Etape Caledonia 2015 - Sprint for the Finish

Well that was brutal, if it wasn't raining, I was being blown off my bike on Schiehallion (either climbing or descending). Given the monsoon conditions (attr. Daily Record) I mange a respectable time of 4:15:04 for the 81 miles (130 km), 366th out of 3878 participants. I managed a very good time in the KoM Schiehallion as well, 7:56, 74th.

I stick with a couple of groups now and again. On the climbs I find myself overtaking a load of people in the group I am in, but being a lightweight, some overtake me on the descents. The slippery roads are not for the feint hearted, especially on the descents. I see one guy who's just wiped himself out on the Kinloch Rannoch descent, fortunately the paramedic is there very fast, he doesn't look good at all.

At the end of Loch Rannoch, there's a climb, and I manage to move up to the group in front of the group I'm in. Time for some gels as the big Schiehallion climb is coming up. The wind is in my face, so I'm please to be in a group, despite all the water being thrown up in my face. I mange to do the climb relatively quickly, only one numpty riding all over the place, and near the top, the wind is roaring trying to blow us back down the hill. There's a photographer there, so I presuming all he's getting is a load of grimaces rather than smily faces.

As you pass the end of the climb timing point, the road continues to go up for another few km or so. Where the route joins the B846 down to Glengoulandie, then wind is now trying to blow you off the road. At Kelneyburn, you have to scrub off a lot of your speed as there is a sharp right hander. We head out along Glen Lyon to Fortinghall, and then back along the minor road south of the river to rejoin the B846, and Appin of Dull.

Heading back in to Pitlochry is in to the wind, so its far from Dull. I lose my group as I reach for an energy gel, and they accelerate off at the same time. I'm left towing two people, who zoom off when the next group appears, leaving me on my own.

At Logierait, I power up the steep climb, then a load of guys from Glasgow Wheelers appear, so I stick with them to Pitlochry. This is a lovely wooded road, that rolls upwards, before a nice fast descent .

At the finishing straight, the group I'm in slows down considerably as it climbs up to the finish. I power ahead. Oooh look, there's those two guys I towed along from Weem to Strathtay (the village), I overtake them at speed and I finish well in front of them, yessss. Fast sprint finish.

After finishing, I head back to the hotel for a well earned shower, coffee and snack. I then decide to head up to the finish to cheer on in the later starters. I took this photo of riders heading up to the finish.

At about 12:45, I head off to find some lunch, a delicious cheese and sun dried tomato pannini.

After an extended lunch, the rain seems to have gone off, so I head down to the River Tummel. I cross over the pedestrian suspension bridge and pass the Festival Theatre to the Hydro. The rain seems to be coming back on. Ah well, back to the Hotel then.

Get back to the Hotel, and the rain reappears with a vengeance. Afternoon Tea it is, upload details to Strava, and surf the net on my netbook. Followed by a nice dinner in the Bar. Evening spent checking stuff is drying and watching Prometheus on Channel 4.