West coast tour: after thoughts

What worked and what would I do differently next time?

Next time I'd definitely think about going with someone else.  It was good going alone, setting my own pace, deciding where I wanted to go each day and when I wanted to stop etc, but it would have been nice to have someone there to experience it too and talk to.

The route was excellent.  I found 60-80mile days were pretty good, but also nice to have a 35miler in too, to have an easy day.  Using the ferries was brilliant.  Bikes go free, and they have to be one of the best bargains going - crossing cost between £4-£12 as a passenger.  A 5hour crossing from Oban to Barra costs £11!

Camping: I found it relatively easy to find places to wild camp all over the west coast.  There is very little in the way of proper camp sites on the Western Isles, so just as well its easy to wild camp.  Getting fresh reliable drinking water I found a little tricky.  Most public WC, village halls etc have an outdoor tap.  I guess you need to use your judgement on whether you trust the water coming out of the tap to be drinkable.  Doing long miles on the bike its essential to drink plenty though.  I found I needed minimum of 3.5litres for my evening meal, hot drinks and breakfast.  During the day I'd drink Lucozade, coffee and water on top of that.

The tent I took - a Wild Country Aspect 1 was one of the larger 1 man tents I saw.  I was lucky with the weather and could sit out every night to cook and organise my kit.  If it had been poor weather I think I would have wanted a larger tent, or would have been making use of some of the hostels and bunkhouses  Taking a slightly heavier, larger 2man tent (3-4kg) probably wouldn't have been a problem.

Kit:
Of the kit I took everything worked pretty well.  I didn't have any major problems, and there was very little that I took that I didn't need nor stuff I didn't take that I required.

Charging electrical gadgets: I took a Blackberry, Garmin, and an old Sony Eriksson mobile.  I took a PowerMonkey Explorer, which I had as an old Xmas present to charge them.  Its basically a fancy rechargable battery with a variety of plugs to fit different devices.  The Blackberry wouldn't charge off the PowerMonkey, but I found I could find a 3pin socket on most ferries and a 45min-1hour crossing was enough to get the BB full.  The Garmin ran for 3 or 4 days without needing a charge, and I was then able to top it up from the PowerMonkey.  I used the Sony Eriksson mobile to avoid running down the BB battery - Sony Eriksson would run for days where as the BB doesn't.  I tried charging the BB in cafes, but I didnt find that very effective!

Stuff I took that I didn't use:
Waterproofs: I only wore my waterproof jacket on the last day and didn't take the over trousers out of the pannier.  I wouldn't go without them though!
Pump: I bought a new pump especially for the trip, and didn't need it.  I used it once to check the pressure in my front tyre but had difficulty attaching it to the valve and it let the tyre down!  I got it pumped back up, but didn't attempt to use it again.  I checked the pressure each day by hand and the tyres stayed firm.  Again I wouldn't go without one.  I was perhaps lucky not to get any punctures, but I think the Conti Gatorskin tyres are excellent and stood up well to gravel roads, heavy load, bumping across fields etc.
Book: Didn't really read it! Infact I swapped the one i'd brought in a tea room on Bernaray for a different one.  Next time I'll not take one at all.  I found there was more than enough to keep me busy.  I guess if the weather had been bad and I'd been in the tent more I might have read more.
Clothing: I lost a long sleeve base layer on day 2 - took it off because I was too hot and forgot to pack it.  Didn't miss it for the rest of the trip though.  I packed 2 of these so the one I had left was enough.  I worn the same bibshorts and s/s road jersey every day.  I washed them out most days and was able to hang them out and they'd be dry for the next day.  I had spares but didnt really wear them.  I took a down jacket and a fleece gilet.  I suppose I could have left the gilet at home and just brought the jacket, but it is pretty light and nice to wear.

