Cyclone - Congrats Peter for organising a great event again

wiffachip

where's this e-mail about gate closing/litter ?

636sean

I had a fantastic day but that e-mail and the tone of it has left a bad taste in my mouth, the organisers decided to take us down a dirt track and through a farm, i personally never saw any gates and on an event of this size it would of never of occurred to me to look to close any behind me.
Did they really think hundreds of riders would stop and open/ close gates on an organised event?
At the very least an e-mail telling us about the gates beforehand may have helped.

The rubbish issue is fair enough complaint, we all know it's our responsibility not to litter but i cant help feeling that on a event that had over 2 thousand entries some mess is inevitable and that the organisers should of had some plans in place to cater for it.

636sean

This is a copy of the e-mail from the cyclone organiers for the riders on the 100 mile route

As you are all aware I changed the route slightly this year to incorporate the climb out of Redesmouth. This was the climb up to the 3rd feed station. This road has two gates plus a number of cattle grids on it which is not unusual on small country roads.
I naively assumed that all riders would open and close these gates as they passed through them as there are cattle, sheep and horses in the adjacent fields. However I was mistaken.
I have taken a call from a very irate farmer this afternoon who, quite rightly, was very annoyed that the gates were left open and that some gates at the sides of the cattle grids were left propped open. As a result the cattle, sheep and valuable horses had strayed and farm hands had to be employed to round them up, separate them and get them back to their respective owners. I am now having to pay for this task in order to placate the farmers in the area.
There could have been a serious accident if the cattle or horses had strayed onto the main roads.
I realise that not everyone would have known the gates had to be closed when they passed through but common sense should have told everyone that if there is livestock in a field and there is a gate between the fields it is there for a reason.
The farmer also voiced the concerns of the local community about the amount of rubbish discarded into the fields. Again everyone had been asked to behave responsibly but my requests seem to have fallen on some deaf ears.
I am sure that no one wants to see the scenario where the local population do not want us in the area and start to actively cause problems as happened in the Etape Caledonia.
I am having to eat a lot of humble pie as well as having to pay out money unnecessarily and would just ask everyone to act responsibly in future.



Northern Rock Cyclone
A New Era of Cycling in the North East
http://www.northernrockcyclone.co.uk

formerlyknownasbonj

I think it's a bit out of order too.

wiffachip

there are four gates, not two on that bit of road and having done that stretch a few times in training I always wondered how it would work on the day. If it was obvious to me that it could be a problem....................

To expect 750 cyclists to open and close them is definitely naive, at best.
I thought the guidance is - leave gates as you find them. And if you didn't know that bit of road, you wouldn't even know they were there.

So really, its the fault of the first bloke through, or at least the first one that didn't close them. The solution's easy, avoid gated roads, there's plenty others.

as for the litter, I think we're all agreed on that one

iamtheresurrection

gsk82 wrote:

Think the rather snotty email (presumably) from peter is completely out of order [...] That's if you even notice that there was a gate there, I don't remeber any!

I agree entirely. I really cannot remember seeing any gates at all, let alone an open gate that looked like it needed closing. I finished around 200th which means there were plenty riders before and after me who clearly thought the same.

I thought about dropping Peter an email tonight telling him I thought he had the tone wrong. I understand his sentiment, but I think it's completely mis-placed. I do feel sorry for him that he's had so much grief because of it - and appreciate it takes a lot of effort to organise.

I'm 34 years old, and didn't see many younger riders out there, yet felt the content of his email indicated he thought we were all about 12.

Agree on litter mind, pretty crap to think people don't stuff it back in their pockets.

hazychris

Guys,

why not cut Peter some slack?

He's obviously had to do some post-event PR work with the locals, and I think he's entitled as the person who has to face off to all stakeholders (riders, locals, farmers, businesses, the authorities) to make it clear where the behaviour was not appreciated by some of those stakeholders. Farmer Giles, whether he's right or wrong, has no opportunity to communicate to all of the riders, and Peter has to be seen to be taking complaints seriously, lest we end up with carpet tacks on the road.

The lane in question was a bit of a highlight for me (not being part of the through and off brigade!) delivering some variety to the ride. I can appreciate it was not ideal for groups working together to get a good time, but it didn't last for long, and surely there's valid challenge to be able to do some parts of the ride without being in a rotating chain gang?

Overall it was a fantastic event - why not show your appreciation for the things that did go right and give Peter and his team an incentive to organise another great event next year?

