Garbage Run riders guide

A TYPICAL DAY ON THE RUN
We’ll generally stir at around 7am, aiming to be ready and packed for
around 8pm. We’ll do a quick brief - covering the route ahead and dealing
with any concerns/queries - then a quick check of the bikes and plan on
being on the road by 8.30am at the latest. By being on the road early it
means that we’ll get good ground covered before lunch and therefore arrive
at camp on an evening ideally no later than 5.30-6pm.
We’ll probably be in the saddle around 5 hours a day, with a fair bit of stopstarting,
for fuel and lunch and what not, with an average day of around 190
miles. That doesn’t sound too many but the nature of the route we take –
mainly B roads – then pace is generally steady as an average. But that’s okay.
We’re in no rush.
Again, people have a choice in how they ride the route, so if you want
another hour in bed, or be on the road earlier, then you can do. You will all
know the route and the direction the group is heading, so don’t be afraid
to do your own thing. Each day will have a designated meeting point for
lunch, allowing us to re-group if people have got broken up or gone at their
own pace.
We’ll ride until around 12noon, at which point we’ll reach our lunch stop.
We’ll take about an hour and be back on the road sometime around 1pm.
But a lot depends on where we are and how progress is going, and how
people are feeling. If people want a longer lunch then that’s what we’ll
do. There is no rigid schedule to any of this. We travel at a pace that is
comfortable
The aim is to reach the evening destination by around 5.30-6, which, if
we’re camping allows plenty of time for us to get the tents up and sort out
food. Food facilities are either nearby or on-site for those who don’t want to
cook their own food. Food is not included in the price, but there might be
the odd surprise.
On an evening we’ll deal with any issues with bikes or people, and if
anyone’s got any problems or worries then we’ll go through them.
In terms of alcohol on an evening, it would probably be advised not to get
too carried away. The days can be long, with early starts and we want people
and alert and safe enough to ride. So have fun, but know your limits and try
and get a good night’s sleep where possible.
WHAT IF YOU BREAK DOWN?
If you have a break down the chances are you’ll be with other riders who
are expected to stop and see what can be done to rectify the problem.
Assess the problem, see if you can fix it by the roadside, or is it a job for a
professional or the breakdown truck? If I’m not there contact me on my
mobile phone number to let me know, and depending on locality we’ll
head back to help. The key thing is that no one is going to get left behind.
We’ll solve problems and we’ll get people back riding. Worst case – if
the problem’s terminal – you’ll have to get your bike recovered, but we’ll
cross that bridge if and when we get to. The nature of every breakdown is
different, but we’ll deal with it.
WHAT IF I GET LOST OR LOSE THE GROUP?
Don’t panic is the main thing. Pull over, take your helmet off and refer to
the map and the next stop marked on route. That could be a lunch stop or
the final destination for that day. Drop me a message to let me know you’re
alright and once composed make your way to where we’re heading. Again,
no one will be left behind and we’ll deal with people getting lost on a case
by case basis, but essentially it’s nothing to worry about and all part of the
adventure. Some of the best times people have had on the previous runs is
when a few of them, or one rider on their own, has lost the group and made
their own way to where we’re going. They always arrive talking about the
new things they’ve seen and it’s made them feel more confident. So again,
don’t panic. It’s the UK, everyone speaks English, apart from in the north.
WHAT IF YOU HAVE AN ACCIDENT?
Deal with it as you would any incident on the road. Assess the damage. Do
you need an ambulance? Call 999. I’ll carry first aid equipment to patch
up anything minor and if anyone’s more seriously injured then we’ll deal
with that as we go. If I’m not there, contact me immediately if there is an
incident. But if everyone rides within their limits then there’s no reason for
this to be an issue.