Rough & Ready reflections

It's not all about the pointy end ...

Our penultimate challenge day draws to a close ...

Morning Views from Niels' Shoes ...

Locked Gates, Fiesty cows, map reading and mechanical nightmares!

... and they're off!!

Meet the Riders (part 3)

Meet the Riders (part 2)

Meet the Riders (part 1)

Welcome to the first Rough & Ready - The Southern Divide

Niel Copeland (M)

Adrian Uttley (M)

Ross Lovell (M)

Rob Gardiner (M)

Dan Hardy (M)

Michael  Clancy (M)

Jim Morrison (M)

Sam Wall (M)

Natalie Smith (F)

Richard  Goodman (M)

Media Crew

As a newbie RD in the world of live event hosting, there are always doubts & niggles until the event is finished. Will the route work in the real world? Will the riders see the route in the same way as intended? Will they love it, hate it, or just be ambivalous to it? Will they even turn up? 

And then there are the 'rules'. The rules of the ride will determine what kind of vibe is created. In the case of the Rough & Ready, we kept the rules simple. You are self sufficient, in that you cannot accept outside help that isnt available to others, but riders are encouraged to help each other. They can ride together for a while, help each other out with mechanicals, encourage & motivate each other along the way. The world of ultra cycling is lonely enough without being totally cut off from other riders in the event. A lively WhatsApp group kept riders talking to each other, sharing tales of newly ploughed fields, dogs, and menacing cows. The camaraderie helped two riders who had considered scratching, continue through their dark times, and get to the end with time to spare. 

![Dotwatcher DNF 2022](https://images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/32Q5uFwBPB5ItZFSZDrj4n/b31369201b0c3384a9b2612498978f9d/Dotwatcher_DNF_2022.jpg)

I totally understand the need for rules in a race, but this was never about being a race. The ride's very existence is to create a challenging adventure across the south showcasing its spectacular scenery and variety. It seems that we have succeeded in that aim according to our riders, agreeing that there were plenty of wow moments.

Reflecting back now that our last rider has finished, there is very little I will change. The route will be refined a little more, especially the dreaded Dorset Hell in the middle around Cerne Abbas. I am also introducing just one extra 'rule' enforcing a rest at some point before CP3, with an earliest arrival/departure time. There is no point to this ride if the best scenery is missed due to riding through the night. That's what racing is for. Rest assured though, it wont be a long pause, just enough to ensure riders have had a few hours sleep by this point. For the truly committed it's possible to get to the end from here in one hit!

We had a small but wonderful group of riders. 12 entered, 9 made it to the start line, and 5 finished, including our only woman entrant, and a marvellous 71 year old. Of those that scratched, they were all from the challenge group. 3 had no plans to camp out, and brought no kit to do so (note, everyone who had camp kit finished). The camp strategy is a tenuous link however, as 2 retired due to mechanical issues and having ridden through the night, and 1 due to knee troubles. 

Am I glad that I created this ride? Absolutely
Would I do it again? In a heartbeat.

If you have enjoyed watching the first edition unfold and want to ride next year we will have two options available. 
We are renaming the ride to simply be The Southern Divide, and re-running this route in challenge and tourist mode (3.5 & 5.5 days respectively) on 11th May 2023.
Look out also for our next autumn edition which will have a brand new route between Lands End and London, but this time with focus on the Jurasic Coast and New Forest. I havent put this together yet, so that will keep me very busy. I love the test rides. 
You can find out about all our events at 
[Be Your Adventure - Events](https://beyouradventures.com/events/ "Events")
or follow us on Instagram 

Until next year, this is the Marcia 'de Sade' (the winning name) and the Rough & Ready - Southern Divide over and out.


Richard cuts a slight figure, and rides a well loaded bike, and yet he prevailed over some of the toughest terrain in the south for a long distance ride.  Like some of the riders before him, he opted for a hotel in Newbury last night, so he was fresh for the final run into London. He put in some good mileage yesterday to get there too. Arriving at Hampton Wick mid afternoon, the smile on his face said it all.  He was elated.
![6DD8CDB3-8BD4-48B4-B06F-4E387A9378BC](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5NoaUJfp4AgCfl4ilEumLW/bdd0b7d6d6c4ac9c036fd4b52299425d/6DD8CDB3-8BD4-48B4-B06F-4E387A9378BC.jpeg)

Earlier in the ride he was cursing my route choices. Remember the comment about paths fit only for llamas and sherpas, but then he saw the views, and understood the method to my madness.  He also, was the most imaginative when challenged with creating evil names for me to distract riders from the pain of Dorset. 

