[LEL17] Controls of the past.

[Exit Stage Left]

I was remembering 2001, my first LEL. I started in Thorne, so we did the big hills before heading South. The first control South of Thorne was 'Lincoln'. It was actually a tent, erected next to a Travelodge, a garage and a Little Chef, just off the A46. There was the usual kindly elderly couple, who'd been handed this poisoned chalice. I remember queuing to sit in a folding chair for a bit.

It was about 1am, and the Little Chef and garage were closed. There was some talk of there being rooms booked in the Travelodge, but I got no further with that. I think there was a blanket that came with the chair. When my teeth started chattering too much, I moved on to Thurlby Youth Hostel, via a lane cluster. I got lost near Hough on the Hill.

Who were the elderly couple? This is where the control was.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.1775648,-0.6252632,3a,60y,333.47h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sUwoydGy_PfJXnzXpNCIUBA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

[Salvatore]

They were from Boston or thereabouts. Their son Charlie was riding. Their surname will come to me sooner or later.

[rob]

They were from Boston or thereabouts. Their son Charlie was riding. Their surname will come to me sooner or later.

It was Charlie senior and Charlie junior was riding.   They organised the 100k that I did with you, Nuncio and Richard Thomas some years ago.

For the life of me I can't remember their surname either.

[Exit Stage Left]

There was a Charlie Roger on 51 in 2001.

http://www.aukweb.net/_resources/files/results/lel/lel2001.pdf

[wajcgac]

Mary and Charles Rogers were awarded the services to AUK award in 2001

AUK awards

I've got a feeling they may have been organisers/controllers of the Lincoln Cyclists Weekend Audax around 2003 to 2006 that I rode. Start control was the then Lincoln YHA building.

[Exit Stage Left]

Lincoln YHA was a control in 2005. Some riders had difficulty finding it, I remember.

[rob]

Roger.   Yes that was it.   I met Charlie junior on the 99 PBP.

I was a controller at Lincoln YHA in 2005 - the route in was a bit of a faff including a cycle path.   Alas it is no more and was bought by a developer.   I have a picture somewhere of the group setting off on Rutland Water 200 in what mat have been 1995.   Lots of old faces on there.

[Ivo]

Lincoln YHA was a control in 2005. Some riders had difficulty finding it, I remember.

Indeed, one of the German riders even called me on my mobile. I was still some 200k north of Lincoln so couldn't be of any help. Luckily a motard was near so I could hand him the phone.
4 years later I made sure that I had a UK phone card and only a few people had my number.

[Ivo]

Interesting controls I remember are Langdon Beck YH and the Tibetan temple in Eskdalemuir.
In 1997 we had a control at Gordon Arms bunkhouse, a sort of shed next to the hotel.

[Ian H]

Interesting controls I remember are Langdon Beck YH and the Tibetan temple in Eskdalemuir.
In 1997 we had a control at Gordon Arms bunkhouse, a sort of shed next to the hotel.

From 1997, I remember your description, somewhere, of your experience of English food at the Barton Truck Stop.

[Exit Stage Left]

There were two Truckstops on LEL 2001, Carlisle was the other one. They were were responsible for my REM ear worm, 'Here's a Truckstop instead of St Peter's Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah.' I weighed up the likeliest local stand in for St. Peter's; Durham, York or Lincoln.

Kent Peterson put it well in the best LEL account I've read.

It's raining lightly as I leave, but it's a light Seattle-style rain and it stops after half an hour. Soon the sun rises and at 6:10 AM I take a quick break at the Barton Truckstop (by the way, why don't they call them Lorrystops here?). My Langdon Beck breakfast and Snickers bars have done a good job of keeping my fueled so I only stop long enough to get my card stamped and swig down a pint of chocolate milk here. I press on to Hovingham.

http://www.carsstink.org/peterson/LEL2001.html

[Ivo]

Interesting controls I remember are Langdon Beck YH and the Tibetan temple in Eskdalemuir.
In 1997 we had a control at Gordon Arms bunkhouse, a sort of shed next to the hotel.

From 1997, I remember your description, somewhere, of your experience of English food at the Barton Truck Stop.

That must have been in Arrivee. My first encounter with beans on toast. Nowadays my stomach is assimilated enough to keep on riding after beans on toast, back in '97 I was passed by old Jack on the climb out of Barton Truck stop.