London Edinburgh London 2025

[Ajax Bay]

I rather like this quote (edited) offered by a contributor on yacf with regard to organisational decisions:
"Like Scott and Shackleton: Scott may have pushed on and reached the South Pole but died with the rest of his team as a result, whereas Shackleton failed but bought everyone home safely, as did the LEL team. Chapeau to all involved."
Shackleton's boat, the James Caird, sat in my old school's lower hall bitd (has since been moved to the Science Block).

 

[LucretiaMyReflection]

Amy from ACME was held at Taunton, a local took in her and three others overnight on Monday.

Edit - damn autocorrect, Rainton

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Is there much still going on? I thought (nearly) everyone had arrived by yesterday.

Just bag drops. Spoke with Danial briefly plus Caroline etc. Met American rider at pub, who joined us

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Amy from ACME was held at Taunton, a local took in her and three others overnight on Monday.

Rainton pop up 45km south of Richmond

 

[Ian H]

I'm back home now after an exhausting week in Writtle.

 

[StuAff]

https://road.cc/content/tech-news/only-bike-complete-london-edinburgh-london-2025-315355

Someone on FB has already commented that "Nobody completed LEL - it was cancelled. No rides will be validated. Several people have however ridden the whole route". No, it wasn't 'cancelled', it was truncated. And if riding the complete originally intended route isn't completing it, just because it may or may not be (TBC) validated as a brevet of shorter length, then what is?

 

[LucretiaMyReflection]

Rainton pop up 45km south of Richmond

Autocorrect fail that I didn't notice! I did type Rainton.

 

[Dogtrousers]

https://road.cc/content/tech-news/only-bike-complete-london-edinburgh-london-2025-315355

Someone on FB has already commented that "Nobody completed LEL - it was cancelled. No rides will be validated. Several people have however ridden the whole route". No, it wasn't 'cancelled', it was truncated. And if riding the complete originally intended route isn't completing it, just because it may or may not be (TBC) validated as a brevet of shorter length, then what is?

Sounds like this might be fuel for audax-related pedantry arguments and quiz questions for years to come.

Interesting read about the bike.

It's just rotten luck this coming when it did, and very sad all round, with so many people having put so much into it. Participants who have commented seem to be a lot more positive and understanding than I think I would be in that situation (not that I ever could be in the situation of riding LEL).

 

[StuAff]

Sounds like this might be fuel for audax-related pedantry arguments and quiz questions for years to come.

Interesting read about the bike.

It's just rotten luck this coming when it did, and very sad all round, with so many people having put so much into it. Participants who have commented seem to be a lot more positive and understanding than I think I would be in that situation (not that I ever could be in the situation of riding LEL).

Indeed. I think it'll be a while before its status is confirmed, if at all.

 

[Ian H]

Indeed. I think it'll be a while before its status is confirmed, if at all.

Status is confirmed: Nil return - nobody to validate.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Autocorrect fail that I didn't notice! I did type Rainton.

They weren’t held there. Yasmin, her ride companion, messaged me, knowing I was volunteering up the road at Richmond, and it was agreed the safest option (given developing conditions) was for them to stay there at a known safe location. I asked for their ride numbers and added a note in their record in the control desk system, with the time of the first message. I was going off shift, and arranged with another volunteer for them to receive the 1930 update from which they could make any further decisions. A local at Rainton took four of them in.

 

[LucretiaMyReflection]

They weren’t held there. Yasmin, her ride companion, messaged me, knowing I was volunteering up the road at Richmond, and it was agreed the safest option (given developing conditions) was for them to stay there at a known safe location. I asked for their ride numbers and added a note in their record in the control desk system, with the time of the first message. I was going off shift, and arranged with another volunteer for them to receive the 1930 update from which they could make any further decisions. A local at Rainton took four of them in.

Is there anything else from my post that you'd like to correct? 🤷‍♀️
Essentially they stopped / paused / temporarily not riding at Rainton and a local took them in. The point of my post was that locals were being helpful and kind.

 

[StuAff]

Status is confirmed: Nil return - nobody to validate.

Fair enough!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Is there anything else from my post that you'd like to correct? 🤷‍♀️
Essentially they stopped / paused / temporarily not riding at Rainton and a local took them in. The point of my post was that locals were being helpful and kind.

Yes, quite simple, they were not held there. They were free to continue to Richmond at the time they chose to stop at Rainton. There was not an order to hold them there at the time.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Amy from ACME was held at Taunton, a local took in her and three others overnight on Monday.

Edit - damn autocorrect, Rainton

Is that Amy who is a Fridays regular? Or another Amy,