HT550 2021

[benp1]

Proper superhuman efforts here

I agree with the above, while the front runners are unbelievable, the folks with slower times just grafting there way through is almost more impressive

[fatbikephil]

Well done Mart and glad you finally did it.
I had a few dehydration issues which is nigh on unfathomable given how much rain was falling on the Monday. Something Huw Oliver said to me at the finish - when its hot and sunny your always thinking of drinking so you do. When its cold and wet you don't think about drinking and end up dehydrated....

[slarge]

Huge congratulations to Mart, Trep and Journeyman (and all the others). It's been a welcome relief from work to watch the dots whilst re-imagining the bits you are riding / pushing / swearing your way through. It's a fantastic event / route and I hope you have brilliant memories of it.

[psling]

woke up at 4am again this morning, only this time not riding ....... sigh .... I miss it already

That line says so much and I'm sure many of us can identify with it.
The highs and the lows, the pleasure and the pain, the mental ups and downs. The euphoria of finishing, the wave of exhaustion and then that incomprehensible need to continue, to carry on

[TrepidExplorer]

Trep is enjoying the Ledmore traverse so much that she sent no fewer than 4 messages saying "this path is a bitch".

Oops did I? Probably because I had to stand up and wave my arm in the air to send a text!

[TrepidExplorer]

Well, that was a pleasant read.

Thanks Landslide for filling in (some of) the dots. I accidentally had my tracker set to ping in my Check Ins only. Then after I'd started the event, Trackleaders wouldn't update the settings. I tried to check in as often as possible but it didn't always transmit in time.

Yes Monday's weather was atrocious but at least this year we knew it would clear. Trust me, there was no intentional prolongation! In fact I sprinted to the line to avoid being swept up on the way back by a man in a van and transported back to Sheffield kicking and screaming.

Unbelievable achievement by Liam. I'm not sure I'd get that average speed out of a road ride!

You saw it here first write up.
https://trepidexplorer.blogspot.com/202 ... -2021.html

That's a wrap for the HT 2021.

[fatbikephil]

Great tale Trep and well done. I'm very jealous of the weather you had on the Bealach Horn and through Fisherfield!

[JoseMcTavish]

Well done on getting your write-up done so quickly, Trep - think it took me months! Really enjoyed it, especially as a culmination of your blog posts building up to it over the last couple of years. It was great to see your dot get all the way round - in a few weeks you will start thinking about all those opportunities to save time and get you down to the 8 day mark...

[ton]

brilliant read that Trep. just brilliant. and well done.

[landel]

Great write up, well done and thanks for sharing.

[Dave Barter]

Well, that was a pleasant read.

Thanks Landslide for filling in (some of) the dots. I accidentally had my tracker set to ping in my Check Ins only. Then after I'd started the event, Trackleaders wouldn't update the settings. I tried to check in as often as possible but it didn't always transmit in time.

Yes Monday's weather was atrocious but at least this year we knew it would clear. Trust me, there was no intentional prolongation! In fact I sprinted to the line to avoid being swept up on the way back by a man in a van and transported back to Sheffield kicking and screaming.

Unbelievable achievement by Liam. I'm not sure I'd get that average speed out of a road ride!

You saw it here first write up.
https://trepidexplorer.blogspot.com/202 ... -2021.html

That's a wrap for the HT 2021.

This is one of the most engaging and brilliant pieces of cycling writing I’ve ever read. Fantastic achievement and having just walked a load of the trails you describe I felt your pain.

[Charliecres]

Yup, That was gripping . Well done on the ride, too.

[TrepidExplorer]

Damn,

thanks guys

[touch]

Good write up!

I would guess that the strange bird noises you heard might be Snipes "drumming". I heard some recently at Achmelvich and again at Shenavall - both times just after sunset. I'd never heard a bird noise like that before and after a lot of searching (it's difficult to try and describe a noise to Google ) I found this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuDZVc5agFU

[fatbikephil]

I've heard them a lot on the Orkneys and the Western Isles - I did wonder what the hell it was at first!

[larsmars]

[quote=touch post_id=263977 time=1623415658 user_id=1747
I would guess that the strange bird noises you heard might be Snipes "drumming". I found this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuDZVc5agFU
[/quote]

Thank you! This had me wondering too! That’s the noise I was hearing!

[ChrisS]

I thought I heard a strange bird noises in Fisherfield. Was genuinely puzzled all the way up the HaB, but it turned out to be Nick B’s Wahoo bleeping to say he was moving too slowly

[Jurassic]

Dunno if it's been mentioned here but Bikes or Death Podcast Patrick has interviewed Liam Glen and it's up and available to listen to on various podcast outlets. It's not a bad listen if you have a spare hour and a bit.

[fatbikephil]

I thought I heard a strange bird noises in Fisherfield. Was genuinely puzzled all the way up the HaB, but it turned out to be Nick B’s Wahoo bleeping to say he was moving too slowly

We heard cuckoos all the way round. Eventually me and John Fettes reckoned it was the same one after Mike T

[Boab]

There's also a video (~45 mins) on off-road.cc, where Matt (mattpage) interviews Liam - Video: Interview with Liam Glenn - 2021 Highland Trail 550 winner

[thenorthwind]

Dunno if it's been mentioned here but Bikes or Death Podcast Patrick has interviewed Liam Glen and it's up and available to listen to on various podcast outlets. It's not a bad listen if you have a spare hour and a bit.

It was interesting to hear Liam, but I just couldn't past the grating American to listen to the whole thing. I nearly choked on my coffee when Liam said he works for Airbus and the guy asked "what is an Airbus? That like an airplane?"

[Jurassic]

Dunno if it's been mentioned here but Bikes or Death Podcast Patrick has interviewed Liam Glen and it's up and available to listen to on various podcast outlets. It's not a bad listen if you have a spare hour and a bit.

It was interesting to hear Liam, but I just couldn't past the grating American to listen to the whole thing. I nearly choked on my coffee when Liam said he works for Airbus and the guy asked "what is an Airbus? That like an airplane?"

I know what you mean (especially the Airbus bit) but I still quite enjoyed it. I don't mind Patrick Farnsworth, he obviously has a muricacentric view of things but I think he makes a decent effort to understand what goes on elsewhere. The fact he was dot watching HT 550 kinda makes that point.

[Dyffers]

I did enjoy the bit about borrowing the rear wheel:

"You should buy him a beer to say thanks"

"I certainly need to buy him some hub bearings"

[Mart]

I thought I heard a strange bird noises in Fisherfield. Was genuinely puzzled all the way up the HaB, but it turned out to be Nick B’s Wahoo bleeping to say he was moving too slowly

We heard cuckoos all the way round. Eventually me and John Fettes reckoned it was the same one after Mike T

I have a theory …… When you leave Tyndrum you get assigned a cuckoo, who follows you the whole way round.

[fatbikephil]

I thought I heard a strange bird noises in Fisherfield. Was genuinely puzzled all the way up the HaB, but it turned out to be Nick B’s Wahoo bleeping to say he was moving too slowly

We heard cuckoos all the way round. Eventually me and John Fettes reckoned it was the same one after Mike T

I have a theory …… When you leave Tyndrum you get assigned a cuckoo, who follows you the whole way round.

Certainly seemed that way