Transcontinental Race No. 5 - TCR5 - #TCRN05 - 2017

fair enough. gotta test it out and see what works for you :)

Is @hippy riding the TCR this year as well as the TABR?

That was his plan. I bet he'll not want to touch a bike again for 6 months after TABR though.

Anyone getting rabies shots?

No. And you're too late now to do so.

Just look up the guide. From NHS or cdc.

Basically wash would immediaty for 15min with water, soap and maybe iodine if possible. Then straight to hospital. Call police/ambulance immediatly. Don't fuck about with rabies.

I was quoted 3 weeks for a course of rabies jabs - but after having read more about it, seems like I'm not gonna be too far from help in the case of a dog bite anyway. I'll take a wee vial of iodine with me I guess.

Its more that if you get bitten without the inoculations, you need a lot more jabs into the bite. Tbh, if you can get innoculated, do it. Dog bites are rare on tcr, but rabies isn't a half arsed thing, it'll kill you. In the uk inoculations is with dead strain, so it won't make you feel ill or anything. But with you low white count, double check.

I'd take pepperspray, rather than iodine. I have and used it.

Presumably to scare off the dogs, rather than to treat the wounds...

It works well.

What about a battery powered dog dazer type thing?

Just carry a hand gun and be done with it.

According to this http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Rabies/Pages/Prevention.aspx a full course of rabies vaccine is 4 weeks. So you'll just about have enough time.

I'm almost certain that I will have been vaccinated at some point previously. Will probably need a booster though.

My GP is currently 60 miles away from where i'm now living, so that's useful.

Yeah you will need a booster or 2. Best look into it. If you've been vaccinated before then no brainer to boost

Why not use a half bag and jacket combo?

Got offered trade price of RAB bivvy and bag, and already own a rapha brevet insulated jacket. I sleep pretty warm generally and don't anticipate getting that cold at night in Europe, so won't take the bag.

Fairly sure that a bivvy, a mat and the jacket will be enough. Will bring a warm beanie for me head, just in case.

Fairly sure that a bivvy, a mat and the jacket will be enough

That's what most people take, but test, test, test!
Also silk liner and foil blanket are tiny and weigh nothing...

Should have mentioned the silk liner also.

Testing planned for this weekend - will see how I get on in Scotland without the sleeping bag - but will have the bag with me in case I get cold.

Obviously the nighttime temps vary a fair bit from northern Europe / the mountains to Greece. You won't have the right gear for every night. Part of the fun is working out what you can manage with what you've got!

#hotel

Going back on Audax thread you mentioned you did your first Audax only a months ago and your Taking on TCR shortly. Woah. Good luck

Haha, thanks! Probably should have trained more... Done about 5,000km this year.

My guess is you'll finish mid field. @skinny done around 10,100km according to strava..#stalker

My last two weekends have been 'as TCR' testbeds. They've been enourmously helpful. Bivvying, big back to back days and some riding in Europe. You'll learn loads about yourself, your bike and your kit. I've got one more to do before the TCR

Ha. I received full vaccine in April/May 2007. You're supposed to have a booster if you've had it in the last ten years. FFS!

Furiously Ebay's Pepper spray and gets on trainer to improve sprinting

Edit: I'm wrong i think i should be ok.

Have there been recent cases of rabies around the route? Obvs no guarantee but I though western Europe was "rabies free".