Welcome back avid dotwatchers.
The remaining riders have been slowly making their way further north in a desperate attempt to get to the finish.

The weather continues to slow things down and change plans, as riders stop early in a search for solid walls.
Yesterday though saw our only remaining short route rider Rob Iamey reach the finish point in 8 days, 2 hours and 49 minutes.  He had been through some weather for sure but arrived in good spirits.  It was an awesome rider from Rob. Who also managed to get a couple of fair weather photos on his way in.
![df688603-53bc-458d-89fe-04ae626c8db2](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/Q0x9zA974tx6TDYF2Tolk/1b021fe25196193661c77fdcd5915666/df688603-53bc-458d-89fe-04ae626c8db2.jpeg)

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We are expecting our 3rd place long route rider to finish today, where his wife will be waiting for him. He's currently about 80km from the finish, lets hope that he gets to the finish without too much weather causing him issues.

Much further back, are the intrepid 3 of Tim, Stephen and Davide. All in various parts of Yorkshire, they are playing a tough game of dodge the storm. Although not riding together, the WhatsApp group is pinging a lot as they discuss the route, the weather, and if it's a good idea to chance the next section or not in the storms. Tim made it to CP3 last night as the storm was gathering strength and advised Stephen to stay in the village he was in, then attempt to cross the moor in the morning - advice that was acted upon. This filtered back to Davide a bit further back, who had 2 such moors to cross before CP3, so he heeded the same advice. 
Sadly today, although the rain is due to stop, there are significant storm force winds all day, and even heavier due to hit overnight and into tomorrow morning, tonight will most certainly not be a night to camp.
The![eddd2ace-fa64-471e-8337-9b9653321b3a](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6z9xqxVtYMglY3yos2y3KA/8c86620d344a4280d65dab3d773b6bdb/eddd2ace-fa64-471e-8337-9b9653321b3a.jpeg) riders are really determined to keep going, and they are all willing each other on.  Without the weather issues, they might all make the finish point before the cut off, but having to sit out the weather is eating into their time considerably. What will they do knowing that there's another 24 hours of tough weather to contend with?  Watch this space.


Waiting for the storm to pass

# Stormy weather incoming
It's always an organisers nightmare when faced with bad storms that might put riders at risk in remote areas. Whilst riders sign up to the knowledge that they are ultimately responsible for their own welbeing, there is also responsibility on the organiser to ensure that safety has been considered. After all, this is supposed to be sport, not a life or death mission.
And so, as riders reached Scotland and started heading towards some of the most exposed and remote parts of the route, Kevin check the weather to find out if it was going to be 'just' a bit of rain, or something altogether more sinister.
With the storm rolling in that was the tail end of Hurricane Ernesto. 

Here is Kevins statement on the matter, which should make his decision clear.

"So, as the tail end of Hurricane Ernesto hits the U.K. and with various weather warnings in place for heavy rain, high winds (combined with low temperatures) we have this morning, for the safety of our remaining riders, made the decision to cut this years GBD slightly short.

The course will now end at the very start of the Road to the Isles on Rannoch Moor. This removes the final 140 km or so and some of the most remote sections of the entire route over Rannoch Moor, up and over the fearsome Corrieyairack Pass and the Great Glen Way back into Fort William.

Importantly this means the riders that finish are just a few kilometres along a road from Rannoch Station, shelter, a cafe and all the trains out of the Highlands that they would have got from Fort William.

The finish cut off time will remain the same as 11am on Sunday morning thus giving our riders the chance to pause and sit out the weather for a bit too if they wish.

All our riders have been communicated with and are aware and understand.

Whilst this may not be a universally popular decision we are not prepared to risk the safety of our riders, emergency services personnel and our team (just Kevin on the ground) for the sake of what is at the end of the day just a bike ride."

# A new end point
So what does this mean for the riders?
Well, it means that those at the front will finish at least a day quicker than they expected, which for most of them will come as some relief as they are really suffering now.
For those further back, who were not going to make the cut off time, it gives them a much better chance of now finishing within time - and they can ignore the broom wagon snails (check the map if you're not sure what I'm waffling on about).

# First finishers
With the new finish point set, we now have our first finisher. 
Rob Werkhoven crossed the finish line just after 8pm yesterday in 9 days, 7 hours and 58 mins. Richard Frans followed a few hours later around midnight. 

Rob Iamey the last remaining short route rider should be the next back, having stopped at Killin overnight to avoid the storm in the dark. 
Elliot is further back and stopped near Selkirk for the night.

Tim, Stephen Holmes and Davide are all currently around Manchester and still have a really long way to go.  But with the cutoff being Sunday morning, will they make it all the way up north before then.  They have some tricky terrain ahead of them between where they are now, and CP3, before it becomes faster and more flowing. 

