I have far too many big idea s in my head, not got time to do them all, but these are my musts

Dyfi enduro, missed out this year due to op, and just love this event.
bb200 will attempt sub 24. Even though I said I wouldn't go back after this year.
tcw, need to do this in one go, after failing in 2012.
Then I need to decide if i'm going to ride pbp in 2015, if I do, it means a long audax to test me out.

And finally organise ssab250.

I have a pretty big list for next year as I have planned to do a "full season of racing".

There ‘n’ Back (entered)
Cannock Chase Winter Classic (entered)
Two Ton ‘O Gravel (as good as entered )
Erlestoke Twelve (entered)
Mountain Mayhem (might ditch this after chatting to people about how boring it is and concentrate more on ITT/unsupported style stuff)
Insomnia (might not be on this year)
Manx 100 (entered)
TORQ in your SLEEP
Isle of Man End-to-End (did it last year and would love to improve my position but as I'm definitely doing the Manx100 and I'm not sure getting over to Manx land twice will be in budget)
Dusk till dawn
Hell of the West
BB200

I would like to also do some ITT and big multi day trips.
Lakeland200
South Downs Way (maybe double over 2 days with a bivi at one end)
TCW (again maybe double over 2 days with a bivi at one end)
WC2C

Bivvy-a-month (again - assuming I get my December night done the next 10 days)
HTR550 (target is to finish in 8 days and get a time)
WHW (can't decide if one day or two)
Cairngorm Loops

More packrafting/bikerafting.

Some wild camping and bothying with my Mrs.

A new job (fingers crossed)

A big celebration on 19th September


A house move/relocation sort of got in the way of things last year. I want all that to be settled in the next couple of months so I/we have lots of free time available.

Main priority for next year is the HT 550. In the build up to that I'd like to do the 2 tons of gravel, the Lakeland 200 (for hike-a-bike practice!), a trip from home to the Lake District and generally lots of riding.

More generally I want to stay healthy, carry on my bivy a month, do the bb200, figure out a Peak District based ITT and probably some other stuff that will occur along the way.

My goals for the year to come as far as bikepacking goes is to make a start on some proper wild camping. The trips I've done so far have been with the wife and we've stayed on campsites. What I'm wanting to do is get in some proper off-road miles and set up camp somewhere in the middle of nowhere.

As for events, I've got my eye on doing the WRT. Spent 5 years living a couple of miles out of Ponterwyd, up towards Nant y Moch reservoir, and have been in love with Mid Wales ever since. Can't think of anything better than a few days cycling round enjoying the views.

Most of my other goals revolve around general fitness and triathlons. Got my first full Olympic-distance event this year (did one as part of a relay team last year) in the form of the Ullswater Triathlon, so I'll be working on getting my fitness up to being able to put a decent effort into that. Keen to do a few more sprint triathlons, a duathlon or two, and I've got unfinished business with the Great North Run after having to walk the last 3 miles of it last year due to a knackered knee. If I don't get a place for the GNR I might be tempted by the Helvellyn Triathlon if I lose all my sanity.

1. Bikepacking C2C across Scotland at the widest point.
2. Put one of my motorbikes back on the road.
3. Bivvy a month.
4. Cycle tour/bikepacking more in general.
5. Get back into the Martial Arts again.
6. Just one race so far "10 Under the Ben"
7. Do some hammock & tarp camping.
8. Stop building any more bikes.
9. Clock up loads of miles.
10. Enjoy my self.

Composite, I'm up for TCW double, if you want company.

There and Back
WRT
SSUK
A multi-day Scotland trip taking in Torridon
Bivi a month
Want to do a big-bike trip to the Alps but I don't think it's going to happen
Get more confident on jumps and drops
Get back into rock climbing
Get younger, not older

I just want to ride my bike more and for longer, so that I can talk and pedal at the same time.

As a start/minimum
There n Back.
Bivvi a month.
Lightweight JOGLE.
Pennine Bridleway.

Also learn some proper bike maintenance/fettling skills.

Lose some weight (at least 10kg)
Six pack and toned by August
Ride as much as possible
Bivvy a month
Welsh ride thing
Not come last in Bear bones or at least beat this years time

Easy. Actually all are very achievable, but require some will power and dedication, which I have more of as I get older.

ScotRoutes wrote:Bivvy-a-month (again - assuming I get my December night done the next 10 days)
HTR550 (target is to finish in 8 days and get a time)
WHW (can't decide if one day or two)
Cairngorm Loops

More packrafting/bikerafting.

Some wild camping and bothying with my Mrs.

A new job (fingers crossed)

A big celebration on 19th September


A house move/relocation sort of got in the way of things last year. I want all that to be settled in the next couple of months so I/we have lots of free time available.

One of mine has already happened!!!!

Bivi a month for me too
HTR550, and actually finish it this time
Sub 36hr Cairngorm Loop as I did ten minutes under 40hrs this year and reckon I could drop some time off that.

Some inspiring goals up there ^^^.

I've got three that I'm focussed on. There will be plenty of other adventures (there will need to be, as part of training anyway)...

April - "Highland Fling" trail ultra marathon - first 50 or so miles of the WHW. Using it as a tester to see whether body can cope with running long distances, as I fancy the full WHW race in 2015, and a few other long running events.

May - Highland Trail Race. Will be interesting juggling the training for the Fling and this. Figure the running will help with the hike a bike

Oct - WEMBA World 24 Solo Champs in Fort William.

