Pitlochry Ride Report: Type 2 Fun. Maybe.

It’s been awhile since I’ve been out on a decent weekend ride.  And after this weekend’s mini-epic at Pitlochry part of me still thinks that’s the case!  Definitely a case of Type 2 Fun and as Tom pointed it, verging on Type 3 fun.

There’s no business like snow business!

Myself and Grant met up with Tom and Nigel up at Escape Route Bikes in Pitlochry and after a little bit too much faff we left about 10:30am and headed off to do the Loch Bhac route.  Tom kindly agreed to retrace his steps from the previous week having ridden it in crispier and grippier conditions.   We had the lochside & riverside trails out of Pitlochry mainly to ourselves and got warmed up with a brisk pace along to Garry Bridge.  Nigel bade us farewell at this point (sensibly) opting to stay close to town and the coffee machines while we decided to push on with the ride.  We took in some more riverside views along very secluded trails while taking in the views and debating the merits of blue cheese inside mince pies.  The refuelling stop overlooking the River Tummel was definitely still firmly in Type 1 fun territory.

The forecast had been for cold, mainly dry conditions but we had the odd blustery shower blow past and the constant cold wind meant keeping riding to stay warm.  Well, that would be a plan until I broke my already pretty knackered chain.  By this point we were heading up a glen along an icy fireroad trying to find any part of the track with grip.  It wasn’t until we were up to the farm gate and the forest before you could ease up on the high level of concentration and look behind to take in the wide expanse of winter scenery that had quietly opened up behind us.  Still definitely Type 1 fun so far (although Grant wasn’t so fussed about the icy trails!)

Wintery View

From here on things got interesting and started to change from Type 1 into Type 2 fun.  The fireroad was covered in the slipperiest snow known to man.  There was slightly better grip off to the sides or down the centreline but anywhere on the compacted slush of the Landrover tracks was practically unrideable.  The bike would suddenly lose grip and wash out from the front or the rear.  What should’ve been a gentle fireroad bimble up through the forest became a real slog and a bit of a hike in places.  Even after the road turned downhill after the stone circle pitstop the riding was hard work – mentally and physically.  You were working hard to keep the bike moving forwards and preventing it from losing traction.  After what seemed like an age we reached Loch Bhac and caught glimpses of distant mountains lit up in oranges and pinks which served as a reminder that the light was fading for the day and we still had the open moorland section to negotiate!  Getting into Type 2 Fun now.

Perthshire Mountains In The Fading Light

We headed out onto the open moorland and plodded through a mix of snowy, slushy, wet, frozen and muddy conditions.  The super-narrow singletrack was hard to follow through the snowy conditions but eventually the path started to widen.  The downside was we were now crashing through the icy surface of a frozen stream with deep puddles of bitterly cold water.  On the upside, the valley containing the A9 and Blair Atholl was getting into sight.  By the time we were back onto farm tracks Type 2 fun was well and truly upon us.  Frozen, waterlogged feet, and emergency Snickers/tablet being devoured.  Like a rubber stamp to confirm Type 2 Fun we had a bleak ride into a headwind, just off the A9 while the light was fading before we were up at Bruar to hook up with the B road back to Pitlochry.

The Dry Bit Of The Trail

From now on, for me at least, it was a personal battle over frozen feet, an empty Camelbak, a rumbling stomach and a failing bike to make it back to Pitlochry to salvage a small amount of enjoyment from what was becoming a Type 3 Fun ride.  Tom’s suggestion of some food back in town was just the ticket to keep me going.  After what seemed like a lifetime of pedalling we made it back to the cars in the dark.  It’s amazing how a change of clothes and fish supper can lift your spirits!

Although the conditions were tough the company was great (as usual) and I’m glad to have finally ticked off the Loch Bhac route from my to-do list.  Next time the re-match will be in better weather and with a better chain on the bike.  Cheers to Tom, Grant & Nigel for making the trek to Pitlochry.  Roll on more winter rides (with less Type 2 fun though!).

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2 Comments

  1. I’m already looking back on it quite fondly, which I suppose puts it in the type 2 category. That said, it did take about 4 hours for the numbness in my little toe to disappear.

    Definitely want to go back and try this route in early Spring or Autumn.

    Lesson learnt: Always take a front light on a Winter away ride.

  2. Yeah it was a good ride (mostly in retrospect!). For those not familiar, the Fun Scale is as follows:

    Type I – Stuff that’s fun while you’re doing it and afterwards. Like riding swoopy woodland singletrack on a summers day or drinking with a group of good friends on a beach around a fire.

    Type II – Stuff that isn’t fun while your doing it, usually involving some degree of misery or suffering. However, afterwards you look back on it and feel good for having done it. Most racing falls into this category, as would miserable cold icey winter’s bike rides (see above).

    Type III – Stuff that is neither fun whilst you’re doing it or in retrospect. It’s pure distilled misery with sprinkles on top. It is the sort of thing you will tell people about in the pub for years to come, and frequently involves the emergency services. Some people argue that Type III doesn’t exist, as it’s not fun at all. Although very often activities descend from Type I fun to Type II/III.

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