The 'who is stupid enought to ride over applecross' thread

[David Martin]

Bealach na Ba sportif is on Saturday. Anyone else going?

I know .anth has .bottled .out. Anyone else signed up? I'm the short Dundee Thistle rider with a beard trailing around just in front of the sag wagon...

[Redlight]

Would love to be doing it - I've ridden over on a fully laden touring bike so it would be fun to see what it's like without such encumberances. As I recall, a steady rather than steep climb for most of the way with just a couple of very short sharp bits. A bit of a hairy descent though with a lot of bikes on the road and, probably, quite a few people who don't know how to descend safely at speed.

Enjoy - let's hope you get great weather

[GlasgowDave]

I've done it a few times before on the sportive, but I've had enough of it. I'm doing the Ullapool one instead.

Don't go flat out over the top of the Bealach, there's at least as much climbing on the roller coast(er) road round to Shieldaig, and no real chance to keep a decent rhythm.

Dave

[Nuncio]

I'm the short Dundee Thistle rider with a beard trailing around just in front of the sag wagon...

Shouldn't you get it trimmed a little, if only on safety grounds?

[chris]

I've done it twice, both on the same day, both before breakfast! Best views are often early in the morning.

[Jaded]

It is my ambition to do the climb, 650m. Probably not as part of a sportive as that pretty much precludes eating and staying at The Applecross Inn.

[The Mechanic]

I am doing it on Saturday.  I was out there on my world tour of Scotland first week in August but it was p***ing down so bypassed the peninsular and went straight from Shieldaig to Loch Carron.  Son decided to give it a go and met the rest of us in the cafe at Loch Carron very wet, freezing cold and knackered. 

Hope the weather is good on Saturday but the forecast doesn't look too promising.

[Martin]

Rode it in March 2007; has to be one of the worst rides of my entire life; sheeting rain, headwind so bad I could not actually remount and 0 visibility. I think the locals in the pub in Applecross get a lot of idiots like me as they had a special spot next to the fire reserved for me.

I'm sure on a good day it is fantastic

[RJ]

It is my ambition to do the climb, 650m. Probably not as part of a sportive as that pretty much precludes eating and staying at The Applecross Inn.

A cunning plan.  The campsite's not bad either (fresh baking every other day when we stayed there) - blow the money saved on more pub food!

[teethgrinder]

I've never done it as a sportive, but do I get extra insanity points for doing it west to east o an 83" fixed in glorious evening sunlight on a fantastically sunny and clear day?

[Redlight]

I've never done it as a sportive, but do I get extra insanity points for doing it west to east o an 83" fixed in glorious evening sunlight on a fantastically sunny and clear day?

Extra insanity points?  To add to how many that you already have? 

[David Martin]

Having checked out the profiles last night, it doesn't look too bad. Three big lumps afterwards as well to make it more fun. Weather was looking OK - crap today and tomorrow, fine on Saturday but I haven't looked today.

Ahh bugger. It might be a bit damp.

..d

[Pingu]

What's the route for the sportive?

[Wowbagger]

It's on my "to do" list but as a tour, not part of a Sportive.

[amaferanga]

What's the route for the sportive?

Route.

As others have said, the coast road should not be underestimated, particularly with the wind/rain forecast for the weekend.  I'm still looking forward to it though....

[David Martin]

What's the route for the sportive?

Route.

As others have said, the coast road should not be underestimated, particularly with the wind/rain forecast for the weekend.  I'm still looking forward to it though....

The wind should be behind on the return. I am looking forward to having done it.

..d