[LEL] Nice/funny/strange etc. anecdotes from en route

[mattc]

no criticism of the orgs from me, promise, it was all great and I utterly appreciated all the hard work that clearly had gone into everything

I've posted a few things that struck me on the ride, that I think came under strange, nowt as strange as folk and all that

okey-doke, let's leave it be. 

[L CC]

Was the driver okay?

Undoubtedly. We didn't stop. I thought afterward, "Perhaps we should have stopped." - I even said as much to the others, but we were all so shaken up - we just kind of rode on, on auto-pilot. I said to boab "We've just been involved in an accident, shouldn't we stop?" to which she replied "Involved how?".

Typing this now, I'm once again filled with the thought that we should have stopped. But at the time, all I could think was "Blimey, that was close".

you should stopped and checked. I stopped when Peter and Alan had their accident: i found out today it involved broken ribs and a head wound (which i could see), but the visceral need of both riders to continue was utterly inspiring and had me in tears at the time and then racing off to complete within time in spite of the time spent with them the police and the paramedics!  (both riders will be okay in time, nothing permanent)

We were in a train doing evens. We slowed enough to check everyone was still alive/with us/ not covered in entrails but by the time we thought about checking on the car (which was going the other way at the head of a stream of traffic) we were probably a mile away.
I'm ashamed to say if it had been a cyclist we probably would have stopped and checked on them, twigged sooner it was a person and not just a vehicle vs animal.

[Ashaman42]

I think as the car was part of a stream of traffic (rather than on it's lonesome which is what I thought at first) you're ok then. Someone stopping in a car is going to be far more equipped to help anyway.

[London Edinburgh London]

as for 'idiot' he did say what he said to a rider who politely asked for tomato sauce to go with fish and chips, I appreciate he might have had a tough day but that's his job and to say that to a 'customer' that's tired and hungry and perfectly civil would be actionable in most professions.

You're mixing your chefs up. Vincent was the one shouting at riders about ketchup, which was an idiotic thing to do. The other chef was, for the most part, unfailingly polite to everyone.

[simonp]

I don't know if it was the same one but the guy I saw both times seemed like a top bloke.

[Lightkeeper]

I did most of the return leg from Thirsk to Pocklington with a rider called Dan, who I think occasionally reads these pages.  He rang his wife while we ate at Pocklington.  He also had a chat with his daughter, and looked a bit less cheered by that.  He told me later that she'd said, "Dad, some people have already finished this ride and other people have decided to pack, so what are you doing still out there?".  A career beckons in motivational coaching.

[Revellinho]

The strangest incident was trying to sleep during the very hot night before the prologue.  It was hot and airless in the YH, so I went outside to sleep under the porch.  I was half asleep when I felt something on my toes.  I sat up with a start, to see a fox - it bolted off and I'm not sure who was more surprised!  Presumably it thought I was a pile of rubbish and might contain something edible.

The most impressive thing I saw was in the darkness as we headed north - somewhere in the Pennines I think.  One of the Polish riders in the red and white kit was at the side of the road tinkering with his bike.  I pulled over and asked if he was OK.  He musn't have had much English, because he just pointed at his busted derailleur and said in a thick Eastern European accent "I make singlespeed".  I checked he had a chain splitter and left him, full of admiration that he could do the job in the dark.  Some folk would have just bemoaned their misfortune and called the cavalry - this chap was like the proverbial 'irresistible force'.  Top man.

I was also the last rider through when the tree split and fell after the Humber bridge - it reminded me of some of the noises you get climbing in the Alps before a 'bad thing' happens.  I was convinced that there was going to be trouble and was extremely relieved to see that nobody was under it.

[U.N.Dulates]

Actually we used independent professional caterers at Kirton too.  And St Ives and Brampton. It was actually the school that catered at Pocklington, as they did at Edinburgh, Thirsk and Moffat too.
...
What worked at Kirton and Brampton was not as successful here.

Our three strong catering team at Brampton were superb - absolute stars.

[London Edinburgh London]

Our three strong catering team at Brampton were superb - absolute stars.

Same at Kirton - they worked like galley slaves and were unfailingly smiley people. At Kirton, much of the food was made in my local market and driven over by a couple of volunteers. This worked really well and it was a pleasure to sink a lot of your cash into local small businesses.

[αdαmsκι]

Our three strong catering team at Brampton were superb - absolute stars.

Yeah, I remember standing in the queue talking to the guy who's day job is in a school in Workington. Very cheery & friendly.

[simonp]

I chatted to a few volunteers. It is always worth it to make them feel appreciated. Especially if the previous rider was grumpy.

[jogler]

Aye it was nice chatting with you Simon.It should be noted that you were chatting with my wife initially

[Salvatore]

Many people will have heard (even if not seen) the German tandem couple having one of their many rows. They started with a stand-up million-decibel domestic at registration, and were last heard having a go at each other as they left to return home yesterday. And they didn't let up on the ride itself. The tandem is powered by pure bicker.