# Latest Scratches
Yesterday we said goodbye to Simon Bond, who had decided at the start that he would aim for 10 days of riding to see how far he got. He was happy to have got close to Hebden Bridge, and waved goodbye to Laura.  Laura also scratch shortly after with her body and her bike struggling to keep going.  With the storm ahead she decided that she was at a good point in the ride to call it a day for self preservation reasons.
Yesterday evening, Michael decided to scratch too, despite being in Scotland already and in a really strong place to finish well.  He couldn't be persuaded to sleep on it sadly. 

So, we are now down to 7 riders in total, with 2 having finished. 
This ride is always a massive test of a riders mental tenacity, but a strong body and bike are also key elements to completing this event. Each section on it's own is stunningly beautiful, and has it's own unique character. But ride them back to back and it becomes a brutal personal test to find out what you are made of, and what you can endure. We started with a heatwave doing it's damage on the South Downs, and now it's stormy across all the northern parts of the route. This ride really does deliver every that Britain can find to throw at you - and maybe that's why there is usually a strong field of international riders.  Over the years it's seen many European riders, but has attracted riders from as far as New Zealand.  If you want to see Britain, this is certainly one way of doing so.

![d95b8caa-0b6b-4835-9f99-49df7b19a990](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7hpKjzeyS5dyRng8tTWQD/9562ea38737f23ffd0c898efdcb54bf4/d95b8caa-0b6b-4835-9f99-49df7b19a990.jpeg)

![754a6c95-b8fa-45cb-958c-f5d98fdad2a0](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1LhBG6FpqONv6Ltu88VnWH/9c2db5109c6010dd4f8bd5c30bc137fc/754a6c95-b8fa-45cb-958c-f5d98fdad2a0.jpeg)

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Stormy weather and a new finish point

Hello dotwatchers, please excuse radio silence for the last couple of days - life gets in the way sometimes even for a dotwatcher commentator.

Riders are now spread out from the top of Wales right up to Kielder Forest.

At the pointy end there are 4 riders all within 40km of each other. 2 from the long route and 2 from the shorter route. Rob Iamey from the shorter route is leading the way, just ahead of Richard (long route). Not far behind them is Rob Werkhoven (long route), and Michael (shorter route). They all cleared CP3 yesterday, making the most of the facilities. Rob arrived first in the night, very calm and collected. He stopped, went straight under the stretch tent, set up his bivy, slept right through the night, packed up and left.
Richard arrived in the morning, but has slowed a little now they are heading up north.  Unlike most of the other riders, he is riding a gravel bike, and has been suffering on the rougher terrain.  He ate all the food - with a massive English breakfast and his first coffee in 7 days!! Seriously, who can ride 7 days in a tough ultra without coffee.  But, he's still the lead rider for the long route, so it must work well for him.

![IMG 0017](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/15r94LUxCabT8nc1mj7l7E/eea866448fb42503e482118668478be1/IMG_0017.jpeg)

![IMG 0020](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/74o7rYVptu2qhdNxv4Fpdf/2d20b6fa2af36d74ecf32a196bd5db36/IMG_0020.jpeg)

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![IMG 0015](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/67v7JLwjQrNp2tV81pGkAZ/a04dd37a9a4c3c7d02e279ec17625c26/IMG_0015.jpeg)

Michael hit a rock, and went over the handlebars, bashing his knee on Friday, but arrived at the CP yesterday none the worse for wear, and inhaled vast amounts of food.  The Dales Bike Centre is known for excellent cycling food.

Robert W (long route), was last through the CP having not realised just how much he had closed the gap on Richard. Being on a MTB is starting to pay dividends - will he catch Richard before the end - keep watching those dots to find out.

![IMG 0007](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/9TyPo1H8lLiyBvx0AInYu/deb5fa2f862fab114d2bbacf72c25930/IMG_0007.jpeg)

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Further back, Elliot arrive at CP3 last last night, and left this morning. He's in great spirits and said the route has reminded him why he got into Mountain biking in the first place. He's been really consistent in his ride, keeps on moving, resting, eating and repeating.  

Laura & Simon are still progressing north bound, but are unlikely to reach CP3 before tomorrow.  It's selfie check in now at the CP, as Kevin will be heading northbound later today.  With to front riders crossing into Scotland later today, he'll need to get ahead as they will have some fast miles ahead of them.

Simon had a spot of bother on Friday when he was hit by a driver with no spatial awareness. He came off, dusted himself off, checked his bike over, and continued on his way, after deciding to keep the day short to give himself time for a bit of tlc. He was back on it though yesterday, a little further back than he planned, but moving (and ahead of the snail) never the less.

