Ride Numbers

This week will see an important step in this year’s ride.

The entries for the 2009 event opened February 1st, following our launch party. Since then there has been a steady rush to sign up, which has been brilliant.

We have also in the last 10 days completed (with Salad Design) the poster for the ride, and had it available as a download on the website. In fact, last week saw the first poster popped up in a shop- quite rightly, the shop of our sponsor, Southfork Cycles, Braunton.

The steady rising of numbers will see us this week surpass last year’s rider count. The feedback from the riders signing up now (thank you for those who have provided the feedback!) is the word is spreading quickly only by recommendations of existing riders.

This is brilliant, and from all the organisers, THANK YOU!

We are about to start sending posters out to shops and leisure facilities across the South West, to encourage the next wave of riders- those who will be inspired to participate in an event they would not normally do. With the weather (hopefully) picking up, members of the public will start to cycle more, see the posters, and pick up the mantle of a challenge.

So if you have signed up- great to have you with us! If you have not, seriously- hurry- at this rate, we will be fully subscribed by the end of April.

And to all of you- keep talking to your friends! Tell them what you are doing, tap them for sponsorship- or get them to join us!

The future of the riders

One thing I love about the ride this year is the slight rule change we have made-

‘All riders under 16 must be accompanied by an adult’.

Up to now, for insurance and logistical reasons, we have said a straight no to riders under 16. Routes have been hard enough,and we wanted to ensure that no is left ‘baby sitting’ on the day.

This rule change means that we can open the ride up to the next generation of riders- people who will hopefully be coming to the event for years to come. It is very exciting.

It also, on a more personal level, means that my son Ethan can ride. Ethan is 13 at the start of April, and is already training. He has a sensible head on his shoulders, and does not focus solely on cycling; he plays rugby for his school, table tennis (is that a real sort? discuss!), badminton, a bit of football… an all round sport billy.

We got a healthy 30 miles in yesterday, cycling from Barnstaple to the Puffing Billy at Torrington, then climbed up into Torrington, then home again. His first ride with SPD’s; his climb into Torrington was really strong- he rode with a purpose.

It’s nice, because as I am not (honestly!) a pushy father, if he wants to come out with me, he does, and if he doesn’t, he … doesn’t. We are planning some bigger rides before the day to get used to cycling for a long time, but he is very excited- as I am- about him doing the ride. Previous riders will remember him on the back of the support motorbike at the 2008 event. This enabled him to see how tough it can be; he also saw the smiles!

This year wil see big steps taken in the ride. The first time we have changed both the start and the finish in one year, the first time we are starting outside of Ilfracombe, the numbers, the venues… but I think, in time, the biggest change will be…to allow accompanied under 16 year olds.

The 2009 poster

Drum roll please- here is a preview of this year’s poster- soon to be available to download!

How bloody cool is this?!!

The Blog- a new start

Welcome to our new Coast to Coast blog.

All the old details are here, just as searchable, just as long, just as personal to me.

But with the 2009 ride, it will take a new direction.

Up until now, the blog was always somewhere I recorded my own personal progress with fitness towards the ride. I wanted it not only as a  journal of my rides, but also to act as reassurance to newbie’s that you do not have to be supersonically fit to complete the ride- I always got by on the minimum amount of training.

But as the ride has grown, I think that the blog had served it’s purpose. 3 years of training should be enough to please anyone! (You also get the 3 years worth of not training- those are the days where I never blogged- I think you will find that there are far more of those).

Now in it’s sixth year, the ride is now different from the start. From the first year with just 4 riders, we are now having to cap it at 200 to ensure that we are growing safely and at a managed level. We want to keep the ride safe for all concerned, and keep our reputation of being a great ride in tact. Yes, in year 10, we want to be capping it off at 500, or 1000, but we also know that to get there, we need to be looking at 200 this year.

I know that I say it every year, but I am really excited about this year’s route. The thought  climbing out of Woolacombe with 200 other riders is exciting! Also, on the reckie my son and I recently did, we discovered a real treat- the ride along side the canal through Exeter. And the part around the back of Powderham castle is great!

I will be updating this blog regularly towards the ride, and beyond, and hope to give you all some idea of what we were thinking in the planning of the ride, and why it is like it is. Let me know if you think is good! Also, feel free to post your comments below.

June 7th will soon be here. Will you be?