LDC25

[johnnymack63]

Today is the shortest day of the year, which means that in exactly six months “The Longest Day Challenge 2025” will be underway and once again raising much needed money for Cancer Research UK. 
 
It is also the day that “LDC25” goes live, and I start the task of collecting names and contact details of those of you who are interested in taking part in 2025 - either as participant or volunteer. 
 

Last years event raised an astonishing £101,161 which took the running total for the event to over £513,161 raised for Cancer Research UK since it all began back in 2013. It is an extraordinary amount of money, so Thank You to everyone who has taken part, volunteered, donated, or simply spread the word over the years. You have all made a difference to people lives.

Last year, I made a couple of small changes to the format, so please read the following carefully…….
 
1) No 125cc bikes. The minimum capacity allowed is 250cc. This is mainly for the benefit of the volunteers specifically on the 4th and 5th pitstops, so they aren’t up all night and in a semi-fit state to go to work the next day(same) morning. The average pace and range that 125cc bikes can manage during the day means that by even the half way mark, they’re so far behind that the time between the first and last riders can be up to 8 hours by the last pitstop, and when you consider that the first riders arrive at P5 between 11 and 12PM, that’s a lot to ask from the guys and girls at P5 who have to go to work the same day!

2) The maximum budget for the bike that you use for the challenge is still £600 (not including the cost of tyres, brakes or MOT). However…….you can make a special case for exception from this rule if you want to use a particular bike for sentimental reasons, or a bike which still represents a big project to make ready, but the initial purchase price and/or restoration price is above the £600 budget.The event was originally founded on, and has been carried on for 10 years on the basis that it is a long distance ride, on nasty bikes, and this is very much the spirit of the event that we want to continue with, and prefer people to approach the event in. However, we also recognise that there are equally large projects out there which exceed the budget, but require no less time, effort, ingenuity or bodgery to resurrect an otherwise dead bike. Also, we recognise that occasionally some riders have wanted to use a bike which once belonged to a loved one who may have been taken by cancer, and therefore has a greater meaning and motivation to them. Therefore, I will be asking each of you to indicate what your intended bike/project is BEFORE I confirm your place in the event.

 

- Apart from that, the format for 2025 is the same as previous years…….

 

- We will continue to run from Lands End to John O’Groats on the 21st of June (Meeting at Lands End on the 20th).

- As usual, I’ll set a route nearer the time, and as usual it will be different to all previous routes used.

- No MOT, no entry.

- Accomodation and meals provided at Lands End and John O’Groats, full “Broom Wagon” support on the road, and transportation of your luggage from Lands End to John O’Groats are included in the entry fee. Which is...

- Shared occupancy: £300 per person (Only if you are doing the challenge as a pair), otherwise: Single occupancy: £400 per person

 

What happens next?

For now, all I need to do is establish a list of people who want to be kept informed about the 2025 event so that this is the only mass e-mail which gets sent out. I’ll start looking for deposits/firm commitment from that list of people after Christmas, so there’s no added pressure on the finances at this time of year, and full payment at the end of March, when I'll close the book and get all the accommodation booked.

So, there it is, the 2025 book is open for people to register their interest – it is not a guarantee of a place. If you want your name putting in it, reply to this e-mail with your name, e-mail address, phone number, and as mentioned, the bike you’re going to use. I’ll then add you to the 2025 database, then get back in touch with everyone on that database in January. 
 
I'm going to limit places to an absolute maximum of 40, so if we do end up over-subscribed, I'll treat it on a first come first served basis and give priority to people who didn't do it in 2024.

 

I’ll also be starting a list of those you who would like to help with the Pitstops, so if you can, let me know, then I shall start a separate list for the army of volunteers too who make this event possible.

Hope that all makes sense.

Any questions, just shout.

And, thank you all so much for being part of the ongoing Longest Day Challenge madness - in whatever capacity. It only works due to people like all of you who are either mad enough to take it on, and those of you who are kind enough to give up your valuable time to support the riders and event.

Merry Christmas to you and all your families.

John

[Thunderbolt]

P1 standing by.

[Mountain300]

I think I was a bit to keen this year, I was chomping at the bit at 00.37hrs Sat 21 Dec 24 looking for the 2025 email from John🤣.

It arrived at 10.02hrs, by which time I was up to my neck fixing a couple of our fleet Blood bikes. In the end I did not get chance to reply to said email until 19.23hrs😟. So now with everything crossed I'm waiting, along with no doubt many others, to see if I make the cut🥺.