We've just heard from Jon and Frank that they are calling it a day.  Jon says he is suffering from a muscle pulled when he took a tumble earlier in the ride and it was becoming painful to open gates, push bike etc.  Frank has decided that the terrain is just a bit to rough for him.  It was a great ride from both of them, as it's a really tough route that takes no prisoners.

At he tail end, Tim & Stephen Holmes have finally cleared all the off road section of Wales, and are pushing on East. Davide still has a bit to go to clear Wales, and he's been having a lot of bike issues. Cheer them on if you see them, they'll need all the encouragement they can get.

This is me signing off now, for today.  Check back tomorrow for another update, and the first riders into Scotland.


8 days and counting

# A full value experience

It's not a GB Divide unless there is every kind of weather. If you haven't suffered heat, flooding, wind and trenchfoot, you are really not getting the full experience.

The riders are struggling to remember that it was only 4 days ago that they were complaining about the relentless heat and humidity on the South Downs.  The weather in Wales has been very 'Welsh' in bucketfuls.  There is a reason that they have very green and pleasant hills.

Whilst there have been the odd gaps in the weather and a little sunshine, the theme has been mostly moist, and today with strong winds too. 

Sleep strategy is different for all riders, but most riders are currently riding from hotel to hotel in order to dry out and recharge, Tim (more used to the heat of Spain) opted for an early camp spot to ride out high winds, and rain that went up rather than down.

Rob's video shows what they are up against.
![WhatsApp Video 2024-08-15 at 18.11.48 db830a89](//videos.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7fEFzKHu1AQuqEeY2pkeQR/903e685e0244b8e37221b41207d5baba/WhatsApp_Video_2024-08-15_at_18.11.48_db830a89.mp4)

Most riders had found shelter by late afternoon, and after several days riding, decided that a rest, recharge, huge amounts of food, and some domestic housekeeping was appropriate while they let the weather do it's thing overnight.

Our Lantern Rouge Davide, made it through CP2 last night, but missed Kevin and went off to bivvy by the canal.  So Kevin went out to find him in the morning.  He's had a few more bike woes and may need to find another bike shop at some point. It's tricky for him as he speaks no English - but of course the power of Google Translate is very helpful.

In a bit of drama, Steve Coombes decided to pick a fight with a sheep, and the sheep won.  He took a rather hard tumble which bent his handlebars, and battered his body.  He's patched himself up, and found a hotel right on the route.  He's finished most of the off road for a while, but will decide how he feels in the morning. If he continues, then there are miles and miles of tarmac ahead, so he might be able to ride himself through the discomfort of the bruising.

![WhatsApp Image 2024-08-15 at 16.51.48 bebe52e1](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/HDEciV2UbqZatHCfV3k20/6a40008f017f4c9cabee51e07e5aa66e/WhatsApp_Image_2024-08-15_at_16.51.48_bebe52e1.jpg)

Helen's legs needed a rest today, so she stopped early in a Youth Hostel, and decided to recharge and get back on with things tomorrow.  She's a tough cookie, and knows what she's doing. And she's still got plenty of time.

The gap has really opened up between the front riders and everyone else now, but that's largely due to the relatively flat, smooth miles of tarmac from Oswestry up towards the Dales. But of course nothing stays straightforward for long, and there's still lots of offroad before they reach Check point 3. 

We said goodbye to one half of our pair, and Gary Miller scratched at CP2, knowing he could get home from there.  And Tony Preston, who just a week ago wasn't sure if he would even start, left us at Todmorden as the route passes his house, and he needed to get back. He was flying too.  This leaves Rob Lamey leading the short course, and Richard Frans leading the long course. They are both being kept honest though by the 2nd place riders in each group, who are not that far behind them.

From the original 23 riders, we still have 14 in the game.  They are keeping sane by chatting and comparing stories on the event WhatsApp group - which is always a really lovely thing to do in such long events. It helps to remind them that even though they may not see each other at all on the ride, they are not in fact alone. 
Enjoy the other photos from the day, and I'll report back again tomorrow.
![WhatsApp Image 2024-08-14 at 21.17.43 7b9f9ce5](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1szKCfbSc7mYOrQd2bpd0r/cec9d2c695772d92200f0cb69e3d74b5/WhatsApp_Image_2024-08-14_at_21.17.43_7b9f9ce5.jpg)

![WhatsApp Image 2024-08-15 at 09.01.00 797782c7](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4WCus6fi0P5YnAJ1VFKwq8/9bcbf45d6022d84de9879bbff5e63871/WhatsApp_Image_2024-08-15_at_09.01.00_797782c7.jpg)

![WhatsApp Image 2024-08-14 at 21.17.43 295bcfdf](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4EIfOX13gLCG4KwMvlw0PW/cbc574c4926be47034ef5b3f51701a54/WhatsApp_Image_2024-08-14_at_21.17.43_295bcfdf.jpg)

