Author Topic: Island randonnées  (Read 5570 times)

bairn again

Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #25 on: 16 October, 2019, 09:37:08 am »
[EDIT - clearly not an "Island randonnee in the strictest sense" but related......]

A number of years ago a Calmac employee, a keen cyclist, came up with "The Five Ferry fandango". 

Here was his broad schedule.  I think that its just within 14.3km if the finish line is at Fishnish at 219km (Oban is also over 200km). 

The bit that appears the tightest on time is the 27km from Tobermory to Fishnish where the ferry arrives in Tobermory 0835 and you've got to get to Fishnish in time for the ferry at 1000.   
   
Lochaline 0km 0345

Kilchoan 78km 0730

Ferry Kilchoan 0800 Arr Tobermory 0835      

Tobermory   78km 0835

Fishnish 105km 0945

Ferry Fishnish 1000 arr Lochaline 1018   
   
Ardgour 150km 1250

Ferry Ardgour 1300 arr Nether Lochaber 1305
      
Oban 209km 1600

Ferry Oban 1710 arr Craignure 1755
      
Fishnish 219km [official finish line] then
    
Ferry Fishnish 1853 to Lochaline.        



Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #26 on: 16 October, 2019, 12:03:38 pm »
"The Five Ferry fandango" . . .   broad schedule . . .  if the finish line is at Fishnish at 219km (Oban is also over 200km). 
Here's a RwGPS route for that: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31315624?beta=false
Looks great. I think that a finish in Oban is probably more practical - well over 200 once the ferry distances are taken off.
Ferry from Oban the evening before and across to Mull and off it to Lochaline overnight for an excellent meal in the Hotel [http://www.lochalinehotel.co.uk/], bed and a silly o'clock start (ferry Oban 1710 arr Craignure 1755; 10km to Fishnish; then ferry Fishnish 1853 to Lochaline.)
The Tobermory > Fishnish ride is perfectly doable: 27.4km + 337m in 75 minutes to arrive 10 minutes before scheduled sailing, provided a rider gets off the ferry promptly. Last time the Fishnish ferrymen seemed pretty relaxed about cyclists arriving close to sailing time.

Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #27 on: 16 October, 2019, 12:30:21 pm »
"The Five Ferry fandango" . . .   broad schedule . . .  if the finish line is at Fishnish at 219km (Oban is also over 200km). 
Here's a RwGPS route for that: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31315624?beta=false
Looks great. ... <snip>

It does indeed.  I'm pencilling this in for next summer.

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #28 on: 16 October, 2019, 12:57:44 pm »
[EDIT - clearly not an "Island randonnee in the strictest sense" but related......]

A number of years ago a Calmac employee, a keen cyclist, came up with "The Five Ferry fandango". 

Here was his broad schedule.  I think that its just within 14.3km if the finish line is at Fishnish at 219km (Oban is also over 200km). 

The bit that appears the tightest on time is the 27km from Tobermory to Fishnish where the ferry arrives in Tobermory 0835 and you've got to get to Fishnish in time for the ferry at 1000.   
   
Lochaline 0km 0345

Kilchoan 78km 0730

Ferry Kilchoan 0800 Arr Tobermory 0835      

Tobermory   78km 0835

Fishnish 105km 0945

Ferry Fishnish 1000 arr Lochaline 1018   
   
Ardgour 150km 1250

Ferry Ardgour 1300 arr Nether Lochaber 1305
      
Oban 209km 1600

Ferry Oban 1710 arr Craignure 1755
      
Fishnish 219km [official finish line] then
    
Ferry Fishnish 1853 to Lochaline.

Aye, sadly like the other Mull based classic the Port Navigation doesn't meet the requirements of concept as it touches the "mainland".
Mulling it over would also sadly be excluded.

Good route though... Tough route though...
It's also more appealing than the more traditional Five Ferries by
a) being long enough
b) not risking being stuck on Bute for the night.


Talking of Ferries:
Longest day you can get on mull in summer without staying over is a Friday, 0730 from Oban arriving at 0820 and leaving from Craignure at 2245, best of all, they're both MV Isle of Mull so you can have both your breakfast and your tea.

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #29 on: 16 October, 2019, 08:42:23 pm »

If you setup them up as "proper" perms, remember to create a badge for them as well - the whole world will want to ride then!

As IanDG pointed out when I wondered aloud about the lack of a perm on the Western Isles chain for his end to end, theres no where on Vatersay to control.
Some of these may be possible to define with real controls however in reality unless Perms are changed so that validation by GPS is available without it also having to be validatable by paper proof of passage... basically perms in much of Scotland are fucked,
What's more a significant portion of Teuchterland ATMs don't print the location on receipts either as Notemachine run the machines stationed in Scotmid Co-Ops.

However a badge is not a bad idea and one I've already been ponderiung
Provided I could get some form of computer based proof of what a DIY was and tie it up with the DIY on a riders result list it's doable.

Ah OK. I don't know how perms work in your region but the SEEngland DIY guy (Paul Stewart) allows riders to "re-use" DIY routes already used by other riders. That system might allow this to work a little more easily? (I don't think they appear specially in the results, but I suspect anything is possible ... )
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

telstarbox

  • Loving the lanes
Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #30 on: 16 October, 2019, 08:50:15 pm »
The current regs say you have to offer receipt/paper PoP for Perms - GPS validation can be an option, but not "instead of".
2019 🏅 R1000 and B1000

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #31 on: 16 October, 2019, 11:32:36 pm »
The current regs say you have to offer receipt/paper PoP for Perms - GPS validation can be an option, but not "instead of".

Indeed and that is the problem for Perms.

