2016 Highland Trail (group start)

[Zippy]

I know Liam from uni days - he was fast then!

Good to see all the dots moving, will keep me entertained at worktoday

[whitestone]

So is this the decisive move among the front group?

I reckon all of them are looking at riding through to the finish, makes sense for Phil, Javier, Lee and Stu since they've had a good night's rest and are stocking up at Kinlochewe. Not sure about Liam's rest/restocking strategy - push to FA have a good restock and head for the line?

[GregMay]

So is this the decisive move among the front group?

I reckon all of them are looking at riding through to the finish, makes sense for Phil, Javier, Lee and Stu since they've had a good night's rest and are stocking up at Kinlochewe. Not sure about Liam's rest/restocking strategy - push to FA have a good restock and head for the line?

Shuffling through to the finish maybe...

[Trail-rat]

i reckon last night was make or break for liam - hes made his play and i think he will attempt to see it through. - although i know from experiance that decisive plays dont always pan out that way and things change very quickly ..... top of the world to crawling under a rock in the space of a couple of hours :D

the question is - do any of the chasers know they are chasing and no longer leading....

[Ben98]

Ian B has gained 20 miles on Stu C overnight, is this Ian speeding up having taken it slightly steadier up until now or Stu slowing down having gone like a bat out of hell?

[Bearbonesnorm]

Ian B has gained 20 miles on Stu C overnight, is this Ian speeding up having taken it slightly steadier up until now or Stu slowing down having gone like a bat out of hell?

Ian told me he'd devised a potentially cunning plan. He didn't say what it was, only that it might or might not pay off ... perhaps we've just seen it in action?

[Dave Barter]

Ian B and Alan G can smell the coffee at the cafe. Bit worried that Ian Fitz has had a long stationery period dropping down to Loch Marie

[Dave Barter]

Ian's Spot seems to have woken up again

[boxelder]

Liam's been stationary on the Torridon descent for a while - spot stall or mechanical??

[GregMay]

Ian B and Alan G can smell the coffee at the cafe. Bit worried that Ian Fitz has had a long stationery period dropping down to Loch Marie

Ian's SPOT has been on the fritz since the start - hence I've been asking him to chirp it every hour. Don't worry.

[whitestone]

Liam's been stationary on the Torridon descent for a while - spot stall or mechanical??

Probably SPOT not connecting - he's almost at Strathcarron now. Similarly with Ian Fitz.

[sean_iow]

Ian's SPOT has been on the fritz since the start - hence I've been asking him to chirp it every hour. Don't worry.

I have a spot question, but the answer might be in your statement about Ian's.

Once you start it tracking it sends the location at pre-set intervals? Can you manually send your location if you want to at key points? I noticed when Javi was on the notorious river crossing his spot sent a location half way across, so was that likely to be happy coincidence or can you send your location when required as a back up?

From your comment about Ian's I assume he's having to press a button every hour to send a location as it's stopped sending the automatic ones?

[NewRetroTom]

Just been comparing the old Torridon section against the new one. I reckon the new one is ~ 2.5 hours faster based on Liam's time and mine from last year.

Alan's definitely made the route too easy now.

[whitestone]

Just been comparing the old Torridon section against the new one. I reckon the new one is ~ 2.5 hours faster based on Liam's time and mine from last year.

Alan's definitely made the route too easy now.

How different is the Fisherfield section? I.e. Dundonnel to Poolewe or possibly to the end of the Tollie path vs Dundonnel to Kinlochewe.

[Chew]

Liam's got a 1:20 lead on the others now from the Torridon split.

Didn't Liam set off 2 hours late as well?

[GregMay]

Ian's SPOT has been on the fritz since the start - hence I've been asking him to chirp it every hour. Don't worry.

I have a spot question, but the answer might be in your statement about Ian's.

Once you start it tracking it sends the location at pre-set intervals? Can you manually send your location if you want to at key points? I noticed when Javi was on the notorious river crossing his spot sent a location half way across, so was that likely to be happy coincidence or can you send your location when required as a back up?

From your comment about Ian's I assume he's having to press a button every hour to send a location as it's stopped sending the automatic ones?

Normally the SPOT chirps automatically every 10 mins - you can set it to 5, or even 2.5 but it costs more.

Not sure why Ian's isn't working - so we spoke and he said he'd press it every hour, or as he was sleeping. He's manually pressing the OK button which sends a chirp on your location - but can take up to 3mins to send.

Make sense?

[GregMay]

Liam's got a 1:20 lead on the others now from the Torridon split.

Didn't Liam set off 2 hours late as well?

If you mean, "did Liam miss the start and have to chase" then yes. No he does not have 2 hrs in lieu.

[Chew]

Yes he set off late. So he's had a 2 hour deficit to overhaul already.

No time in lieu. Maybe just the Jase strategy

[GregMay]

Yes he set off late. So he's had a 2 hour deficit to overhaul already.

No time in lieu. Maybe just the Jase strategy

Hah, or the Mike Hall strategy.

[Chew]

One person who is impressing me is Adrian Baskerville. Best part of 300 miles in 3 days and getting set for pie.

Keep on trucking

[NewRetroTom]

How different is the Fisherfield section? I.e. Dundonnel to Poolewe or possibly to the end of the Tollie path vs Dundonnel to Kinlochewe.

I think the new section there is almost time neutral compared to the old route even though it is much shorter in distance.

From what I've seen the Torridon change is the only one that makes a significant difference to time.

[Wotsits]

Yes he set off late. So he's had a 2 hour deficit to overhaul already.

No time in lieu. Maybe just the Jase strategy

It's always easier to chase than be chased

[sean_iow]

He's manually pressing the OK button which sends a chirp on your location - but can take up to 3mins to send.

Make sense?

Cheers, I've got it now. I did look on the spot website to see if pressing the track button sends a location but that appears to be just to start and stop tracking.

[whitestone]

A few trackers missing their chirp:

From the TL site: Current positions: Liam Glen: 411.9 mi; Stuart Cowperthwaite: 405.1 mi; Javier Simon: 404.3 mi; Philip Addyman: 403.1 mi; Lee Craigie: 397.3 mi; (0 minutes ago) -- at 11:54:04 AM (BST) 05/31/16

[Si]

Liam's got a 1:20 lead on the others now from the Torridon split.

Didn't Liam set off 2 hours late as well?

If you mean, "did Liam miss the start and have to chase" then yes. No he does not have 2 hrs in lieu.

Surely his time will be from when he crossed the start line to when he crosses the finish, as with an ITT's time ?