2013 Tandem Challenge (Solos Too!)
Entry for our new RP challenge for 2013 is now open.
On 05 - 10 September we will be taking a group of tandem riders on a stunning 356 mile tour of England. Starting (and ending) in the historic cathedral city of Coventry, we will be taking in several cities and towns as we work our way up as far north as Shipley and back.
The route, which will be quite challenging, also takes in beauty spots such as Sherwood Forest and the Aire Valley. We will be mainly on traffic free routes and much of the cycling will be on old railways and canal towpaths.
We will be accompanied by a support vehicle which will also serve as escort/warning on the road riding sections of the route.
Your commitment on signing up will be to pay £120 per person (£240 per pair) as a non-refundable deposit. A further £120 per person (£240 per pair) will be due on 01 September, just before the event.
You then need to raise £1,000 per person through donations or sponsorship. Half of this must be raised by 01 September and the other half by the end of the year (to be received by 23 December).
'Steersmen' and 'steerswomen' must be fully sighted, or have a level of visual impairment that does not impact on the group safety. There is of course no restriction on the level of sight impairment for our 'stokers'.
Accommodation will be provided for each pair in twin rooms (doubles by arrangement!) on a Bed & Breakfast basis. There will be plenty of time and facilities for lunch and evening meals but you will need to budget for this separately.
We would also like to take along four solo cyclists. These cyclists must be experienced, fully sighted and fit. We will be asking for the support of these four cycling experts for the group, for example by scouting on ahead occasionally, navigating, and being prepared to assist with mechanical problems if the support vehicle cannot be accessed easily. The costs are the same, but the fundraising target for these riders will be £750 per person.
Solo cyclists must own or have access to their own bike of a suitable type and mechanical standard. Tandem riders can use their own tandem provided it is suitable for the trip and is well maintained, however suitable tandems will be supplied if required.
On 05 - 10 September we will be taking a group of tandem riders on a stunning 356 mile tour of England. Starting (and ending) in the historic cathedral city of Coventry, we will be taking in several cities and towns as we work our way up as far north as Shipley and back.
The route, which will be quite challenging, also takes in beauty spots such as Sherwood Forest and the Aire Valley. We will be mainly on traffic free routes and much of the cycling will be on old railways and canal towpaths.
We will be accompanied by a support vehicle which will also serve as escort/warning on the road riding sections of the route.
Fundraising
The cost of organising and delivering the challenge is £480 for each tandem pair. We ask that each entrant covers these costs, and in addition commits to raising a total for RP Fighting Blindness of £1,000, which is equivalent to just £2.81 per mile cycled.Your commitment on signing up will be to pay £120 per person (£240 per pair) as a non-refundable deposit. A further £120 per person (£240 per pair) will be due on 01 September, just before the event.
You then need to raise £1,000 per person through donations or sponsorship. Half of this must be raised by 01 September and the other half by the end of the year (to be received by 23 December).
Places and Accommodation
There are places for a total of 20 tandem riders (10 pairs) and participants must sign up in pairs.'Steersmen' and 'steerswomen' must be fully sighted, or have a level of visual impairment that does not impact on the group safety. There is of course no restriction on the level of sight impairment for our 'stokers'.
Accommodation will be provided for each pair in twin rooms (doubles by arrangement!) on a Bed & Breakfast basis. There will be plenty of time and facilities for lunch and evening meals but you will need to budget for this separately.
We would also like to take along four solo cyclists. These cyclists must be experienced, fully sighted and fit. We will be asking for the support of these four cycling experts for the group, for example by scouting on ahead occasionally, navigating, and being prepared to assist with mechanical problems if the support vehicle cannot be accessed easily. The costs are the same, but the fundraising target for these riders will be £750 per person.
Solo cyclists must own or have access to their own bike of a suitable type and mechanical standard. Tandem riders can use their own tandem provided it is suitable for the trip and is well maintained, however suitable tandems will be supplied if required.
The Route
The route is a round trip over 6 days, starting and ending in Coventry. The total distance is 356 miles (573 km).The route maps below are provided courtesy of the Sustrans website, though with apologies that this mapping is not very accessible to visually impaired users.
For those with a technical inclination, you can also obtain a file for your GPS system for each route day by emailing your request to david@rpfightingblindness.org.uk. These files are in .gpx format and include elevation data.
Day 1 Coventry to Derby
Lunch and Briefing 11 am
Departure 12 noon
5 - 6 hours cycling
50.3 miles
Click here to see the detailed day 1 route.
Day 2 Derby to Sheffield
74.9 miles
8 hours cycling
Click here to see the detailed day 2 route.
Day 3 Sheffield to Bradford
69.6 miles
7-8 hours cycling
Click here to see the detailed day 3 route.
Day 4 Bradford to Macclesfield
60.3 miles
6-7 hours cycling
Click here to see the detailed day 4 route.
Day 5 Macclesfield to Wolverhampton
65.1 miles
6-7 hours cycling
Click here to see the detailed day 5 route.
Day 6
Wolverhampton to Coventry
36.0 miles
4 hours cycling
Finish and celebration lunch 1 pm
Click here to see the detailed day 6 route.
The full route is being reconnoitred (click here for the full report) prior to the event and is subject to amendment if appropriate for safety reasons or in the event of bad weather.
How to Join
Entry forms are available to download from this site using the link below, in the meantime you can ask to secure your place by emailing Michelle Carter at michelle@rpfightingblindness.org.uk.Once your place is confirmed you will need to pay the deposit within 7 days.
The mimimum age is 18, however 16 and 17 year olds may participate in a pair with a parent or guardian. Places are strictly limited to 10 pairs and 4 solo riders, so if you would like to take part in this unique and challenging event please contact us quickly.
