Having similar discussions, with my wife, at the moment.
She normally goes away for 4 or five days, each year, with a friend, staying in a hotel that puts on entertainment and local sightseeing trips.
Recently got a letter from them setting out what changes have been made to the arrangements and they are so significant, that the trip bears little or no resemblance to what they normally experience.
As they have only paid a £20 deposit, so far, I would be of the mind to forget it for this year.

It feels a bit like going to the pub despite knowing they haven't got any beer.

It up to the the two of them, though, as they are the participants.

In your case, however, you take on the extra responsibilities imposed by being the organiser, and that extends to more than "it just won't be the same"
A lot of folks (very sensibly) have your legal position in mind, and I feel that this is the primary consideration.

To paraphrase a Canadian relative of mine - "the trails aren't going anywhere"

Ultimately Stu's got to live in the area after we (potentially) have been and gone. No doubt there are a lot of conflicting views locally so figuring out what is acceptable won't be easy.

One possibility to lessen the impact might be to mandate that we arrive at BB Towers by bike as we did for Bearstock.

Send out coordinates as usual, but instead of start at BB towers start is at one of the coords. Alot X starters per coord to keep start group size down. Keep coords middle of nowwhere to remain unnoticed. Figure out a schedule/routes/plan that has enough people meeting enough others over two days to keep the social aspect alive.

Personally, I'd avoid attracting a crowd to BB towers unless you can be sure local feelings are on-side.

tobasco wrote: ↑Mon Jul 27, 2020 7:06 pm Send out coordinates as usual, but instead of start at BB towers start is at one of the coords. Alot X starters per coord to keep start group size down. Keep coords middle of nowwhere to remain unnoticed. Figure out a schedule/routes/plan that has enough people meeting enough others over two days to keep the social aspect alive.

Personally, I'd avoid attracting a crowd to BB towers unless you can be sure local feelings are on-side.

How about starting wherever you like then allotting one two hour slot to each half a dozen riders when they can drop into BB HQ for a brew and a chat with the illustrious org? Everyone gets to pop in, but there's never a crowd and there's plausible deniability to the neighbours it wasn't just the same half a dozen?

How about starting wherever you like them drop into BB HQ for a brew and a chat with the illustrious org?

This was what I was thinking too.

It was nice the year we had a “destination” of the seaside.
People set off from wherever and arrive at BB Towers sometime on the Sunday for a brew and cake mountain, before heading back to where they started from.

Dyffers wrote: ↑Mon Jul 27, 2020 7:32 pm

tobasco wrote: ↑Mon Jul 27, 2020 7:06 pm Send out coordinates as usual, but instead of start at BB towers start is at one of the coords. Alot X starters per coord to keep start group size down. Keep coords middle of nowwhere to remain unnoticed. Figure out a schedule/routes/plan that has enough people meeting enough others over two days to keep the social aspect alive.

Personally, I'd avoid attracting a crowd to BB towers unless you can be sure local feelings are on-side.

How about starting wherever you like then allotting one two hour slot to each half a dozen riders when they can drop into BB HQ for a brew and a chat with the illustrious org? Everyone gets to pop in, but there's never a crowd and there's plausible deniability to the neighbours it wasn't just the same half a dozen?

In my mind it would look like this....

Chew wrote: ↑Mon Jul 27, 2020 7:44 pm

How about starting wherever you like them drop into BB HQ for a brew and a chat with the illustrious org?

This was what I was thinking too.

It was nice the year we had a “destination” of the seaside.
People set off from wherever and arrive at BB Towers sometime on the Sunday for a brew and cake mountain, before heading back to where they started from.

Or even at the Star?
Perhaps they may be up for everyone visiting and us all spending a few quid there on a couple of beers and something to eat?

They may also be interested in doing something for the BB200?

Chew wrote: ↑Mon Jul 27, 2020 7:44 pm It was nice the year we had a “destination” of the seaside.

How about a blimmin' great beach party? Bike races with sandcastles instead of tussocks. Big handicaps for fatbikers.

Not quite as stoopid as it sounds (well alright, maybe without the racing anyway). Easy to 'lose' a big group in a large town and a beach. As far as the Normals were concerned there would just be a slightly bafflingly larger number of bikes around than usual....

Could still do weigh-in etc.

Given that it’s the August bank holiday weekend I don’t think we’d have the beach to ourselves.
I think we’re going to end up with something similar to the virtual WRT.

Hmm, that is a point. Then again 150 Boners mixed up with 10000 Normals isn't that high a percentage.

TBH in the current environment I think that attracting 150 folk from around the UK is likely to cause the wrong sort of attention regardless of how it is spaced out, scheduled or otherwise finessed.

Maybe things will look better in a couple of weeks but my decision would be based very much on what my neighbours would have to say about it.

Hmm I’ve been sitting in the sofa trying to ignore the elephant in the room. Mid Wales has been spared the worst of this virus, mainly for the reasons we all love it, However it’s organised were going to be noticed, the roads around BB Towers are not the north circular.
If two weeks after an event there’s an outbreak in the area it’s inevitable that the finger of blame will be pointed towards us.
I love the WRT, it’s the highlight of the year.
But we have to remember Ceulan is not just BB Towers it’s Stu and Dee’s home, if by our attendance we make them unwelcome in the local community it could well be the last WRT ever.
I feel slightly sad writing this, almost like a traitor.
I want to WRT to happen but not at any cost.