Cheers,
Chris (trying to redress the balance a little)

cjms85

Evening all,

First off cheers to teulk for sorting out the finishing times for all categories. I was just in the process of doing that myself. How did you manage to do it? I was going about copying the source code and removing the superfluous stuff with CTRL + F.

The only point I would make is that there were 756 finishers for the 101 mile category, and it might be nice to get the rest up for those people if they want to compare?

Second point, Peter's email, I appreciate that he did a great job with the organisation of the Cyclone etc. God only knows I wouldn't want that job, too many people to try and please at once, but criticising the cyclists for not opening/closing a gates seems harsh. Particularly as they weren't obvious and as the country side code says "leave as you find". I also found the tone of the email a bit patronising, especially since the situation could have easily been remedied by having signs on the gates to be closed, or having some of the air cadets posted at the gates to close them or just scare away the live stock.

I appreciate the Cyclone isn't a race, but that doesn't stop some people who have a sense of competition. So to have fast packs of people suddenly slowing down to open and shut a gate is obviously going to potentially annoy or impede people's times. Not to mention the danger of bottlenecks and people rear-ending others as they get close to the gate.

That said I can fully appreciate the situation of the farmer, but if he had been properly consulted about the event, which I'm guessing he probably would have been? Might it not have been a good idea to move the animals to another field or if it was to cause too many problems, surely the route could have been rearranged?

Anyway no use crying over spilt milk now. Lesson learnt.

Chris

ellieb

didn't do the event due injury but got the gate e-mail. I think it is a bit strange to have gates on a sportive. After all. What are you going to do? Shut the gate in front of other riders 100m behind you? There will soon come a point where people are arriving at an open gate & not even realising that it needs to be shut. I didi last years event & it was extremely well organised, but I have to say that the blame for this has to lie at the organisers door, but he needn't take it too personally. Theses things happen. Next year make sure the routre avoid sthe gates would be my advice

nolf

Stupid to send out an e-mail. I did the event under a friends name (he had to drop out so I took his place) so haven't received the e-mail. But whats the point?

It's left me feeling that perhaps next year we will not be so welcome.

Also why on earth did they take the route through a gated road?!
I mean seriously?!

As previously stated to expect people to take the time to open and close gates is ridiculous.
Also as part of the through and off brigade, if we had encountered a gate it would have been at speed and potentially dangerous. Nobody likes being in a group slamming on their brakes.

If he was seriously expecting us to open and close gates, perhaps they should have spared some of the excellent signs to indicate that the gates should be left shut?
At the least a mention previously.

To have the gall to criticise riders who had received no word or indication that it was required, and who acted in a reasonable way (leaving things as they found them) has put a cloud over the event. I would hope that the organiser accepts some responsibility for his actions rather than berate the competitors.

Rant over, but it has left rather a dark cloud over the event.

iamtheresurrection

The lane in question was a bit of a highlight for me (not being part of the through and off brigade!) delivering some variety to the ride.

Do you know, I still don't know what section of road we're talking about!

Chirs, I don't think anybody's questioning the time and committment it takes to organise the event. I also don't think anybody would argue that it is, by and large, an extremely well ran event and Peter rightly deserves a lot of recognition for doing it.

The problem is, talking to a lot of grown men and women, many of whom by definition are successful professionals in their own career, like they are naughty schoolkids is never going to go down well.

I agree he has a right and a duty to send out an email detailing what went wrong, but there were so many better ways to write it.

teulk

cjms85 wrote:

Evening all,

First off cheers to teulk for sorting out the finishing times for all categories. I was just in the process of doing that myself. How did you manage to do it? I was going about copying the source code and removing the superfluous stuff with CTRL + F. Chris

I copied all the times etc from the website and then i pasted them into excel using "paste special" and then "unicode text" - have to admit took me a few tries before i realised thats how it had to be done.

cjms85 wrote:

The only point I would make is that there were 756 finishers for the 101 mile category, and it might be nice to get the rest up for those people if they want to compare? Chris

All the riders names and postions are now up - all 756 finishers, sorry for missing them off as i didnt even notice so thanks for pointing that out.

wiffachip

i'm just a bit offended cos I did the 101 miler, but haven't received the e-mail !

LardLover

I'm guessing the route won't be going up out of Redesdale next year :roll:

Like MANY others, I've never been on that section of road before, and didn't know about any gates, and like MANY others, I NEVER noticed any gates, or cattle grids for that matter :oops: ..............................................or cattle/sheep/horses.......... :oops: :oops:

The only cattle grids I remember were on that crawl up Troughend Common (after Otterburn, before Bellingham).