When I caught up with him in Hungerford yesterday he said he had forgiven me, and was clearly still enjoying himself.
![51EFAE82-DB8D-44DB-9D10-41E772ADD665](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1RXRziiRkugjZyN9Fi7UPt/52f63317b5c8735e0b5f5507394aab36/51EFAE82-DB8D-44DB-9D10-41E772ADD665.jpeg)

I asked all the riders for 3 words to sum up the ride, and here is what Richard said earlier (after so long riding alone, a guess he was ready for more than 3 words).

"There were many 'WTF' moments, followed by many more F's, F representing a word I never use in ordinary everyday life, usually followed after that by plaintiff cries of 'why?', and 'I don't like this'.
But 3 words to describe the Southern Divide? I could say "Hard, hard, hard", but that would be too easy and doesn't do justice to it. It was Challenging (in the route difficulties), Imaginative (in the choice of route and the way it was all put together), and quite Awesome - a much overused and clichéd word, but it encapsulates much."

Thanks Richard, I'll take that as a compliment.

So that's all our riders in, and they were all amazing in their own unique ways. 

My round up post this evening will be my last from this year.

But for now I'd like to say well done to all the riders. A few didn't finish, but I know some, or hopefully all will come back to finish the route next year.

Chapeau!


The Laterne Rouge returns to London triumphant

On the Rough & Ready all our riders are special, but our remaining riders have won our hearts. 
# Nat
![5BDC2940-2339-4014-B361-D17D8B06C198](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4FI71wBd0AAhWurIp6pUbA/5731f083f88b9f5e45a9b706ec621d87/5BDC2940-2339-4014-B361-D17D8B06C198.jpeg)
Nat arrived at the event excited but also very nervous. Her previous two events had not ended as she had hoped, and she was desperate to get a finish before the year was out. Let's all just agree that all the other events were just the training rides for the Rough & Ready and say no more about those!. 
![3FD75EC2-F77B-4D3C-B8AE-F0545284054A](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/1aMPcGyepmM1Wk1bBlCHK2/11f85c7d4c7a7e4a4f9079e484f8d806/3FD75EC2-F77B-4D3C-B8AE-F0545284054A.jpeg)

She remembered everything about pacing herself, fuelling well and always having supplies, but also listening to her body instead of ignoring the warning signs and coming unstuck. As a result, she made great decisions all the way round, even when her head was telling her to scratch. When there was a temptation to try to go for an early hours Sunday finish, she knew she was in dire need of rest and booked into a hotel in Newbury, ready to totally nail (& enjoy) the final 80 km into London this morning. 
You can see both the relief and joy etched on her face in her finishing picture.
![0DB250E9-4B46-42E0-AE3D-0C3488BD4ABE](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2mMtIj2McBJn6yD8tgpoQm/8a89904c5062b6b1e9f2165730a24a5d/0DB250E9-4B46-42E0-AE3D-0C3488BD4ABE.jpeg)

Fantastic achievment Nat, 4th in and our only woman rider. She one really tough cookie.

# Richard
Richard is not the normal candidate for this kind of ride. At the tender age of just 71 years, you'd be excused for thinking that a slower CTC touring holiday might be more up his street, but no!. He decided that this years holiday would be to bikepack his way against the clock on possibly the toughest ride across the south. He's been easing his way into it, and once he got to Axminster we knew he was sticking it until the end. 
it turns out he also has a wicked imagination, and in the dreaded stage 3 leg, he was getting very creative over names to call me and my route. 
However, by CP4 it seemed that all was forgiven and the name calling was all forgotten. He was willing to forgive me by this point.
Arriving at Hungerford just before 6pm, he was keen to get cracking to make the most of the remaining daylight amd get to Newbury and their selection of hotels. He is now left with the fast and fun final flat 80km into London tomorrow, so expect him to finish around mid afternoon, and complete the inaugural Rough & Ready still with hours to spare.
we shall talk more about Richard tomorrow.
![F01B0988-5FF6-464A-9C37-05841EB25586](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4wq0ssZPqrw5RZcz0fP3TB/6604c8fd879c699ebf269bce2501a1d9/F01B0988-5FF6-464A-9C37-05841EB25586.jpeg)

Until then, over and out.

