Night two - not a dry sock in the house

Alex McCormack

Adam Palin

Felix Pflanzl

Stanley McNulty

Lille Frédéric

Quentin Lille

Mark Tillett

Miroslav Chrapka

Andrew Foxton

Michiel Seevinck

Ski Sharp

Josh Murphy

Richard Wilson

Josh Reid

Edwin Barnes

Andreas Klinton

Mikee Lonergan

Fran Bromley

Paul Nelson

Maciej Jankowiak

Gabriele Revelli

Francis Barnett

Andrei Tereskin

Dan Walker

Will Vousden

Adam Bloom

George Morris

Zbynek Simcik

Donnie Campbell

Graham Smyth

Samantha Kerr

Krzysztof Kucharski

Geoff Frost

David Binns

Paul Coats

Mike Jacklin

Andy Lingham

Calum Fisher

Marcus Wendt

Maciej is the last man standing. His dot has just pinged in Corrour Station House.

We'd love to hear what he has to say on his time in the Elements.

![Maciej in orange on Camille's right started the sport 11 months ago](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4DGPm0VFQ4fGtYDUmAN44z/d3cf21f127bdbe5c77bc40837393cee3/DSC01245-2.jpg) Image Restrap Jon

Maciej met the event last year in Loch Ossian Youth Hostel, picked up cycling in December. Training in Epping Forest and here we are, a full loop through Scotland for Further Elements.

A very warm welcome Maciej in the Further Elements Lanterne Rouge Club !

Well done to all.

Mission Complete

*Self portrait of Paul back from the Elements*

As expected, Paul did ride through the night. His dot pinged in Corrour Station House just before 1 am this morning.

Maciej is back on the road after a good rest in Fort Augustus. One last climb and descent and he will be on the finish gravel leading back to the starting point.


Paul is back in Corrour

Glen Affric has released Maciej's dot. It pings from a hotel in Fort Augustus. Is he taking a short rest and heads out into the dark or does he fill his batteries wrap up tomorrow during daylight? 

Paul is out of the rough approaching Kinloch Laggan. What awaits to the finish is solid gravel, 40 kms to go. His signal is flashing. His tracker battery is low. Will he keep going for a finish tonight? 

The map will reveal it all tomorrow morning.

Good night to all of you.

News from the dots

*Images and text Fran Bromley*

Oh my goodness what have I done,
Walking still up like my day begun,
Bike on the shoulder back about to crack
I'm giving my all, decents inducing heart attack,
I'm not on a mission, not off to war
Though it sounds like these are of the same score
I'm on an event, ultra cycling they say,
60 hours to do six eighty five k,
Achieveable I thought, I've done that before,
But oh was I wrong - should have looked a bit more,
A quick glance at the route and saw a few hills,
But it's in these tough moments where I find my thrills,
Pack warm for the weather but scarifice speed,
I rethought that when ending up on my knees,
And up to them I was in raging torrents of water,
Battered and bruised now like I've been sent for slaughter,
All that's to say if you want some fun
And some stories and epic tales to be spun
Then sign up and enter this crazy event
Elements of Scotland by Camille, time well spent.

![Along Allt Kinglass](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2NJp4qWosQ4LEEVEO48rfb/741e63f3a488e03103efee120ab54eb5/PXL_20241025_140250994.jpg)

![Views from the old military road just before Bridge of Orchy](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5ftVTV7Gy6mtiKU31lRoNJ/cf344ab593a184c559bb8789e5f01abf/PXL_20241025_142757773.jpg)

![After the ferry crossing just before Kilmalieu](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/23S42e2VejHuftqNbC0O9w/0d5823b6c1aeb6311a3824027ab46082/PXL_20241026_083145096.jpg)

![Somewhere on roads less traveled: trucking along Loch Doillean ](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3Ozb33urNbUxsgm52hN64b/2f0484751fd9d7474939c55eaf11888a/PXL_20241026_123913159.jpg)

Maciej is still busy in Glen Affric while Paul is approaching Fort Augustus.


Fran shared some race impression with images  

Last year's event saw a few former pros taking part. Juan Antonio Flecha was one of them.

Watch and listen how it went for him. Even if Spanish is not your thing, you'll get what Elements looks like from inside.

[Further Elements - En modo Flecha by Volata / Rouleur](https://youtu.be/Hogd2aACjs8?feature=shared)

Flashback to Further Elements 2023

After sleepless nights and busy days Loch Ossian is all calm again.

Michiel, Andrew, Ski, Josh (Murphy), Richard, Josh (Reid), Edwin and Andreas are back from their Elements.

Mikee's tracker is lost on the road at the same spot Ski's tracker froze last night. Mikee's battery has 2% left, it might well be dry. We heard he made it safely to the Station House. So all riders are back minus 3: Fran's tracker is moving again after a long stop in Lewiston. Let's see what she will do next.