As already mentioned, if gates were going to have to be opened and closed then they should have been marshalled, shame on you Peter for not arranging this.


Despite upsetting a lot of people with your email Peter you HAVE again, organised a WONDERFUL event that if it isn't already then it soon will be, THE biggest sportive bar none, showing off THE BEST of Northumberland.

Well done fella.



PS - you weren't the only one not to receive an email wiffa, one of my colleagues didn't receive one either (and boy was she upset at the content of it when I told her :shock: )

wiffachip

LardLover wrote:

I NEVER noticed any gates, or cattle/sheep/horses

aye, they'd escaped !

talking of escaped, did anyone else get any verbals from a group of elderley charvers just before Redesmouth ? They asked me if I knew what time it was. Was tempted to reply 'past your bedtime, bonny lad' but thought they might have come after me in their Corsa

speedy641

Not sure who has sent this email - it is unsigned.

I do agree with the comments on litter, it does seem to be a problem with sportives ( any marathons and the like, cyclists are not the sole offenders)

I do take great exception to the emails' tone.

As a participant in the 101 mile ride I never even saw these gates! If you are bowling along at 20mph in a group of riders you don't see everything around you. Were the gates signed?

Any gates I went through were certainly already open already, so there would be no reason to close them (particularly with other riders so close behind). I do understand the farmers annoyance, I would be cross in his position, however fault lies with the 'Cyclones' organisers on this one - sorry but there it is . Change the route, sign gates, put the cadets there, but don't blame riders.

The event was well organised as far as I saw on the day, but this rather petulant email apparently attempting to shift the blame to all the riders on the event has left a rather bad feeling with me.I will think twice about taking part in next years event, as I suspect will many others. I suggest who ever penned the mail sends an apology and does not send out any future hastily written messages to people en masse.

dholden

'I will think twice about taking part in next years event'....

but possibly not once about how much it takes to organize it or organizing one yourself....

Rev\'d Gatlin

Cyclone - The BITTER aftertaste !

rubbish. I had a great time. I've never been involved in any sport that didn't involve the odd heated exchange. I'm not in it for the kind words and cuddles. Well done Peter. Sorry if you've been getting grief.

sheffsimon

dholden wrote:

'I will think twice about taking part in next years event'....

but possibly not once about how much it takes to organize it or organizing one yourself....

+1

cant see a problem with the tone of the email, maybe grow a pair and accept whats said without getting all huffy and upset about it.

sawarze

Peter, if you are reading this forum, thank you for organising a superb event that gets better each year. You are fully justified in what you have said and as one of the 101 milers I can only apologise for causing you so much grief both from the farming and cycling fraternity (some). We should be grateful to people like you who have given up so much of your time for others to benefit. The organisers, cadets, moto-riders all did a fantastic job and you have done a wonderful job promoting our region and cycling as a sport to enjoy. Ignore the whingers!

speedy641

Well dholden, so happens I have organised charity cycle rides for a school and my work place, and I'd certainly have avoided gated roads. But hey we all make errors, I don't have a problem with that -- what I do have a problem is ranting at those who weren't to blame via an unsigned email.

Perhaps SheffSimon who ever penned the mail should 'grow a pair', take it on the chin that they made an error and leave it at that.

tynevet

I rode the 101 mile ride - finished in 8h 16m official time, 7h 30m cycling time - very pleased with this as I was on a tandem with my 16y son, Calum, as stoker and we pedalled up all the hills.

I have no problems with the e-mail. Yes, the problem with the gates across the road could have been avoided but I see no reason for propping open gates by cattle grids and being my first sportive I was apalled by the amount of litter - particularly bottles - left.

Order of times in earlier post is excellent, although a quirk of the timing system has my son finishing 27 seconds after me - yes, it is a normal length tandem and no he didn't fall off

Rev\'d Gatlin

- what I do have a problem is ranting at those who weren't to blame via an unsigned email.

I've got a problem with cats. Not keen.

speedy641

Chapeau tynevet, great to get up those hills on a tandem, well done

speedy641

I've got a problem with cats. Not keen.

tynevet

Thanks speedy. Going down was fun - 44mph on the way down Bilsmoor

sheffsimon

speedy641 wrote:

Well dholden, so happens I have organised charity cycle rides for a school and my work place, and I'd certainly have avoided gated roads. But hey we all make errors, I don't have a problem with that -- what I do have a problem is ranting at those who weren't to blame via an unsigned email.

Perhaps SheffSimon who ever penned the mail should 'grow a pair', take it on the chin that they made an error and leave it at that.

