Bealach na Ba, Part 1. My ride tomorrow: (I know that's not normally the way it's done, but there is method in my madness).
When I build myself up to meet a challenge - a really
big challenge, my way of making sure I rise to it is to blab to all and sundry about what I'm going to do - to the point when it is impossible to back down. I did that when I climbed my first Alp last year, and I did it on this forum before taking on a ridiculously steep little tourist road up to a mountain-top fortress in Languedoc earlier this year. Both times it worked. (2 for 2).
At the risk of boring people, I've already previously mentioned that I was going to take on Bealach na Ba this year. As a car driver, this is my very favourite road in the UK, and the closest thing I have found to an Alpine pass this side of the Channel. It's the longest climb you can do in the UK, rising from sea level, by the side of Loch Kishorn to an altitude of 625 metres at the top with amazing views of the islands of Skye and Raasay. It seems to be about 5 to 6 miles long, depending upon where you measure from - and to. Last time I came up this way for a holiday, I was thinking hopefully of taking on the Bealach, (a.k.a the "Pass of the Cattle"), but when push came to shove, I dipped out shamefully. It had been raining a bit for a few days previously and, after a successful climb of the nearby Mam Ratagan Pass, I had very recently scared myself rigid coming back downhill with wet brakes . Seeing the enormous long descent with no crash barriers on the Bealach spooked me, and I bottled it. (Mrs Donger and I did a reccie by car today, and this picture gives you an idea of
why I didn't fancy coming down with no brakes).
So, for tomorrow.... I've set the alarm for 7.30 and prepared the bike and my drinks and gels for tomorrow morning. I've told all of my relatives, friends, work colleagues, and now all of you on Cyclechat that I'm going to do it. There is simply no backing down now. Spare a thought for me, if not when screaming my way back down afterwards, then as I grind my way grimly up this at about 9:00 with my thighs bursting, totally out of breath, and with my backside feeling like I've fallen on an anvil:
I'll be hoping not to have to stop too often, but that rather depends upon the amount of traffic, as it is a single track with passing places. I was hoping to be the first 20 stone bloke to cycle up this, but an earlier poster said that "Big Jase" had already done it. Don't you just hate Big Jase?
Oh well. I'll let you know how I get on. Smug gloating or humble pie? Which is it to be? Place your bets.
Cheers,
Donger.