Anyway, Bernd learnt yesterday that he is to be a grandfather, so congratulations, Opa Bernd!

[αdαmsκι]

Many people will have heard (even if not seen) the German tandem couple having one of their many rows. They started with a stand-up million-decibel domestic at registration, and were last heard having a go at each other as they left to return home yesterday. And they didn't let up on the ride itself. The tandem is powered by pure bicker.

What were they arguing about??? We need to know!!

[Ashaman42]

They weren't always arguing. Some of the time the chap was just letting the barrage wash over him.

[Salvatore]

Many people will have heard (even if not seen) the German tandem couple having one of their many rows. They started with a stand-up million-decibel domestic at registration, and were last heard having a go at each other as they left to return home yesterday. And they didn't let up on the ride itself. The tandem is powered by pure bicker.

What were they arguing about??? We need to know!!

Usually the tiniest thing. I've known them (especially Bernd) for a few years. Each of them came up to me individually and said in hushed tones things like "That woman's impossible - how long does it take to pack a rucksack?" or "he has no idea of teamwork - all I asked was for him to fill my bottle". At the finish I thanked Bernd for the entertainment they had provided.

[dod]

They weren't always arguing. Some of the time the chap was just letting the barrage wash over him.

Assuming he's on the front of the tandem, does that have the same effect as a tailwind?

[Lightkeeper]

Many people will have heard (even if not seen) the German tandem couple having one of their many rows. They started with a stand-up million-decibel domestic at registration, and were last heard having a go at each other as they left to return home yesterday. And they didn't let up on the ride itself. The tandem is powered by pure bicker.

What were they arguing about??? We need to know!!

I was behind them at the start of the prologue.  They had a very loud disagreement about which side of the road to ride on.  No, really: he wanted to ride on the right (wrong) side so she could take pictures of the peleton.  She disagreed, and didn't care who knew.

[IanDG]

At about 3am Wednesday Morning Brampton control.

'You need to put a notice on the disabled toilet to put the lid down before flushing, it has a built in bidet and the water hit the ceiling when I flushed it'

[Tynan]

as for 'idiot' he did say what he said to a rider who politely asked for tomato sauce to go with fish and chips, I appreciate he might have had a tough day but that's his job and to say that to a 'customer' that's tired and hungry and perfectly civil would be actionable in most professions.

You're mixing your chefs up. Vincent was the one shouting at riders about ketchup, which was an idiotic thing to do. The other chef was, for the most part, unfailingly polite to everyone.

I accept that, apologies, the taller chap was standing nearest when I was told the story and he did at the time look a bit moody, my bad

[CrinklyLion]

Our three strong catering team at Brampton were superb - absolute stars.

Similarly, we had some of the school kitchen staff in Barney for a couple of the day shifts and they were absolutely brilliant. Helped to turn us motley crew of willing amateurs into halfway competent caterers and coped womanfully with the utter chaos that we were inflicting on their kitchen.

[paul851]

Anybody else stop and buy a glass of fanta and a biscuit  off the little stall run by three children between Kingston and Bourn ? brought a smile to my face especially the little girl ecstatically telling me they had made a whole £9:00 and the pop and biscuits had only cost £1:20   


Paul

[Phil W]

Anybody else stop and buy a glass of fanta and a biscuit  off the little stall run by three children between Kingston and Bourn ? brought a smile to my face especially the little girl ecstatically telling me they had made a whole £9:00 and the pop and biscuits had only cost £1:20   


Paul

Lemonade and back currant when I went past, welcome in the heat.

[Lightkeeper]

Somewhere in the middle of the route - it's all running together a bit already - I turned a corner and saw three folk on the roadside.  They gave me a cheer, which was nice but not all that unusual, and then one of them held something up for me to take as I passed.  It turned out to be a caramel waffle biscuit.  I think they might have been friends of the Dutch rider I'd been chatting to earlier, who by that time was probably about 5 mins ahead of me.  Gave me a real lift, it did.

[Somnolent]

Many people will have heard (even if not seen) the German tandem couple having one of their many rows. They started with a stand-up million-decibel domestic at registration, and were last heard having a go at each other as they left to return home yesterday. And they didn't let up on the ride itself. The tandem is powered by pure bicker.

What were they arguing about??? We need to know!!

mmmartin OTP provided me with a running translation of their row on Friday morning at Loughton after the finish when it was raining.
It all rang very true, although with my limited knowledger of German I was not able to verify its veracity (especially when delivered at spped in such shrill tones)
This went on for some minutes of angry tones, tears, walking off in a huff, returnig to get a last word in ......before I commented to mmmartin that I was thoroughly impressed with his knowlwdge of German.

No, he said, he'd made it all up.  In my sleep deprived state this was the absolute funniest thing I had ever heard, and I was still giggling to myself 20 minutes later when Maggie returned with the car.