A Long Time In The Shed

After the last writings I have not even had the wheels back on my bike, this might go some way to confirming that the Strathpuffer 24 was indeed the hardest race in the World, so much so that even the thought of a 'wee ride' was right out of the question.
I have spent my summer months playing with my new toy...the sea.
Skimboarding (Google it if you don't now) and sailing have been my main distractions, but yesterday it all changed.
Moving the dusty bottles and gardening tools out of the way, I pulled the bikes of the wall mounted rack to asses the damage/rust/flat tyres etc.
After a bit of tinkering, a new tube in the rear and a good dose of GT85, we were ready to rock and roll.
Spinning down the main street of the village, I followed the coastal path for a few miles.
Passing by the old tank traps and look out posts at Dumbarnie Links, the sun was blazing down and the 'wind' was truly 'in my hair'. Accompanying the huge grin on my face my sunglasses and Buff were enjoying the kind of freedom they had not experienced for some months.
On to Elie, to the beach, where I snatched a few lazy moments in the sun, along with a drink and a snack before setting off back.
The return journey was made on the 'black stuff', which wasn't too bad but for a few over zealous ' White Van Men' cutting in on the corners, but that's the usual for any road isn't it?
Somehow getting out the 'old steed' just as the night are getting darker does seem a bit stupid but hey, I never did anything in the conventional way.
I'm off to shake the sand from my shoes...more soon.....

Tony Haresign
Mountain Biking Scotland
"Get Out of the Woods!"

The Hardest Race In The World - The Strathpuffer - Part 3

And they are off.......
The real racers set off at and alarming pace with Dougie Vipond somewhere in the middle, with a cameraman following close by his side.
Ross was jogging happily at the near the back, smiling away.
Picking up this bike he set off up the steep fireroad climb, which was all covered in inch thick ice after the first 600 yards.
I headed to the catering, which was in one of the farmers sheds, hastily cleaned out due to the high winds and flooding. Grabbing a cup of tea I headed back to the tent to get the bike ready and stuff down half a bar of chocolate and a few chocolate digestives, obviously for energy reasons.
Trekking down the mud slide entrance to the start/finish to get a few shots of my partner coming home from his first lap.
Flying down the down the ice riddled fireroad about 45 ish minutes came the first load of riders, many of them just dibbing in and going straight out for another lap. There was a steady stream of competitors rolling in over the next 45 minutes with some of them looking ready for going straight to the 'recovery center' for a beer, other why they came but most were grinning ear to ear despite the course being 80% ice and 20% 4 inch mud.
Ross came around with the same grin on his face covered in mud (pictured here) and describing the first loop as ICE! ICE! MUD AND MORE ICE!...mmmmm very encouraging.
Handing him the camera to take a shot of me setting of I to wondered why I was here??..

Tony Haresign
Mountain Biking Scotland
"Get Out of the Woods!"

The Hardest Race In The World - The Strathpuffer - Part 2

Bleary eyed, and rubbing my head due to the 'few beers' from the night before Team MountainBikingScotland.com strolled down to the Square Wheels bike shop to hear the announcement, on whether the event would go ahead or not.
With hats, gloves and warm jackets up to the max we were promptly told that it would go ahead but must park where the organiser say and not to park in ' any random places' as it was likely we would get stuck in the ever softening ground.
After returning to the hotel and wolfing down as much 'Scottish Breakfast' as possible we set off to the site with Ross riding up. I took the Team Van with all the supplies and on reaching the turn off and slowly winding down a wide-ish footpath, realised that there may be trouble ahead.
Ross returned from the 'recce' to inform me that the organisers had said 'once you are on, you are on' (the camping field). What did they mean?? As I moved around the corner I saw to my amusement a 45K 4x4 Mercedes being dragged onto the field by a tractor!!! At this point I was looking/wishing/hoping for alternative parking.
Ross scooted off to sign on has he was up for the first lap (so I could take photos) and I was still stuck in the queue waiting to get parked.
Managing to find a space right at the bottom of there hard-pack road, I dumped loads of the gear at the top of the hill and cycled as fast as I could laden with equipment to the sign on, got my 'dibber' and numbers and rushed to the starting line, for the 100 meter sprint to the bikes, and the first lap....
Tony Haresign
Mountain Biking Scotland
"Get Out of the Woods!"

