Deeside Loop

[Seamab]

So that's how occasional showers work in the NE? Solid rain (which came on like clockwork as 8am approached) for 3 hours.

I had to wring out my socks at Stracathro and Ballater where it finally dried up before a hot ascent of the Cairnwell and a blistering run down Glenisla while being filmed from the back of a car which seemed to spur everyone on to greater speed.

I enjoyed the ride and managed to have company for almost all of it which was great as i was unfamiliar with the roads. No way i'd have found the Stracathro tea room otherwise.

The Cairn O' Mount was indeed brutal - not helped by the lack of visibility (some may disagree) or my chain coming off as i changed down at the bottom.

A great day out. My computer, which i forgot to switch on until out of Forfar, has 120m and 6,640ft of climbing. Is this actually a 200K? I think it might be a couple of miles short.

 

[Scoosh]

A great day out. My computer, which i forgot to switch on until out of Forfar, has 120m and 6,640ft of climbing. Is this actually a 200K? I think it might be a couple of miles short.

Glad you all enjoyed it (afterwards, at any rate ).

Fear not, Seamab, all the Audax distances are carefully calculated, checked, re-checked, cycled a few times, submitted and checked and you can rest assured that you did 200km - at least .... again.

Chapeau to all

 

[Scoosh]

Fear not, Seamab, all the Audax distances are carefully calculated, checked, re-checked, cycled a few times, submitted and checked and you can rest assured that you did 200km - at least .... again.

Chapeau to all

Hmmm ... a few similar "was it just short of 200k ?" questions on yacf too. Was you robbed ?

 

[themightyw]

Hmmm ... a few similar "was it just short of 200k ?" questions on yacf too. Was you robbed ?

It's perhaps because I wore a km or two off Cairn o'mount as I weaved my way up it.

 

[T-D]

themightyw

were you the chap that came upto me as i basked in the sun at the leisure center "wheres the rugby club" ?

good ride , perhaps not so good the second time round - might not try to hang in with the front guys if i do that again OWW

on the brightside the banoffee pie in the fridge meanse to return to where you were previously.
it was worth it !

 

[Scoosh]

T-D and to CycleChat !

If you're daft good enough to have done the Deeside Loop, you are much needed and most welcome here !

What are you doing for an encore - Snow Roads ?

 

[themightyw]

That was me mate! You looked very comfy there... thanks for the accurate directions, though it did mean cutting short the Forfar tour.

BTW did anyone get a vaguely accurate figure for the total ascent? I suspect it was around 2,500m but if I don't hear otherwise then I'm telling my mates it was at least 4,000

 

[T-D]

ronnie ?? with the huge van nic said his gps got 2000m climb

i bailed on riding back to aberdeen(having ridden down via glenshee on saturday night) - i was basking in the sun waiting on a lift to the train

snow roads - after nextweeks 300 & 200 at portmahummock

 

[Noodley]

The 'official' view on the distance is that it is just under 200km, the organiser has it in mind to make a wee adjustment near the end of the route for next year to take it to 200km. I reckon the Cairn O'Mount was shorter this year

 

[ACS]

I got round but not in very good shape in the end. Found the Cairn to be a little bit of a beast, crawled up it, saw both grass verges on more than one occasion. Had to stop in the car park near the top because I could not see where I was going anymore, heavy rain, mist and glasses completely fogged over. The rest was nice, oh so nice.

The weather broke and the sun made the run between the Cairn and the Lecht* the Glenshee Ski Centre very enjoyable. Break at Ballater drank plenty but did not eat. By the time I got over the top of the Lecht * the Glenshee climb I was in a bit of bother, BONK alert. The control at the Glenshee Hotel could not come quick enough. Staggered into the bar shoved soup, bread, fruit, coffee, water, cake and sugar down me Recovered slowly, took about 40 minutes for the effects of my foolishness to subside. Lesson learned if you want to stay upright on a long cycle ride eat even when you don’t want to.

Thankfully the majority of last 35 miles went downhill with a warm following wind and George Berwick and a rider from Dunfermline for company completion was assured. Thanks to both never having bonked before I was a little unsure how I was going to manage.

I got up this morning with a grand dose of man flu, very sore throat, no voice at all and a head full of gunk.

Strangely I spent my lunch hour looking for my next 200 km jaunt. Hooked

* I am geographically challenged numpty feck knows where ‘The Lecht’ came from. Apologies

 

[ACS]

That was me mate! You looked very comfy there... thanks for the accurate directions, though it did mean cutting short the Forfar tour.

BTW did anyone get a vaguely accurate figure for the total ascent? I suspect it was around 2,500m but if I don't hear otherwise then I'm telling my mates it was at least 4,000

Offically its 3000m of climbing. 3 AAA points

 

[T-D]

not surprised you bonked satans budgie - if you went over the lecht then chapeau to you for completing it in the time frame !

3000m - sounds like a lot given the snow roads is only 4800 hmmm but ill take 3000 if you insist !

 

[ACS]

not surprised you bonked satans budgie - if you went over the lecht then chapeau to you for completing it in the time frame !

3000m - sounds like a lot given the snow roads is only 4800 hmmm but ill take 3000 if you insist !

Audax Calendar gives the climb for the event as 3105m, so that offical .

 

[HLaB]

Audax Calendar gives the climb for the event as 3105m, so that offical .

3105m in slightl less than 200km folks

 

[T-D]

makes me feel slightly better about climbing the cairn in my 30 tooth at the front for the first time ever in 6 years of riding it!