Author Topic: Highland Fling 1000 from Darlington, - now Friday 29/04/2022  (Read 40020 times)

Re: Highland Fling 1000 from Darlington, Thursday 07/05/2020
« Reply #25 on: 16 July, 2019, 10:45:10 pm »
Ah, I thought that was the Hill you meant. Looks like a beastie (I haven't ridden it, but Roberto assures me it's fine - I meant to go via Tighnabruaich/Kames so you get the cracking view down the Kyles of Bute, but had to re-route to fit in with where I could get overnight stops).

I know what you mean about travelling only to return home - I resisted the Old 240 for years, as there's a control 3 miles from my house. When I did ride it, I went home and had a decent meal, which was way better than what was on offer at Scotch Corner Services... And other events (LEL, Mille Pennines) which went close to home were fine - the pull of the event was stronger than the pull of home. Might have been different if I'd been at a real low on my local roads, of course.

Re: Highland Fling 1000 from Darlington, Thursday 07/05/2020
« Reply #26 on: 16 July, 2019, 10:48:49 pm »
'Can you run a control?' asks Deano.

'No problem' I replied.

Didn't realise at the time that it would be open between 9pm and 6am  ;D

:) As if!

(click to show/hide)

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Highland Fling 1000 from Darlington, Thursday 07/05/2020
« Reply #27 on: 16 July, 2019, 11:09:59 pm »
Ah, I thought that was the Hill you meant. Looks like a beastie (I haven't ridden it, but Roberto assures me it's fine - I meant to go via Tighnabruaich/Kames so you get the cracking view down the Kyles of Bute, but had to re-route to fit in with where I could get overnight stops).

I know what you mean about travelling only to return home - I resisted the Old 240 for years, as there's a control 3 miles from my house. When I did ride it, I went home and had a decent meal, which was way better than what was on offer at Scotch Corner Services... And other events (LEL, Mille Pennines) which went close to home were fine - the pull of the event was stronger than the pull of home. Might have been different if I'd been at a real low on my local roads, of course.

I only stopped for a photo and pee on the Argyll Alps which was surprising as going the other way I remember death griping the brakes to avoid over cooking it into a fence.
Goes on a bit at that speed but the steepest bit is disposed of early. No where near as bad as I thought it would be.

Aye I suppose I was on a real low on AA, it was pishing doon and I couldn't hang onto anyone on the Dunning road.

And when I say home roads it's more my stomping ground rather than right past home, over Schiehallion to the parents caravan at Tummel and Gleneagles village (with all the eejits who think it's got something to do with Eagles) is probably closest to home at 60km.

Not like Dave C's 200 last year where I rode past the rode end on 100km and 200m later passed within 10m of the house (the railway is in the way)

Which leaves the question, do I want to ride the WAW next year or do another 1000km and save the longer ones for later...



Also:
Just noticed in the draft route it has the "Amulree Anomaly"

IanDG

  • The p*** artist formerly known as 'Windy'
    • the_dandg_rouleur
Re: Highland Fling 1000 from Darlington, Thursday 07/05/2020
« Reply #28 on: 17 July, 2019, 03:11:55 pm »
'Can you run a control?' asks Deano.

'No problem' I replied.

Didn't realise at the time that it would be open between 9pm and 6am  ;D

:) As if!

(click to show/hide)

You did say '2pm from Darlo', I just didn't do the sums :D

Re: Highland Fling 1000 from Darlington, Thursday 07/05/2020
« Reply #29 on: 17 July, 2019, 04:16:24 pm »
Ballochindrain is the farm in Glen daruel at the foot of the climb over to otter ferry.

I know it by the alternate spelling Bealach an Drain, or Bealach Maim (the latter seems more appropriate: the first time I attempted it I had to stop 3 times because my legs were well and truly maimed). It's horrible.


FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Highland Fling 1000 from Darlington, Thursday 07/05/2020
« Reply #30 on: 17 July, 2019, 04:36:00 pm »
I went through the old maps and think I concluded that Ballochindrain is probably the correct name for the farm, after all it's not a pass of anywhere.

Bealach Maim appears to only turn up on more recent maps

For Maim I've found

maim
sf see mam & maoim.

1 alarm, panic, terror 2 consternation 3 eruption, outburst, sudden burst

Sounds about right!

or

   
mam /maum maim mamən/
fir. gin. maim, iol. -an
1 rounded hill/mountain 2 mountain gap/pass 3 boil 4 bulge


Re: Highland Fling 1000 from Darlington, Thursday 07/05/2020
« Reply #31 on: 11 August, 2019, 09:42:34 pm »
The Tyne Cycle Tunnel is officially open again  :thumbsup:



Lovely it is, too.