Marcia
aka Satans Sister
Marcia the merciless
Marcia De Sade
Queen & master harsh path creator that makes men cry!


Two very special riders

YaY!!! The challenge time cut off is upon us and we have not one, not two, but three riders safely back home!! 

Niel, Adrian and Sam, have now all crossed the finish line!! 

Niel finished earlier this afternoon as our 1st rider home as we expected, after having a great ride today and even finding the time to stop for a mid day beer! He's knows the importance of keeping hydrated all the way to the finish line :)

![18e6765c-b679-4c92-bff7-6d48e66e73ab](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7lL54NHwkUsTGp5c80nqRW/ddd375a57e1543747cb5ab66799d89ce/18e6765c-b679-4c92-bff7-6d48e66e73ab.JPG)

Niel took the whole ride in his stride but did admit that the course was tough and harder than he first thought it would be. He enlikened the route to "Classic old school mountain biking, from back in the day!" We think Niel might be showing his age there ;)

Well done Niel on a great ride and getting back home 1st! We wish you good luck on the Atlas Mountain Race and will continue to watch your dot on your next adventure :)

Maybe next year you'll come back and race rather than warm up for your next race, we would love to see how much faster you could go ...

![IMG 5423](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2Ra3D3lHorw5dHtRgdyJxX/2efdb02c60071f6edc4aa1b550aef939/IMG_5423.jpg)

Adrian, was next to cross the finish line in 2nd place! Adrian worked hard yesterday & today to secure that challenge 2nd place finish, I think the smile on his face above tells the story better than I ever could.

Adrian, you have been a great rider and a fabulous dot to watch. You rode strong and were super determined to get the job done, that determination paid off in dividends today! We hope to see you back next year for round 2 :)

![dfd75222-8097-45e4-b8fa-faef0630ea46](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5wNtVUQvjDmOQxVFUT53GK/630297052b12f6674dd1c4d685120551/dfd75222-8097-45e4-b8fa-faef0630ea46.JPG)

Well, I'm not sure what to say about our 3rd place rider ... Sam , you have been just phenomenal today!! Last we heard yesterday, you were taking it easy and riding back with Nat to finish tomorrow as a tourist. Instead, we find you have cycled 200km plus today, from Blandford Forum to the finish! What a super strong way to bring it home! Huge well done to you on your 3rd place challenger finish! Just outstanding! You have been a fabulous rider and we hope to see you back again next year.

![59449edc-ce33-4027-b08a-a0f8c928e947](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/68KuqeSL5m7a5Byd2FELMB/eaebfe8765b5bf34b9073f6ece9e4763/59449edc-ce33-4027-b08a-a0f8c928e947.JPG)

Meanwhile, back out on the route, we still have Nat, who looks to have bunked down in Newbury for the evening and Richard a little further back in Ansty. With less than 100km, Nat will most certainly finish tomorrow. The route ahead of her is fast, fun gravel bike terrain so I have no doubt Nat is going to enjoy her day tearing up those trails from Newbury to the finish line. 

Richard on the other hand, still has 230km to go and some of it is pretty challenging terrain. We expect Richard to bring that lanterne home at some point on Tuesday. 

![88755d2f-1787-43ff-a847-b1218e3d4e4e](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2Gp6CAnjaOFs1cSrqWy5hp/52d0ee2bd20aaf7e63bd7718ac07f977/88755d2f-1787-43ff-a847-b1218e3d4e4e.JPG)

Thats it from me as I am back to work tomorrow but I have had such a great time watching your dots and writing these updates, I hope everyone has enjoyed reading them as much as I have enjoyed writing them!

Until next time ...
Donna :)


1st, 2nd & 3rd riders home!

Today I'm kicking off our update with our Lanterne Rouge Richard. As we all know the Lanterne Rouge is a special badge of honour, an "unofficial survivors badge of honour" for the last placed finisher, who despite everything, keeps going and doesn't give up! Richard is currently carry that red light carefully and we are so proud of his efforts! 