Stuff that was really good:
Therma-rest chair: you inflate your therma-rest and fit it into the fabric holder and it makes you a comfy chair with a back rest.  It weighs next to nothing, and I packed it in alongside my tent poles. 5star
Garmin Edge 705: Before the tour I'd not used the mapping or routing functions on this much, but got plenty use out of it last week.  The maps I downloaded free (google OpenStreetMap), and they were fit for purpose.  The routing is a bit lame, but you can get it to do the job.  I'm not sure if the routing and ETA functions are better if you purchase the expensive OS mapping software, but the free maps I got did the job.  I found it essential for keeping track of distance to destination, average speed and so on.
Trangia stove with gas adapter:  Its a bit of kit I've had for years, but it once again was outstanding as one of the best items I took with me.  I wasn't sure I'd have enough gas, but the Primus 1kg(I think?) bottle I took was plenty, doing hot breakfast and dinner, plus a hot drink at lunch for 7 days, and still not empty.  Quick to set-up and boil, just brilliant!  I took a Thermos mug with a lid and that was a great idea as the lid helps if you knock it over and it keeps your drink warm for ages.
Ortleib Roller Panniers: Do exactly what you want them to do.  Keep your kit securely attached to the bike, easy to attach and remove, spacious, waterproof.  I packed 3 of them crammed full with stuff I wouldn't need access to during the day, and the fourth I kept semi full with a camera, food, extra clothes that I'd need during rides, plus my food.  They do act like a bit of a bucket with the item you want seemingly always right at the bottom, but I got better at packing them.  It took me a while to work out to always pack the one I'd need access to on the right hand side of the bike, as I found I inevitably stopped the bike and leant it on something on the lefthand panniers, making them hard to access.  Bungee cord on the rack was handy for securing extra bits and bobs (water etc)
Giant TCX: Ran without problems or any adjustment for over 400miles.  Lots of admiring looks from other riders!  I gave it a good service before setting off, and made sure the chain was well lubed.  The wheels (my winter training wheels, handbuilt by Mark Leadbetter - Mavic CXP22 on Tiagra) were comfortable and reliable and capable of taking me riding out of the saddle with the bike fully ladden.

Packing

Having decided  pretty much what I need to take on tour I thought I'd better check it all fits in and the bike still moves.  I'm pleased to say it does fit! with a bit of room to spare (although the spare space will be filled with food when the time comes).  The bike still moves as well, infact I am quite pleased following the very short test I have done with how the bike rides.  Its obviously heavy, but I can certainly ride it up decent gradients, and along the flat it rolls fine.  I loaded the front panniers with a good amount of heavy kit to balance the larger volume of kit that will be mounted on the rear.  I found this works pretty well, and provided I'm going in a straight line and the surface is good I could actually ride no handed which was a bit of a surprise.  Might seem like a daft thing to be doing, but its pretty handy being able to remove a gilet, or get a snack from your back pocket without having to come to a stand still.  The Continental gator-skin 28mm tyres I've got fitted are just a new pair replacing what I've been riding on all winter.  I find they're pretty good for comfort, soaking up bad surface well, and super durable.

Since the weather was great today I took the opportunity this afternoon to have a go pitching my new tent in the garden.  Its a Wild Country Aspect 1 (made by Terra Nova).  Being a one man tent it's obviously compact, but I think the size is good compared to other lightweight backpacking tents on the market.  It pitches outer first, with the inner already clipped in, and its up in about 5 mins, with another 5 mins faffing to get the guys set right.  There's guys at either end you cross over which provide a lot of extra stability, so once its up and pitched properly its really solid.  I was pretty pleased to find inside its really cosy and there is a reasonable amount of porch space, certainly enough room to cook, although there's not going to be a huge amount of room for storing kit.  Its also good for head room, as the picture shows, you can easily sit up anywhere inside it.  Packed away its fairly compact although quite long, but it fits on top of the rear rack with a bungee cord no problem.

Tomorrow is quite a big day cycling wise as well.  We've got round two of the Super6 Road Race series through at Helensburgh, and the Tour of Flanders to watch on the telly later on!  I should probably be more focused on tomorrows road race and less on preparing for my cycle tour, but to be fair, the preparation for the race is already done and its too late now to be worrying about whether I've done enough.  I've been training harder than ever before in the last month, and I feel like I'm starting to get to where I'd like to be fitness wise.  At the same time though the competition tomorrow is really strong, and everyone seems to be going well at the moment.  So once again I'm not sure what to expect results wise, but this time I am looking forward to the race.  The course is certainly one I relish riding and its good to race good competition.