![WhatsApp Image 2024-08-14 at 21.17.44 fccd3650](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2ARjVJgd6aGdfE8u3WF3Ob/f333d7efe8f420ada170ed98b74ba19a/WhatsApp_Image_2024-08-14_at_21.17.44_fccd3650.jpg)

![WhatsApp Image 2024-08-14 at 21.05.30 911ad625](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3QjB7xPKTtH8FEXlz6cFqj/a684437e409168ad346dace24bea1eaf/WhatsApp_Image_2024-08-14_at_21.05.30_911ad625.jpg)

![WhatsApp Image 2024-08-14 at 21.00.57 8946d105](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2JoCP5x5SAyziapfJ2v8c2/496d6ab7da0cbeeaba59d2f7480a69aa/WhatsApp_Image_2024-08-14_at_21.00.57_8946d105.jpg)

![WhatsApp Image 2024-08-14 at 21.05.30 1859eed9](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1GkaWNT0PzkIls1CwLLctN/ae742e20cc87ae84d4ae816a7c3cdf52/WhatsApp_Image_2024-08-14_at_21.05.30_1859eed9.jpg)


Weather they will, or weather they won't

# Different Weather
By this afternoon all remaining riders had crossed the bridge to Wales and into what seems to be a totally different weather system as heavy rain hit in the evening and into night, sending riders searching for hotels/ utility rooms and places for a hot meal.

This weather particularly affected the short course riders who were further through Wales yesterday evening, and they took no chances with being stuck outside. 

Steve Coombs had found a campsite at the bottom of the Brecon Gap, and was thankful as the rain fell this morning. 
Laura made it to CP2 at some point in the night and just pitched her tent outside the hall walls.

Sadly Martin scratched yesterday evening, due to mechanicals amongst other things.

This morning, the weather perked up a little, and all the riders are making good progress.
![WhatsApp Image 2024-08-13 at 12.34.27 2ab22304](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/60CUEEyH5rIxQAzZ3AZsl7/73b0c6f1194aa128787aab15cb5da7ae/WhatsApp_Image_2024-08-13_at_12.34.27_2ab22304.jpg)

![WhatsApp Image 2024-08-13 at 10.28.15 4b4b7d06](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7bQCb2hgiXq6gMVoJhyxVN/fd4d903574cb8440236fa07bee8a3aab/WhatsApp_Image_2024-08-13_at_10.28.15_4b4b7d06.jpg)

![WhatsApp Image 2024-08-13 at 19.21.40 fc3e54cd](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2KvgsHwooeOanc0RJl2GRu/7a3add772da36229aee1d2e570ed07bf/WhatsApp_Image_2024-08-13_at_19.21.40_fc3e54cd.jpg)

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# Good old Royal Mail
Sometimes it's easy to under or over pack for events like this where things can be so changeable, but Simon decided he had overpacked, and posted home 3kgs of kit.  Lets hope his rain gear wasn't there.

# SD2 arrivals
Tim, Frank and Jon all made it through CP2 earlier in the day, They were all in good spirits, and Tim loved the Canal sections. They haven't got wet...yet!

We sadly said goodbye to Seth today, which is such a shame as he was going really well. 

Out of Wales now are all the remaining short course riders, and also Richard and Robert on the long course.  Elliot is closing in on Oswestry, then will be back on faster trails for a while. Robert is ahead on the short course, but that gap between him and Michael remains relatively small.

![WhatsApp Image 2024-08-13 at 10.45.19 c0f19eb2](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2dD61Mt0irU3z6yT8xHbEo/40ea0998cfc389ce382152b353c44cb9/WhatsApp_Image_2024-08-13_at_10.45.19_c0f19eb2.jpg)

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![WhatsApp Image 2024-08-14 at 09.45.22 90721dda](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3ZfZxb9HFeI8LjPGpuqe6f/3feec464931712563d14b6bb8f755e3e/WhatsApp_Image_2024-08-14_at_09.45.22_90721dda.jpg)

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![WhatsApp Image 2024-08-14 at 13.25.47 6fe5ea9c](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1cBiaBlMlHn3fFpceB96G5/52121f7008fac412768dcbcec059e423/WhatsApp_Image_2024-08-14_at_13.25.47_6fe5ea9c.jpg)

![WhatsApp Image 2024-08-14 at 13.25.46 469d6bda](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3jei7fk1Pc7r5GoggYstaD/a267b36ff325002cc4596ca183948669/WhatsApp_Image_2024-08-14_at_13.25.46_469d6bda.jpg)


Wales never fails

# Long Route

Good morning Dotwatchers.  It's now day 4, and all remaining riders have now arrived at CP1.  Our Lanterne Rouge Davide, had a few mechanicals last night a few km away, and limped to Lyndhurst this morning to see assistance from Woods Cyclery. He's there now, and I hope he will soon be on his way again. 

