Thoughts from P3

[Tony B]

Now we’ve had time to reflect on what was an immense day and continues to be a fantastic effort.

Owing to Covid and the changes to the car park ay Guy’s we had a different layout for this year. In 2019 it was a lot easier, as the stop was visible as you entered. This time we needed to guide the riders in and take their names before they could get off their bikes.  

My partner did the ‘time keeping’ and I asked for her thoughts.

My thoughts about the day... a few points.

It was a really great day, the fundraising outstanding. The guys and gals at the pit stop and our host Guy’s, and all the sponsorship items provided made for an excellent team effort.

It was a very personal day for me, and I felt it was the same for the pit stop 3 team too.

The rider’s tired faces when they arrive make you want the pit stop to be a real hug for them, to help them revive and remind them that their effort is appreciated and acknowledged and set them up to face the next stage to P4.

When they leave you are willing them all to make it safely, it becomes addictive keeping tabs on their progress throughout the following hours, the Facebook narrative and WhatsApp were excellent.
 
The riders share a few words when they check in, some linger a bit, some just turn and chase the leading pack. Their faces are etched on your memory, a few private words shared, forever remembered. Even if this wasn't for CRUK, which as a charity is very close to my heart, the endurance and camaraderie of the event and the people involved makes me smile and feel happy. CRUK make a difference to our world, so does LDU21.

The phrase every picture tells a story... Some super pictures and videos all day. Snap Chap photography was very professional and a lovely personality on the P3 team. I was thinking you should do a LDU calendar... @heds954

Some pointers for next time.

Early notice of any brand or logos to be shared so that signage and posters all reflect the same images. It presents a truly professional image which makes fundraising and sponsorship easier

We should have fed the pit team early in day. It turned out to be a longer day and some had long journeys afterwards either with the pack of riders or just home. Suggesting breakfast at Nell's or breakfast butty before we set up on the day, meeting up with sufficient time to allow for the set up.

As a result of the A6 serious road traffic incident, it has highlighted to me that the event would have benefitted from some liaison with latest traffic news, we could have been informed sooner with live information, for real time responses.

On the back of the above point,  having a few local and trusted "Travelling Marshalls" on bikes available to escort those riders who arrived to the pit stop during the A6 disruptions, by the local back roads from Garstang through Lancaster would have been great. This option is readily available from pit stop 3.

Maybe borrow some walkie talkie radios from Garstang Lions for next event?

Re. Joan’s comment of Travelling Marshals; I had the job of telling the riders that they had to go back the way they had just come to hop on the M6 for a junction. The look of horror on some faces as they struggled to take in what I was saying wasn’t great. A couple of guys with local knowledge to lead them North through the mess resulting from the RTC would have made their lives so much easier.

Also, the management team at Guy's Thatched Hamlet have been so generous to us. Nothing was too much trouble. Even a request to two dozen champagne glasses was met, though no one knows where it came from! If you're ever going past please pop in for some great food.

Everything worked so well, thanks again to all involved.

@TKDMitchAs a lot of those that took part aren't on here, maybe share this to the riders and support groups?

[heds954]

I’m in the office today, and about to go into 3hrs of meetings, but I’ll add my thoughts later when I land home.

[EXUPDEL]

Can I just say a big thankyou to all the Pitstop crews. I was one of those that flew in shouted my name and shot off. It was clear that the tables were fully loaded with supply's and any requests would have been served as best as possible by the teams in attendance.

For me it was just about maintaining momentum so apologies if I seemed abrupt or rude when passing through.

 

 

[Thunderbolt]

All the pitstops were amazing.

The scotch eggs at P3 were nom nom nom.

The re-route really wasn’t an issue for me.

The chap in the Kawasaki top was really helpful.

I would have given @heds954 a struggle cuddle, but I didn’t have time.

Your Mrs, checking us in and out was terrific, obviously in charge, keeping us fully informed, I felt a bit for her alone in the car park.

A few more signs would have made her role and our crap direction finding easier.

[cuban pete]

Genuinely couldn't have got through it without the amazing people at all the Pitstops.  You have no idea how much it meant 😊 thank you so much ❤️

[hawkati]

All of the pitstops were great, and the help at P3 with tools for chain adjustment was very much appreciated. Food was exceptionally yummy and I was gleefully distracted from the trials of the day for a while, celebrating by hurling earplugs at Hayley's drone!😛

[IforB]

Rolling into P3 and getting force-fed tea, scotch eggs and some excellent wraps all whilst my bike received some much required fettling was wonderful!

I have to say, the chain on the FZ was flapping like a pair of bloomers in a force 9, so the difference was astonishing!

Everyone at the pitstops were wonderful, but I have to say the spread laid on at P3 was very impressive indeed. 

The A6 problem was OK for me, as I used to go out with a girl near Lancaster, so know that bit of countryside really well, so was able to follow some B roads and get back on it just above the closure, but it was a pain in the backside.

