Garbage Run riders guide

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
WEATHER
If we don’t get rain it’ll be a miracle. In rain the best thing to do is slow your
pace and increase the gap to the rider in front. Take your time, don’t rush. And
if need be pull in and let the rain pass. Once again, good waterproof clothing is
essential!
NAVIGATION
For navigation you’ll all be given a A5 road atlas which we’ll go through the route
with each morning. Details of the final destinations for each day will be provided
in advance, as will details of where we’ll aim on stopping for lunch. The latter can
all vary depending on pace, weather and preference, so last minute changes are
always possible. If you want to bring a GPS then they can be handy to have, just
remember that you’ll need a 12v charger on your bike to power it; also handy for
charging your phone.
LEADING
These are semi-guided trips. You are not expected to sit behind me from
Land’s End to John o’Groats. You will all have the route and the destinations. In
principle everyone should be self sufficient and if need be be able to navigate
their way to where we’re going. Equally, I might not always ride at the front. If
someone wants to take the lead or they have the route to follow and are feeling
confident then other members of the group will be asked if they want to take
the lead. Certainly no one will be forced to.
FOOD & COOKING
Between Land’s End and John o’Groats there are a thousand places to pick up
food. One rider on the last run took with him 30 packets of instant noodles. He
took all of them back home with him! A lot boils down to budget. If you want
to do it on the cheap then take a stove and a pan and maybe some dried food
and something for breakfast. Easy and cheap. Alternatively, in the main we
camp at places that either have facilities to buy food, or have pubs or takeaways
nearby. You can manage on this trip without cooking equipment if you want
to. For lunch we tend to stop at either local cafés, or on a few occasions
McDonald’s, sometimes if only for a cup of tea, simply because it’s quick and
easy for a big group to get served.
CAMPING
In the main we camp, with one night at a hostel or bunkhouse. The campsites
all have the full facilities and usually a place to shelter and re-group. All
accommodation costs are included. Some campsites have camping pods or
caravans which some people in the past have dived in, especially when it’s raining.
Where practical, if someone wants to upgrade then you’re free to do so. Where
money hasn’t already been paid for the campspot - or where it can be re-directed -
I’ll contribute the cost of the camp-spot to the upgrade... if that makes sense.
BUDGET
Budgets vary with bike choice and taste. Calculate the cost of 2400 miles based
on your bikes MPG. Add that to say £30 per day for food and drink. Less or
more depending on your taste and budget. On an economical bike a £200
budget could do it.
PACE
Ride to your own pace. Don’t push beyond your comfort zone. Let the rider
in front go. If you’re riding behind a slower rider and the road opens up and
you want to come past then conduct a safe and considerate overtake. It’s more
dangerous to have a number of bikes bunching up behind a slower bike than
it is for that those faster riders to overtake. The slower rider needn’t worry, for
we’ll be waiting for them at the end.
FUEL
As long as your bike has a range of 100 miles you’ll be fine. We tend to do
plenty of stops and if you do have a small tank then take the opportunity to top
up the tank whenever you can. You should not need to bring along a jerry can.
ROUTE
The route is all legal highway and paved. We avoid towns and main roads
wherever possible. There is no motorway work so the route is entirely L plate
friendly. There are some more challenging bits, just where it’s narrow lanes and
tighter corners. Take it at your own pace, and remember, there is always another
way of getting to where we’re going. No one will be forced to ride where they
don’t wish to ride so speak up (or stop) if you don’t like the look of something.
Also, please show caution when pulling into our accommodation stops on an
evening as these might sometimes be accessed by gravel or grass driveways,
which might be wet and uneven. If in doubt, feet down and paddle. Or worst still,
put the stand down and leave the bike at the gate.