UK Coast to Coast - Charity ride??



Aye, I reckon I'm up for this. I'm definitely of the "minimally
organised / skint people" type so supported/unsupported not too fussed
either way.

I'm going for a new job at the minute though so plans may change
depending on how soon/if I start this job. I'll keep you updated though
Matt.


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joemarshall wrote:
> I'm doing some testing with a seatpost mounted rack to put the sleeping
> bag on in the next week or so, if that works, it might be a good
> solution to camping on a coker for minimally organised / skint people
> that means you don't need more than your camelbak on your back.
>




I've tested a rack today, only for about 4 miles or so though. With
probably a bit over 6kg of stuff on it (I just attached my camelbak
containing my swimming gear, lunch, 2 litres of water, tools etc.) It
rode a bit oddly, was harder to turn corners etc. a bit slower up
hills. But perfectly rideable. I reckon with just 1kg of sleeping stuff
on it it'll be almost un-noticeable.

Joe


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matt_t wrote:
> ...a recurrance of a minor knee injury 2 days ago...


Be very careful with that knee.
I attempted to ride the length of the Thames this time last year and
badly strained my knee. Not enough distance training beforehand was a
major contributing factor, and led to a very painful and slow Mountain
Mayhem and lots of physiotherapy appointments.
Best of luck!


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Joe
:
Do you have a cunning way of carrying a sleeping bag that isn't in a
: rucksack, or do you do something silly lightweight without a sleeping
: bag? I've bivvied in just a 'blizzard survival bag'
: (http://tinyurl.com/lqngz) + sleeping bag liner, when muniing, it was
: quite cold (it snowed on me), I did survive, but it was definately a
: matter of survival rather than anything like a comfortable nights
: sleep.

???????? Saying nothing..............Sorry can't resist I've got to say
something IRRISPONSIBLE!

:
: I think my next experiment is going to be with a decent sleeping bag
: and my normal bivvi bag. I'm doing some testing with a seatpost mounted
: rack to put the sleeping bag on in the next week or so, if that works,
: it might be a good solution to camping on a coker for minimally
: organised / skint people that means you don't need more than your
: camelbak on your back.

I don't read this group very often (last post here before this thread was
last October) I have had to find a new, free news server which I can post
from and when re-subscribing remembered this one. I saw this thread and
decided to offer what I thought sensible advice as previously stated. Your
follow up post IMHO just goes to prove what an irresponsible person you are!
If you are in the position where you are in a position of " definitely a
matter of survival" you have not planned your ride appropriately. I don't
wish any harm to you or others but PLEASE think about what you are doing!

I have been to a funeral today of a close workmate who I have known for 15+
years.............. Life is too short for making short cuts. Think long and
hard before you set off on your next journey, if you think it could end up
in a position of "definitely a matter of survival" then don't set off, you
could quite as easily end up in a box! along with anyone else who tries to
come to your rescue!

Don't bother replying as I am unsubscribing to this group after I post this.

I hope my posts don't come across as condescending, not meant to, please
think about what you are doing. You only have one life!

Probably posting next October with the lost property from Durham convention

Andy
 
Update: Charity change. Mongolia is a screwed up place, but I thought
I'd found a small project where what small amount of money I can raise
might make some kind of difference. I was even going to spend the
summer working for them. However, I recently found this:
http://tinyurl.com/onrr5

It says that they enforced a vegetarian diet, and expelled kids who
didn't accept it. Now I'm a vegetarian but this is so wrong. I'm not
having anything to do with a "humanitarian" organisation where the care
given should be conditional on accepting a certain moral code. These
are vulnerable children, you can't say "go veggie or freeze and die in
the streets" which is effectively the choice given. There's a good
reason the Mongolian diet is based around mutton fat, i.e. so people
don't freeze to death so easily in -30 winters.

Damn I'm so angry, sorry everyone about this. I'm still gonna do the
ride, but another charity will have to be found and my plans for the
next 3 months are screwed. grrrrr.:(

I was thinking about CAMDA, my mate Tom from the Mongol rally knows
them, and it's a good cause, have a look, say what you think?
http://tinyurl.com/ho5yr


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Sorry Matt to go off topic, but this just *has* to be replied to.


AndyN wrote:
>
> ???????? Saying nothing..............Sorry can't resist I've got to
> say
> something IRRISPONSIBLE! If you are in the position where you are in a
> position of " definitely a matter of survival" you have not planned
> your ride appropriately. I don't wish any harm to you or others but
> PLEASE think about what you are doing!




Andy,

It's nice of you to be worried about this, but I don't think I was in
any way irresponsible. Firstly, I've been walking and climbing big
hills and mountains and camping since I was about 8. I think the first
time I went on a proper bike tour I was 12. I've navigated off Scottish
mountains in blizzards and no visibility having climbed up the other
side in perfect sunshine, with a great weather forecast. I've also done
a lot of night riding, and very long distance rides on unicycles,
including London to the south coast at night, 100 miles in 10 hours,
Nottingham to Stockton and a bunch of random 60-90 milers from home.
I'm not inexperienced as far as either mountains or long rides go, I've
had days when I've not taken people up due to the weather not being
right, and if that had bene the case I wouldn't have gone on this ride.
I've never been rescued, and no-one in a group I've been leading has
ever been rescued. I'm not dead yet (as I'm sure Danny will be pleased
to know!).

