Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
This! In spades.
Well done, from both a volunteer perspective who had devoted a few days of effort, compared to you and the control leads who had invested uncounted hours (assuredly four figures for you) in this enterprise.
And from my perspective as a rider: the right calls, well communicated. I escaped from Malton before the lock-in/pause, having been tipped the wink (and was feeling strong and bounced it: next stop Easingwold Coop). After an hour (noon) decided to turn south and made it (back) to Hessle by late afternoon.
Communication of the further pause there and then the decision to abandon were clear and explained and I cannot recognise the 'train wreck' simile which fails to add value.
I thought the design and manner of the subsequent turn-around (from 5am Tuesday) and the unseen logistic effort to support that were well done, 'on-the-hoof'.
I made it to Henham by 5pm that day (with train taking the strain to Stevenage) and that control was ready to receive boarders, 24 hours ahead of planned opening. 2200 riders and hundreds of volunteers mean many pieces of a moving jigsaw. And by many if not all accounts touring back was enjoyed: not as planned but nevertheless fun, of a different type.
Upthread I've shared an edited transcript of a bit of Ian McBride's interview which describes the conditions from the perspective of a hard, fast, capable, prepared rider.
There are lessons to be identified (NB lessons are only learned when changes are made). I believe a key one is the governance of the event and the need to ensure the lead element is empowered to delegate to willing capable fellow travellers, in it for the long haul (4 years). Not easy to make that change, but this lesson (as amended or better articulated) will not otherwise be learnt.
Pleased to note that the LEL/AudaxUK relationship that has improved dramatically in the last 12 months (
) and your mutual intent to strengthen it.
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