Oh - and a non-sporty one. I'll be getting married at some point. Just need to work out a date for that to fit in with plans :-s

2013 has been a strange year. I have finally, finally decided racing is out as I am just to slow. Even find it hard keeping up with people these days on steady rides. So will be aimed more at challenges - some going as quick as I can.

So with that in mind:

10,000km of riding (I have done this in each of the 3 years since retiring)
Bivy a month
100km ride once a month (missed one month in <4 years)
Hopefully, 6 of the bivy's of a month will be 3 dayers/2 nighters.
That gravel thing
BB200 / WRT / There n'back
Some UK challenges such as Pennine Bridleway, TCW, SDW, Welsh end to end.
Actually do a Peak's route that I have mapped out but not actually ridden of about 140 miles. (Goes over Cut Gate and always seems wet!)
HTR560 as a ride (not entered) and maybe Cairngorms loop.
Possibly a 1,300km audax in NW Scotland. Event already full but will do as a permanent.

Just want to be fit and healthy, get out on the bike as often as possible and enjoy every second
Might plan a few trips and challenges along the way

24tom wrote:Some inspiring goals up there ^^^.
Oh - and a non-sporty one. I'll be getting married at some point. Just need to work out a date for that to fit in with plans :-s

Congratulations Tom, does she know

My main goal is to just get an entry into that there gravel race, sounds tough enough. Oh and stay out of trouble so I can eventually use an entry to the BB200 :)

1. Ride my bike in a lot of new places
2. Bivi a month
3. That there htr again

ScotRoutes wrote: One of mine has already happened!!!!

I'll be working (part-time) at Square Wheels in Strathpeffer after the new year. Really looking forward to getting back to a bike shop and out of "outdoors retail".

numplumz wrote:
Congratulations Tom, does she know

Thanks Jack Dammit.... Knew there was something I'd forgotten to do... Ask her ;-) :-s

No real 'goals' here, just a list forming. Riding the Israel Trail challenge with friends in April, going to enjoy that one. Really looking forward to it, a perfect excuse to ride somewhere I'd probably never end up otherwise.
Want to get my randonneur bike built and do some long miles on that, aim is to get comfortable knocking out 300kms or so. Then a summer week-plus rando/bivi ride to Lake Garda in July-August. Maybe a road 'Fred Cols' tour in Europe in Sept, to Eurobike or Provence. Getting the urge to mix my bikepacking kit/approach and 'road'ish bikes next year, since exploring off-road stuff is best done with company and there's not many group trip possibilities next yr. Solo road-trippin' is good though. If there's a goal in all that it's to really click with big road miles like I seemed to on dirt roads and break my 7-8 hour bored-out-of-mind threshold on road rides when the scenery is more normal. The other day someone mentioned attempting a 3-day LEJOG in the summer, I said yes as I can't imagine doing that right now : )

The other day someone mentioned attempting a 3-day LEJOG in the summer, I said yes as I can't imagine doing that right now : )

You hadn't been drinking had you?

s8tannorm wrote:You hadn't been drinking had you?

No, if I had I'd have just laughed at him, as it deserved )

I think this coming year is going to have a different set of goals to what I want them to be...

I've had a lot going on and it's starting to catch up with me, just starting getting over a mega flu which i suspect one of the reasons is from overdoing it. Anyway I'm starting a new job in the new year, my masters is kicking up a notch and for the first time in my life none of my bikes are working

So this year I've decided my priorities are to get myself organised and my life in order - I have just completely turned my room upside down and chucking out all my crap, built a new PC and planning on going broadly paperless.

Bike wise - whilst I'd like to do some epics, or get some racing in...I'm actually going to go for getting all my bikes back in order (my ghetto tubeless on the commuter has stopped working - which will be the easiest fix!). Should be able to fit a few casual events with friends in though - might even try fitting WRT in if possible.

Then I think my main bike related goal will be the bivvy a month as that will keep me sane. New years is planned to be at a random bothy in wales, so that's a good start.

Anyway, off to service my car next - that's a bit overdue and the sumps leaking a bit so need to drop that and replace the gasket - but typically it's not that simple as there's a crank stiffner in the way

Thanks for listening

My biggest problem is time - job, travel for work and very young family mean weekends away aren't as abundant as they used to be

Two main goals for me:

- Ride to work once a week throughout the year (at least and on average) - 16 miles each way, have managed it since summer and would like to continue
- Do the welsh ride thing

Getting home would be a good start to the year.. been away since November
Riding in Scotland is high on the agenda.... Fat biking in the Inner Hebrides and finally getting to the Cairngorms
Will try for bivi a month depending on the views at home having been away so much recently
Gran Fondo Conwy http://granfondoconwy.com/ to get fit early in the year
Welsh Ride Thing would be nice in the summer
Dusting off the sea kayak for the odd coastal bivi and entering the Conwy Mountain Triathlon http://www.dcpaddlers.co.uk/triathlon/
Getting out with the boys under nylon and climbing/mountaineering
Meeting some more people off here and getting out with them... all of last year's trips were very last minute with little planning
Sorting out the garden
Go to Iceland with the family and 'maybe' take the bike and kit for a stay over after - wanted to go since my uni days when a field trip was cancelled.
Taking all the time I'm owed! Loads of good ideas up there to ponder as well :)
Happy New Year to you all too.