Well done Nigel, so how was it really??

bookwyse wrote:Well done Nigel, so how was it really??

Great to use a a Fatty in it's intended environment. The million mph Skidoos were happy to make space for bikes, everyone smiled (pity probably!) and the whole snowy atmosphere was wonderful. Such a shame I have to bugger off back home tomorrow, I'm very jealous of Ian staying on to have a more relaxed look about. Loads of pics I'd have liked to taken.

I also loved that on the trails there was a proper sign post to Kiruna, 350km away in Sweden! That would make for a great ride!

As well as the 150 there's also a 300 and 600 option for the truly mental!

well done lad. it is indeed a special place.
If your tempted to go back in the summer watch out, there are a few (million) moskitos to deal with.

Is there a spot tracker leader board link anywhere that we can see thise with a spot on the same page?
If not why not?

Is there a spot tracker leader board link anywhere that we can see thise with a spot on the same page?

I don't think there is John.

If not why not?

Don't know. Maybe no one asked Trackleaders or the organisers didn't want to make Spot compulsary? ... or some other reason.

Mart wrote:well done lad. it is indeed a special place.
If your tempted to go back in the summer watch out, there are a few (million) moskitos to deal with.

Not surprised. If my Garmin wasn't showing me riding in the middle of a lake then it was a marsh!

A question for all of the guys doing this , how did you pack your bikes and how much extra did it cost on the flight?

Cheers

bookwyse wrote:A question for all of the guys doing this , how did you pack your bikes and how much extra did it cost on the flight?

Cheers

Normal bike box, bars, rear mech and pedals off, forks spun round, clothes and bubble wrap to pack it out. €40 each way extra with Finnair.

s8tannorm wrote:

Is there a spot tracker leader board link anywhere that we can see thise with a spot on the same page?

I don't think there is John.

If not why not?

Don't know. Maybe no one asked Trackleaders or the organisers didn't want to make Spot compulsary? ... or some other reason.

One reason could be that they aren't that great. Ian looks miles away when I view the page but Race HQ has him on the penultimate checkpoint approx an hour away!

Top four all on Salsa Bear grease carbons by the way.

Ian wrote:Cheers Jase.

Here's a link for Scott Swallings Spot: http://share.findmespot.com/shared/face ... cb5cucoQ8g

Paul E hasn't revealed his yet. Perhaps attempting to gain an element of surprise

Scott has just rolled in!

Paul's spot shows him having gone via the Barents & Murmansk!

Ian's back, top 10!

(I'll let him fill in the details)

I am indeed back. Blistering opening pace - 20kmh average for first 10km. Mental.

I was running 10th pretty much all the way, then to my surprise I was the 8th person to sign the sheet at the last checkpoint. Two people must have missed it, and signing in at all checkpoints was "in the rules". Don't know what'll happen with that. 10th back, but 8th with a full compliment of checkpoints signed on at.

In a way it doesn't make a lot of difference, but rules are rules I guess.

Riding; experienced lots of different types of snow. Fiddled with tyre pressures a lot today, mostly to good effect. Somewhat wasted now.

Well done

Well done, is the next purchase going to be a Carbon Beargrease??

Good work everyone, looks/sounds like everyone had good fun

Simon is past half way now, having had his secnd hot meal. He's got a tough section to come now - 35km to next check, but a long 8km section of soft exposed snow before he reaches a (snow covered) road. I had to drop tyre pressure to about 2-3psi to ride most of it; took an hour and was bloody hard work. Was glad to see the road. At the other end of that, there's another 8km of the same.

Mart wrote:Well done, is the next purchase going to be a Carbon Beargrease??

Wider tyres first!

Simon came in about an hour ago - well done!
There was snow fall overnight, which would have made things interesting for him. No doubt he'll be along later with his account of things.

Brief summary before I have a nap! (I'll check the updates later too). Went well until checkpoint 7. Got to the checkpoint and felt wrecked (think it was at 115km), so decided to have a sleep as it was 1am and was too exhausted to eat, feel asleep for 7 hours Game over at the point for a good time (was on for a sub 20 hour finish), pushed on the next day in fresh snow slowly losing the will to live!

Good to hear you're back! I'm now on the bus from Heathrow to the hotel and it's just drizzly. Boo.

Good effort all involved!!!

I know how physically demanding my paltry snowy efforts can be and so mucho kudos to the lot of you!

Maybe next year.....

Well done folks.

congrats to all