Saturday 6th August 2011
On Friday, in preparation for using mountain bikes for a lot of today, Becky and Henry went off to do a recce. However they quickly found that taking advantage of an open gate wasn't their brightest move as an angry beekeeper told them off for trespassing and they had to swiftly rethink today’s logistics! Sally, Lucy and Sarah also spent most of yesterday (and a small fortune) buying more food in Kingsussie (which seems to be a never ending task) and washing tons of sodden clothes in the laundrette.
With food, clothes and the route sorted out for today, the boys left on their road bikes this morning at 0700 and made the trip on the A9 (the main road up the middle of Scotland) from Dalwhinnie to Balsporan cottages. This proved a bit hairy, but they reached their destination in one piece and in time to meet Mrs Evison and her friends at the base of Geal Charn (Loch Ericht), the first Munro of the day. Geal Charn was dedicated to her son Lt. Mark Evison of the Royal Welsh Guards, and Mrs Evison and her friends met us before climbing it with the team. They signed our Munro Mission map and were given a heather posie (made the night before) to place at the summit in honour of Mark.
It was a beautiful morning and the support team were sad not to be able to join the party up Geal Charn. However, they had to whizz round the A9 to the next stop where Sean, Sally, Henry and Lucy were to cycle 3km up a steep track to drop the mountain bikes off for the team to collect. It seems like the support team are always cycling uphill whilst the runners get the nice and easy ride downhill! Furthermore, Sally enjoyed a tactical dismount not helped by Lucy’s inability to cycle across fords and subsequently ended up with very wet feet. Sergeant Major Aston (EUOTC AT instructor) joined the team today and will spend the coming weeks walking with the runners and helping with the support team. He also has a particularly inspiring knowledge of flora and fauna which fascinated the support team on the way back to the vehicles. Looks like we won't need to buy anymore food for the boys...plenty of bilberries!
The support team met the runners at 1230 after their mountain bike to the road. All were in high spirits and there was lots of banter as they were an hour ahead of schedule! They were provided with a big lunch as they sat by the side of the road and changed into road bike kit. The boy’s appetites seemed nearly insatiable as they tucked into cocktail sausages, round after round of sandwiches, hundreds of scotch eggs, milk shakes, dozens of chocolate bars and a special Crunchy bar for Tom. After alerting the support team to his Crunchy obsession they then took to buying an industrial size stash of them...it’s only a matter of days before he must surely be sick of them!
Off on the roadbikes they went along the A9 causing a VERY long tail back, which didn't go down too well. But the team were all looking very smart in their new cycling jerseys, which were sure to heighten spirits also!
The support team met the runners at 1230 after their mountain bike to the road. All were in high spirits and there was lots of banter as they were an hour ahead of schedule! They were provided with a big lunch as they sat by the side of the road and changed into road bike kit. The boy’s appetites seemed nearly insatiable as they tucked into cocktail sausages, round after round of sandwiches, hundreds of scotch eggs, milk shakes, dozens of chocolate bars and a special Crunchy bar for Tom. After alerting the support team to his Crunchy obsession they then took to buying an industrial size stash of them...it’s only a matter of days before he must surely be sick of them!
Off on the roadbikes they went along the A9 causing a VERY long tail back, which didn't go down too well. But the team were all looking very smart in their new cycling jerseys, which were sure to heighten spirits also!
They then trekked off up Carn na Caim and Meall Chuaich in the pouring rain and returned saying that they were definitely being added to the most mundane Munros list! Tom tried to lighten things up a bit by doing an unplanned heather inspection. Flipping over his handlebars into a heather bush certainly broke up the monotony of the slog up two very boring Munros. After a bit more cycling the team arrived at our luxury overnight stop...a bunk house...with a SHOWER!! The team were absolutely sodden and very cold so it was an absolute god send having a drying room! After long hot showers and a big sort out the support team tended to the team’s blisters and cuts before sitting down to a wonderful fish pie supper, which Sarah cooked after her day off at the highland games. Over supper she told us how she had been mistaken as a hillrunner competitor!
After a big supper altogether and a big kit sort, Alex did his final stretches, Tom had another quick run through the maps with Becky for tomorrow, and Ceri read up on the Munros for tomorrow in his infamous book. All ready for another day in the mountains!!
Follow the team's progress via their GPS spottracker and visit our website to support the team in their Mission!
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