Paul's dot is out of the Glen Affric void. His dot reveals a rest in [Camban bothy](https://www.mountainbothies.org.uk/bothies/north-west-highlands-islands/camban/).

Maciej is about to enter Glen Affric silence. 

We'll report some more later in the day.

Have a great start into the new week.

Monday morning in Corrour

*Images by Restrap Alex*

“Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs.
I am haunted by waters.”
― Norman Maclean, A River Runs Through It and Other Stories

<https://youtu.be/OsDnrFBpsBk?si=ZGs4l6HM0vX1OoqZ>

Maciej's dot is imobile since a few hours. Does he take some rest before entering Glen Affric during daylight? Paul is in the sector where signal is low. Mikee & Andreas are pinging again. They have that last climb in front of them. Edwin is over half of that sector, Josh and Richard soon on a rideable road again. Soon Josh Murphy will ride last year's opening sector in reverse. Ski, Andrew and Michiel will be back in Corrour very soon. Will there be a fire waiting for them, some soup and a few beers? 

Camille will be there for sure.

This is a wrap for today. I hope you have enjoyed your weekend.
Mark

All things merge into one

Miroslav is back after 58 hrs 28 mins.

Dan & Gabriele have traversed Glen Affrica and are resupplying in Cannich. Fran was seen in Tomich. She has u-turned and is on her way to Balnain.

Edwin did a loop around the Burach ridge, which is not the official track. He's back on the official route on his climb to the finish line in front of Andreas and just behind Josh (Reid) and Richard. Josh Murphy is in front of them. Ski, Andrew and Michiel will soon be on solid gravel leading to Corrour. My money is on "they will be back in time".

While we're waiting for the next riders arriving, enjoy this film from the inaugural edition:

[Cycling documentary: 'SHEPHERD - A FURTHER TALE'](https://youtu.be/dMWCJLXjKy0?si=bHo99wshIy0yQ78w)


#8 is in

We have 7 riders in Corrour Station House.

5th & 6th are Frédéric & Quentin Lille.
7th is Mark Tillett.

All looking good for Miroslav Chrapka being 8th.
Short break before some more action: the map shows a trio composed of Michiel, Ski and Andrew crossing the stretch between Fort Augustus to Kinloch Laggan. As soon as they will reach Loch Crunachdan, they will do the start sector of last year's edition in reverse. Josh Murphy is just behind, will the order change until the finish line?

Richard Wilson and Josh Reid come next, they are in Fort Augustus as I am typing this update. Andreas is close to the 600 km mark. Fran's dot is in Tomich just after 575 km.

Is it "Out of Africa" ["Out of Africa"](https://youtu.be/2EW2kNCmZZ0?si=QrSWe0Pvp5aMWHfo) for Gabriele & Mikee ?

We know by now Glen Affric does not share tracker signal well. We can be sure the experience will stay for a long time with all who went through this. Paul is approaching the zone followed by Maciej. Will they rest and proceed in tomorrow's daylight or follow some and cross in the dark?

Cut off is 8 pm tonight, who'll be back in time?

Is it Out of Africa for all ?

Stanley is in the house in 4th place after 54 hrs 53 mins in the Elements.

![Stanley on his way to Corrour](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7ysf1jHS5kg8JhqgqnxIDz/4f0d24d6941f85b43a4bbbc8cd0a0d3f/5O9A5179.jpg)
*Stanley on his way to Corrour, images by Restrap Alex*

Do you remember the ferry crossing on the 1st day? Stanley was among the ones who managed getting over the waters before service resumed for the night. After a longer break with Dan in Ardgour, Stanley went on to Morvich where his dot stopped for 5 hrs 27 mins (overall race stop 12 hrs 33 mins). Felix did not stop for rest during his entire race (his dot shows 6 hrs 57 mins stop for the entire race).

Stanley only needed 90 minutes more to ride Camille's loop. Data confirms, a tactical stop somewhere on the cruise helps keeping a faster pace. Stanley's average speed is 16.15 km/h while Felix 14.65 km/h. Looking at #1 and #2 we have 18.01 for Alex and 16.16 for Adam who did not stop for proper rest too.

There is more action incoming in Corrour with the Lille family approaching.

More arrivals in Corrour Station House

Mark Schmid

Further Elements 2024 tracking and commentary: 

Further Elements 2024 tracking and commentary

Further Scotland carries on the spirit of the original Further in the Pyrénées. Which is about challenging and pushing boundaries. If Further in the Pyrénées is a challenge of off-roading and hike-a-bike in a mountainous region, Scotland will be a challenge against the elements.

Further Elements 2024

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