RBLR1000 - Do you relish a challenge?

[FJRPilot]

Since 2009 the Royal British Legion Riders Branch has organized a mass sponsored long distance ride in the summer. Following a break last year the event is back with a vengeance on Saturday 11th June B)

The event raises money for the Poppy Appeal to help veterans and their families. Riders sign up and have a choice of 5 circular routes, all starting and finishing at Squires cafe at Newthorpe near Leeds:

1000 miles - North Clockwise or Anti-clockwise
1000 miles - South Clockwise or Anti-clockwise
500 miles - Anti-clockwise only

There's free camping on-site all weekend or there's plenty of local accommodation. Everyone assembles from Friday afternoon and all rides start between 05.00 - 07.00 hours on Saturday morning. There's no time limit for any route but if riders finish any of the 1000 mile routes in less than 24 hours they gain instant membership into the Iron Butt Association (thumbs)

There's often around 200 riders taking part all riding their own choice of route. Many ride alone, some ride with a mate or in small groups. Due to the hours of daylight many riders on the northern route get to ride the whole of Scotland in daylight :woohoo:

The links below will take you to the IBA UK and RBLR event websites where you can see all the information, maps, detailed instructions and enter on-line:

RBLR Event website

IBA UK Event website

So if you fancy a challenge and want to help support our veterans then please have a look and sign up.

[V_King]

interesting rideout (thumbs) been thinking of doing saddle sore for a long time. would be a good purpose and motivation + have a least purpose build bike for that, so would be double fun :woohoo:

Scotland route is much quicker compared to England one, but not very interesting. could not see myself going through congested Saturday traffic on the south route though

how does that support work? Can I just support and ride, or do I have to go and do the money collections?

[FJRPilot]

The Southern route is new this year, together with the 500 mile one. The previous southern route had far more motorway miles so at least this new one takes in the welsh, south, and east coasts. The northern routes have always been the most popular due the incredible scenery, fantastic roads, and usually less traffic too.

My last ride in 2013 I went North Clockwise starting at 05.00. Due to the daylight hours it didn't even get dark until I was on my way back south from Berwick-on-Tweed. So only a couple of hours in the dark.

There's a sponsorship form on the shared folder so you can just print this off and get friends and colleagues to sponsor you. You then send a cheque in afterwards.

[FJRPilot]

80 riders signed up so far, including 11 pillions, 1 trike and a Vincent hmy:

The majority are heading north to the Highlands

[ADVSteve]

I'm semi-seriously considering this.

I ride a 2013 BMW F800GS and the longest day I've had on it was circa 300 miles. I've had a couple of ~200 days aswell. I want to give it a go but worried I'll be biting off a hell of a lot more than I can chew, but don't feel 500 would be enough of a challenge.

On one hand I think I should do some longer rides and try next year, but on the other I'm thinking...sod it, if I don't try now I never will..?

[gspod]

I'm semi-seriously considering this.

I ride a 2013 BMW F800GS and the longest day I've had on it was circa 300 miles. I've had a couple of ~200 days aswell. I want to give it a go but worried I'll be biting off a hell of a lot more than I can chew, but don't feel 500 would be enough of a challenge.

On one hand I think I should do some longer rides and try next year, but on the other I'm thinking...sod it, if I don't try now I never will..?

My wife once rode a 750 mile day from Hungary to the other side of Brussels on a 600 Bandit - in the rain. We had to do it because we had a ferry to catch and work to go to.

You can do it if you have to, but it's not so easy if you don't........but you can.........so just do it, you certainly won't regret it. Good luck (thumbs)

[bowber]

Done 650+ miles in a 19 hour stint (with a ferry in the middle) not something I'd care to repeat, but then did the next year! When your on the way home it sometimes just feels wrong to stop :blink:

Steve

[V_King]

first 3-5 hours are difficult, and then you just get into swing of enjoying the road ahead of you, coffee and snickers bars stops. Although prepare next few days for recovery of no serious mental or physical work :laugh:

[Spurgus69]

I once did lands end to john o' groats in a day back in 1984. I started from Warwick on the Friday afternoon, rode down to lands end. Left lands end at just after midnight and reached John o' Groats at 3.30 that afternoon. I then turned around and rode back down to Fife and stopped with the in laws. Sunday morning I set off again to Peterborough to go to the BMF rally. By that point I had done over 1800 miles and the bastards wouldn't give give me the furthest travelled award, gave it to someone from Australia, as if he had just ridden straight there, yeah. By the time I got home had covered over 1900 miles all in the weekend and was back at work Monday morning. And the bike, a Moto Guzzi T3 which had averaged 54 mpg. Don't tend to ride so far these days but all ready for the Welsh National rally next weekend where I'll probably cover about 400 miles on the day.