Not really bike packing.

But here the live link to Matt Page's tracker as he tries to beat Mark Beaumont's NC500 record

The tracker updates every 5 or so minutes and he's currently ahead.

https://live.opentracking.co.uk/nc5002023/

Thanks Jon. Will be watching that. Matts ahead currently. Not sure Beaumont had a crew but looks like Matts ahead by miles at the mo (with a crew of 2 it seems).

MarkB had a film crew making a documentary so I'd guess he had a bigger crew.

Thanks Paul I would have thought as much.

Looks like he's baled?

Looks like he's baled?

Yes... Ghere was an instagram post up at JoG saying he'd done so and will explain later. Hopefully he's ok...

Posted the info up at early this am...

Saw something about brutal winds? Shame, he seemed to be doing really well...

An Instagram story of his said that he had to bail because of the savage winds

Was the forecast wrong or something?

The wind is pretty easy to forecast for a window as narrow as 26hours, was there not a weather window?

substandard wrote: ↑Wed May 24, 2023 12:42 pm Was the forecast wrong or something?

The wind is pretty easy to forecast for a window as narrow as 26hours, was there not a weather window?

I doubt it's that simple. With all the logistics involved of travelling to the start and coordinating all the support team to have the right days off you probably need to plan at least a couple of weeks in advance. He might have known that the wind wasn't looking favourable a day or 2 before but by that time it's too late.

Sounds like there was a lot of brain over braun. Cited as retiring 73 miles before the finish due to not wanting to do lasting damage and only 9 miles ahead of Beaumont...

Well done Matt you keep intact your knees to ride another day when the weather is better Severely amazing.

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/ne ... d-attempt/

He might have known that the wind wasn't looking favourable a day or 2 before but by that time it's too late.

Surely you plan a two week window and look for favourable weather within that ?

substandard wrote: ↑Wed May 24, 2023 12:42 pm Was the forecast wrong or something?

The wind is pretty easy to forecast for a window as narrow as 26hours, was there not a weather window?

Listening to the traffic reports on the way back from the Lakes this afternoon it appears that the Dornoch bridge on the A9 was shut to at least high sided vehicles because of the wind..

IME the one thing that forecasts pretty well always get wrong is the wind.

Having spent years studying wind forecasts for the purpose of surfing and finding decent waves, the wind is rarely the polar opposite to what is forecast, it’s far easier to predict than when it will rain, snow, thunder etc