No, a small white diesel powered van with a home made shuttle rack on the roof. We were actually dropped at about 14800, hit about 14900 traversing and hiked up to get over 15000 and free rode the ridge back down to the trail. First time over 15k!
Pic of the Day
- Thread starter Kilham5
- Start date
I hid to google that area. Know where u are now looks beautiful
Thin air up that high , does it affect you ?
I live a sea level, so I was expecting to be useless. But arrived at 11,600' (slept at this altitude) around 9:30am, took that day to do a whole lot of nothing other than build my bike, take a walk, eat dinner and drink lots of water. Next day was an easy day toping out around 13,000'. Felt great but kept the efforts small until the 3rd day. Was good to go after that.
Don't get me wrong, all hard efforts felt 10x harder, even after acclimating. 1000% worth it.
At 13,000 feet of altitude (3963 metres) there is almost 40% less oxygen in the air!! 
I am full of admiration for your ability to ride even after some acclimatisation.
I rode uphill at a measly 1500m on an mtb and I thought I was going to lose a lung.
NB: A friend of mine hiked around the world when he was in his late 20's. He discovered in a mountain pass in the Himalayas that he could not get an erection at that altitude (15,000 feet IIRC). He'd copped off with a New Zealand nurse and he was very embarrassed. She was so understanding that he married her. Normal service was resumed when they descended the other side.
I am full of admiration for your ability to ride even after some acclimatisation.
I rode uphill at a measly 1500m on an mtb and I thought I was going to lose a lung.
NB: A friend of mine hiked around the world when he was in his late 20's. He discovered in a mountain pass in the Himalayas that he could not get an erection at that altitude (15,000 feet IIRC). He'd copped off with a New Zealand nurse and he was very embarrassed. She was so understanding that he married her. Normal service was resumed when they descended the other side.
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Did you run somebody over or is the budget shuttle hanging at the rear bumper?
When you did such long downhill how were the brakes / pads doing?
5 sets of spare pads and extra rotorsDid you run somebody over or is the budget shuttle hanging at the rear bumper?
When you did such long downhill how were the brakes / pads doing?
On Tuesday on the South Downs.
They were spooked by the time I got my phone out.
They were spooked by the time I got my phone out.
Deja Moo........................
I had the same sort of traffic jam the other day while out in car on the Ben Lawers dam road. I love them coos
Aye Ben Lawers while since I was up them hills. There's a herd down the Loch Quoich in the summer just roam free. Love car mirrors.
billwarwick
Language Police
What could possibly go wrong?
EverythingWhat could possibly go wrong?
That's a head f**k right there! If that was a brick wall instead of a kerb on the edge of the canal, I'd do it without hesitation. But the possibility of a drop into the water just sets me on edge. 
It's a bit like riding a white line on the road, easy-peasy. Put a 12" wide plank ten feet in the air and it's a no-no.
It's a bit like riding a white line on the road, easy-peasy. Put a 12" wide plank ten feet in the air and it's a no-no.
it was quite different from the altitude I'd experienced elsewhere. Colorado at 11,000 some how fells worse than Cusco at 14,000. It was wild to experience the difference between high alpine in CO vs Peru. Peru seemed very easy to handle compared to CO. Maybe it was the humidity? Peru was quite humid compared to CO.At 13,000 feet of altitude (3963 metres) there is almost 40% less oxygen in the air!!
I am full of admiration for your ability to ride even after some acclimatisation.
I rode uphill at a measly 1500m on an mtb and I thought I was going to lose a lung.
NB: A friend of mine hiked around the world when he was in his late 20's. He discovered in a mountain pass in the Himalayas that he could not get an erection at that altitude (15,000 feet IIRC). He'd copped off with a New Zealand nurse and he was very embarrassed. She was so understanding that he married her. Normal service was resumed when they descended the other side.
Shuttles helped. haha We only did about 4000' of climbing over 8 days. We had just over 80,000' of descending over those 8 days though. On the Transition Relay, left the battery at home.
haha. I did a double take on that one myself. But I was out of the van because loaded down it had a difficult time getting over this little creek crossing. The back bumper caught on something and the driver was checking it out.Did you run somebody over or is the budget shuttle hanging at the rear bumper?
