FNRttC Friday Night Ride to the Coast in aid of Martlets Hospice 2nd September 2011

[GrumpyGregry]

this raises an interesting point. It's been suggested that you can run a night ride on signage. I don't think you can.

I should probably confess I've got lost on a day ride with signage, and a map, and a route sheet and a GPS with the route on it. Twice. In two years. At the same event.










But at least I got lost in two different places.

 

[dellzeqq]

I'm with User10571. Signs can get messed around. People are good. People like you people are the best. It doesn't matter to me that some of the riders don't even look at the routesheet (although, to be fair, there's a lot of recceing by all kinds in the weeks before the ride) it matters that we do our best to keep them on course and we do it with a smile.

One of the teeny things that cheesed me off prior to the ride was that the entrants were being signed in by surname, not first name. It doesn't matter that there are thirteen Andy's (there's only ever one Claudine, even if she does have the log-in details for two), what matters is that we're as friendly as we can be.

 

[mmmmartin]

Also:

• riders should have been asked for their estimated time for the ride and slower riders told to turn up early, and the fast boys pop in nearer to the start time, which would have spread the load on the registration desk.
• the registration desks should have been A-L and M-Z by first name so the queue to register would have been halved.
• And I wish - as a marshal - I had gone in and mingled with the riders, I got the impression from comments on the ride that some of them were a bit in awe of us, which is a bad thing. I think I should have talked to more riders before the start, rather than marshals grouping together in a different place from from the riders.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Also:

• riders should have been asked for their estimated time for the ride and slower riders told to turn up early, and the fast boys pop in nearer to the start time, which would have spread the load on the registration desk.
• the registration desks should have been A-L and M-Z by first name so the queue to register would have been halved.
• And I wish - as a marshal - I had gone in and mingled with the riders, I got the impression from comments on the ride that some of them were a bit in awe of us, which is a bad thing. I think I should have talked to more riders before the start, rather than marshals grouping together in a different place from from the riders.

I chatted to a few who stopped to gather, or recollect, or micturate, or blag batteries, or to beg me to fix their processed cheese mech hangar at Slugwash.

I got the distinct impression that what they were in awe of, by that time and distance anyway, is that the marshals do this ride regularly and for fun, and at speed, and were prepared to give up a nights sleep for the craic.

That so many stopped to talk, mainly those riding alone, was one of the differences from last time for me.

 

[dellzeqq]

Also:

• riders should have been asked for their estimated time for the ride and slower riders told to turn up early, and the fast boys pop in nearer to the start time, which would have spread the load on the registration desk.
• the registration desks should have been A-L and M-Z by first name so the queue to register would have been halved.
• And I wish - as a marshal - I had gone in and mingled with the riders, I got the impression from comments on the ride that some of them were a bit in awe of us, which is a bad thing. I think I should have talked to more riders before the start, rather than marshals grouping together in a different place from from the riders.

the registration queue would have been zero if people were not obliged to sign for and take letters from the insurers asking for an undertaking that they would wear 'cycling accessories'. When you think about it, signing to say you've read a letter and undertake to comply before being given the letter is a wee bit daft. And, despite this palaver, the cover was not as good as a normal FNRttC, when, if you recall, you just shout your name (that bottle of gin is going to come in handy in a minute.........)

 

[StuartG]

And, despite this palaver, the cover was not as good as a normal FNRttC

Blimey Del - were you putting us Marshals at unnecessary risk?


As riders swerved to the left and right of me I was content that if one didn't make it and took out my goolies I would be entitled to 'new for old'

And there was my Missus living in hope. (I may have made the last bit up).

 

[StuartG]

Is this available on the NHS or is it a private thing?

You mean there is a choice? And a catalogue to choose from?

 

[StuartG]

retesticulation.

Getting a red MOT form?

 

[Tim Hall]

How was the experience for John Jasper stuck on Thunderbird 5?

That reminds me. I once read somewhere that the reason Gerry Anderson kept John on Thunderbird 5 nearly all the time was that Anderson didn't like him.

Is there something dellz isn't telling us?

 

[StuAff]

• And I wish - as a marshal - I had gone in and mingled with the riders, I got the impression from comments on the ride that some of them were a bit in awe of us, which is a bad thing. I think I should have talked to more riders before the start, rather than marshals grouping together in a different place from from the riders.

I know what you mean- I didn't talk to that many myself on the second half (when I was on the junction, they were more interested in getting to the school, can't blame them for that).

 

[Aperitif]

who was it who asked Susie how many times she did her lipstick on the ride? She's filed it in the 'Hopeless' category.

https://picasaweb.go...581733832453042

Oh and it was might have been me that had the temerity to enquire about Suzie's frequent lipstick reapplication.

At observed lipstick application rates that bar bag looked like it could barely suffice for a day at most...

And Thom wonders why his innertubes 'mysteriously' explode...

There's no mystery Thom - just don't mess with the Queen of Lips.

 

[Aperitif]

That reminds me. I once read somewhere that the reason Gerry Anderson kept John on Thunderbird 5 nearly all the time was that Anderson didn't like him.

Is there something dellz isn't telling us?

http://rqc.tripod.com/tracy.htm

Jasper might well have been sipping drinks by the pool and had his own little 'Tin Tin' there...he didn't get any call from me as I wasn't anywhere near where I should have been and, try as I might, I couldn't 'swipe' my touchscreen - the moisture was playing tricks.

 

[velovoice]

Good morning (+3) to all
Have really enjoyed reading everyone's accounts and looking at photos, will try and write something up myself when I'm a bit more coherent.

For now, just want to say how FANTASTIC the whole ride was - SUPERBLY organised and executed.

The last long ride that I remember enjoying every single minute of, as I did this one, was Dunwich Dynamo 2010. Funny thing is, the one significant thing both rides have in common is that I spent miles and miles cycling all alone...?!

Anyway, slow as I am, I never really struggled and was only right at the back once, after wayfinding with Mark at Tooting Broadway. Had enough juice in me to do 20 miles of Skyride feeder ride marshalling on the Sunday. Tired now, with a slightly swollen knee, but still EUPHORIC!

 

[mmmmartin]

I may be being a bit thick here but, try as I might, I don't get this one.

Adrian, you are routinely a voice of reason on here.
I apologise, i was being sloppy in my use of language. What I meant to say was:
"faster - and therefore one assumes those with better bikes - riders should be encouraged to arrive a bit later, whereas slower - and thus those with possibly less good bikes - should be encouraged to arrive earlier, to allow some marshalls to perform some sort of bike check, with at the very least a quick test of tyre pressure and a very quick test of brakes being performed."

But then again, maybe that is going a bit OTT.

 

[SW19cam]

This was an awesome ride (Totally in agreement with the link to DD 2010, which was my first night ride).





Some good memories for me:


1) The excitement building as we cycled through London in Convoy

2) Getting a puncture 10 miles in (But thankfully being helped by two marshals who had spares!)

3) Random conversations in the darkness

4) Tea and cake feast at half way.

5) The angels at the top of Ditching Road who were handing out sweets….



The 2012 date is already in my diary.



I have uploaded 6 vids on my youtube page.
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JM-I6zfmRLk