[Basil]

2 hours ago, hawkati said:

All of the pitstops were great, and the help at P3 with tools for chain adjustment was very much appreciated. Food was exceptionally yummy and I was gleefully distracted from the trials of the day for a while, celebrating by hurling earplugs at Hayley's drone!😛

The "Euphemism meter 2000" has just overloaded and cooked its relay board!

[TKDMitch]

8 hours ago, Tony B said:

Now we’ve had time to reflect on what was an immense day and continues to be a fantastic effort.

Owing to Covid and the changes to the car park ay Guy’s we had a different layout for this year. In 2019 it was a lot easier, as the stop was visible as you entered. This time we needed to guide the riders in and take their names before they could get off their bikes.  

My partner did the ‘time keeping’ and I asked for her thoughts.

My thoughts about the day... a few points.

It was a really great day, the fundraising outstanding. The guys and gals at the pit stop and our host Guy’s, and all the sponsorship items provided made for an excellent team effort.

It was a very personal day for me, and I felt it was the same for the pit stop 3 team too.

The rider’s tired faces when they arrive make you want the pit stop to be a real hug for them, to help them revive and remind them that their effort is appreciated and acknowledged and set them up to face the next stage to P4.

When they leave you are willing them all to make it safely, it becomes addictive keeping tabs on their progress throughout the following hours, the Facebook narrative and WhatsApp were excellent.
 
The riders share a few words when they check in, some linger a bit, some just turn and chase the leading pack. Their faces are etched on your memory, a few private words shared, forever remembered. Even if this wasn't for CRUK, which as a charity is very close to my heart, the endurance and camaraderie of the event and the people involved makes me smile and feel happy. CRUK make a difference to our world, so does LDU21.

The phrase every picture tells a story... Some super pictures and videos all day. Snap Chap photography was very professional and a lovely personality on the P3 team. I was thinking you should do a LDU calendar... @heds954

Some pointers for next time.

Early notice of any brand or logos to be shared so that signage and posters all reflect the same images. It presents a truly professional image which makes fundraising and sponsorship easier

We should have fed the pit team early in day. It turned out to be a longer day and some had long journeys afterwards either with the pack of riders or just home. Suggesting breakfast at Nell's or breakfast butty before we set up on the day, meeting up with sufficient time to allow for the set up.

As a result of the A6 serious road traffic incident, it has highlighted to me that the event would have benefitted from some liaison with latest traffic news, we could have been informed sooner with live information, for real time responses.

On the back of the above point,  having a few local and trusted "Travelling Marshalls" on bikes available to escort those riders who arrived to the pit stop during the A6 disruptions, by the local back roads from Garstang through Lancaster would have been great. This option is readily available from pit stop 3.

Maybe borrow some walkie talkie radios from Garstang Lions for next event?

Re. Joan’s comment of Travelling Marshals; I had the job of telling the riders that they had to go back the way they had just come to hop on the M6 for a junction. The look of horror on some faces as they struggled to take in what I was saying wasn’t great. A couple of guys with local knowledge to lead them North through the mess resulting from the RTC would have made their lives so much easier.

Also, the management team at Guy's Thatched Hamlet have been so generous to us. Nothing was too much trouble. Even a request to two dozen champagne glasses was met, though no one knows where it came from! If you're ever going past please pop in for some great food.

Everything worked so well, thanks again to all involved.

@TKDMitchAs a lot of those that took part aren't on here, maybe share this to the riders and support groups?

Done

Funnily enough @Johnnymack63 and I were chatting the other day and discussed several of the ideas raised.

The other thing I'm very keen to do is ensure the quality of food for riders and volunteers alike. It seems to me that the best way to achieve this is a rigorous quality control scheme, involving sending samples of all the yummy baked goods to me through the year leading up to the event.

I know, I know, I'm a martyr to the cause, but it's an important job so I'm stepping up. Well, hauling myself up off the sofa with some help. I've had all the doorways in the house widened in anticipation...

[ssray]

5 minutes ago, TKDMitch said:

Done

Funnily enough @Johnnymack63 and I were chatting the other day and discussed several of the ideas raised.

The other thing I'm very keen to do is ensure the quality of food for riders and volunteers alike. It seems to me that the best way to achieve this is a rigorous quality control scheme, involving sending samples of all the yummy baked goods to me through the year leading up to the event.

I know, I know, I'm a martyr to the cause, but it's an important job so I'm stepping up. Well, hauling myself up off the sofa with some help. I've had all the doorways in the house widened in anticipation...

You should have said, just done flapjacks, rocky Road and lemon drizzle for work, all wrapped up sorry

[Thunderbolt]

1 hour ago, TKDMitch said:

Done

Funnily enough @Johnnymack63 and I were chatting the other day and discussed several of the ideas raised.