Tour of Flanders looks like a fore-gone-conclusion.  A 260km grand circuit of Belgium taking in numerous cobbled climbs, its one of my favourite classics, and it looks very much like Fabian Cancellara will romp away in the last 50K once again.  It will be exciting viewing never the less!  Who knows maybe Tom Bonnen, or Slyain Chavanel can cause an upset.

Western Isles Tour Kit

4 weeks today the big Tour starts.  William and Kate(!) will be getting hitched, and I'll be making the most of my free day off work to head West for a new adventure.  Hopefully going cycle camping touring on the western isles at the start of May won't be too early in the season and the weather will be ok.  This weeks weather has provided a good reminder of how wet and windy it can be in Scotland, even in landlocked Stirling.  The thought of several days staying in a tent in the weather we've had this week isn't particularly inspiring, however it has prompted me to have a good look at my kit list and think about what I need to keep warm and comfortable.


Since deciding last year this was something I wanted to do I've been slowly accumulating the kit I think I'll need.  As posted before I already have a Giant TCX which I'll ride.  I've just given it a good service - its had new cables all round, a new chain and cassette in the last 2 months, and the wheels have been looked at too.  Only slightly dodgy part is the bottom bracket which is going to need replaced, but I think has a few thousand more miles in it yet.  I've fitted it with a freebie rear rack I'd got from Ian a while ago, and a Tubus Tara front rack I got 2nd hand off ebay.  Xmas and birthdays provided the Ortleib Roller panniers I'll be taking.  They're basically like dry bags that attach to the racks.  Once adjusted properly they're really secure and hopefully won't rattle too much and drive me nuts!

Clothing wise I've already got a huge amount of cycle clothing, so the problem is just deciding what to take. Hats, and waterproofs are obvious.  I'll probably go with 2 pairs of gloves (short and long finger), arm warmer and knee warmers to go with short sleeve jerseys and bibshorts, rather than taking tights and long jerseys.  Gilet, few pairs of socks, buff, and a pair of MTB shoes will cover bike wear.  Off the bike I've got a pair of Craphopper trousers, and Altura shorts that are water repelant and quick drying.  I think I'll avoid taking any cotton gear, and just take a couple of Lifa vests and a Mountain Hardware down gilet for on top.  How many pairs of boxers?  Given I'll be wearing cycling shorts a lot I think I'll probably just go for 3 pairs!  Last thing is a pair of light weight Addidas running shoes.  I've gone for these as they weigh bugger all, will dry really fast as they're basically a mesh upper, and they've good grip for any walking i might do.

Camping and cooking gear is a tricky one.  Obvious stuff is tent: I bought a Wild Coutry Aspect 1 in the sale (£75) weighing 2kg and has plenty room.  Sleeping bag I'm taking my Alpkit down bag, and Therma-rest 3/4 mat.  I've been debating buying a Therma-rest trekker chair which allows you to convert a mat into a seat with a back. £25 online, if i've spare cash later in the month I might still get one.  After looking at stoves a while ago I've decided to just go with the Trangia I've already got.  Its just the basic one, but I got a gas adapter for it a couple of years back which is brilliant.  I've just ordered a 'Light My Fire' meal set (compact spork, plate, bowl etc) and lighting flint. As well as this theres some washing up gear and swiss army knife.

Food wise I hope to cook most of my meals myself with the odd cafe lunch.  Buying most stuff en-route and hopefully saving some weight, I'll still start with some basics needed for any meal and top up where possible.  On top of that theres all the other gubbins that is needed - repair stuff for the bike (tools, spares etc), and luxuries(!) like a camera, phone, garmin (how do I charge these?!), book, maps, etc.  And not forgetting the wet wipes.....