![eb264acc-c446-4ec2-b32e-dbabecc62dd6](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4PyTntxK9PQM6hcAAkPmMp/5676c2cd13a0c6fd54ce631afa2aa1fc/eb264acc-c446-4ec2-b32e-dbabecc62dd6.jpeg)

The Pair of Gary & Steve also stopped in Lyndhurst overnight, but are now on their way through the New Forest. Frank who had his navigation issues yesterday made it through the CP late last night and is heading up to Salisbury now.  He captured this fabulous New Forest sunrise this morning, which I'm sure made the decision to continue into the night worthwhile.

As our last riders passed through CP1, our lead riders where descending on Tal-y-Bont and CP2. Robert arrived late last night, and slept there until morning, and Elliot has just arrived this morning.  He didn't stay long though as word has spread among the riders that there are some great showers nearby, and as Elliot is camping the whole event, a shower and the opportunity to refresh his clothes was just too good to miss.

![2ba483d9-b161-4da6-a47d-bcf3815e4abd](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/G6tnC1XCcEfLDd8kAiOya/e20b1e11cba20f462f0cc47ba3e9a1ce/2ba483d9-b161-4da6-a47d-bcf3815e4abd.jpeg)

![2d0d1542-9a43-4ce4-af31-03df67537f11](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/9P6tCayyd1l2KNNrQkiWd/1b37ce1851bf6dbdd79537cffaca3973/2d0d1542-9a43-4ce4-af31-03df67537f11.jpeg)

![WhatsApp Image 2024-08-12 at 12.14.47 ec069eef](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2uqDP2Kak4WUqPw1wVTarm/ed79d8324404cd2c08cc91063dafbc9f/WhatsApp_Image_2024-08-12_at_12.14.47_ec069eef.jpg)

Richard, who seems to be able to thrive on practically no sleep, has almost caught up with some of the short route riders who left CP2 yesterday.  He really is a machine.

# Short Route
Our short route riders are making good progress through Wales with Michael Travers leading the way. 190 km since 11am is pretty good going through a part of the route that can be pretty slow going as there is lots of off road here, best suited to mountain bikers. Robert is still keeping him on his toes though as just one longer stop could change their positions. 
There was a bit of drama at the start for Martin as he believed he had lost his wallet either at the hotel or McDonalds.  So, with a small cash loan from Kevin, and his ApplePay on his phone, he hoped he could make it the end with these.  Thankfully a few hours later he came across the wallet that he had tucked away for safe keeping.  At least he didn't need to worry about dropping it as it was that safe.

I'll be back later with more updates, and in the meanwhile enjoy the photos from yesterday's action.

![WhatsApp Image 2024-08-12 at 16.52.33 a766f6bb](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/C8utWfSEtGVfiGS8Jds4L/97b4e57669bac65a4459b7564215352c/WhatsApp_Image_2024-08-12_at_16.52.33_a766f6bb.jpg)

![WhatsApp Image 2024-08-12 at 16.52.33 b699d610](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4X1pPQ24dzgxqGOshYUIp7/2d99a40fc3d13e418a70db1cd230fb80/WhatsApp_Image_2024-08-12_at_16.52.33_b699d610.jpg)

![WhatsApp Image 2024-08-12 at 12.14.53 bae28a20](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3pnfWv48JJhcLV3fIesEKm/387e5aa6eb8166a4fa231df4bf111f3f/WhatsApp_Image_2024-08-12_at_12.14.53_bae28a20.jpg)

![WhatsApp Image 2024-08-12 at 12.48.40 106839ed](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7bBOSdALHj9GvYvLawrWd1/bd34bc737f38e657e54bf0b95ef68426/WhatsApp_Image_2024-08-12_at_12.48.40_106839ed.jpg)

![WhatsApp Image 2024-08-12 at 12.14.52 dea5e405](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/RU2IBsKPQP5M0ZBj0o6Jc/387deab67496b6bef8cb94dfe66b39ac/WhatsApp_Image_2024-08-12_at_12.14.52_dea5e405.jpg)

![WhatsApp Image 2024-08-12 at 12.14.52 dcde62da](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3ozYGpVYTmeDbqhCbHGTFg/d6b96213fff16b47af5b2288c8327cbe/WhatsApp_Image_2024-08-12_at_12.14.52_dcde62da.jpg)

![WhatsApp Image 2024-08-12 at 12.14.53 3e7f17d8](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/24sPpToixDed0poS59WuRb/626109c175abbdeb8dd823e3580f9a80/WhatsApp_Image_2024-08-12_at_12.14.53_3e7f17d8.jpg)