The particular time I mentioned, I was on a hillside in Wales at low
level, under shelter of trees, in a dip out of the wind. I'd got the
mountain weather and bbc forecasts the afternoon before, and it was
forecast to be a minimum of 5 degrees C. I'd used the same equipment
before at that kind of temperatures, which was fine, so I knew I had
some scope for the weather being worse without killing myself. I know
people who have survived in those bags in high bivvis in the alps. I'd
phoned my wife before I went and told her where I was going to camp. I
was camped only about 3 miles away from the nearest town, so in the
worst case, I could easily have got myself there. There was an early
morning train from there in case I needed to bail out completely and
head home.

So, once I was camped and asleep, I was woken by various forms of
weather, snow, sleet, hail, torrential rain and the temperature dropped
way below what the forecast had said (puddles were frozen up), meaning
I had to really dig deep into the bivvi bag and close everything up. It
wasn't comfy, or easy to sleep, but there was no point I was worried
about hypothermia or dying. If I had got really cold, I could have got
up and ridden or walked to the town. The next day I got up and rode 35
miles of technical muni and all was well.

On any kind of mountain activity or long ride, there's *always* a point
where you could be in a survival situation. It would be irresponsible
to go on a ride and not consider that a possibility. For example, at
Mountain Mayhem in 2001 (or was it 2002), Tall Claire fell off and hit
her head quite badly, about half way round the course, whilst on a
practice lap, before there was medical cover. Fortunately we'd come
prepared with a space blanket and spare clothes, so were able to wrap
her up and keep her warm while waiting for an ambulance to come and
look at her head. That was about 3 miles away from the car-park, at a
place in the middle of Birmingham. The support crew couldn't have
driven there, because it wasn't on a public road though.

Whilst having a support crew is great, I honestly don't think they make
that much difference to the survival of a rider, especially in a group
ride, where there are other riders around to perform basic first aid.
They definately add convenience, particularly in a situation where you
have to reach a fixed point in a certain length of time, or carry a lot
of gear, or you're not sure if everyone can make it, and they're also a
real nice thing to have in terms of general comfort and home baked cake
and stuff. I never said support crews weren't nice to have, but like
Steve said, there's definately a greater sense of achievement in just
getting on your unicycle and riding somewhere without having the
tour-de-france team car following you. It's the difference between
using your unicycle as a mode of transport, and just an athletic
endeavour.

Joe


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Hey everyone. The ride is going to be the 23rd-25th June, training is
going well.
I've been in touch with CAMDA, and they've been really helpful and they
do fantastic work so I'll be raising money for them at BUC. There is
also another very awesome event planned for August this year, but more
of that later... Arrrrr.


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Narrr. There be no pirate references in these waters shipmate. Ye must
have the wrong forum. Ye better cast off now shipmate.


--
matt_t

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Nope, definitely still a decidedly piratey aroma...Something between
stale rum and barnacles.

Maybe there's just an onshore breeze wafting this pungent privateer
pong my way.


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Yep, Whitehaven to Tynemouth (I live in Newcastle so it's easier than
Sunderland) I'll set up a justgiving site and blog and post the link.
Oh and thankyou everyone who sponsored me at BUC, you were all very
generous and it looks like I'll be able to raise quite a bit thanks to
you guys ::p


--
matt_t

You can't give up hope just because it's hopeless. You gotta hope even
more, and cover your ears and go 'bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla!'

Arrrrrr. Yarrrrrr. etc.
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matt_t wrote:
> Yep, Whitehaven to Tynemouth (I live in Newcastle so it's easier than
> Sunderland) I'll set up a justgiving site and blog and post the link.
> Oh and thankyou everyone who sponsored me at BUC, you were all very
> generous and it looks like I'll be able to raise quite a bit thanks to
> you guys ::p



Are you going along the A66 on-route, I could cheer you on, might even
ride with you for a bit.

Andy


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Yes I think so, there's not much choice as far as I can see. I still
need to get the sustrans map so I don't know my precise route yet, just
the start and end. The bits in the middle aren't so important as long
as I get there:eek:


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matt_t

You can't give up hope just because it's hopeless. You gotta hope even
more, and cover your ears and go 'bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla!'

Arrrrrr. Yarrrrrr. etc.
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Woohoo my justgiving site is up and running, start making those
donations people!
You can also pledge an amount and it'll only take it once I complete
the event if you have no faith im my ability to make it:p
http://www.justgiving.com/unicyclecoast2coast


--
matt_t

You can't give up hope just because it's hopeless. You gotta hope even
more, and cover your ears and go 'bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla!'

Arrrrrr. Yarrrrrr. etc.
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