Hopefully all this will fit in the panniers and I'll still be able to pedal the bike - I'll be trying this out in the next few days, so might post a picy.  I'm pretty confident the panniers will provide ample room, I think one problem is the more space you have the more stuff you take!  Who knows, maybe i'll not have room and need to chop some of the clothing off my list!  Pedalling up hill fully loaded will certainly be a test, as the TCX only has a compact double, so my crawler gear ratio is a 34/25, rather than what tourers probably often have which is a 30/27.  Hopefully I've got enough power in my legs to overcome this!!! well see.  Next post I'll do a route preview

Training, training, training

Having had a few problems recently fitting much training in, this week I've been busy trying to find a bit extra.  I've bit the bullet and started doing some intervals since I've not been doing anything like that up till now.  Basically i've been doing hill reps - riding repeatedly up the same local climb.

This week i've mainly been going up the Back o'Hill by Stirling Castle.  So starting at the bottom by the fire station roundabout i time the climb from the lamp post at the bottom to the lamp post by the entrance to the grave yard where it flattens out.  The climb is a steady 10%+ with the upper section 15%+ (Garmin gives gradient stats!).  Its about 0.4 of a mile and the elevation gain is about 170ft.  I did it a few times last year when I was going pretty well so had an idea what time I should be getting up in.  First session this year I was well off the pace, although to be fair the climb was covered in sleet and barely ridable.  Todays session was a huge improvement though.  Times are almost up there with last year, and I managed 8 reps without collapsing!  8 reps all under 2mins, and best times last year were around 1.50ish

Other climb I use quite a bit is the Logie Kirk climb up to Sherrifmuir.  Although I ride the climb several times a week going to and from work, I've only managed one interval session up it this year.  The climb is a lot longer, taking almost 5 minutes, and its significantly steeper for longer.  This one I start by the telegraph pole at the graveyard entrance, and finish at the road junction.  6 reps of it and you're done!  Best times on the Logie Kirk last year were around 4.30, so maybe need to do a proper session up there next week.

The training is giving my old Trek 1000 a bit of a battering, but its still going well.  The new wheels from Dave Hinde seem really good.  They're pretty standard training wheels - Mavic Open Sport on Tiagra hubs.  I gave them a wee true up myself after their first few hundred miles, and they seem really solid.  32 spokes mean truing is possible for a novice like me and costing £100 delivered I think they're great value.  The bike is going well, although without mud guards its pretty manky!  Pic at the top taken at the top of Sherrifmuir this afternoon.

This weekend theres the Dick Londragon RR on Sunday, and hopefully I'll be going a bit better than the Super6 at Gifford!  Its a great wee circuit and hopefully the weather will be good again.  Not going with any great expectations as I'm still kind of unsure of my form, but hopefully i'll get round without suffering to much.

Garmin, and boilers

The last week has been totally bloody awful.  Last Monday we had a contractor from British Gas come out to fit a new boiler to our house.  The job was supposed to take two days, and be relatively hassle free.  Other than having to lift the floor in the downstairs WC, it was supposed to be easy.... it obviously wasn't!  On getting home on Tuesday expecting everything to be finished, the contractor informed me that the new Baxi boiler had a fault with it and wouldnt start up.  The earliest someone from the manufacturer could make it out to fix the fault was Thursday.  So thats four days with no central heating!  Snow on the ground outside, 8C in the house.  The guy that came out on Thursday got the boiler working, but on Friday Laura got home from work to discover a pipe was leaking in the dinning area and water was dripping from the light fitting.  Someone from the gas company came out at about 22.30 on Friday, but advised he was unable to sort the problem and it would need resolved by the installation team on Monday.  So we've had water dripping from the ceiling into a pan all weekend! >:-(

One of the effects of this is that is been work has been suffering a bit.  Lots of having to pop home to try and sort out workmen etc.  Training has been pretty difficult too, since my usual routine has been totally screwed, and the weather has been bloody awful (pissing rain, sleet, snow).  I've now also got a long list of DIY work to complete myself as well as this dam leak.  Not exactly hassle free.