![WhatsApp Image 2024-08-12 at 12.14.46 9f388924](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4o7vQ4n5lJ0Rrd9kmckdYn/77ab9b92ac0b6af9fab8714da8eedb7a/WhatsApp_Image_2024-08-12_at_12.14.46_9f388924.jpg)

![WhatsApp Image 2024-08-12 at 12.13.17 3f9a4154](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6pPRCN423vtUQCJhsjdbfI/7069bb62ce90881f01eb82aee6f6916c/WhatsApp_Image_2024-08-12_at_12.13.17_3f9a4154.jpg)

![WhatsApp Image 2024-08-12 at 12.14.50 4fbfe707](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6IgIGiUiXS2vIqlf0sFsA0/a8c48490243d13b98483594e5bd1c5f5/WhatsApp_Image_2024-08-12_at_12.14.50_4fbfe707.jpg)

![5beb610d-83d4-43da-9c8f-af6252d65539](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5FBeoGoblH9aFAOz4rPkOR/b38609c134d275b8f04869444ed5b3c8/5beb610d-83d4-43da-9c8f-af6252d65539.jpeg)

![9c3987c2-506b-4f6f-ba8d-bc892659a034](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/70kVrYdeWkz3Zto7QfCOAl/99054ffc81312984055fd916f7305238/9c3987c2-506b-4f6f-ba8d-bc892659a034.jpeg)


Wales beckons


# Long route - Day 3
Well what a day it's been.  On the hottest day of the year, we have experienced a few issues, but not necessarily in the way you might expect.
Seth, Simon and Steve who had made it through CP1 early, headed off into the New Forest to get as far away from the heat and the hills as possible before it became unbearable. But other riders were much further back, most still somewhere in the South Downs. Tim, Laura and Jon all got to Winchester in good time, but things slowed down for them after that.  Laura stopped a while to stuff with McD's and we could tell that Jon opted for a slow and steady approach today. The hottest day of the year so far was not really the day to be racing on the South Downs - a fact that riders took note of. 

Tim however was still suffering from his navigation woes, where devices & phones all decided to not play ball and give him any routing options.  We suspected that heat might have been a factor as we had heard of some satnavs overheating in the past. With no Sat Nav he had hoped to be able to get the route on his phone, but that didn't work either.  So instead Kevin screenshotted OS maps for him so at least he could get to Winchester to sort it out or buy a new device. He had already done many extra miles yesterday, and today, although heading in the right direction, he had no idea where he was in relation to the route - which was evident when I asked him if he had realised that he had camped overnight, just a few metres away from the route. Once in Winchester everything sprung back into life, although he still managed a wrong turn shortly after, before finally finding the route.  He made it to CP1 at lunchtime, relieved that all that stress was over. 

Laura was next through later in the afternoon, although she's now pretty much caught Tim up as he seems to have stopped for the night a bit earlier than she has. Jon has kept going tonight, having reached CP1 early evening. 
Our pairs of Steve and Gary arrived later this evening, followed eventually by Frank. He had his own share of sat nav issues, which sent him north after Winchester, beyond Stockbridge before Kevin pinged him and asked if there was an issue. Again, was the issue heat related?  We may never know.

The heat claimed more victims, as Regis and Peter called it a day.  What's been interesting so far this year is our scratchers have all been heat related, and not mechanicals - Although that's probably the kiss of death now.

# 1st through CP2
Richard is still astounding us with his perseverance and tenacity to just keep on moving.  He arrived at CP2 shortly after 5:30 this evening.  It looks like Robert has just made it there too.

# The short route - Day 1
5 rider set off at 11am from Tal-y-bont, although no one would have realised if they had been dotwatching. We don't know where there was an issue with last night's solar flares or the Persoid shower, but none of the tracking seemed to be working.  We'd been having issues with everyone elses trackers not always updating too since yesterday afternoon, but showing no movement on all 5 was a concern.  Thankfully Kevin came up with a very sensible Plan B just so we could find riders until the tracking came back online.  Each rider was to send a GoogleMaps pin to our What's App Group once an hour. This worked and later the tracking was fixed.  All dots are now fully functional.

Robert Iamey is up ahead in the group, being chased by Michael Travers.  Michael seems to have stopped now for the night, whilst Robert seems to be aiming for Machynlleth. All the other riders now seem to have stopped for the night.

That's it from me for today, but I'll add lots of photos in the morning for you to enjoy.


GPS Woes

# Day 3

Good morning from CP1 in Lyndhurst.  It’s going to be another hot day here on the south coast, despite the rain that Kevin has at CP2 where he is ready to start the short route group shortly.
![04b8ca63-e0ec-472f-9e6e-57521e8006ef](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6wCXFQFyR0htmeqwlTRGU7/b5f3b84e311bf56d8a08e923f956ebf3/04b8ca63-e0ec-472f-9e6e-57521e8006ef.jpeg)

Most of the riders took to having a long overnight rest after being savaged by the heat and all the climbing yesterday. By this morning 2 riders decided that it had been just a bit too much, and they couldn’t manage another extreme heat day so decided to retire after considering it overnight.  Be under no illusions, the South Downs on a hot day takes its prisoners.  So we said goodbye to Craig and Steve Goble.

