Arrivee Spring 2010

[thing1]

Just received our copy. (There goes my afternoon "working" from Home)

Had to say, very nice responses from Richard, Ian and Mike to the green-ink letter on page 4 about LEL. Having shouted at the page, my blood pressure came back under control when I saw your replies & the sanity they contained. Really glad you got them in there in the same issue.


On a completely different note, what a surprise I had when I opened page 22. Completely forgotten I'd offered (but failed) to adapt it, so there it is in blog form. And funny to see it two days before we attempt our second 600k! But I'm sure there's something wrong with the aspect ratio on that photo  

[Greenbank]

Ooh, it always brightens my day when I get a Arrivee.

Much more interesting than the quarterly IMA magazine.

[border-rider]

Yes, just been looking through mine.

Nice pic of the Things, I felt, and all in all a good issue

George Hanna's tale of last year's Bryan Chapman is...scary.

[kcass]

George Hanna's tale of last year's Bryan Chapman is...scary.

Fantastic. If mine arrives in time I'll be able to read all about it on the way to this year's.

[red marley]

George Hanna's tale of last year's Bryan Chapman is...scary.

I've yet to get hold of my copy, but on last year's BC on two occasions I set off well in advance of George (which is very unusual for me), only to find him waiting at the next control when I arrived (which is much more usual). Perhaps the article will explain how.

[mattc]

So, it seems this thread is for all things Arrivee Spring 2010 ...

"Just a Minute" P2, subheading LEL,

PBP qualification: Richard mentions that

... the consensus to deal with the potential excess of apps over quote appears to be a lottery.

Does he mean AFTER the 2010 BRM riders have taken their places ?

[Greenbank]

Does he mean AFTER the 2010 BRM riders have taken their places ?

I'd guess so. I'm guessing it'd be a lottery amongst the group of riders that would cause the quota to be exceeded with the order of preference of groups as:-

Riders of a 1000km BRM in 2010 who pre-register
Riders of a 600km BRM in 2010 who pre-register
Riders of a 400km BRM in 2010 who pre-register
Riders of a 300km BRM in 2010 who pre-register
Riders of a 200km BRM in 2010 who pre-register
Everyone else

So if there are enough places for everyone who has done a BRM ride in 2010 (and pre-registers within the time limits) then it'll be a lottery for everyone who thinks about doing it in 2011.

if there are only enough places for everyone who has done a BRM 300 or longer, but the quota is filled by pre-registrants having done a BRM 200, then it would be a lottery amongst them for the final places. Those who didn't do even a BRM 200 in 2010 wouldn't get a sniff at all.

Of course there will be places freed up by riders who pre-registered thanks to BRM rides in 2010 but didn't end up doing the requisite SR series in 2011, so I imagine extra names being drawn out of the hat as that happens.

Anyway, we'll wait for Phixie to see what he says...

[border-rider]

I think you need to read it as:

... the consensus to deal with any potential excess of apps over quota appears to be a lottery.

The UK has never exceeded, or even met, its quota.  Last time saw (I think) slightly lower numbers than the time before.

I think (I may be wrong) that anyway since AUK centrally handles UK entries, it's up to AUK to work out how to allocate places

[Hot Flatus]

Spotted a factual error.  On Page 13 somebody called Dominic Ellis states " I eventually arrived back in Tewkesbury and found myself first one back at the Wetherspoons pub"

[border-rider]

That must mean that he won.

[thing1]

So, it seems this thread is for all things Arrivee Spring 2010 ...

Title amended  

[Hot Flatus]

That must mean that he won.

ahem...

[MSeries]

Spotted a factual error.  On Page 13 somebody called Dominic Ellis states " I eventually arrived back in Tewkesbury and found myself first one back at the Wetherspoons pub"

Did you win that one ?

[L CC]

Hey, I'm in!

That means I can quit now, doesn't it?

[Manotea]

Hey, I'm in!

That means I can quit now, doesn't it?