To do the 600 as a Perm you would need a control here:
https://goo.gl/maps/VxzNd8n2KQ14zs7i9


DIY's isn't a problem for AUK points, just a bit trickier to validate for a badge.
But all I'd really need is an appropriate link to track log and someones AUK membership number to compare the dates of DIY validations with.
It's doable.

Wonder if I can come up with a design basic enough for a low order size..
Feck price is nearly 4 quid a unit for 25, gets below a quid for 100 which bit much for a niché.

I've also got some DIYs that are hopefully suitable for perms and in an area where there's not much on offer just now,
I just don't necessarily have the space right now for the admin paper work etc.

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #32 on: 17 October, 2019, 07:39:40 pm »
The current regs say you have to offer receipt/paper PoP for Perms - GPS validation can be an option, but not "instead of".
... and they wonder why "trad" perms are dying out, whilst DIYs rocket in numbers.  ::-)
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #33 on: 18 October, 2019, 10:38:46 pm »
I've decided to split the routes I share with others in RWGPS from my own account, really just to stop me going mad when trying to find routes.

The account with the routes has more than just the Island routes on it too so have a nosey if you want.

IanDG

  • The p*** artist formerly known as 'Windy'
    • the_dandg_rouleur
Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #34 on: 19 October, 2019, 06:51:10 pm »
I have a spreadsheet for a Barra-Butt-Barra 600km - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/6061292

WI600 by ian, on Flickr

Achievable as shown by my Barra to Butt in 16hrs -
https://www.strava.com/activities/1558870063
https://www.strava.com/activities/1559453807
https://www.strava.com/activities/1559453973

just never found the time to do it as logistically you need to start from Barra (if anyone wants a go please let me know how you get on - or if you want a companion).

I've also done an SR series on Lewis and Harris

https://ridewithgps.com/trips/2678728
https://ridewithgps.com/trips/2866167
https://ridewithgps.com/trips/3068140
https://ridewithgps.com/trips/3481046



and have a number of different GPS DIYs 200 - 600km  - happy to share files (and will add to the new fb group when I get chance.

Perms are difficult on the island.

IanDG

  • The p*** artist formerly known as 'Windy'
    • the_dandg_rouleur
Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #35 on: 19 October, 2019, 08:04:48 pm »

Harris and Lewis
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/30818348


As devised by IanDG otp: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/5249584

I'd seen that before, but a while ago may have been sub-concious or it's the only sensibly structured 300 on that island
I had originally tried the whole of the golden road but it was too long... (See the 600 for that)

Appropriate Credit given?

I'm cool.

Although I first rode the route with Pingu (as a non-audax) heading to Harris first, when I first planned to run it as an event I tried a variation in the opposite direction to get the 'Butt' out of the way first, less Golden Road and a trip to the cafe at Ravenspoint.

https://www.strava.com/activities/85421115

But it just works better in the original direction - it's a long slog into a prevailing wind from the Butt to Rodel, you arrive too early for facilities on the west side and there's not much open on the return from Leverburgh. There are also more options of shops that are open early evening on the Barvas/Ness stretch.

Majority of my planned routes are on ride with GPS (I haven't ridden all and the list includes some routes from other organisers events where I've either entered or considered entering). Only back to 2014, think I may have used google maps prior to then. Don't know if someone browsing my routes has the option but I can filter for routes >200km

https://ridewithgps.com/users/208596


FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #36 on: 19 October, 2019, 08:52:30 pm »
The way I set up the version I put on is:
Ness before the locals wake up
Calanais for lunch
Butty Bus for tea
Golden Road once all the Motorhomes have fought over the Aires, parking spots and passing places for the night (even though you'd miss the Skoon Café unless they're on a late night)

The wind must be a killer for any trip south on the long isle; don't think I've ever ridden Southwards for any length of time out there.
Grovelling at 5kmh on the Clisham descent to Ardvourlie sticks with me as much as sitting up hardly pedalling at 65kmh from there to Ravenspoint.

I really should be attempting my own challenge though...

IanDG

  • The p*** artist formerly known as 'Windy'
    • the_dandg_rouleur
Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #37 on: 19 October, 2019, 08:59:50 pm »
The way I set up the version I put on is:
Ness before the locals wake up
Calanais for lunch
Butty Bus for tea
Golden Road once all the Motorhomes have fought over the Aires, parking spots and passing places for the night (even though you'd miss the Skoon Café unless they're on a late night)

The wind must be a killer for any trip south on the long isle; don't think I've ever ridden Southwards for any length of time out there.
Grovelling at 5kmh on the Clisham descent to Ardvourlie sticks with me as much as sitting up hardly pedalling at 65kmh from there to Ravenspoint.

I really should be attempting my own challenge though...


I used the butty bus first year of the event but he was too slow. Made a special arrangement for early opening with the Temple Cafe in Northton for the following events.

There's a shop in Leverburgh, I think Rodel Hotel is re-opening, there are hotels in Tarbert and I think the Airdashaig filling station re-opens for a short period in the evenings.


FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Island randonnées
« Reply #38 on: 09 November, 2019, 06:50:46 pm »
Just reviewing the post as I'm turning it into a blog post in lieu of bothering to have a "page".

https://islandrandonees.blogspot.com

I'll consider actual badges or something if anyone ever claims... I've got a nice picture of "MV Lord of the Isles" that'll do nicely.

I think the Airdashaig filling station re-opens for a short period in the evenings.

Yeah open 8am to 9pm but shut for Tea during the week 6 to 8, but on Saturday it appears to be open 9 to 9.
Anyone attempting the 600 on a Sunday will need to stock up before they pass "Our lady of the isles".

Looking at your SR series... You must have covered almost every road.

For Barra-Butt-Barra, I'm thinking it might work better if you start very early doors at Ardmohr and ride down to Vatersay and back rather than from Castlebay, that way you can probably finish at Am Politician rather than have the return on MV Loch Alain in the time limit.