When you did such long downhill how were the brakes / pads doing?
Oh man, about 10,000' a day for 8 days, the pads were crying after every stop. But, I'm still running those pads. Probably close to needing to be changed.
Bad-Latitude
Active member
Quick ride on some local trails. These trails used to be an amazing single track jump line on the top of a ridge but the last few rain storms did some crazy damage to the trails. Super overgrown and huge ruts.
billwarwick
Language Police
as with most photos, the steps are steeper than they look and the bridge arch is lower than it looks. So even if you got down the steps, completed the tight left turn with aplomb, you would then crack your head on the bridge, fall gracefully into the canal, then catch Weils Disease and die. It’s for this reason that I decided that discretion is the greater part of valour and bottled out.That's a head f**k right there! If that was a brick wall instead of a kerb on the edge of the canal, I'd do it without hesitation. But the possibility of a drop into the water just sets me on edge.
It's a bit like riding a white line on the road, easy-peasy. Put a 12" wide plank ten feet in the air and it's a no-no.
Perfect candidate to be awarded in Thread 'Who's got the biggest ruts?'
Who's got the biggest ruts?
Good example for what happens when there is no vegetation stabilizing the ground when rain keeps flooding.
It would not be a graceful fall! There would be heroic flailing about while I tried to avoid the inevitable, then a lot of wailing as I recognised the inevitable, followed by an enormous splash. Then some gasping and splashing as I swam to the side and heaved myself out. Followed by a pause whilst I dripped and checked that I still had my Oakleys on. Followed by another splash I as I jumped back in to retrieve my bike. Followed by yet more splashing and heaving as I got the bike onto the towpath. Followed by a series of foul and sulphurous curses as I realised that my bike was toast and it was a long push home.
So, I agree that you were correct to bottle out. Discretion was the correct course of action.
You've probably seen these before ?
Love this tree ..its the only one around for miles and if the bastard who cut the icon down at Sycamore Gap ever lays a finger on this one I will hunt him down like a dog and end his days ..
Looking back to where I started ..and as it was a there and back ..knowing that it's going to be a blast on the return
The trig point & Cairn at the top of Bolts Law looking north towards the Cheviot Hills in the very far distance ..
..on zoom ..
This was supposed to be part one ..with a loop out of Blanchland to follow ..however when I was about a half mile from the car just prior to a sharp right into a stream crossing I notice there was nowt happening with the rear brake ..upon inspection it became obvious why ..no pads or pin..could have been interesting !
3 sets of pads sitting at home but none in my back pack ..so that was that ..
Eagle eyed folks will also have noticed a fully extended piston ..very strange as nothing remotely like this has ever happened previously.
Love this tree ..its the only one around for miles and if the bastard who cut the icon down at Sycamore Gap ever lays a finger on this one I will hunt him down like a dog and end his days ..
Looking back to where I started ..and as it was a there and back ..knowing that it's going to be a blast on the return
The trig point & Cairn at the top of Bolts Law looking north towards the Cheviot Hills in the very far distance ..
..on zoom ..
This was supposed to be part one ..with a loop out of Blanchland to follow ..however when I was about a half mile from the car just prior to a sharp right into a stream crossing I notice there was nowt happening with the rear brake ..upon inspection it became obvious why ..no pads or pin..could have been interesting !
3 sets of pads sitting at home but none in my back pack ..so that was that ..
Eagle eyed folks will also have noticed a fully extended piston ..very strange as nothing remotely like this has ever happened previously.
Having to use the front without the rear could have been a bit more than just interesting!
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I'm surprised you noticed! I've never seen you go fast enough to ever use brakes!
No, seriously, could have ended in a not very nice situation and/or outcome.
Rear had about 4mm wobble so took it off and cleaned it enough to true it. Won't be truing this which was moved from my analog bike to my Rail about 3,000 miles ago. Obviously not up to repeated eMTB downhill abuse.
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billwarwick
Language Police
Journey to the centre of the earth…….not really, I made that up!
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