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Dear XRV TLD Riders
We need to start putting a ride together soon as we already have about 20 riders who have registered an interest whatever it is, and as this is Ride 5, want it to be the best yet. After a weekend of discussions in the TLD Board Room, this what we are proposing. We hope you like it.
The Date
Saturday June 23rd 2012 - this avoids Fathers Day as that is the previous Sunday.
The Charity
Some of you will have heard of Whiteknights or SERV or Freewheelers. They and others are part of the Nationwide Association of Blood Bikes, a charity relying principally on motorcyclists to get blood, tissue samples, X-rays, notes and other emergency deliveries between hospitals in a hurry. This is an out of hours service so whenever a bike is called out there is usually a life at stake.
It's a charity all about the good biking can do. And it is invaluable.
The problem is, the Nationwide Association is not nationwide: there's no service in Northern Ireland, nor in Wales, nor in Scotland. There are plans to expand, but there is no government money so it is up to the public to make it happen.
That's why the three organisers are suggesting NABB as the charity for The Longest Day Ride in association with XRV, 2012. It needs money: we can raise it. We are also hoping that the event will attract riders from NABB adding to the numbers taking part that in turn will hopefully raise more money for the charity. It is NABB's plans to further extend its coverage into Scotland, so we would be falling in line with their expansion plans, that in turn, will hopefully result in expediating their plans to extend into Wales and Northern Ireland.
What the ride needs
We want a ride that's a challenge and if possible avoids motorways. We want it to be imaginative so that people will notice it. We want to be able to get press interest if possible, and we want to make as much of the start and finish as we can. And we want to raise a load of money for Bloodbikes. We would rather not do JOGLE or LEJOG a) because if has been done before and we are trying to create a new event each year and b) the distance may put some riders off, we want to attract as many riders as possible in order to increase to opportunity to raise as much money as we can.
The concept
The organisers propose we paint the saltire onto Scotland. Starting at Stirling we go to two corners, back to Stirling, to the other two corners, then finish in Stirling.
It can be mapped to give anything between about 650 and 1,000 miles, not one of them on a motorway.
It's visually striking
We could have riders leaving and returning in four different directions and passing each other on the way round: as the start, middle and end are all in the same place we'll meet and supporters would have a good place to wait too.
Accommodation
Iis not in short supply. We can have a good get-together at the beginning and end, not least because so many XRVers live within 50 miles of Stirling so can help with organising.
The Route
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr...2WAMd4M_D_w&mra=dpe&mrsp=7&sz=8&via=5,6,7&z=8
We are hoping to get the Scottish Health Minister and Deputy First Minister involved.
The only thing we recognise will be a bit tricky is persuading people that a run entirely in Scotland is genuinely national, but it is. The point is that by riding Scotland we are making it possible for Bloodbikes to have greater coverage and increase their chances of having coverage in Wales and Northern Ireland earlier than their target dates.
(Incidentally, if there's any doubt about the association between TLD and XRV we are getting a quote for making up some metal number-plate surrounds with both names on them. The minimum order runs to several hundred so TLD and XRV are stuck with each other for several years at least). :thumbup:
Please discuss ?
We need to start putting a ride together soon as we already have about 20 riders who have registered an interest whatever it is, and as this is Ride 5, want it to be the best yet. After a weekend of discussions in the TLD Board Room, this what we are proposing. We hope you like it.
The Date
Saturday June 23rd 2012 - this avoids Fathers Day as that is the previous Sunday.
The Charity
Some of you will have heard of Whiteknights or SERV or Freewheelers. They and others are part of the Nationwide Association of Blood Bikes, a charity relying principally on motorcyclists to get blood, tissue samples, X-rays, notes and other emergency deliveries between hospitals in a hurry. This is an out of hours service so whenever a bike is called out there is usually a life at stake.
It's a charity all about the good biking can do. And it is invaluable.
The problem is, the Nationwide Association is not nationwide: there's no service in Northern Ireland, nor in Wales, nor in Scotland. There are plans to expand, but there is no government money so it is up to the public to make it happen.
That's why the three organisers are suggesting NABB as the charity for The Longest Day Ride in association with XRV, 2012. It needs money: we can raise it. We are also hoping that the event will attract riders from NABB adding to the numbers taking part that in turn will hopefully raise more money for the charity. It is NABB's plans to further extend its coverage into Scotland, so we would be falling in line with their expansion plans, that in turn, will hopefully result in expediating their plans to extend into Wales and Northern Ireland.
What the ride needs
We want a ride that's a challenge and if possible avoids motorways. We want it to be imaginative so that people will notice it. We want to be able to get press interest if possible, and we want to make as much of the start and finish as we can. And we want to raise a load of money for Bloodbikes. We would rather not do JOGLE or LEJOG a) because if has been done before and we are trying to create a new event each year and b) the distance may put some riders off, we want to attract as many riders as possible in order to increase to opportunity to raise as much money as we can.
The concept
The organisers propose we paint the saltire onto Scotland. Starting at Stirling we go to two corners, back to Stirling, to the other two corners, then finish in Stirling.
It can be mapped to give anything between about 650 and 1,000 miles, not one of them on a motorway.
It's visually striking
We could have riders leaving and returning in four different directions and passing each other on the way round: as the start, middle and end are all in the same place we'll meet and supporters would have a good place to wait too.
Accommodation
Iis not in short supply. We can have a good get-together at the beginning and end, not least because so many XRVers live within 50 miles of Stirling so can help with organising.
The Route
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr...2WAMd4M_D_w&mra=dpe&mrsp=7&sz=8&via=5,6,7&z=8
We are hoping to get the Scottish Health Minister and Deputy First Minister involved.
The only thing we recognise will be a bit tricky is persuading people that a run entirely in Scotland is genuinely national, but it is. The point is that by riding Scotland we are making it possible for Bloodbikes to have greater coverage and increase their chances of having coverage in Wales and Northern Ireland earlier than their target dates.
(Incidentally, if there's any doubt about the association between TLD and XRV we are getting a quote for making up some metal number-plate surrounds with both names on them. The minimum order runs to several hundred so TLD and XRV are stuck with each other for several years at least). :thumbup:
Please discuss ?
