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Tracy is a he and lives in the US apparently. I'm not sure I want to add extra hassle to my TransAm but what would be involved in DIYing it? I recall I'd need to make checkpoints that meet the AUK requirements (every 80-100k?) but I can DIY by GPS right? So I'd not need to do the receipt collection thing I'd just have to show the route and checkpoints and have it validated. Oh, would I need to make a routesheet with all those turns written on it? I'd hope not for a GPS ride. Why am I even thinking about this? What's the point, other than getting a bunch of points for Willesden?
hippy
I am just trying to find a reference to the 50% rule. I am certain it still exists for the purposes of the distance (points) championships. It used to be in the handbook - but the handbook no longer exists.
I think it is about removing the chances of someone just bashing out loads of DIYs and raising suspicion that they are not actually doing them (i.e. there's no visibility).
It does of course mean that someone based in northern scotland is going to have a tough time getting to events and so on to mount a credible campaign.
Looking at Mike's 2014 results, it shows 333 points with 180 being in perms, which means that 'only' 306 points count for the actual championship.
Confused? Me too!
Basically Mike would ride 1 or 2 200km events every weekend through the winter months and then a 300 and a 200 event as spring comes, before doing a 600km event every weekend in summer. And then he would ride 2 or 3 200km DIYs during the week.
It is amazing in it's own way, his story is quite something too (mown down by a coach, huge brain injuries, smashed up hips and legs, in a wheelchair for months - his brain injuries mean he has all sorts of challenges and cycling a lot seems to keep them under control). He's a funny chap and rubs people up the wrong way sometimes - he lacks empathy or self control, so can sometimes come across as a total bragger, but he can't help it, his brain doesn't work like the rest of us! I've spent a couple of years thinking he was a bit of a tosser, but then I have ridden with him and chatted to him more over the last year or so, and he's a decent bloke. I spent some good times with him on PBP drinking coffee in the sunshine and watching the world go by.
Anyway - TransAm as a DIY would be the longest DIY by some margin. A chap called Marcus (good name) rode a 3500km DIY around the UK a few years ago.