etape caledonia

Signal_ rabbit

has anybody done this? http://www.etapecaledonia.co.uk/ I have booked in for next year. Traffic free roads!!!!!

TinyExplosions

it looks a great event -I'd e tempted, but the cost/time off work won't work considering I want to do the Marmotte and Race Around Ireland

trek tom

A few of us have signed up for this. Just heard yesterday it's tougher than wicklow 200 although only 130k. I've only done the wicklow 100 and Sean kelly 100 this year. Anyone out there with any experience of 'caledonia'

bcmf

Am thinking of doing this.Looks like it will be seriously hilly seriously as in 36 on the front.My sis-in-law lives in Edinburgh and my wife and her are doing the Glasgow mini-marathon on the Sun.Prob is who will mind me kids??????

blorg

Looking at the elevation profile (pdf) there is no way that is harder than the Wicklow 200. Closed roads a big plus though.

trek tom

Thanks for the graph. Looks pretty serious climb at the 70k mark. looks about 200 metres in a few k. Any equivalent in Wicklow area of that so I could do a comparison?. Won't be able to nip to the highlands before race anyway.

blorg

Plenty worse in Wicklow! You have both longer and almost certainly steeper if you want it. For long climbs, Sally Gap, Wicklow Gap, and Slieve Maan are good, particularly from the Wicklow 200 descent side. For steep, Old Long Hill and Kippure.

The toughest I have managed in Wicklow was the infamous "Boards 200" with 3,250m ascent :



Pointy bits:

Military Road/Featherbeds @18km (500m)
Kippure @28km (750m)
Wicklow Gap @83km (480m)
Shay Elliot @98km (375m)
Slieve Maan @105km (450m)
Sheep-chasing road around the back of Slieve Maan? @113km (375m)
Road into Rathdrum @123km (200m)
Trooperstown Hill @135km (325m)
Lugalla @151km (480m)
Sally Gap @160km (520m)
Military Road/Featherbeds @167km (500m)

trek tom

Thanks Blorg. That boards 200 wouldn't look out of place in the tour the france. Makes the etape look a doddle. Shay Elliott, Wicklow gap, Sally gap all on my doorstep so no excuses. Hope to have a go at the Wicklow 200 this year so etape caledonia will see how i'm doing.

Mountain Goat

Hey Trek Tom... mountain goat here aka Catherine!
Gotta check out the Ring of Kerry too for 09 if you're interested..

Signal_ rabbit

Or there is this: http://westcork200.com/
Its the first year so I'm not sure what it's like, but it looks good.

showry

Signal_ rabbit wrote: »

Or there is this: http://westcork200.com/
Its the first year so I'm not sure what it's like, but it looks good.

I cycled a lot of that route on my hols last year, terrific scenery but some of the roads scared the sh1te out of me, especially the far side of the sheep's head. The bike is still rattling after them.