Hi Greg - great idea, but not for me this year, I am not in condition to do that 100 mile first day, certainly not in any comfortable manner! Sorry :-/

My son, on a tandem. 

OMG!

That's a great write-up Nik, very funny. I'm thinking I may adopt your sandwich mantra this year. I suspect your photo was taken at the same time I was relaxing in the only hotel room in Ullapool - sorry about that ;-)

No problem Al, I'm just gonna stalk you and let your tyres down X-)

Enjoyed that Nik. Sorry to hear you won't be riding this year. We're starting the day before so will probably miss you.

Yeh it is likely I won't see you. When you say 'we', who you riding with?

I hope to give it another attempt next year. Having a year off :-)

I am not racing this year (new years resolution!), but hope to be up for the start!

I did a quick blog on my experiences so far with this race - http://niksbikingblog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/highland-fail-440-550.html

I don't have H bars, but can lend some flat carbon XC bars 640mm.

It's a long way to wheelie.. !

Not if you are Kurt Osburn ;-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yc9mmT62lQ

Awesome pics! Sorry to hear you and Scotroutes are out. I always feel that for these kind of things, also for regular multi day bikepacks, half the battle is getting to the start line.

Ah no bother :-)

Am I right in thinking the middle hike-a-bike section in the peat hags is downhill (in the counterclockwise direction) but still hike-a-bike? And also the section after the river crossing (how was that BTW?) is hike-a-bike to the top?

I think this section is gonna be a test. Your time looked good, but fresh legs etc etc... I think it's gonna be tough after 2+ days riding...

Great pics!

Did you do the route clockwise? I thought it ran anticlockwise?

I made the call on the shoes and kept the Project-X 1.0. I ordered the 2.0 as well, but the ventilation on them isn't as much, so decided to deal with crank-arm rubbing for the sake of ventilation. Tested on Saturday and did ok with Woolie Boolies. Get them soaked, and after initial cold, feet emptied of excess water and were just 'damp' but warm. Bit of heal lift walking, going to take long studs out + hope they break in a bit.

Finally got back to riding this weekend after 2+ weeks off due to chest infection. Struggling on Saturday and HR was all over the place, at least 10 BPM more that is was before I stopped. Very pissed off as I was really on top before I got the bug, had been feeling great, best I had ever felt, was ready to go   Feeling a bit better today but legs feel a bit more sore than they should do after this weekends riding.

I have another week long trip coming up in 2 weeks. I am gonna make the call this week, but I may very well pull out of the Cairngorms Loop and just focus on trying to get back to where I was for the HTR. I kinda feel that training + recovery (IOW good nights sleep in my own bed in between days riding + lots of choco milk and good food) may be better than smashing myself to bits in the Cairngorms with little sleep or much recovery. I am gonna make the call this week, probably by Thursday.

Yeh the clegs in July up at Ardnamurchan were crazy, never seen so many come at me at once when I had to stop to fix wheel.

The Soltan suncream http://www.boots.com/en/Soltan-Moisturising-Suncare-Lotion-With-Insect-Repellent-SPF50-200ml_1207060/ has insect repellent in it, I like that because you are protected from the sun and from insects. Also, covering legs with it not only stops burnt legs, but also IMHO stops tics, which I think are the things to really watch out for.

I have a pair of the Pearl Izumi X Project 1.0 at the moment, they fit ok and seem good in terms of lightness and venting, but the top strap has an adjustment plate on the crank arm facing side of the shoe, and that seems to be able to catch / rub on the crank arm, which seems really stupid, so I have ordered the 2.0 version that has less venting but no top strap adjustment, which should be more carbon crank arm friendly.

In terms of training, all was going great till 1 1/2 weeks ago. I had a business trip, then on return got a blooming chest infection which is still working its way out... and I have another 6 day trip a week before the race starts. So basically I only have a couple of weeks of training left... I hope I have done enough up to this point.

Really not sure about well ventilated shoes - fine for hot dry climates but a recipe for freezing feet in Scotland at any time of year. Bear in mind there are only two major river crossings on the route - either go bear foot or remove socks and insoles from your boots for rocky river beds.

It is important to remember that the river crossings are not the only place to get wet feet! For example, you have the reservoir crossing prior to Loch ma Stac - seen in the last picture at http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=4330 . After Loch ma Stac, I seem to remember quite boggy uplands before dropping down. And the pass between Cannish and Contin was very wet, big deep puddles punctuating the landrover track at the top. And rain as well. I very much doubt even the best system will keep out the wet for consecutive 15 hour days riding in such places.

Also, I don't agree about freezing feet in Scotland. I rode on light ventilated shoes last year and was fine, no cold feet. Wet feet, yes.

Much has been written about the river crossing in Fisherfield but I have crossed at mouth of the loch on two occasions with no problems at all. In 2012 it was ankle deep and you could have easily ridden across. Last year I was there at about midday on the Monday (day three) after a night of heavy rain and it was around knee deep. Other people crossed there that day and the highest level I heard about  was mid thigh. There were reports of waist deep or more from people who crossed at other locations upstream. The river bed at the designated crossing is just small stones and the current relatively gentle so even though the width of the river may make it look intimidating I think people should definitely try there first before exploring upstream.

I didn't get to do it last year, but from the satellite photo https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@57.7787403,-5.2736457,1280m/data=!3m1!1e3 it looks like the most shallow path is actually an inverted U shape out into the loch and back again at the mouth of the river.