Nope. Now you have to aim for your own commerative issue ^{TM M Malins} or ARTY (Arrivee Round The Year)^{TM J Swallow}

[simonp]

Hey, I'm in!

That means I can quit now, doesn't it?

Nope.

[Rig of Jarkness]

Had to say, very nice responses from Richard, Ian and Mike to the green-ink letter on page 4 about LEL. Having shouted at the page, my blood pressure came back under control when I saw your replies & the sanity they contained.

Beg to disagree.  My view is that Reid is raising an entirely reasonable concern and I'm very disappointed to see the offhand manner in which it is being dismissed by the AUK hierarchy.

[border-rider]

He does raise an entirely reasonable concern.  It's one I share, having been helping at Eskdalemuir on LEL, and having seen first-hand and for a prolonged period just what was going on.

The problem comes when he pushes it to justify not having any events over 600k in the UK. As the responses pointed out, there's actually no evidence (and likely some the other way) that the issues he raises are any more prevalent around LEL than around shorter events.

I'm not sure I'd agree that the responses were offhand. 

[MSeries]

I agree with Charterhall, Reid's concerns are entirely reasonable.  However AUK has changed since it was set up to permit qualification for PBP. I don't think no events over 600km would prevent riders from having crashes. Riders are responsible for themselves, that is clear.

[Hummers]

Spotted a factual error.  On Page 13 somebody called Dominic Ellis states " I eventually arrived back in Tewkesbury and found myself first one back at the Wetherspoons pub"

Did you win that one ?

I assumed Flatus had packed.

H

[Greenbank]

And a whole back cover of citizen smudge and his slack chain.

[mikewigley]

He does raise an entirely reasonable concern

I agree and I welcome Reid's comments.  The whole point of risk assessments is that you are supposed to think what might go wrong and then do something about it if necessary.  Reid  is right when he says that "LEL is an accident waiting to happen" - except we can take steps to make sure that, if it does happen, it is a genuine accident and not some negligence on someone's part

[DanialW]

He does raise an entirely reasonable concern

I agree and I welcome Reid's comments.  The whole point of risk assessments is that you are supposed to think what might go wrong and then do something about it if necessary.  Reid  is right when he says that "LEL is an accident waiting to happen" - except we can take steps to make sure that, if it does happen, it is a genuine accident and not some negligence on someone's part

I agree with Mike. Reid's underlying point is spot on. It's such a shame he makes it in such a shrill, negative way.

[Phixie]

So, it seems this thread is for all things Arrivee Spring 2010 ...

"Just a Minute" P2, subheading LEL,

PBP qualification: Richard mentions that

... the consensus to deal with the potential excess of apps over quote appears to be a lottery.

Does he mean AFTER the 2010 BRM riders have taken their places ?

Much as I hate to curtail your pleasure, I don't think now is the time to start panicking, however much you enjoy it.  At this juncture we just have far too little definite information to be able to make any sort of sensible decision.

Apparently, the quotas for 2011 will be based on our showing in 2007 and the number of validated BRM rides between 2007 and 2010: what sort of numbers that will produce is anyone's guess.  How many members are attempting a SR series this season to gain early registration is equally unclear, let alone those who will actually complete it.  Same again for 2011.  Will we be under quota or over quota? 100% unknown.  As MV points out above, we have not been cut  back previously, but history may not continue on a similar even path.

What is known is that a SR series of BRM events in 2011 will be a mandatory qualification requirement (as previously).  The longer BRM event a rider completes in 2010, the earlier he can register for PBP entry.  The quotas are due to be announced by ACP early in 2011.  Anything else is speculation.  

So, for the moment you should continue the traditional AUK pleasures - riding vast numbers of kilometres, eating vast quantities of food, moaning about the routes and route sheets but not worrying about future events    Be assured that as soon as we learn of any news, we shall pass it on via the forums and Arrivee.

Bonne Route.

[Noodley]

Funny, I thought this might have been a thread about the Spring edition of Arrivee....