LEL - a big thank you to the folks behind the scenes and at controls

[arallsopp]

Just a quick thread to say thanks to you. You made it all possible.

Personal highlights would have to include:

-the volunteer at Eskmuirdale who took pity on our shivering souls and gave rooms in your house to total strangers. So sorry were you for one of our group that you loaned her your shoes, and walked us back in the rain barefoot. You headed back to the CTL before I could catch your name.
-the mech who refined my ziptie chainguide solution at the first 'proper' checkpoint. You trebled the mileage I was getting out of the (diminishing bag of) ties, quietened the whole thing down, and halved the drag. You also got my rear derailleur working on the way back down, after 3 stages as a twin speed.
-the motorbike crew. Always ready with a toot and a wave.
-all those who met me at CTL gates with bags of zipties. I couldn't have got round without you.

Then there are the common thanks that we all share, to mel for making it happen, and the volunteers who made it feel like a personal service.

Cheers!  

[PloddinPedro]

Seconded. I've no doubt that there were many behind-the-scenes challenges in addition to the obvious tasks and all the volunteers deserve our grateful thanks. I don't know if I'll ever ride the event again but if I don't, I'll certainly do my best to participate as a volunteer, to repay some of the debt I owe to last week's crew.

[Mr Larrington]

<rant mode=tongue-in-cheek>

Pardon me, Sir, but do you see that line of twenty people stretching towards the door, each clutching a piece of papier-maché which was once a brevet card?  They need to have their cards stamped, and receive their medal and BEER and Stuffs.  And we need to record the fact that they've finished, which is why I'm hunched over the rider list with a green highlighter pen, mumbling a tongue-twisting Greek name over and over again.  I appreciate you've just ridden to Embra and back, but I'm Doing Stuffs.  When I am not Doing Stuffs, I may be able to help you locate your mate / water bottle / false teeth / marbles / full-sized cardboard cutout of David Batty, but in the meantime could you please be patient?

Clearly I need to work harder at my "Fuck off, I'm busy" look

</rant>

[Rob]

<rant mode=tongue-in-cheek>
I may be able to help you locate your mate / water bottle / false teeth / marbles / full-sized cardboard cutout of David Batty, but in the meantime could you please be patient?
</rant>

After a couple of hours sleep a Eskdalemuir on the way North I put my contacts in and packed the saddle bad, but couldn't find my glasses anywhere.   I went and looked in the toilets and asked in there.   I then went to see Phil D and the others at the check-in to see if anyone had handed in any glasses.

Phil took me to one side and asked - 'do you mean the ones on your head ?'

I had to lean against the wall giggling for 5 minutes before setting off.   

Just an example of the saint-like help and care we received at all of the controls.   Thank-you everyone.

[Greenbank]

Eskdalemuir had something about glasses. They threw mine away but we found them in the bin.

[mattc]

They certainly deserve their own thread. In fact they deserve numbers, medals, event water bottles, a list in the Audax results ....

What a great bunch. The 2nd biggest difference between this and PBP for me was knowing more about the behind-the-scenes (partly because I know lots of the helpers, partly because there wasn't a language barrier, so one picked up 'gossip' without looking for it!) As a result I'm in shock.

Normally you cheer yourself up by finding riders having a worse time than you, or who've had less sleep than you - on this ride that person was often a helper.

They were all great (even the tired and grumpy ones), but here's my personal list:
- The young lady at Coxwold who accidentally woke me up at another rider's alloted time. Then apologised so sweetly all my worries washed away and I dozed off without a care.
- The other lady at Coxwold who was in tears when I asked if there were any cushions/pillows. She was blaming herself for all the stuff they didn't have enough of, and I tried to tell her it was OK, but she was inconsolable.
- Whoever supplied the grog at Traquair - perfect for a sleep-stop!
- Young tall chap at Gamlingay Friday morning - immensely calm and organised but still able to have a laugh.
- Chap at Lincoln(S) who gave me directions over the phone after I had got lost in the town centre. My knee had almost brought me to a standstill, and another 5mins spent lost might have seen me crying in the gutter.
- The Moto rider on the col south of Dalkeith. It was nice to hear a calm human voice at what seemed a completely insane moment to be riding a bike.
- MV for telling me about paulD's mega-faff at EDM. Made me laugh!
- I'll add others as the memories come back...

I'll also say how surprised I was at the food - consistently good and quickly served. Even at the back of the field hardly anything had run out. And always served with a smile.

And of course my apologies to the ones I was grumpy with. (Hopefully I kept this to a minimum ...)

[MSeries]

Let's not forget about the people who put effort in before any riders started. The people who we didn't see, the ones cooking, transporting, ordering, phoning, booking, route checking. It all started many months ago.

[butcherboy]

my first epic ride and it allows a lot of time to think about life the universe and everything

the thing I will take away for ever is that despite whatever is said about todays society there are many many people who give up their time for others they show genuine concern and care for fellow human beings.  It was a humbling privilige

so thank you to everyone that helped out.

