FNRttC London to WHITSTABLE - 25 August 2017

[StuAff]

Really?
No swashbuckling risk-takers who've no idea of the route but have verve and gusto and brio in abundance?
How I'm disappoint.
It never used to be this way.

I think I was asked three times if I knew the way.....

 

[StuAff]

Another cracker, expertly run by Ross, with full credit to a crack team of little helpers on the night and in recces. Wayfinding cockups certainly not of his making, I'll come back to that…

Just like last August's Whitstable run, it was a FNR-gig (with overnight stay) combo, so more luggage than usual. Earlier in the week I did have the thought to use Chutney the wonderbike, as last year. Unfortunately, not for the first time, the front brake is playing up, and so it will be visiting the LBS to get sorted. Therefore had to make do with the other bike with a rack....

Due to the alterations in place due to the Waterloo upgrade works, the preference for the 2138 post-work train of choice was more of a necessity- instead of 1hr 15 or so, the journey times on the Southampton Airport-Waterloo service were now nearly two hours, but get the 2138 and I could change at Amazingstoke for a faster overall journey. So a quiet word with the manager and I got out the door ten minutes early, having made up the time earlier in the week. I might just have made it having worked to time, I have done a few times, but I've also seen the train pull away as I sped round in vain....no problems with the first train or the connecting one, into Waterloo bang on time. Usual chinwagging under the Waterloo arch, and then round to the NT, and the usual uncritical mass (we got passed by some remnants of the actual Critical Mass). Good to see a few (very) welcome returning faces (@bobcolover ! Charlotte B!) though sadly not Mike E, in the end. Given later incidents some of the (also very) welcome new people might not have been paying full attention when Ross & Martin were talking about wayfinding...

Speaking of wayfinding, I took the very first turn, only to have quite a long wait as one of our newbies decided to have the all-too-traditional start line puncture. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given our numbers & the proportion of newcomers, there seemed more mechanicals than usual of late, though nowhere near the most eventful rides. Early schlep through SE was otherwise as uneventful as usual.

Into Kent, and in Barnehurst/Crayford we (towards the back) had The Case of the Missing Waymarker. A roundabout. But which way around it? Know not us, until the tail arrives. Perhaps Martin needs to extend the Waymarking Commandments.
Thou shalt stay in post until Designated All Upper doth give you the message, no matter what
Thou shalt ignore that helpful message that says we're nearly all through, it doth not say you can move on and whoever said it is not Designated All Upper
Thou shalt not just bugger off up the road because it seems like a long time since you saw anyone. Some art slow, some art slower, some hath mechanicals
Thou hath finished the Tolstoy Omnibus on thy Kindle app? Start on the Proust then
Thou shalt NOT F***ING MOVE until you see that Designated All Upper, OK?
Waymarking is not always a glamorous fun job, on the contrary it's more often a dull one. A case in point, the wait I had in Dartford when there was a mechanical- two I think- right after the regroup at the bus stop. Dodging multiple artics coming to and from the Sainsbury's distribution centre while a group of headlights (the people you're waiting for) don't move for what seems like an eternity? Tough, deal with it, suck it up and keep waiting. People are depending on you, and at some point you may well be depending on someone else doing the same job with the same patience. It's not about you, it's about us. So there.

On to Strood, and Mr & Mrs Decker's Emporium of Cakey Goodness. @wanda2010 is all about the victoria sponge, I'm a bread pudding addict. Not always present, but I'm always glad to see it. And more glad to eat it. Three bits Saturday. Oh, and a couple of rolls, and the chocolate cake, and (star attraction of the night) the meringue. A snip for £10 (I eat more, I pay more, natch). As ever, the tastiest donation to charity one can make.

Past the poor old sub and on we went. Would agree with @User21629, Sittingbourne had particularly bad surfaces, but there does seem to be a competition among local authorities, wherever I ride, to make even the gravel bike ride as uncomfortable as possible. Though at least they don't all follow Hampshire CC's policy of putting promotional signage about road improvements alongside rutted farm tracks posing as highway! As I've already noted, my speed in the Breakfast Sprint Challenge was somewhat lacking, but still good exercise.