The other thing I'm very keen to do is ensure the quality of food for riders and volunteers alike. It seems to me that the best way to achieve this is a rigorous quality control scheme, involving sending samples of all the yummy baked goods to me through the year leading up to the event.

I know, I know, I'm a martyr to the cause, but it's an important job so I'm stepping up. Well, hauling myself up off the sofa with some help. I've had all the doorways in the house widened in anticipation...

Realistically the samples need to be sent to some one who has done both pitstops and the run recently.

ME!

[blow_away]

On 7/1/2021 at 10:18 PM, TKDMitch said:

Done

Funnily enough @Johnnymack63 and I were chatting the other day and discussed several of the ideas raised.

The other thing I'm very keen to do is ensure the quality of food for riders and volunteers alike. It seems to me that the best way to achieve this is a rigorous quality control scheme, involving sending samples of all the yummy baked goods to me through the year leading up to the event.

I know, I know, I'm a martyr to the cause, but it's an important job so I'm stepping up. Well, hauling myself up off the sofa with some help. I've had all the doorways in the house widened in anticipation...

Mitch, between this, and you offering Michael Rutter a bed for the night...frankly I'm worried 

[Sidkinky]

4 hours ago, blow_away said:

...frankly I'm worried 

But not suprised

[heds954]

5 hours ago, blow_away said:

Mitch, between this, and you offering Michael Rutter a bed for the night...frankly I'm worried 

...and slightly aroused

[heds954]

On 7/1/2021 at 1:28 PM, Tony B said:

The phrase every picture tells a story... Some super pictures and videos all day. Snap Chap photography was very professional and a lovely personality on the P3 team. I was thinking you should do a LDU calendar... @heds954

Thanks for the kind words. Not sure 12 pictures of grumpy old men would trouble the sales of a Crossbow calendar, but then again...

On 7/1/2021 at 1:28 PM, Tony B said:

Early notice of any brand or logos to be shared so that signage and posters all reflect the same images. It presents a truly professional image which makes fundraising and sponsorship easier

My fault completely. A combination of procrastination, apathy and weather good enough to be out on a bike, stopped me from getting the designs done in good time. But now they're done, I expect them to stay like this for a good few years, with just a year change to update.

On 7/1/2021 at 1:28 PM, Tony B said:

Maybe borrow some walkie talkie radios from Garstang Lions for next event?

Definitely. The very gracious loan of the Bowling premises, meant that we didn't impinge on the main establishment's run of business, and also meant we had some freedom to operate as we felt best. The only issue was getting participants from the roadside, back to where the P3 team was. Walkie talkies would surely have been a great boon to be able to communicate between us all, to get a better picture of what was going on.

Other items for discussion that were had between me @Tony B, @srad34, @DesmoEddyand a few others, were subjects such as (in no particular order):

• Mandatory visits to all pitstops for all participants for safety reasons - to check up on the state of both bike and rider.

• Give participants time windows to arrive by, or they must notify organisers to inform on their location - that OR trackers for every participant.

• Absolutely no carrying of spare fuel.

• Pre event bike safety check - we saw fucked chains and sprockets, misaligned wheels, all the above and more.

• Although it was clear some bikes were grossly over the Challenge budget - increase the allowed budget of the bikes but perhaps have an age limit, say all bikes must be at least 20yrs old, or something like that. As @johnnymack63 put it to me, "As long as the bike is deemed to be in the spirit of the Challenge - ie something that makes you wince and cry out 'Fuck me, I'm glad I'm not riding that!'".

 

[Thunderbolt]

@heds954 disagree on the spare fuel thing, I carried 5l and ran out on the run to Exeter. I would be stuffed without it. Similarly that 5l was the safety net for Angus, Cuban Pete and myself in the run from the ferry to Fort William and for us from Inverness to JoG.

I suggested using Glympse as a tracker a couple of years ago.

Boy#2 had it to track me last year and this year. It does suck phone battery and on a LDU bike you need to look after the bike electrics first.

@johnnymack63 covered all this in the riders briefing.

At the end of the day we are mostly  grown ups. 

[IforB]

8 hours ago, Thunderbolt said:

@heds954 disagree on the spare fuel thing, I carried 5l and ran out on the run to Exeter. I would be stuffed without it. Similarly that 5l was the safety net for Angus, Cuban Pete and myself in the run from the ferry to Fort William and for us from Inverness to JoG.

I suggested using Glympse as a tracker a couple of years ago.

Boy#2 had it to track me last year and this year. It does suck phone battery and on a LDU bike you need to look after the bike electrics first.

@johnnymack63 covered all this in the riders briefing.

At the end of the day we are mostly  grown ups. 

"Mostly" 

 

[hawkati]

9 hours ago, Thunderbolt said:

@heds954 

@johnnymack63 At the end of the day we are mostly  grown ups. 

Speak for yourself matey!😛