The Hardest Race In The World - The Strathpuffer

THE TRIP & TALES
As we loaded up the MountainBikingScotland.com Team Van (my wife's Scenic with the back seats out) our anticipation and excitement of the road trip ahead was hard to contain.
As usual I had packed 2 0f everything and a spare one just in case, filling more than half of the space in the boot, whereas Ross had 3 bags and a sleeping bag for the whole trip.

We wound our way North past Perth and onwards as the wind blew harder and all around us was getting colder, snowier and icier!! Was this the shape of things to come?
After two and a half hours of pointing in a Northerly we pulled into the Ralia Cafe on the A9 for a bowl of the best tomato soup I have tasted in ages and a double shot 'milky one' to set us up for the final furlong.

Dingwall was passed and onto Strathpeffer to the Ben Wyvis Hotel where after checking in and heading to the bar we heard the rumour that due to the high winds the campsite was closed and that the registration had moved to the Community Center. After a beer or two we dashed up but found it closed, so we got back to the bar as quick as we could to hear the tale that there would be an announcement at 7am out side the Square Wheels shop.
Find out what happened tomorrow.....

Tony Haresign
Mountain Biking Scotland
"Get Out of the Woods!"

Scottish Champion Cyclist Dies In Road Accident

Jason MacIntyre, who broke cycling legend and fellow Scot Graham Obree's 10 mile time trial record last year, died in hospital from injuries he suffered during the collision with a Highland Council van, near his home town of Fort William.
Jason, 33, was a triple British and multi Scottish champion road and time trial cyclist.
He lived in Fort William with his wife and eight-year-old twin girls.

The athlete was looking forward to the new season, writing on New Year's Day on his on-line blog: 'Having made it through Christmas and now New Year, all be it overfed and over weight, I'm looking forward to January and a 2008 to see what it brings.'
He was born in Lochgilphead but had lived in Fort William since the age of 10.
He trained and finished his time as a printer and lithographer at Nevis Print in Fort William.
His entry to the sport came late, taking to the road at age 18. Since then, coaching himself, he had gradually progressed, winning the Tour of the North in Ireland at the age of 23.
He achieved selection to represent Scotland - in the Road Race & Circuit Time Trial - in the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.
The cyclist won the British 25 mile Time Trial twice and was the first Scot ever to win the British Circuit race Time Trial Championship.
Last year Jason broke Obree's 10 mile time trial record, clocking 18 minutes and 47 seconds.
Image by Ian MacIntosh at Imac Images

Tony Haresign
Mountain Biking Scotland
"Get Out of the Woods!"

New Video Site Partner

We have teamed up with The Review Junction to supply an exclusive page for us of Mountain Biking in Scotland videos.
Check it out here.

Tony Haresign
Mountain Biking Scotland
"Get Out of the Woods!"

The Strathpuffer 24

Another year over and time for more New Year madnesses in the the shape of the Strathpuffer 24 hour Mountain Bike Race.

This is the only 24 hour race in the World in Winter conditions...and MountainBikingScotland.com will be there as a Duo/Pair/Couple of Loonies (delete as applicable.)

Since we missed it last year due to injury and laziness we will be going full tilt to have as much fun as possible, get as muddy as possible and hopefully be able to make it home in one or two pieces.

My riding partner for this event is my long time 'bike buddy' Ross J Aitken, also a photographer and former courier (come on out of the saddle lad!!)
He will be in charge of editing and uploading images from the event and I will be updating the site throughout the night, keeping you amused with our progress, or lack of it.

We have a couple of tents to use as Base Camp, but as back up have booked a hotel in the village of Strathpeffer just in case (we get tired/cold/fed up/want to kill each other!!)
Keep a eye on the site for up to the minute news and pictures.

Tony Haresign
Mountain Biking Scotland
"Get Out of the Woods!"