Wie ich sehe ist Justinas Leveika auch dabei.
https://highlandtrail550.weebly.com/route.html
@pete Oh, so Ruby really is going to do that on a gravel bike. Mad respect.
Still rooting for Nicolette, she has DIY bags similarly coloured to mine. 😀 Also pretty lightweight setup.
So I guess both are either going to be really fast, or fail spectacularly.
https://dotwatcher.cc/feature/bikes-of-the-highland-trail-550-2026
Kerry MacPhee seems to be hot to get the female record. But there's at least 3 other experienced women with good chances. It's going to be interesting to watch.
With the men it's mainly Justinas. (Or do I miss someone?)
@pete Best of luck and good times to you this year! Looks great.
Did the HT550 take place earlier in the year a few years ago? I remember riding the #NC500 and running into people riding the #HT550 somewhere on the west coast; Ullapool and surroundings perhaps? But that was in June, not November.
The HT550's route, is that open all year long? Are these public trails, regardless of the event? Sounds awesome, but wouldn't mind spending a little longer doing something like this.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, I didn't get a spot in the 2024 #HT550 group start this time round: Apparently there were 160 applications for 35 places. Given those odds which aren't likely to change in future years, I think* I may ride it as an ITT instead. #bikepacking #mtb
* don't take this post as a commitment just yet!
Alice Lemkes talks through her Highland Trail 550, and being the first female to finish it. After 4 days and 4 hours of riding, she arrived at the finish line, physically exhausted and facing challenges such as midge bites, raw lips, and the onset of trench foot. Read about the full experience here.