Aug 2014 - 400km - 07:00 from Galashiels, Over the Hill and Back
http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/14-108/

RAMSAY
I WILL COME ALONG AND HELP AS YOU WILL NEED TOO PEOPLE.
CAMPBELL

ALL
 
JUST A THOUGHT YOU MAY LIKE THIS AS AN ALTERNATIVE CAMPBELTOWN ROUTE
.
I DID THIS WITH 2 FRIENDS FROM MY CLIMBING CLUB, THAT LIKE ME DO A WEE BIT OF CYCLING. WE DID THIS LAST FRIDAY 5TH JULY.
ROUTE FOR ME WAS HOME (KILBARCHAN) TO WORK (THORNLIEBANK) 14 MILES MORNING.
FINISH AT 4 ON A FRIDAY SO WORK TO ARDROSSAN 29 MILES FOR THE 16:40 FERRY TO CAMPBELTOWN ARRIVING 21:20. THIS GIVES YOU PLENTY TIME TO GET A GOOD FEED AND LETS IT DIGEST BEFORE YOU START THE RIDE. YOU HAVE TO CARRY ALL YOUR FOOD FOR THE NIGHT SECTION AS THERE IS NOTHING OPEN TILL YOU GET TO DUMBARTON. CAMPBELTOWN TO HOME 137 MILES. DEW TO THE TIME YOU ARE RIDING THESE ROADS ARE VERY QUIET.
YOU DO NEED DESCENT FRONT LIGHTS FOR THIS TRIP THAT WILL LAST 5 HOURS
 
I WROTE THIS SHORT REPORT FOR FRIENDS.
 
THE TRIP WAS GREAT MARTIN AND BRYAN HAD A GREAT TIME AND ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO ANOTHER OVERNIGHT TRIP NEXT YEAR. WILL HAVE TO GET MY HEAD INTO ACTION TO PLAN A ROUTE FOR THEM.
ON LEAVING CAMPBELTOWN WE HEAD OVER TO THE WEST AND WE WERE ABLE TO WATCH THE BIG ROLLERS COME IN FROM THE ATLANTIC AS THE SUN SET ON THE WAY NORTH TO TARBERT. IT DID NOT GET PITCH BLACK BECAUSE OF THE TIME OF YEAR & LACK OF CLOUD COVER. IT WAS QUIT LIGHT TILL 12 MIDNIGHT AND THEN THE LIGHT STARTED TO COME BACK BY 2.00. TARBERT HARBOUR LOOK GOOD IN THE STREET LIGHTS AS WE SPEED THROUGH WE HAD HAD A GOOD TAIL WIND UP THE KINTYRE WEST COAST ROAD. LOCHGILPHEAD WAS REACHED AT 12.45 WITH PEOPLE COMING OUT OF PUBS, BUT DID NOT TROUBLE US. WE HIT MIDGES ON THE ROAD TO INVERARAY THAT WAS QUIT BAD BUT DID NOT LAST LONG. THEN IT WAS ROUND THE COAST AND UP THE REST AND BE THANK FULL ON TOP FOR 4.00 THEN A FAST DESCENT INTO MORE MIDGE COUNTRY. WE WERE ABLE TO GET INTO THE ARROCHAR MOUNTAIN RESCUE HUT FOR A COFFEE AND SHORT REST BECAUSE BRYAN HAD THE KEY THAT WAS AT 4.45. THEN OF DOWN THE LOCH LOMOND ROAD, I LEFT THE OTHER TWO AT THE ERSKINE BRIDGE AND GOT IN AT 8 ON THE DOT. I WAS GREAT TO HAVE SOME COMPANY ON THE TRIP AND EVEN BETTER AS THE PATTER WAS REALLY GOOD. 137 MILES FROM CAMPBELTOWN TO THE DOOR, 180 MILES FOR ME FROM DOOR TO DOOR.
 
HOME IN PLENTY OF TIME TO SEE THE LIONS WIN & THEN A COUPLE OF HOURS SLEEP SO AS NOT TO UPSET YOUR SLEEP PATTERN FOR THE SATURDAY NIGHT.
 
CAMPBELL
 
PS WHY IS CAMPBELTOWN SPELT WITH ONLY ONE L? ANSWERS ON A POSTCARD HA HA HA

The Port Navigation 200km – Saturday 13th April 2013 – wee report.
This ride started in Ballachulish at 08:00 in the morning & headed south down the A82 then A828 to Connel Bridge which was a pleasant run using the cycle path & road the surface on the cycle path was far superior to the road. At Connel it was left to Oban on the A85 but we took a detour as the ferry to Mull was not till 11:45. Right into Dunbeg following the cycle track which goes over the high ground before dropping in Ganavan Sands the then the coast road right into Oban. We got there for 10:45 so of to Tesco’s for some early lunch. This stretch is only 40 miles.
Then on the ferry to Craignure (Mull) arriving there at 12:30, once of the ferry it was left on the A849 to Pennyghal to the check point by this time the sun was out but the wind was starting to build. Pennyghal reached at 13:45 card stamped & some food from the shop it was rather good considering it is in the middle of nowhere. Then a retraces back to the B8049 were you go north west over a hill then drop down to sea lever were we turn east right into the wind lovely ride along the cliff road but 8 m/hr at times with the head wind and this is a flat road, you get to the main road at Salen right to the Fishnish – Lochaline Ferry over to Morvern. Check point in Jeans café just as you get of the ferry, soup & sandwiches are in the price of the Audax recommend this to. 86 miles covered at this point time 16:45.
So from Lochaline to the Corran Ferry at Ardgour it is 31 mile the first 10 uphill so a bit of a slog but you soon get into it & the long hill Is over with a very step descent to loch Sunart at this point your into the wind as travelling east. From the end of Loch Sunart to the ferry it is 13 miles it was 18:15 so you would think to make the ferry at 7.30pm would be easy. The climb to the top of the Glen Tarbert was a bit of a grind speed ranging from 4 to 12 m/hr due to the wind on reaching the top the wind was just unbelievable there was a stretch of about 100m of flat and I was flat out at 6 m/hr then the downhill I was asking myself am I really going downhill pedalling at 10 m/hr then I went behind some tree that sheltered the road the bike shot up to 27 m/hr & a wee breather from pushing the pedals round hard, on reaching the coast the road turns north so a bit of a tall wind, it was time to time trialling the last stretch as I had 15 minute & about 4 mile I thought so here we go, it’s like the return leg on the Georgetown mentality you have to give it your all it did work as I rounded the corner the ferry still there I had made it by 5 minutes 117 miles. I had also caught the front group as they had just missed the 7:00pm ferry.
It was then just a wee run round the coast to Ballachulish getting there at 20:02 127 miles in the bag & it just started raining as we went into the hall all the riders that came in after that were like drowned rats.
Ride states
Miles 127, time riding 9 hour, total climbing 6164 ft., 8242 cal., total time 12 hours.
You should try this it was a nice run.
I think there was another Johnstone Wheeler on the start sheet but didn’t see them or they didn’t see me.
Campbell