Submitted by webmaster on Fri, 06/07/2007 - 3:04pm
Posted in
Given that I heard from a rider we went past on Arran the other week... this week I get a mail from a chap after advice / insite / sympathy - they are doing the three peaks by bike, end of August, six days (ouf!), and North to South.
"I was delighted to find your website and read about your 3 Peaks on bikes challenge because me and three friends are planning to do the same thing in August. I was wondering if one of your team could give us some advice from those who have been there, done that?
We are all reasonably experienced walkers having done a number of 3 Peaks plus the Welsh 3000 last year. The thing is we are certainly not experienced cyclists. Our route is more like 70 miles per day rather than your 100 miles a day as I think we are a bit fat and soft for that J
If you want to see a bit more about our charity etc., we have a Just Giving page at www.justgiving.com/bikepeaksforfun
It would really, really help us if you could offer any advice to alleviate some of the major mishaps we are going to face."
So chaps and chapesse. For those who went through it - and those wishing to mock / advise please feel free to share your thoughts here.
"If I was doing it again...." Discuss:
3 peaks by bike
Right firstly Turn around because despite the heckling you may get from sceptical mates the WIND BLOWS YOU UP NORTH!correct everyone? 500 miles of headwind is no fun!
secondly carry your valuables because some scummers don't care what charity you are doing it for!
thirdly get a compact or a triple on your bikes...you will need it !(or plan a flatter route without 1in3's!)
ideally don't share double beds, especially after an Indian!
Walking poles are great for tripping up and amusing your mates! team with dark glasses, and hum Stevie Wonder songs for best effect!
Karate kid headbands keep the sweat out of your eyes..apparently
delegate route planning to one person...and tell the rest to shut up!
ride at the pace of the slowest unless this involves absorbing calories from the air,single figure heartrates or falling over sideways!
run down the mountains (best bit!)
walk to Seathwaite after Sca Fell saves you 30 miles ish!
Take a bunch of drunks with you for great evenings!
A mountain leader is handy..just make sure he knows his way!
have Fun!
it was a great experience that I would gladly do again!
My offerings
I have already mailed the chap - but:
Six days as you are planning is going to be HARSH. Some of the shorter days took more out of me than the long ones.
I don't walk anywhere, but ride a fair amount; the riding was harder than the walking.
Eat, eat, eat, and carry indigestion tablets.
Make time for the distillery on Arran since there are no facilities waiting for the ferry off.
"It is a concrete seal."
Lake District have MONSTER gradients, even by Welsh standards. Compact. 34x27 when knackered is still harsh.
Choose a week where it doesn't rain and you have no, or tail winds.
Big repellent if you are riding slowly enough up hills for them to land on you in Scotland.
Try and ensure bed and breakfast includes one if not both of the clues in the name.
Beer in Wasdale Head Inn is lovely but strong, as close as it gets to Scafell. The drying room should be treated with respect.
Its flat from Oban to Fort William.
Gretna is nicer than Longtown.
Check your insurance before you go.
Reply from the brave souls
After much concern that I / we had put them off - I got a reply today:
"Hi Antony,
Sorry for the slow reply. A combination of having moved house, rewired
it and restored the floors in the last four weeks with the missus
breathing heavily down my neck. Well, that and sh*tting myself about
the challenge after your emails!!!
I'm joking - very helpful although very worrying. It certainly has
highlighted a number of things we haven't done:
1. A practice ride
2. Training
Those would be the top two elements :-) Funnily enough, we aren't
worried too much about the walking as we have all done some 3 peaks
before. It's the riding that is the problem.
Our plan is to do about 75 miles per day and 30-35 on climbing days. We
start on 25/8 at Snowdon, then cycle to Conwy in the afternoon. Next
day we cycle to Golborne and then Monday to Bowness. Tuesday we climb
Scafell, then cycle to Dumfries. After that it is the drag up to Ben
Nevis, so Paisley the next day, then Loch Nah-Achlaise, then Fort
William.
One thing we are doing which will make things easier is taking turns to
drive the support vehicle (a grand name for a Volvo estate with all our
gear in). Basically each half day one of the team drives and the other
three cycle meaning every second day each rider has a half day break.
We thought that might help and also saves us needing a dedicated driver.
It also means we have a vehicle in case of injury, problems etc.
All your points about things like midge repellent are great. I am going
to note each and every one and follow it to the letter! Any more
gotchas like that? You are probably realising that we are complete
novices here and are probably going to see our backsides big time, but
hey - we will push on!
Where abouts are you guys based? We will be in Llanberis on Friday 24th
Aug and then on the route Saturday. It would be great to meet up -
maybe pints on the Friday or Saturday night or lunch on the Saturday?
Again, sorry for the slow response but the electrics are working
distinctly better in my flat now :-)
Hope to see you in a couple of weeks,
J.
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