If anyone is really keen and enters early, then just bear in mind I'll be away in France for a month, and won't be bothering with entry emails - I'll mop 'em all up when I get back.

Re: Highland Fling 1000 from Darlington, Thursday 07/05/2020
« Reply #32 on: 15 August, 2019, 09:59:33 pm »
I picked up some of this route the other day, joining it at Dumfries, having ridden over from Lockerbie.  I wasn't on a DIY - just touring along with panniers and general survival kit.  There are rolling resurfacing (spray and chip) works once you leave the main road West of Dumfries, but I expect the surface will be well settled by the time of the event.  Other than that this section to Castle Douglas is fine.  On the next bit past Loch Ken it is generally good going, though there are a few sections of that really rough surface they seem to favour North of the border.  After Ayr, there were a number of riders using the cycle path, so I followed that for a bit and it was very good.  Knowing how cycle paths have let me down in the past, I lost my bottle just before Troon and headed back to the roads.  Might be worth looking at how that path continues as an alternative.  Either way, this is a very 'fiddly' area to cycle through, unless you know the area well and careful prior focus on it would be worthwhile.  I also went off piste at Kilwinning and ended up going through town, but was rewarded by finding a good chippy there, which was worth the extra k.  By that time it was getting well into the evening and the bypass was quiet, so I stuck with that past Ardrossan and batted on up the main coast road with no problem, but I suspect a control will prevent that route!  The ferry to Dunoon seems to run very long hours, so the logistics of that should not be too bad.  The only problem is the pronunciation of Gourock... it does not seem to have any significant vowel sounds when spoken by some of the locals, though others seem to rhyme it with Thurrock, which should be a useful tip for any TOWIE riders.  After that I cut a big corner for my own journey, up past Lock Eck and only briefly rejoined this route as I headed off for Inveraray and a bit of a kip.  Nothing to do with this event, but I wouldn't recommend riding on to Oban this way in the daytime (though it was fine for me as I set off from Inverary just as the first glimmers of 'pre-dawn' were starting to show).  It'll be a big adventure when this event runs and not one to rock up to without some proper planning and consideration!

Graeme

  • @fatherhilarious.blog 🦋
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Re: Highland Fling 1000 from Darlington, Thursday 07/05/2020
« Reply #33 on: 17 September, 2019, 10:03:52 pm »
I'm in.

[Practices breathing exercises to calm nerves.]

I was really interested in the All Points North event, but then Deano put this ride on and I was torn between the two. I've eventually come round to the idea of a Super Randonneur 2500 next year and think I might even try for 50 points. Not much you say, but most of mine will be alone; so getting 10 points on an event where I may see others is too good an opportunity to miss.

Thanks for doing this Deano.

Re: Highland Fling 1000 from Darlington, Thursday 07/05/2020
« Reply #34 on: 10 October, 2019, 05:28:47 pm »
Ohh, this is tempting... I like Scotland and have only ever ventured that way on a bike for LEL so exploring it more is very appealing  :thumbsup:

It's pretty early in the year for somebody only just getting back into riding after taking most of this year off, but still plenty of time to get fit enough.

Re: Highland Fling 1000 from Darlington, Thursday 07/05/2020
« Reply #35 on: 04 November, 2019, 05:54:50 am »
Flights back are cheap enough that I'm seriously considering coming home for it. Should be a laugh.

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Highland Fling 1000 from Darlington, Thursday 07/05/2020
« Reply #36 on: 04 November, 2019, 10:52:07 am »
I overcame my dislike of taking the train somewhere only to ride home and away again to enter.
I'll hopefully have enough company for the 250km on "home territory" to be distracted.

Re: Highland Fling 1000 from Darlington, Thursday 07/05/2020
« Reply #37 on: 04 November, 2019, 08:33:25 pm »
I went through the old maps and think I concluded that Ballochindrain is probably the correct name for the farm, after all it's not a pass of anywhere.

Bealach Maim appears to only turn up on more recent maps

For Maim I've found

maim
sf see mam & maoim.

1 alarm, panic, terror 2 consternation 3 eruption, outburst, sudden burst

Sounds about right!

or

   
mam /maum maim mamən/
fir. gin. maim, iol. -an
1 rounded hill/mountain 2 mountain gap/pass 3 boil 4 bulge

Just to round this off, according to the info post at Otter Ferry, it's Bealachandrain, which is The Pass of the Thorn Tree.

