Anyone up for getting a team together for the Strathpuffer 24 this winter? There are Solo/Pairs and Quads categories.

If you haven’t done it before then this is the perfect time. You either do it once and never again or you do them all.

The weather is always the biggest challange, past 3 years it has been nearly called off due to snow and ice.

The blurb from their site.

A wee bit of history

The Strathpuffer started in 2005 – it was meant to be a one off local event but somehow six years later we have a national event with a legendary status

Over the years we have had every possible type of weather conditions – gales that blew away our marquee, iced roads, 2ft of snow the week before the event, temperatures down to minus 10 degrees, rain, hail and even sunshine . . . . you get the picture but then if we insist on staging a 24 hour event in the Highlands of Scotland in the middle of winter what do we expect?

We now attract competitors from all over the world – probably because we were included in the US Bike magazines top 10 toughest Mountain Bike events on the planet – and we are widely recognised as the event every decent mountain biker needs on his palmares

In 2009 we launched The Puffer Lite to give riders chance to enjoy the wonderful trails we have around here in summer conditions. The Lite is a far more chilled affair being only a 12 hour sprint in conditions more conducive to cycling than those normally experienced in January. We have found that riders lap on average 10 mins quicker in the Puffer Lite than in the Strathpuffer.

Registration opens on 5th November and fills up very quickly. Solos were full in 8 minutes last year.

So get your name down.  and lets get a team together.

Alan

If anyone is interested in attending both shows, I have a promotional code that can be used to discount the entry ticket.  They are running simultaneously in the SECC in Glasgow on the 15th & 16th October.

http://www.scottishoutdoorsshow.co.uk/

Click on the link or phone 0844 395 400 to book tickets and quote “outdoors11cycle”.

You’ll get the ticket for only £9, as well as the following: A free ski pass to one of the Scottish Ski resorts – Cairngorm, Glencoe or Nevis Range (worth £30).  A free ski & outdoors goody bag (worth £10).

I might see you there – depending on the weekend weather;-)

Cheers

Barry

Hi all,

My apologies to everyone who’s received a spam email from me within the last 24hrs. Some wan**er, has accessed my personal hotmail account. If I have your email address you’ve probably received one. I know for certain that there’s been a few sent through the club email.

The bonus is that I can see what’s been sent and all of them are prompting you to click on a link. Please ignore this!!! and just delete the shit!!!

I have changed my password, but if anyone has had experience of this and has a fix, please let me know as the Microsoft hotmail account is very vague when it comes to dealing with this.

Cheers & sorry for the inconvenience.

Barry

Soaked before we’d even loaded the bikes onto the carrier.  It wasn’t looking the best of weathers to be heading up to Glencoe but Chris was determined to be enthusiastic.  Despite mine and Al’s best efforts, come 10am, seven hardy souls were standing kitted out in rain jackets, surveying the climb up the Devil’s staircase.   Me, Chris, Al, Elaine, Gareth, Gav and Andy, who was out for a parting ride before heading back to Oz. 

A long day of technical riding lay ahead, starting with a push up the Devil’s staircase then a puncture ridden ride down towards Kinlochleven, turning right along the landrover track to reach the dam.  There we stopped for lunch and (as far as I could see) to entirely rebuild Al’s bike, thanking Gav for carrying spare cables (as you do).   Apparently we’d only gone 12km by that point, it took at least 3hr.

Then it was down the Ciaran path. I think it’s meant for stronger riders than me so really I’m just glad I got out alive.  Less of a river than expected (it helps when you’re prepared for the very worst) and actually a really pretty route so I’m glad I went, even if it meant a bit of walking. More punctures.  Quick cake stop in Kinlochleven.  Then up the longest hill in the world to get to, oh yes, more hill except this time rockier.  So from then it was a push / ride combo all the way up the West Highland way again, pausing only for Andy to ride off a slimy cliff (deliberately) then for Chris’s bike to fall apart (not deliberately).  By the time we got back to the car in Glencoe, Al had bent his rotor and was bike-carrying alongside Chris.  They may have missed out on a great descent but at least we all got a great dinner in the Drovers.

Anyone else racing at Irvine? I plan to head down about 9.30 from Glasgow, may have family in tow to cheer or hurl abuse at me, although weather not looking great for a day standing at the beach, so could have to go without support! Should be a good race though, hope to see some GMBC jerseys there 🙂