 

[arabella]

I'd also like to add my thanks to all those helpers at all the controls and also the Moto folks whom I gather did a lot of additional taxi-type work fetching replacement bits of bike etc.
Also a thank you to Pauline who donated her LEL t-shirt to me.
Apologies to those of you I failed to recognise/greet on my way through.

I came away from Lea Valley yesterday thinking "I really enjoyed myself this week".
It was an amazing week I think.

[Jabba]

Just adding my thanks to all, especially those great people at Thurlby who helped me so much after my rear wheel decided to divest itself of a few spokes about 45km north of there, on the run back south.  A great bunch of volunteers who just told to me to sit down, have some grub, relax and they'd sort it out.  What a service 

Even more thanks goes to the bike shop where the volunteers had taken my wheel, whose name I heard but did not register enough to remember ( I'm sorry ) who then phoned me up, saying that the rear (the wheel that is  ) was "Kaput" (that'll teach me to run Shimano race wheels on these events!!  ) but that they could build me up a 'bomb-proof' steel wheel, which they did, transferred my cassette and had it back to me in under an hour.

Have a very well deserved rest lads and lassies, and if I don't ride the next LEL I will certainly volunteer to help out at any of the controls that needs help.

Thanks again, Jabba (rider 179)

[simonp]

Yes:

- Eskdalemuir; Phil D's concern for arriving riders on the return at Eskdalemuir was palpable - "get out of those bloody wet jackets!".  I also ran out of spare batteries (drop bag mismanagement) and he wouldn't accept any money for the two AAs he gave me.  Nor would he accept any money for the blankets I used.  The lady who served me chili there on the return who seemed to be desperately sorry that there wasn't anything else on offer.  It was fantastic, and I went back for more.  MV - helpful, knowledgeable, the voice of calm and reason.  When I woke up at 3am and heard the sound of rain on the roof (Scottlington told me it was rain) he assured me it wasn't and the world seemed a much better place!  The local lady offering beds to shivering cyclists, giving back rubs, "chatting up boys" as she put it, and asking us to come back in 2 years instead of 4 (steady on...!).

 - The kid at Traquair who brought us porage - with optional whisky - on the return.  Really enthusiastic and helpful.  The volunteer physios.  I had quite a lot of niggling issues by then and it really was helpful to have my tight muscles, back and ITB worked on.  fuzzytnth3 holding my bike in the rain outside and chatting while I put on the rain gear, as the rain got heavier.  Little did I know what was to come.  Maybe you had an inkling being local-ish.  

- Dalkieth - showers!  Great food.  Chatting to the mbike marshalls.

- "Mini" breakfast at the bakery cafe in Longtown.  Fantastic.  Chatting to another mbike marshall who had been out between Dalkieth and Traquair the night before.  Heroic.

- Alston; a bed northbound.  Rogerzilla incredibly helpful.  Heather well-organised, calm and efficient.  Great food brought to your table.  A shower!  Bloke in cycling gear doing a sterling job keeping the cafe area tidy.  Was he a packed rider?  He had a hand written name tag, but I forgot it.

- Middleton Tyas.  Efficient system, great food, everyone helpful.  Familiar face of Dave Kahn at the desk on the return leg.

- Coxwold.  Familiar flatlander in ChrisS doing a great job.  The young ladies on the front line in the restaurant were desperate to do everything they could to help.  I got fruit for my rice pudding thanks to one of them finding me a tin of fruit and a working (ish!) tin opener.

- Thorne.  A shower!  Very helpful controllers, great food.  Mrs ChrisN doing a great job at the canteen counter.  After 22h since leaving Eskdalemuir til I got to sleep, these things make a huge difference.

- Cafe in Gainsborough.  Very nice breakfast; an extra coffee on the house.  They found an iPod car charger and plugged my iPhone in (in the chef's car).  The lady serving me said "I'll be thinking of you in the small hours" as I left.  Oh aye?  

- Washingborough.  Great food.  A bed northbound.  Sue: "We've been expecting you, we'll sort you out".   Keef: "You're a bit late, you said you'd be here by midnight.  Oh, it's not midnight yet"  

- Thurlby.  Brian Mann, what a star.  Looked after my every need, and when I showed signs of refusing to get up after 30 mins kip, he came back to make sure I got up. "I'm not going to let you throw this away just because you're a bit tired".  Quite right.  My first "why don't I just go find a bed" thoughts were about there.

- Gamlingay (return).  Mike Stapleton, local CTC Cambridge chap, running the control desk, having only been draughted in on Friday before the event.  The guy is 76.  The motorbike marshall couple; they had offered to come and help at Gamlingay as Melita looked too out of it.  Not content with having been out there in all weathers for $deity knows how long, they offered to go back and help - and they made a huge difference, taking over in the kitchen, charging my phone, offering moral support.  Real heroes the pair of them.  On the outbound leg the cake was excellent.  

- LV.  Melita, Helen, Dave L, Pete (?) doing a great job.

Thank you to all of you, including those I don't know by name or haven't mentioned.  My brain was getting a bit mushy by the end.

[L Hedley]

The young lady at Coxwold who accidentally woke me up at another rider's alloted time. Then apologised so sweetly all my worries washed away and I dozed off without a care.