My main reason for entering is that her in doors, Lorraine, was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in May this year. She has had surgery and we are now going through the chemo phase. The photo is of her waiting for the drugs to be plumbed in, this was session 7 of 8 last week. Number 8 is on the 2nd of Jan, we then have a 4-6 week break before she starts radiotherapy, the radiotherapy treatment is 5 days a week for 3 weeks! Then, all things being equal, Lorraine will have plenty more years left in her😎, especially as she has only recently retired from nursing!

Edited December 22, 2024 by Mountain300

[Thunderbolt]

6 hours ago, Mountain300 said:

I think I was a bit to keen this year, I was chomping at the bit at 00.37hrs Sat 21 Dec 24 looking for the 2025 email from John🤣.

It arrived at 10.02hrs, by which time I was up to my neck fixing a couple of our fleet Blood bikes. In the end I did not get chance to reply to said email until 19.23hrs😟. So now with everything crossed I'm waiting, along with no doubt many others, to see if I make the cut🥺.

My main reason for entering is that her in doors, Lorraine, was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in May this year. She has had surgery and we are now going through the chemo phase. The photo is of her waiting for the drugs to be plumbed in, this was session 7 of 8 last week. Number 8 is on the 2nd of Jan, we then have a 4-6 week break before she starts radiotherapy, the radiotherapy treatment is 5 days a week for 3 weeks! Then, all things being equal, Lorraine will have plenty more years left in her😎, especially as she has only recently retired from nursing!

Sending all my love.

For those that don’t know Lorraine, she is one of the most amazing people in this world. A truly beautiful person.

@johnnymack63 Is there any way we can guarantee Mick a place?

[johnnymack63]

16 minutes ago, Thunderbolt said:

 

@johnnymack63 Is there any way we can guarantee Mick a place?

Yes, of course.

[Supercoolnothing]

I've already replied to your email but I'm happy to help out with Pitstop 4 again. Got a few mates onboard willing to lend a hand as well. 

[jaycee]

I need to check when we are booked for holidays, and see what the work calendar is like. All going well, I would like to get back into pit stop 4 again.

As much as I would like to do the run upwards, I just don't have it in me anymore.

[hawkati]

i'll aim to help out at my local, pitstop 1, or might well ride u p to the gourock pitstop if that's the route this year. 

[cuban pete]

On 12/22/2024 at 6:36 AM, Mountain300 said:

I think I was a bit to keen this year, I was chomping at the bit at 00.37hrs Sat 21 Dec 24 looking for the 2025 email from John🤣.

It arrived at 10.02hrs, by which time I was up to my neck fixing a couple of our fleet Blood bikes. In the end I did not get chance to reply to said email until 19.23hrs😟. So now with everything crossed I'm waiting, along with no doubt many others, to see if I make the cut🥺.

My main reason for entering is that her in doors, Lorraine, was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in May this year. She has had surgery and we are now going through the chemo phase. The photo is of her waiting for the drugs to be plumbed in, this was session 7 of 8 last week. Number 8 is on the 2nd of Jan, we then have a 4-6 week break before she starts radiotherapy, the radiotherapy treatment is 5 days a week for 3 weeks! Then, all things being equal, Lorraine will have plenty more years left in her😎, especially as she has only recently retired from nursing!

Love and best wishes to you both xxx

[hawkati]

@Mountain300 - all the very best to Lorraine and yourself. Hope all goes well!

[johnnymack63]

Screen grab of a message from Rutter, who thought an LDC’er might be interested in and FOC bike.

[hawkati]

36 minutes ago, johnnymack63 said:

Screen grab of a message from Rutter, who thought an LDC’er might be interested in and FOC bike.

they're bulletproof. Dog only knows i did my best to kill mine whilst despatching..

[CRM]

Steed sorted i really want to do this in 2025 i have no excuse now just need to get bike fit and shift some chub 

[hawkati]

2 hours ago, CRM said:

Steed sorted i really want to do this in 2025 i have no excuse now just need to get bike fit and shift some chub 

Do it. But I'll implore you to get serious about bike fit beforehand otherwise it'll marmalise you. I'm absolutely not saying that to put you off, but to give you a fighting chance to do it and still end up smiling. Riding to portimao & back the month before made it my easiest ldc evrrrrr.

[SWTH]

1 hour ago, hawkati said:

Do it. But I'll implore you to get serious about bike fit beforehand otherwise it'll marmalise you. I'm absolutely not saying that to put you off, but to give you a fighting chance to do it and still end up smiling. Riding to portimao & back the month before made it my easiest ldc evrrrrr.

I want to do the LDC but I’m not bike fit - that’s the biggest thing stopping me. However, I’ve a target to get fit for 2026 for a couple of reasons including being fit enough to get back on steam loco footplates, so this year I’ll be happy to help at wherever my nearest pit stop is, and find a bike for next year. I did spot an R1100RT needing reassembly for £700 the other day, might as well be comfortable!