As ever, the Waterfront did an excellent job. Glad I joined User10571 & co on The Street. That was something else. Failed somewhat as @User21629's photographic assistant/crab wrangler. Mr Crab just wouldn't hold still for his close-up. But she has skills, awesome shot nonetheless. Had been thinking of riding west as far as Rochester, get another ton done, but the nature ramble & nattering meant time pressing. Gig was early doors (6pm, 10pm curfew) and I needed a kip and food before hand. So joining the throng on HS1 from Whitstable station it was. Off at Stratford, an encounter with a juvenile oik en route (less Mad Frankie Fraser more Kevin the Teenager on an off day) and on to Mile End and digs at Queen Mary University of London (recommended). Up again after a couple of hours snoozing, then up to Islington and a Revoltingly good night out...


Same again on Friday (well, apart from the gig)? Damn right!

 

[mmmmartin]

The Case of the Missing Waymarker. A roundabout. But which way around it? Know not us, until the tail arrives. Perhaps Martin needs to extend the Waymarking Commandments.
Thou shalt stay in post until Designated All Upper doth give you the message, no matter what
Thou shalt ignore that helpful message that says we're nearly all through, it doth not say you can move on and whoever said it is not Designated All Upper
Thou shalt not just bugger off up the road because it seems like a long time since you saw anyone. Some art slow, some art slower, some hath mechanicals
Thou hath finished the Tolstoy Omnibus on thy Kindle app? Start on the Proust then
Thou shalt NOT F***ING MOVE until you see that Designated All Upper, OK?
Waymarking is not always a glamorous fun job, on the contrary it's more often a dull one. A case in point, the wait I had in Dartford when there was a mechanical- two I think- right after the regroup at the bus stop. Dodging multiple artics coming to and from the Sainsbury's distribution centre while a group of headlights (the people you're waiting for) don't move for what seems like an eternity? Tough, deal with it, suck it up and keep waiting. People are depending on you, and at some point you may well be depending on someone else doing the same job with the same patience. It's not about you, it's about us. So there.

*like*

 

[StuAff]

*like*

Thou art welcome.

 

[mmmmartin]

Thoughts are being had about this. The word "training" has been used. You were mentioned. Watch this space.

 

[robjh]

Given that this is a known, albeit occasional, problem, it has struck me on recent pre-ride talks that this point needs to be stressed more. Just along the lines of 'if you are a waymarker, you must stay put until the all-upper releases you; and never fear, however long it seems you will not be forgotten, the all-upper will always be along to release you'.

 

[User10571]

Might it be an idea to make a point of not leaving riders waymarking solo?
Things never seem as bad if there's more than one of you....
And on Friday's ride it was noticeable that people were waymarking in pairs.

 

[User10571]

And it still went wrong? People consult each other for validation of a decision to move on.

I don't know whether the one which went wrong had one or two people marking it.

 

[User10571]

Not every instance was in pairs, just a noticeable number.

Indeed.

 

[velovoice]

Apparently, the one that went wrong saw a rider approaching that he thought he recognised as being the All-Upper, and he took off without waiting to see if he was right.

 

[mmmmartin]

That person must have done it half a dozen times then.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I think the 'stay put' message was made loud and clear at the off. I just think it's a case of using known faces for the task. In a group where over a third are new this will always be difficult.
Perhaps ask for volunteers at the start and get phone numbers?
Buddy-up a new person with an oldie?
Make sure all participants have the ride leaders and all-uppers phone numbers?

On the whole though it's a system that works pretty damn and unobtrusively well most of the time.

 

[User10571]

Neither do I, but perhaps your idea should be modified to suggest one new person and one experienced person? I can imagine two newbies saying, "Do you think we should move on now?", "Yeah that must have been the end." ...

That's an excellent idea.

 

[velovoice]

Perhaps ask for volunteers at the start

This is in line with what's on our website (wording inherited from Simon). Of course first-timers will not have read this - but the expectation back when it was written was that first-timers would not be waymarking.

Perhaps giving people an express opportunity to volunteer to waymark (by way of show of hands) as part of the pre-ride briefing? Then the Ride Leader has a quick huddle with just those people before we set off, to get them face to face with the All-Upper and emphasize what's entailed?

 

[velovoice]

That person must have done it half a dozen times then.

Ah. From the discussions, it was not clear that it was a recurring problem all night.