It's that time of year when I start to think about preperations for the WRT. On my list so far are the following but what have I missed or do you think there ought to be on this list (be sensible, it's the WRT @ £20 not Ritchy Trail Masters @ £175)

• The addition of the WRT-lite ... 2 days out rather than 3 for those who prefer. The GR will be in a different direction to the Full Fat WRT.
• Toilets at the start (hopefully).
• Some kind of catering at the start (hopefully).
• The infamous WRT weigh in.
• No raffle but a prize draw. Everyone entered goes in the hat.
• Local campsite for anyone coming over Fri night.
• Grid references that haven't been used before
• Lashings of tea/cake at the finish ... ginger beer?
• A bloke in a bear suit.
• Sunshine ... we must be due some bloody sunshine!
• WRT freebie ... T shirt as usual or something else?

Any ideas / thoughts throw 'em in.

Ta

Sounds good so far Stu. Why send the lite riders in an opposite direction?

Part of the fun is bumping into people and having a chat on the trail...

Dan_K wrote:Sounds good so far Stu. Why send the lite riders in an opposite direction?

Part of the fun is bumping into people and having a chat on the trail...

Yea and then convicing them that 2 nights out in the Welsh mud really is a great idea :D

It's on my definitely doing list.

Happy to donate and bring amounts of Yorkshire Bara Brith and Butter.

If you're doing away with the raffle (I'm assuming its ever more difficult to blag stuff), then i'm sure you could get people to cough up more than £20.....its for charity 8-)

Why send the lite riders in an opposite direction?

I've got a set of GR in mind that will be great for 2 days but don't really lend themselves to 3 ... but we'll see

Happy to donate and bring amounts of Yorkshire Bara Brith and Butter

Duly noted, thank you ... it wouldn't be the WRT without ample cake :)

If you're doing away with the raffle (I'm assuming its ever more difficult to blag stuff), then i'm sure you could get people to cough up more than £20.....its for charity

I'll still be blagging but I thought it would make a change ... and save me cutting out hundreds of bits of paper You're right though, it does seem tougher year on year and as I've said somewhere before ... the outdoor world seem to 'get it' but the bike industry seem a bit slow on the uptake for some reason :?

I'd hope Alpkit and Singletrack are generous. They both seem to get plenty of milage out of bikepacking

I'd have liked some vague checkpoint description to go with the grid ref, nothing fancy just something like bench, wonky tree, etc. Not really to help you find it but just to be sure you are there kinda thing.

I got an engraved pint glass from 1 event last year which is has been more useful than a T shirt.

I'd have liked some vague checkpoint description to go with the grid ref, nothing fancy just something like bench, wonky tree, etc. Not really to help you find it but just to be sure you are there kinda thing.

Maybe it's time to reinstate the 'do something at each grid ref' thing?

Excellent spot there Matt.

Like the idea of orienteering stamps to find. Gives an incentive to ride a longer route. Bit like geocaching.

To put out anything like dibbers and that you probably need the land owners permission and stuff. Getting a bit trailquesty and lots more work to put out and get back in. Not sure it needs that really.

I rather like the pointless objective of a checkpoint with nothing, just would like to recognise something and get a warm sense of satisfaction.

If you want to throw everyones carefully planned routes out the window on the last day then you could include 6 'mandatory' GRs and only by visiting them do you work out a bonus* GR. It would make those who bothered take maps and navigate a bit instead of plotting a GPS track at home and fying around staring at a GPS.**

*bonus in the pointless self satisfaction only kinda way
**this may not actually work!

If it's of any help...

I do a couple of events a year, long single-day MTB-orienteering stuff, usually unofficial "mates races", and we've tried a few things for checkpoint markers over the years. The best solution we've found is either 1-1.5 inch metal washers or squares of metal sheet, engraved with a letter or number (easy done with a dremel) and nailed to a fence post, tree, signpost or similar at your CP location. If they're small and discrete and placed low-ish, say a foot off the ground, most people don't even notice they're there.

Oh, and in my opinion, ban GPS for navigation. Allow it for logging or emergency relocation, but following a breadcrumb trail on a little LCD isn't navigation, which takes away from the adventure.

If it aint broke,personally i enjoy the laid back atmosphere of the WRT with its frame work
of grid refs and planning a route that suits you and those riding with you.

I'm certainly not planning to change much because I think for most people the current format works okay.

Oh, and in my opinion, ban GPS for navigation.

I think we'd have a mutiny

s8tannorm wrote:I'm certainly not planning to change much because I think for most people the current format works okay.

Oh, and in my opinion, ban GPS for navigation.

I think we'd have a mutiny

Definitely. I can read a map but GPS makes things so easy and re-assuring. Who wants to stop constantly to confirm their position?

Dan_K wrote: wants to stop constantly to confirm their position?

Why stop? I have a bar-mounted map board for MTBO and Trailquest, the only time I have to stop is when I need to re-fold the map because I've ridden off the edge of it. GPS just makes things too easy, and takes away from genuine navigational ability - I could take my bikeand bivvy out at a trail centre if I wanted to follow signposts all day...

s8tannorm wrote:I'm certainly not planning to change much because I think for most people the current format works okay.

Oh, and in my opinion, ban GPS for navigation.

I think we'd have a mutiny

Cheers Stu, the thought of riding with me reading glasses on
ain 't appealing.

Gotta remember that the WRT is in no way, shape or form any type of race or contest. Everyone is free to make of it and take from it what they will ... maps, gps, moss on trees, whatever floats your boat, it's all good

s8tannorm wrote:Gotta remember that the WRT is in no way, shape or form any type of race or contest. Everyone is free to make of it and take from it what they will ... maps, gps, moss on trees, whatever floats your boat, it's all good

On our part we get just as much pleasure from pitching up, getting the stove on for a brew
and rattling the evening away with a drink or two :D

Buffs instead of Ts?

Depends on the number and unit cost of course. Personally I reckon there's always a use for either of the aforementioned.

No buffs, t-shirts please.

I should point out I've never done the WRT, just throwing out ideas

I really liked the fact that the GRs helped in discovering the good local riding in an area I wasn't familiar with previously. Kind of got me out of any comfort zone and felt like a 'treasure' hunt of good riding.
I liked the laid back 'challenge' nature of the thing - a re-introduction of something to do at each GR (everyone's photos were good to see online after the event) would be good.
Not much to change really Stu - seems a great format to me but obviously keeping it fresh is no bad thing.