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Highland Fling 1000 from Darlington, Thursday 07/05/2020
« Reply #38 on: 04 November, 2019, 08:43:01 pm »
Makes sense, just found out that Balloch is a Scotification of Bealach.
Edit: Which makes sense given the Irish pronunciations I've found of Bealach are nothing like what English/Scots speakers use.  I've no idea how Islay or Stornoway Gaelic pronounce it though.

IanDG

  • The p*** artist formerly known as 'Windy'
    • the_dandg_rouleur
Re: Highland Fling 1000 from Darlington, Thursday 07/05/2020
« Reply #39 on: 05 November, 2019, 09:06:27 am »
I went through the old maps and think I concluded that Ballochindrain is probably the correct name for the farm, after all it's not a pass of anywhere.

Bealach Maim appears to only turn up on more recent maps

For Maim I've found

maim
sf see mam & maoim.

1 alarm, panic, terror 2 consternation 3 eruption, outburst, sudden burst

Sounds about right!

or

   
mam /maum maim mamən/
fir. gin. maim, iol. -an
1 rounded hill/mountain 2 mountain gap/pass 3 boil 4 bulge

Just to round this off, according to the info post at Otter Ferry, it's Bealachandrain, which is The Pass of the Thorn Tree.

Surely it means 'a wet uphill slog' (Bealach-and-rain).

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Highland Fling 1000 from Darlington, Thursday 07/05/2020
« Reply #40 on: 05 November, 2019, 12:39:26 pm »
I went through the old maps and think I concluded that Ballochindrain is probably the correct name for the farm, after all it's not a pass of anywhere.

Bealach Maim appears to only turn up on more recent maps

For Maim I've found

maim
sf see mam & maoim.

1 alarm, panic, terror 2 consternation 3 eruption, outburst, sudden burst

Sounds about right!

or

   
mam /maum maim mamən/
fir. gin. maim, iol. -an
1 rounded hill/mountain 2 mountain gap/pass 3 boil 4 bulge

Just to round this off, according to the info post at Otter Ferry, it's Bealachandrain, which is The Pass of the Thorn Tree.

Surely it means 'a wet uphill slog' (Bealach-and-rain).

Nah that's just a given.

Diesel

  • or Richard
Re: Highland Fling 1000 from Darlington, Thursday 07/05/2020
« Reply #41 on: 28 December, 2019, 11:35:30 am »
I'm in. looks like a great route.  :thumbsup:

Graeme

  • @fatherhilarious.blog 🦋
    • Graeme's Blog
Re: Highland Fling 1000 from Darlington, Thursday 07/05/2020
« Reply #42 on: 28 December, 2019, 01:21:18 pm »
I'm in. looks like a great route.  :thumbsup:

 :thumbsup:

Re: Highland Fling 1000 from Darlington, Thursday 07/05/2020
« Reply #43 on: 12 January, 2020, 09:21:30 pm »
...and it's over three quarters full.

No pressure to enter, but if you want to ride, I'll probably be closing entries in a few weeks, at the current rate.

Jack_P

  • It's just dicking about on bikes
    • Cycling hobo
Re: Highland Fling 1000 from Darlington, Thursday 07/05/2020
« Reply #44 on: 14 January, 2020, 11:03:06 am »
...and it's over three quarters full.

No pressure to enter, but if you want to ride, I'll probably be closing entries in a few weeks, at the current rate.

Love your work, can't miss this one, I'm in.  :thumbsup:

Re: Highland Fling 1000 from Darlington, Thursday 07/05/2020
« Reply #45 on: 14 January, 2020, 11:39:16 am »
I thought you had retired from this long distance cycling lark?
“That slope may look insignificant, but it's going to be my destiny" - Fitzcarraldo

Jack_P

  • It's just dicking about on bikes
    • Cycling hobo
Re: Highland Fling 1000 from Darlington, Thursday 07/05/2020
« Reply #46 on: 14 January, 2020, 01:25:02 pm »
I thought you had retired from this long distance cycling lark?
Just the competitive types Ivan.  ;D

Re: Highland Fling 1000 from Darlington, Thursday 07/05/2020
« Reply #47 on: 15 January, 2020, 02:42:14 pm »

Love your work, can't miss this one, I'm in.  :thumbsup:

Cheers, Jack, I'll be emailing confirmations tonight.

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Highland Fling 1000 from Darlington, Thursday 07/05/2020
« Reply #48 on: 30 January, 2020, 07:47:18 pm »
<Looks at calendar>

<looks at waistline>
...

Any chance of putting this back a month Deano? Or two maybe ...
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

Re: Highland Fling 1000 from Darlington, Thursday 07/05/2020
« Reply #49 on: 30 January, 2020, 10:37:39 pm »
Oh dear, someone else getting their excuses in early :)

Think of it as prep for my 400 in June, Matt.