2015-05-16. 400KM SOUTHERN UPLANDS

[Ironman]

2015-05-16. 400KM SOUTHERN UPLANDS

 

ROUTE

 

STARTING MUSSELBURGH, INNERLEITHEN 27 MILES, JOHNSTONEBRIDGE 64 MILES, NEWTON STEWART 125 MILES, MAYBOLE 158 MILES, ABINGTON SERVICES 209 MILES & BACK TO MUSSELBURGH TESCO EXTRA 252 MILES.

WE STARTED FROM MUSSELBURGH AT 6. THE FORECAST WAS NOT TOO GOOD FOR THIS AS THE WIND WAS IN MY FACE FOR THE FIRST 125 MILE, BUT WE DID GET SOME SHELTER AND WE WERE FARE ENOUGH SOUTH TO MISS ALL THE RAIN THAT HAD BEEN FORECAST AND IT WAS DRY AS WE LEFT. NOT MUCH HAPPED BUT HARD WORK INTO THE WIND TILL NEWTON STEWART.

 

HALF WAY WAS NEWTON STEWART AND FROM THERE IT WAS OVER TO MAYBOLE VIA THE NICK O BALCH NIECE CLIMB AND A GOOD DESCENT TO THE CO OP IN MAYBOLE FOR FOOD. IT WAS THEN HEADING FOR ABINGTON THIS WOULD BE A STRETCH OF 51 MILES WITH NO FOOD. THE WIND HAD DROP AS WE WENT INTO THE EVENING THE ROADS WERE REAL RUFF OUT OF DALMELLINGTON TO NEW CUMNOCK THIS IS ALSO A HIGH ROAD AND THE STARS WERE OUT AS IT WAS A CLEAR NIGHT PITY YOU HAD TO WATCH THE ROAD LIKE A EYE ON IT FOR STONES AND REAL RUFF SECTIONS ONES ON THE MAIN A76 ROAD TO SANQUHAR THE ROAD WAS GOOD. LEFT TURN UP THE GLEN TO CRAWFORDJOHN AND THEN THE DROP DOWN TO THE ABINGTON SERVICES. THERE WERE SAUSAGE ROLL JUST OUT THE OVEN SO IT WAS 3 OF THEM MILK COFFEE AND COUPLE OF DOUBLE DECKER’S. THIS WAS GOING TO GET US UP THE LAST 43 MILES TO MUSSELBURGH WITH A GOOD TAIL WIND THIS WAS DONE IN 2 1/2 HOURS

GOOD TRAINING RIDE.

 

THIS WAS A X RATED RIDE AS THERE ARE NO FACILITIES PUT ON FOR THE RIDE OR AT THE START OR FINISH YOU HAVE TO FIND YOUR ON FOOD, CAFÉ STOPS ON THE WAY. SO SOME FORWARD PLANNING OF YOUR RIDE IS REQUIRED.

 

600KM IS ON 6^TH JUNE THIS IS MY LAST QUALIFICATION RIDE FOR THE PBP.

 

CAMPBELL

[ginty001]

Well done ya nutter

[Darryl Gunson]

Marvellous stuff Campbell. Chapeau!