Ah, bless you, that was my daughter Aimee, she told us all about that one! She felt so guilty, so glad you didn't mind too much. She had lost a rider and was really worried 

[GrandMaster Flash]

<rant mode=tongue-in-cheek>


Clearly I need to work harder at my "Fuck off, I'm busy" look

</rant>

I mistook that for a happy look when I finished.  Clearly I was mistaken

[alan]

the thing I will take away for ever is that despite whatever is said about todays society there are many many people who give up their time for others they show genuine concern and care for fellow human beings. 

 

Over the years I have become something of a capitalist cycnic but nothing restores my faith in human nature as does the company of cyclists,particularly those of this forum which contains a few individuals who have thrown light into the darker corners of my social circle.

[MattH]

Ah, bless you, that was my daughter Aimee

Aimee and Robyn did sterling service there. Especially Robyn, because as I understand it she was only there because she is Aimee's friend, whereas Aimee at least has a cycling dad. I'm not sure how the pair of them managed to be so cheerful and helpful to a bunch of grumpy middle aged blokes  
I hope you are proud of Aimee, she's a good 'un.

[Chris S]

Ah, bless you, that was my daughter Aimee

Aimee and Robyn did sterling service there. Especially Robyn, because as I understand it she was only there because she is Aimee's friend, whereas Aimee at least has a cycling dad. I'm not sure how the pair of them managed to be so cheerful and helpful to a bunch of grumpy middle aged blokes 

The promise of buff Italian cyclist physiques in various states of undress, I suspect.

[L Hedley]

Ah, bless you, that was my daughter Aimee

Aimee and Robyn did sterling service there. Especially Robyn, because as I understand it she was only there because she is Aimee's friend, whereas Aimee at least has a cycling dad. I'm not sure how the pair of them managed to be so cheerful and helpful to a bunch of grumpy middle aged blokes  
I hope you are proud of Aimee, she's a good 'un.

I am, very proud, as is Robyn's dad, who is in fact also a cyclist 

[Ivo]

A great thanks to the volunteers who kept the controls open several hours after their official closing times. I expected to have return to Lee Valley permanent style with at the maximum getting some tea while a control was closed. In stead I got the ful service despite being 5-7 hours out of time.

[Chris S]

A great thanks to the volunteers who kept the controls open several hours after their official closing times. I expected to have return to Lee Valley permanent style with at the maximum getting some tea while a control was closed. In stead I got the ful service despite being 5-7 hours out of time.

You weren't the last through Coxwold - by some margin as it happens! We were happy to stamp cards until we had to leave.

[Ivo]

A great thanks to the volunteers who kept the controls open several hours after their official closing times. I expected to have return to Lee Valley permanent style with at the maximum getting some tea while a control was closed. In stead I got the ful service despite being 5-7 hours out of time.

You weren't the last through Coxwold - by some margin as it happens! We were happy to stamp cards until we had to leave.

Luckily at least one had to leave when I had to. Paul, many thanks for the tow to Thorne. The only leg of LEL that I had company.

[Mr Larrington]

Methinks Ivo doth protest too much.  It was only about two and a half hours...

Simonp's "Pete" is Peter Whitely from Sudbury, who turned an amorphous gaggle of well-meaning idiots enthusiasts into a highly-drilled team between Tuesday lunchtime and Georg Kreuzke's(sp?)  return in the wee smalls of Wednesday.  Without his 133t Organisatorial 5ki11z, plastic tubs and wooden boxes some of you would still be queueing now and I'd be the one at the far end of the grounds with a gun in one hand and a bottle of Scotch in the other, shouting "You'll never take me alive, copper!"

Further  at the Loony Villas end to Catford John, Brompton Frank and Auntie Pauline, whose bottle opener worked harder than just about anyone, the finishers / packees who offered their services, and also to the staff at the Youth Hostel whose "above and beyond the call of duty" behaviour was absolutely not in their contract.  I apologise for occasionally being at home to Mr Tetchy, and to Alex Greenbank and Matt Chambers for mis-identifying one for the other at ~03:30 on Friday morning.

If anything was going to restore the belief in human nature of this jaded old cynic, it's Stuffs like LEL 2009.

[Greenbank]

and to Alex Greenbank and Matt Chambers for mis-identifying one for the other at ~03:30 on Friday morning.

So at 3:30am just after finishing, I went outside to help look for myself?

[border-rider]

and to Alex Greenbank and Matt Chambers for mis-identifying one for the other at ~03:30 on Friday morning.

Strangely enough we also had a Greenbank/Chambers confused moment at EskDM, even though we knew full-well that they are usually quite different people.

[tlottrike]

Having been a volunteer twice on LEL but this was the first time where I was "out front" I have been inspired to actually ride the blooming event.

I was so impressed with the cheerful and positive attitude of all the riders I met and spoke to despite the headwind and later the hellish rain. Well done guys hopefully I can follow your example.

[Mr Larrington]

and to Alex Greenbank and Matt Chambers for mis-identifying one for the other at ~03:30 on Friday morning.

So at 3:30am just after finishing, I went outside to help look for myself?

Yes.

<mode Zen=on>

The question is: did you find yourself 

<off>