Not really the same but our club rides are back on now with restrictions.

Group sizes are restricted and you have to book yourself onto a group pre-ride.
Each group has a very strict staggered start time.
Our club is based out of a beer serving cafe so when we get back for drinks we are only allowed outside unless going to the bar, in which case only 2 people are allowed in the cafe at once.
Only people who ride can join for drinks. (Often you had club members who would pop down for a beer even if they didn't ride).
Tables and chairs are put in the back courtyard/delivery area (not a normal customer area) at a suitable distance from each other.

RIP wrote: ↑Mon Jul 27, 2020 2:35 pm Main attractions for me with WRT are: the 'vagueness' of everything between when we leave and return, bumping into each other, the social bit in Y Star and your gaff at the start, popping in to local shops, caffs, pubs etc, lots of rain.

I don't (naively?) see big problems away from your place - we'd be spread across mid Wales, and would be self-'policing'.

This^. For me it’s all about the route planning and the ride. I like the randomness of meeting people on the way around too. The other things, I don’t mind missing just this once. Of course it won’t be the complete tomato, but neither was the stay-at-home WRT back in May. I’m glad I did that too.

As to the “Gathering” at the start, I can’t see how it would be different to the car parks in beauty spots. And anyway, even if the cars park next to next, social distancing will happen unless the occupants all get out at the same time. The only issue is the crowding in BB yard before the exodus.

So I guess it’s as Psling outlined - park in the paddock, check in, mount up and set off. Coming back when it’s done - back to BB Towers - there’s unlikely to be any great number arriving at the same time so SD should be easy to manage.

Thanks for the input everyone, it's nice to get diifferent views and stand points. Having taken everything on board, it sounds like folk would rather have something than nothing, so with that in mind we shall work something out. It won't be the WRT as we know it but it should still be an enjoyable weekend of riding, overnights and cake.

This all sounds pretty good so far. I'm really happy that you think that it's possible to run some kind of event.

I'm really happy that you think that it's possible to run some kind of event.

I think it is Chris. It won't be like normal but needs must and a change might even be nice.

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Tue Jul 28, 2020 8:29 am Thanks for the input everyone, it's nice to get diifferent views and stand points. Having taken everything on board, it sounds like folk would rather have something than nothing, so with that in mind we shall work something out. It won't be the WRT as we know it but it should still be an enjoyable weekend of riding, overnights and cake.

Disclaimer - I've never attended. Events aren't really my thing

However, why not just do something different (and "different" being picked as the least hassle and potential fall-out option for you) and see how it goes? Sometimes different is good, or a change is as good as a rest [insert more pith here if required]. Even if it's an utter cluster-funk no one that matters is going to mind and anyone with half an ounce of sense understands we're living in funny times.

If I were coming, it's all I'd expect. Good luck

Oh, and I'd help, if I were there

Cheeky Monkey wrote: ↑Tue Jul 28, 2020 10:33 am "different" being picked as the least hassle and potential fall-out option for you.....change is as good as a rest ..... cluster-funk no one that matters is going to mind and anyone with half an ounce of sense understands we're living in funny times.

Good points there 'Monkey .

How about every GR being located on a beach - big string of 'em up the coast - then we could all ride round wearing just swimming cozzies. Another advantage: when it inevitably pours with rain won't matter getting soaked.

Plenty of help available if wished, Stu....

In relation to the WRT, if I were you.

I'd tell (not ask) my neighbours along the road that there will be a few cars coming in and out over the August BH weekend just like May's but with a lower total (I'd guess)

When car's park in the field, leave 3 spaces between cars. Then as and when the riders head out, start to fill in these gaps.

Encourage riders to head straight out onto the hills from the car park (so no raffle, no milling around), we all know it's going to be different this year, we just need to suck it up and miss out on the group meet up for once.

If you have prizes calculate how many people are coming in, divide it by the prizes and say it's 1 in 6 - give a pre planned prize to the 6th person in the gate then the 12th person, the 18th person etc.

You don't want to be the one to spread the virus between people to people but you also don't want us townies coming to your farm and giving it to you and your family, you would be nearer to all of us for longer than we would be to the others, so you would be at a higher risk.

Get us to load up and bugger off from the car park, then pop in to the farm for a social distance brew at the end on Monday.

#TwoPenneth

I'd tell (not ask) my neighbours along the road that there will be a few cars coming in and out over the August BH weekend just like May's but with a lower total (I'd guess)

Trouble is, our neighbours aren't simply those immediate or close by and I'm not sure that telling people I'm going to be doing something that goes against goverment guidelines on their (far reaching) doorstep would really go down that well.

The idea of having the Towers as a GR is the most appealing. That way there'll be no long line of cars, numbers will quite likely self regulate throughout the weekend, people still get to enjoy the route planning aspect and we all get cake still I think changing the format rather than simply watering it down will likely make things more interesting.

Make it like a dating comedy show sketch: everyone has to carry a predefined small, bright, perhaps ridiculous item on show so when you find a random stranger on a bike over the weekend you can instantly recognise those on the same non-event as you.


I hear ya: just the presence of someone with a bike in such an unrideable location is probably enough.

Is there anything on at the Llanbrynmair centre?
Could we use that car park and ride to yours and on from there maybe?

Is there anything on at the Llanbrynmair centre?

I'm not sure you're really grasping this John. Banging over 100 cars into a carpark in a small village ... perhaps not the best idea given that we're trying to avoid large groups of folk gathering together.