2010-07-24 - Dunwich Dynamo DD18

The myth is that it was started by a bunch of couriers heading East-North-East-ish from London and not stopping until the seaside, but that is just bollocks.

Patrick and Barry have been known to spread that myth ...

In reality it started as a pay-to-enter event for recumbents run by Patrick Field. It quickly grew to be too big an organisational headache (they had marquees setup at Dunwich for the finishers) that it (under Barry's oversight) became a free ride staffed by volunteers and funded by routesheet sales and goodwill. The hipsters chose to claim it as theirs and the courier myth was born.

As far as I know, it re-started as a free event before Barry's involvement--he soon took up the slack, though, because people were finding it hard to get home. The coaches have certainly been one of the main factors in the ride's growth.