Through CP1 this morning were Steve Coombs and Simon Bond, who both bivvied out of the way between Winchester and Romsey. Simon got the win though with a refreshing dip in the River Test this morning and arrived in Lyndhurst ready for a massive cooked breakfast before heading off into the Forest. He did have a spot of bother though yesterday with a Bull who come what may was determined not to let him through his field.  He huffed, and puffed, and kept nudging the gate shut.  But Simon persevered, and made it through in the end.  Hard though to come across a bull with an attitude problem.
![d65d0109-0650-4264-a70f-3ea4e9407aed](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4Ewy2QLT1PPCaTJD4tmJBw/355e7922d3c0406274a95af01bf6afcd/d65d0109-0650-4264-a70f-3ea4e9407aed.jpeg)

![e7ff426a-e043-4bc2-9b48-a693c998ecdd](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/47NF9KyKCzpTQ0qgKCZFwp/321289feeebd827e95df62817522f7df/e7ff426a-e043-4bc2-9b48-a693c998ecdd.jpeg)

![dba6cdb1-4ea5-4435-b83d-36c6fa9015b7](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6qXX00aK7frfJGc7Dgjqse/f88a5d9de372da21078462c0952968d5/dba6cdb1-4ea5-4435-b83d-36c6fa9015b7.jpeg)

I saw Seth again this morning, as he waiting for Woods to open for some necessary bike maintenance. This means he had a great rest overnight and will be looking to push on into the night tonight. 

Right at the front it looks like Richard’s sleep has been minimal again and he is crossing the bridge into Wales as I write.

Tim, Laura and Jon look like the next I will see through CP1, having cleared the South Downs, whilst the remaining riders still have to battle the heat up on the ridges. They will all make it to Winchester this afternoon or evening, but might not reach the Check point until tomorrow.

I had a good chat with Seth this morning, who imparted a useful tip for staying alert that I had never come across before.  Suck a Fisherman’s Friend, and that zings you back into life.  You heard it here first!

A Fisherman’s Friend

# Check point update
Our next 3 riders were all fairly close, and would have been just minutes apart had Seth not got a hard to repair puncture just a few Km’s from CP1.  
Robert & Elliott arrived shortly before 8 pm, ready for a raid on the Tesco Express while I guarded their bikes. Robert from the Netherlands was loving the heat, and by all accounts is super fast on the flats, but slower on the hills. There isn’t much opportunity for hill training for him back home. This has meant that all three have been playing leapfrog all day. 
Both Robert & Elliott will be bivvying overnight, whilst Seth has booked a hotel and hopes to sort out his tyre before morning. But if he fails, he will need to ride past Woods Cyclery in the morning, so will be able to sort it there. 
I expect to see all remaining riders pass through tomorrow as they are scattered along the South Downs Way, with Simon & Steve being first through in the morning. 
Maybe those riding late into the night tonight will get to see the Persoid shower. It’s a clear  night and the South Downs are a dark sky area…. 
Here are our 2,3 & 4th place riders at CP1.
![IMG 3121](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7dsy69JUTeLwggiL9roz9s/fd86dbef18b854521e5ec4d11b3ef7e9/IMG_3121.jpeg)

![IMG 3127](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1IrYFYpfVHvIc9M8MGBVLi/c4ddb027db3f6bb0448d92e86b1df27d/IMG_3127.jpeg)

![IMG 3124](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5e019BplQeD4AVZE2YeoSZ/bf422e6bd2322d819ebed8ba9b08a501/IMG_3124.jpeg)

![IMG 3122](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2RDjy8r0wjfFsV3pDPsYBv/3a981abdde4959b5c4e8110240146fbb/IMG_3122.jpeg)
Very little drama today that we are aware of, other than poor Tim, who arrived well at QE country park to have a device navigation error which put him a long way off the route. He's taking a rather scenic route back to course, but hopefully can stay on route tomorrow.
That's all for now, more updates tomorrow.

The top 4

Steady progress has been made along the route by all riders, who also sensibly all managed to get some sleep overnight.  Some went for a full nights sleep, others just snatched an hour or two.  
We haven't managed to catch up with any of the riders yet to speak to today, but what we do know is that that they will be feeling the heat right now, as the south coast has uninterrupted blue skies and temperatures in the high 20’s.  
All the riders are or have been on the South Downs now, a part of the route with high ridges and very little shade.  I do hope they are all slathered in Factor 50 or they will be burning to a crisp.  Thankfully the South Downs has water taps every few miles so I hope that our riders are finding these and staying well hydrated. 