The training I've been managing to get done, I've been trying to fit in some more intervals and get some use out of my Garmin (crap pic above).  Its a pretty cool bit of kit.  I've loaded on some maps you can get free off the net, but haven't really required then yet since I've just been riding the local roads.  Hopefully they'll be useful on the tour in May.  I've got the Heart Rate strap which is a good edition, but not got the cadence bit working on any bikes yet.  It's pretty easy to use it for laps for doing intervals - theres a big lap button on the front, and the unit records all the data so you can transfer it onto a computer later.  I've uploaded a few sessions onto the Garmin connect site, which is actually really good.  It displays all the metrics and maps of the course.  The player function is quite cool - allowing you to run through the session displaying the data as it was recorded.  I'm quite looking forward to trying it on a longer run. Heres a link to Saturdays short (2C + sleet) training ride including an interval session up the Back o Hill: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/72920453

New bike and other nonsense

Last night included a much anticipated trip through to Velo Ecosse in Edinburgh after work to pick up my new bike and other bits and pieces. The new bike certainly lives up to expectations. I'll try and include a quick pic of it below. Its a Giant TCR SL1 and the guys in the shop have done an awesome job building it up with some really nice kit. Yet to get some wheels for it but since we're away to Toms in Switzerland tomorrow I'll not get a chance to ride it straight away anyway. Quite looking forward to the maiden outing though but will be a shame to get it dirty!

Latest controversy in the Scottish cycling community seems to be the critisism aimed at folk like me who've left their clubs to ride with new teams for this season. I obviously don't have a problem with folk shifting teams or clubs, my view is its part of the sport and riders should be allowed to develop. If a club has invested time or cash developing a rider its up to them to make sure they've agreed some kind of tie in if they're worried the rider might leave. In mine and I guess most other situations I had nothing from the club in terms of support other than what all members get. Having put plenty into the club in recent years I don't feel I owe it anything. Joining a focused race team if you're into racing is a no brainer especially once your involved and are the benefits.

So now that's all sorted, I've got a sweet new race bike and everything is set for the first race of the year I'm starting to really look forward to it. The trip to Toms will provide a good chance to take a break from work and spend some time with Laura and Oli. And Tom and Nat too obviously! Hopefully we'll get the chance to explore a bit round Geneva and where they live and just chill out before getting back to hectic goings on back here.
Robin Wilkins
my blog: http://thewheelabout.blogspot.com

Tour planning and the start of the race season

Things just seem to get busier and busier and this time of year is particularly mental.  Start of the race season is just over a week away and there is so much to do.  Still to get my new race bike, licence, kit and all the other stuff I need for racing.  Although its exciting to be starting a new season with a new team the pre season nerves are just the same as ever, and the mixture of feeling some pressure to do well mixed, with uncertainty about what kind of form I'm in is still not something I like much.  Once the first race is out of the way I'm sure things will all be a lot cooler.

So the new bike is apparently in the shop being built and will (hopefully) be ready to be collected on Thursday night.  Exciting getting a new bike, but I'll have no time to ride it prior to the first race at Gifford, so hopefully it'll be the right size and set up about right!  I'd hoped to get the bike a bit earlier, but things didn't really work out.  This weekend we're off to Switzerland to see Tom and Nat for 6 days which will be good.  6 days with no bike will be strange, especially so close to the start of the racing.  Hopefully my legs will be fresh and rearing to go after the break.

Other thing that is taking a bit of thought is my forthcoming Grand Tour of the West of Scotland.  This is going to be a 7 day cycle tour, taking in the Western Isles and hopefully a significant chunk of the rest of the west coast.  Last weekend I fitted a Tubus front rack to my Giant TCX.  I'd been a bit worried this might be difficult because the forks arent really designed for a rack, but with the use of a few cable ties I got it really secure and hopefully it'll do the job in May.  I've also been doing a bit of route planning and working out what kit I'll need.  Overall it's quite a lot to organise - more than I'd realised, particularly as I'm planning on camping, so the amount of kit required to be self sufficient seems to be so much greater!  I guess I can blog more on this later.