Still whining! Maybe the "error" lies with those who dropped litter and left the gates open in the first place, and maybe if that wasnt you you just ignore it and move on, instead of slagging off somebody who has put a considerable effort to organise this weekend.

formerlyknownasbonj

I must say the first email made it sound like the gates in question were opened because it would have been impassable without opening them, when in actual fact from the second email he sent it appears that the only reason they were opened was so that people didn't have to ride over a cattle grid.
I don't understand why cyclists would think their precious wheels are going to be damaged by riding over a cattle grid. What sheer idiocy. Or is it that they think it is dangerous to ride over one? If so they need to learn a bit about cycling really.

Peter Harrison

formerlyknownasbonj wrote:

I must say the first email made it sound like the gates in question were opened because it would have been impassable without opening them, when in actual fact from the second email he sent it appears that the only reason they were opened was so that people didn't have to ride over a cattle grid.
I don't understand why cyclists would think their precious wheels are going to be damaged by riding over a cattle grid. What sheer idiocy. Or is it that they think it is dangerous to ride over one? If so they need to learn a bit about cycling really.

I have refrained from replying to some of the quotes on this forum until I had collected my thoughts and decided what action to take. As a reult of some of the comments I received as a result of my first e mail to all those who were down to ride the 101ml I subsequently sent out the following e mail to the same group (see below)


An Explanation and apology

It would appear that I have upset and offended a number of riders on the 101 ml ride as a result of the e mail I sent out to all. I never intended this to be the case as I was just highlighting the serious problem with the local farming community on the route. To those I offended I do apologise.

The reason the route was changed from the 2008 route was for a number of reasons, namely:
The local Parish Councillor in Wark wrote to me after the 2008 event objecting to riders coming through the village and the fact that the feed station was sited there, even although it was on common land.
To allow riders to use the facilities in Bellingham which included toilets and the cafes.
To take in the climb out of Redesmouth as this appeared to be the only safe and viable option
In order to achieve the above the only option was to use the gated road before the A68. Whilst not being ideal it did keep riders off the main road. I have a duty of care to ensure all riders are as safe as possible.

On the day of the event I was confronted with the situation at 7am that I had 8 less volunteers for the feed stations than had been planned. As the volunteers had to leave at 7.15am in order to be in place for all riders I had to make do with those available. As far as I am aware they worked their hearts out for you all.

If you re read my original e mail you will see that I stated that gates had been left open by riders and I appreciate that many riders would not have realised they needed to be closed. However gates were also propped open by riders at the sides of cattle grids to allow riders to miss these grids. Many minor roads in Northumberland have cattle grids and they are unavoidable. If riders wished to use the gates adjacent to these grids I do feel they should have been closed after them. As a result animals strayed into adjacent fields and subsequently had to be separated. I have just had to pay a bill for £216 to the local farming community for the labour employed to do this job.

Discarding of rubbish into fields is inexcusable.

As a result of my original e mail I have received many replies. Some have been critical but constructive, some negative and some abusive. To counterbalance I have also had some that are supportive. I have tried to answer as many as possible but as I am still trying to deal with many other aspects of the event I am finding it very hard to do so.
The destructive and abusive emails have hurt me deeply along with some of the comments I have seen on some forums but not yet had the chance or the inclination to reply to.

I created this event so that as many people as possible could be encouraged to take up cycling and enjoy the Northumberland Countryside. I have worked tirelessly for the past three years in order to give everyone an event they could enjoy. This has involved working up to 40+ hours per week whilst holding down a full time job running a business.Each edition takes a full year to organise and many later nights. There are no committees although I do have invaluable help and assistance during and before the event from the event sponsors, partners and volunteers.

At this moment I question I am feeling pretty deflated by some of the flack I have received and wonder why I put myself through pain for the sake of others when I could just go out and ride my bike.

If I do decide to run the event next year I will change ride C and it will make it harder and possibly longer.

Once again I apologise to those who were the innocent parties and who conducted themselves in a proper manner throughout the ride.

Peter

It would appear from the response I have had from this e mail that many many more people are in support of my actions and were not offended by the first e mail- in fact I have received over 200 e mails of support. This has, at least, given me some heart to continue with the event next year which is, of course, not just the saturday sportives but also the racing on the sunday and friday.

Tom Butcher

It doesn't seem something worth taking offence over - the organiser clearly wants to express his disappointment with some riders' behaviour and the only way he can do that is to send the email to everyone - it doesn't mean the comments are aimed at everyone. It is time that some riders started to take a bit of responsibility for their actions and stop littering and suchlike.