# Check Point 1.
Our first - and only - rider through CP1 so far has been Richard Frans who arrived a few minutes before 4:30 this afternoon, looking pretty fresh if I’m honest.  Although he has passed Kevin out on the route a couple of times yesterday, he didn’t stop so this was our first chance to catch up with him.  He has ridden consistently since the start, and made the most of riding in the cooler night hours.  He got an hours sleep, and made it to Winchester for some lunch at a bakery. 

I am expecting 3 more riders to pass through later this evening, as they are currently around Winchester.  I shall be here to greet them.

# Ingenuity 
We saw a post from Craig this morning of a split tyre oozing sealant.  He could have detoured to a bike shop a few miles off route to try to get a new one, but instead sewed it back together with dental floss and popped a tube in. He’s still on route this afternoon, so this must have been a pretty good repair.  Of course, CP1 (Wood cyclery) is a great bike shop of all things gravel, so if the repair holds to Lyndhurst, he could swap the tyre out tomorrow.  Otherwise, Winchester will be his first on route opportunity.  The fact that it is still holding however, is testimony to the strength of dental floss, and the ingenuity of our riders.

# Scratch Report

We have sadly seen one scratch this afternoon.  Jeremy Jacquemin has had a domestic situation that requires his immediate return to France.  We are sorry to see him leave us, but family always comes first.  

Enjoy some photos from the first 24 hours, and I’ll do a short update later this evening after the next batch of riders pass through CP1.
![cd90925d-9cac-4041-a0b4-101489412fc1](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3KEDm5mpbg3BvxMTHVvZf3/95e6a858570246308132c920597d23a9/cd90925d-9cac-4041-a0b4-101489412fc1.jpeg)

![5864658d-67a6-4e36-8568-412e7562f3f5](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/63eUIzqA4NB6KDpe28SXhD/4a9cdb206c4dddac2586e24307dca459/5864658d-67a6-4e36-8568-412e7562f3f5.jpeg)

![95112c0d-36bb-4b21-b634-33e2bf22e20b](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6KwLROn9gZYkUhHVAZl6Ly/60f7babd6ea1c28103ca0316bdc401f1/95112c0d-36bb-4b21-b634-33e2bf22e20b.jpeg)

![afb24ea8-7488-4307-87ef-c410f00ff129](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1NFBU7ZlUKcY7UBNDSTLXr/e19e81ebbe976cd366e470cc4400db2c/afb24ea8-7488-4307-87ef-c410f00ff129.jpeg)

![9b66b8b8-7754-4384-9c7a-46e2e1a9f470](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4MHY0JwSRlahTcxH3dU0uW/81ce0127fb8cee781e9c9a0f7be8e145/9b66b8b8-7754-4384-9c7a-46e2e1a9f470.jpeg)

![f565bc0a-cf8e-49e3-8801-f79d2960753f](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4EnUYHxsTMxJ1akyIZgq0S/7f242c82181375225b7ce1ee6e9c9207/f565bc0a-cf8e-49e3-8801-f79d2960753f.jpeg)

![7a53777d-5450-44b9-9292-65b5236d032d](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6lfLVwY5Wus7WQaBxPuZh6/a4c8edfa0a34f63bf8052aca7906b340/7a53777d-5450-44b9-9292-65b5236d032d.jpeg)

![9c9b2a6c-1674-4fde-886a-a6fb84822b04](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6E6Gh3up3cAXSA9Rvfcbk3/54745c884cddafbc3c21df5d7ec46991/9c9b2a6c-1674-4fde-886a-a6fb84822b04.jpeg)

![c57fdd4f-2b32-4479-bbe7-eb73a35dd709](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3MmhbPeKx6nm0oRbrxZGyH/a40b61b8ae70a497edffbb3b7bfc5694/c57fdd4f-2b32-4479-bbe7-eb73a35dd709.jpeg)

![5808e668-14e5-469a-81a9-c3c08866f97a](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6CUsDyvdTZIFppPGCnq3hj/0a811eb178baa4fdd59af786af238a33/5808e668-14e5-469a-81a9-c3c08866f97a.jpeg)

Happy dotwatching one and all.

Sunday is hot, hot, hot

Great British Divide 2024 Tracking + Commentary: The fourth edition of the Great British Divide is set to be wildly exciting; high passes, rough terrain, unreliable ferries and undoubtedly a good sprinkling of the notorious British weather.

Great British Divide 2024 Tracking

The fourth edition of the Great British Divide is set to be wildly exciting with high passes, rough terrain, unreliable ferries and undoubtedly a good sprinkling of the notorious British weather on either of the two routes available.

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