simon simpson Posted April 28, 2009 Report Share Posted April 28, 2009 Al and I are going to ride the West Highland Way on Saturday 6th June starting at 6 am from my house. We are driving up to Glencoe to dump a car on the Friday night and riding back from Glencoe on the road. Leaving Alexandria 3.15 pm, leaving Glencoe 5 pm back to Milngavie for 10.30 - eat = sleep - eat - bike- eat- bike- eat bike - drink -sleep We are aiming for 15 hours to Fort William and an hour back to the car at Glencoe. It's 95 miles off road and 15 on road back to the car. We may be stopping at the Clachaig on the way back. Anyone have any suggestions? Anyone want to join us? Road or trail? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny Christie Posted April 28, 2009 Report Share Posted April 28, 2009 Yes! Count me in, I've always fancied a crack at this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddiecrawford Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 good luck! we did the west highland way 2 years ago in a oner, but no road stuff on top, hats off etc... watch out for cow sh1t on your water bottles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon simpson Posted May 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 Hoping to borrow a Camelbak - did the Balmaha Rowardennan section the other day and there was cow poo issue. I've never had a water bottle on an MTB before then.... you soon learn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddiecrawford Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 sorry i can't help support you. the cow mess was only a big issue around crainlarich where the WHW goes up left over the hill avoiding crainlarich past a farm, the track was covered in liquid cow poo... are you eating gels for 15 hours? we stopped for pasta/bacon rolls etc (we had support) but are keen to re do it on gels/not really stopping. september... might be worth getting a bell, cos there can be a lot of walkers on the track. we were fairly oblivious to them by the last descent, i think a few got a bit of a fright, and we were not very clean either by that point Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2023 Subscriptions ginty001 Posted May 12, 2009 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 Guys, how does it work on the Inversnaid to Inverarnan bit, is there a lot of bike carrying during this part ?? If i remember some of it is barely walkable... Ian.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Jannza Posted May 25, 2009 Administrators Report Share Posted May 25, 2009 Simon, Did you get your hands on a camelbak? I have two and you are welcome to borrow one. Jann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon simpson Posted May 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2009 got one thanks plan is set and we are going as 4 in the group to keep it tight and that's how many we wi9ll realistically fit in the car ss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny Christie Posted May 26, 2009 Report Share Posted May 26, 2009 I had planned to join you on at least some of the way but now, cannot make it. All the best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddiecrawford Posted June 11, 2009 Report Share Posted June 11, 2009 well how did it go? gorey details please, we are hoping to redo it in sep for charity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon simpson Posted June 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2009 Ok intended to set off Milngavie 6.30... Drove up from here and got to the Clachaig in Glencoe at 4.45 Friday evening .. NNE wind so relativley ok 18.3 average. didn't eat enough (last mistake of Friday) Left 6.50 (first mistake of Saturday) Did proper route over side of Conic Hill and all Rowardennan off road climbs... got to Rowardennan at 9.10 having missed 9 o'clock ferry. (2nd mistake ) Road like demons on the next section and missed Inversnaid (11.02 ) boat by about 100 metres.. Al punctured at this point. Very depressed now (3rd mistake) Sat down for half an hour to contemplate next section. Inversnaid up the loch side involved a fair bit of carrying but none of the tales off handing your bike up over boulders. Still 2 1/2 hours for 7 miles is a bit frustrating....so... half an hour sittin g down to contemplate the last section... Up to Crianlarich passed uneventfully except.... puncture 2 and the small matter of stuck freewheel pawls on Als bike...oh oh. Bashing the wheel turned it into an intermittent fault and on we went to Tyndrum.. The car was at the Clachaig... the last bit was too much so we crapped out... never in the field of human biking has a pub been wanted so much by so few.. Davie Moore our co-rider went on to Kinlochleven where, at 10pm, his brother came and picked him up for safety reasons. If you are trying this in a day; leave at 5.30 am at the latest. Do get the rowardennan ferry( very important) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddiecrawford Posted June 12, 2009 Report Share Posted June 12, 2009 well done that's impressive! especially the 7 miles of carrying in 2.5 hours, we took 3 and we had trainers for that bit... we left at midnight, got to inversnaid at first light for the rough bit. tho we hadn't cycled from the kinghouse first... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon simpson Posted June 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2009 we will do this again i work in levenvale so its an easy punt up to glencoe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2024 Subscriptions Darryl Gunson Posted June 13, 2009 2024 Subscriptions Report Share Posted June 13, 2009 Impressive stuff Simon, especially for someone who's supposed to have given up cycling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon simpson Posted June 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2009 I have given up most things now I come to think of it... post HMI state of mind! ss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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