HT550 - 2017

[Richard G]

Beasting it.

[Mart]

Something's going on (or it may be my view of trackleaders) but I'm showing them turning back
Hope everything's OK

[Alpinum]

Shenavall wouldn't have been far off from their return point.

Hopefully they're just opting for the great services at Dundonnell Hotel. Get clothes cleaned, have a shower, eat, relax and then off tomorrow to enjoy the king stage refuelled and revitalised

Fingers crossed.

No heroics (Steve F. HT550 2016)

[ianpv]

I've just got my rented spot for the HT550, but I'm struggling to get it to register a prestart position. My tracking page shows me in Bristol (that's correct!) and it seemed to successfully track a short test ride this evening.

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/face ... 6ybDsVpmVC

But on the HT550 tracking page I'm just south of Fort William (I'm not).

I first registered with a different share page, which is no longer active, but I've changed that to the new one above which is correct on the registration page.

Any tips/clues as to what my user error is? Never used one before...

[whitestone]

Since you've just got the SPOT, it's possible that the location on TrackLeaders is from a previous renter. It's shown as being from 16 days ago.

Press the OK button again to send another log. After that dunno

[AlasdairMc]

Something's going on (or it may be my view of trackleaders) but I'm showing them turning back
Hope everything's OK

Hopefully it's just an errant point on the Spot, but it's a pretty bleak area to be caught out in so a retiral to Dundonnel would be sensible.

[Bert]

Getting on the boat to the UK tomorrow. I'd like to thank you all for the usefull tips and answers posted here!

[ScotRoutes]

It's been raining on and off these past few days. It's possible they've been told the river is high and are opting for the road detour.

It's the last place you'd want to be nursing a mechanical or injury though so safer to turn back if in any doubt.

[Ben98]

It's been raining on and off these past few days. It's possible they've been told the river is high and are opting for the road detour.

It's the last place you'd want to be nursing a mechanical or injury though so safer to turn back if in any doubt.

Road detour? Have I missed an official alternative to the river crossing? (Yet more evidence of my preparedness for this event)

[Richard G]

Even I know about that one, and I've never done the event.

[ScotRoutes]

It's been raining on and off these past few days. It's possible they've been told the river is high and are opting for the road detour.

It's the last place you'd want to be nursing a mechanical or injury though so safer to turn back if in any doubt.

Road detour? Have I missed an official alternative to the river crossing? (Yet more evidence of my preparedness for this event)

From the HT550 website...

ROUTE DETAILS

ALTERNATE
One route alternate is available to avoid a potentially dangerous river crossing in Fisherfield. If you arrive at this crossing and feel that it is too dangerous to cross, you may back track to the road and go via the coast to Poolewe. This will be a significant time penalty. There is no limit on the depth of the river, and it is up to the individual. Make wise and safe choices for yourself, regardless whether ten people have crossed before you.

[Ben98]

It's been raining on and off these past few days. It's possible they've been told the river is high and are opting for the road detour.

It's the last place you'd want to be nursing a mechanical or injury though so safer to turn back if in any doubt.

Road detour? Have I missed an official alternative to the river crossing? (Yet more evidence of my preparedness for this event)

From the HT550 website...

ROUTE DETAILS

ALTERNATE
One route alternate is available to avoid a potentially dangerous river crossing in Fisherfield. If you arrive at this crossing and feel that it is too dangerous to cross, you may back track to the road and go via the coast to Poolewe. This will be a significant time penalty. There is no limit on the depth of the river, and it is up to the individual. Make wise and safe choices for yourself, regardless whether ten people have crossed before you.

Clearly, my brain is switched off this evening, it's been a long day. Thanks for the reply, though I feel now I probably should have thought to look on the website
Does that refer to following the a832 from Dundonnell all the way around to where it meets the route again? That's a hell of a detour
Again, thanks for the reply to my stupid question.

[whitestone]

That's it Ben. Made slightly more sense when the latter part of the Fisherfield section went out to Poolewe rather than the Postman's Path that the route now uses.

[Ben98]

That's it Ben. Made slightly more sense when the latter part of the Fisherfield section went out to Poolewe rather than the Postman's Path that the route now uses.

Cheers. By my reckoning from the river crossing, back to the road, then along the road is around 50 miles whereas from the river crossing to where the road joins is around 20 miles.

[touch]

From the HT550 website...

I think the website hasn't been updated. Alan was very clear in his email to competitors that you need to follow the route:

The GPX track should be followed 100% of the way for a valid completion. There are no optional sections. You should cross the river in Fisherfield on the red line (see image). Although wide and intimidating, the river is usually easy to cross even when waist deep.

[ScotRoutes]

You're assuming that rejoining the route in Kinlochewe is sufficient?

[Ben98]

You're assuming that rejoining the route in Kinlochewe is sufficient?

I was, but now I'm thinking otherwise

[whitestone]

Does anyone know how quickly the Srath Na Sealga rises, and falls, after rain? A few hours or more like a day?

[Howard]

You're assuming that rejoining the route in Kinlochewe is sufficient?

I was, but now I'm thinking otherwise

I "think" that the alternative route was pre 2016 - before the Postman's Path was introduced, when you would have rejoined at Poolewe. I "think" that now any road alternative now means a dnf - however - as always - being alive is preferable to being at the bottom of Loch na Sealga. Rider's judgement for safety. Can always ask Alan on Saturday morning....

[Howard]

but would not have missed it for anything.

You were out there, enjoyed it, and came back safe. That's the main thing

OOOOOOOOH salt in the wound!
It was your schedule I was using and couldn't match

@Mariner - Oops - sorry didn't mean to! I have genuine respect for anyone who gets out there and tries - and also has the judgement to know when to scratch and fight another day. Good that you learned stuff. For what it's worth, I always carried enough to get me through if the next planned re-supply point fell through. Meant I carried more weight (and actually threw food away in Fort William) but I was never hungry

[AlasdairMc]

This is speculation I know, but the pre 2016 rules for a completion require you to get as far as the water's edge before turning back. You can't decide to divert earlier than that, which leads me to believe/hope that they've just dropped down into shelter instead.

[ianfitz]

Does anyone know how quickly the Srath Na Sealga rises, and falls, after rain? A few hours or more like a day?

Steep sided valley catchment area. Should be quick. Ask Jenny, she waited it out in 2015

[Richpips]

We've stopped in Dundonnel tonight.

Onwards tomorrow.

Rich and Tom

[mountainbaker]

Ask Jenny, she waited it out in 2015

Can see here http://trackleaders.com/highland15i.php ... nny_Graham

[ianpv]

Rich and Tom are approaching the river crossing - hope the water is low!