I used a pair of Pearl Izumi 'X-Alp Seek IV' shoes last year. I had used them before for more bikepacking type things, and they worked ok for that. I did the laces up too tight however, and gave myself a ganglion cyst... not the end of the world, but it was very mildly uncomfortable for quite a long time afterwards (many months). I am not going to use lace up shoes anymore. Apart from that, they worked ok. Not really very stiff, but no hotspots, and they walk like trainers. They got wet and TBH didn't dry out... I find all shoes are like sponges in that regard. But they at least drained well. FWIW, I took off my shoes for the deeper wade on day 1. They kept my feet dry, but by end of day 3 they were sodden with all the boggy puddles on some of the higher landrover tracks.

I got a pair of Shimano MW81 last winter, and have been loving them for wet and cold rides. I am tempted to use them, but I am worried about getting them filled with water and then ending up as buckets of water on the end of my feet. They work well with windstopper trousers over the top of then, stopping water getting in the tops is vital. But that won't work for river crossings (unless I take them off again, not ideal for speed nor sure footing IMHO), nor is it bombproof for multi-day things. I am going to try them out with a cunning plan, but if that fails, I'll need to make a call on a new pair of shoes.

I tried on the high end Pearl Izumis today

Was that the X-PROJECT shoes? They look interesting, although the price is high, and the styling is a bit loud.

I was gonna mention the bus, but wasn't sure that was good karma given I had to take it last year :-(

Monday to Saturday:

Laxforbridge - 1615
Scourie - 1625
Kylesku - 1641
Skiag Bridge - 1653
Lochinver (Bayview Car Park) - 1711
Inchnadamph - 1729
Ledmore Junction - 1741
Ullapool Pier arr - 1808
Ullapool Pier dep - 1813
Braemore Junction - 1829
Aultguish Inn - 1845
Garve Hotel - 1855
Contin (Post Office) - 1905
Strathpeffer (Square) - 1910
Inverness (Bus Station) Stance 1 - 1944

Don't be taken by the pictures, it is a cramped minibus with hard suspension and a big bike trailer, rattling over the small twisty roads at a considerable speed. On the other hand, I have never seen it more that 1/3rd full, with lots of spaces for bikes, and its cheap, and it will get you to the railway station / civilization.

Don't worry about booking your bike on the train from Inverness, just turn up and walk on, strap in your bike, and forget about it. The first time I tried to take that train, I attempted to book it when I was in Durness, and if I had believed the person on the other end of the phone, I'd have had to wait in Inverness for 3 days to get a train with a bike space. Worst comes to the worst, give the conductor a sob story - if you are on that train, you'll have one in any case.

+1 on tough sidewalls.

After that, whatever you think are going to be the fastest rolling without letting go at a bad moment. That depends on how fast you want to go down rough loose paths / dirt roads, balanced against how fast you want to go on flat etc etc.

Thanks Sub-xero!

I uploaded a video now, check it oot!

HD link at http://youtu.be/WvosdNO_vI4?hd=1 - remember to click the bottom right box to get it full screen...

Well, I have managed to get part three up now, you can see it at http://niksbikingblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/highland-summertime-bikepacking-and.html

I poked my head outside. Lovely, it looked like it was going to be a cracking day.

I see there are three people on it, lounging about. Looks like bliss. I get closer, and one of them waves over at me. I wave back "Hi there!", not sure if an 'ahoy there' would have been more appropriate. He calls back "Are you Nik?". Surprised, I acknowledge I am he.

Thanks folks!  I have put up the second installment (day 2) of my trip, you can read it at http://niksbikingblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/highland-summertime-bikepacking-and.html. I seem to have written more than I had planned, so you may want to make yourself a cup of tea (or fix yourself a drink) before reading it!

(If you missed the first installment, you can see it at http://niksbikingblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/loch-shiel-and-loch-morar-highland.html )

Here is a couple of quotes and pics from it to give you a taste...

When I was planning the trip, I had imagined cycling and walking the length of the loch along the track marked on the map. However, the previous afternoons scramble up and down the glen, the steepness and bogginess of the general terrain, plus the absence of anything resembling any kind of reasonable track along the loch, the decision was an easy one. I'll try the packraft. I inflated the raft, filled up my water bladder with water from the loch, and packed the bike and kit on it.

It must be lunchtime by now, so I assemble my bike and head over to the concrete end of the pier, set up the stove, have some oatcakes and cheese, and take in the view. The sun came out, and the wind died down. Bliss.

I have finally managed to get down my story of my solo summer bikepack trip in the West coast of Scotland. You can see the full story so far at http://niksbikingblog.blogspot.com/ - there will be another two parts posted over the coming weeks.

Here are some extracts and a couple of photos to give you a flavour...

Boat ready, I packed the bike and the two dry bags onto the bow. I could wax lyrical about how atmospheric this spot was, looking over to The Green Isle (Eilean Fhianain) to Ben Resipole blanketed in rolling cloud and low mist. But that's what photos are for.

Although the quad track was reasonable, endless waterbars and cross-drains together with large rocks and a generally rough surface, combined with the added weight on my bike, made me walk more than I would have liked. I had a strange sense of isolation, after the bustle of Glenfinnan I knew I was heading for an overnight camp miles from anyone, miles from any road. well off the beaten track.