This morning we find him breakfasting, whilst looking out from his bivvy spot over a sunlit field. Some tough terrain lays ahead of Richard today as he battles onwards to CP3 and the views of the Giant at Cerne Abbas. It is coming Richard and the route will get a wee bit less challenging but not easy by any strech of the imagination.

Keep going, you have got this!

![890c5b23-b07b-44a2-921f-290237254924](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7EBfu5F8GOtkGXRBQgHNot/efe316b6d019348dedb0bf2bdd114f56/890c5b23-b07b-44a2-921f-290237254924.JPG)

Moving onto our 1st place rider Niel ... After a great nights sleep, Niel has continued his food fest in style before setting out from the hotel this morning, treating himself to a very civilised looking full English breakfast ...

![393611bb-0d0b-4750-8804-8376f0713545](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2zKRO6aQqR4EObn55BDDlT/65dceb62c4985211fde72c44aaf459fe/393611bb-0d0b-4750-8804-8376f0713545.JPG)

Now well on his way to the finish, Niel has passed through Greenham Common where he caught up with Marcia and shared this video snip, summing up his experience so far ...

![VID-20220925-WA0013](//videos.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3GKyAujsWiNBCUeK3iboZ/c89bf85a047dd9eb3c5c6a667ebb65a6/VID-20220925-WA0013.mp4)

Having now thawed out a little and delayered, he's now on his way to the finish where, with the exclusion of any mechanicals, he should arrive early afternoon. We look forward to seeing those finish line pics!

![6f234ddb-5edc-42e1-8594-11a14775b0f6](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7Gc3Cln7q9iDgeqlLdpDvP/307e4ced5d7529c8a9c8b5dffedfa15d/6f234ddb-5edc-42e1-8594-11a14775b0f6.JPG)

Adrian, almost made it Salisbury last night but then decided to camp up and push on to Salisbury this morning, which he has done comfortably. A wise decision as he was able to grab himself a McDonalds breakfast to fuel him for the push ahead to CP4. 

![abae40f3-85ac-490a-be9f-4d6494f98f55](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3Bxy7MclBzz8HcM1bnr63u/339662d32d912a2c6c07599976c132f0/abae40f3-85ac-490a-be9f-4d6494f98f55.JPG)

Adrian is determined to finish today, so he has around 134km still to cover and fortunately for him, most of the hard work is done. After CP4 the terrain is much kinder so we are confident Adrian will make that cut off! come on Adrian, you've got this!!

![854f59d1-ef36-432c-8cc6-bf6bbd7bdd59](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2QCFNGDaZY7lWGRLiDMCTR/afc9788e4ad0305b205da3ed1c2726e4/854f59d1-ef36-432c-8cc6-bf6bbd7bdd59.JPG)

Nat and Sam stoped over at Blandford Forum last night and now well on there way to Salisbury, their dots were up and on the move nice and early so hopefully we will be hearing more from them as the day progresses ...

Until this afternoon when hopefully we have out first rider over the finish line :)

As day 3 draws to a close on The Rough & Ready we only have 2 challenge riders left out there who look like they will complete the course before the cut off time threshold, those riders are Niel & Adrian.

Niel is leading the ride, he is now through CP4 and well on his way to the finish line. Niel has decided to call it a day with only 100km left to cover tomorrow, all of the hard work is behind him now and other than any potential mechanicals, he can cruise comfortably to the finish line and most likely be home in time for dinner! Niel has been consistent and well paced throughout the ride, smiling from ear to ear, having the time of his life :)

![b4ed570e-3553-4dde-947e-f09ae2f3a0f9](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/01gUbUZ5ZEK6MdIa8nDnv7/e4d188ff466b5170c8b7943cf0ae9a6e/b4ed570e-3553-4dde-947e-f09ae2f3a0f9.JPG)

Niel has also provided some stunning pics along the route, showing us just how breath taking the views have been, thank you Niel 

![7eaf518c-fe3a-4983-8a89-3e9405775132](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7IT58K7AM1khdoH5IweDyW/48a1aa63411de4687c5293d5faaa621a/7eaf518c-fe3a-4983-8a89-3e9405775132.JPG)

Around 100km behind Niel, in 2nd place is Adrian. Adrian has had a challenging day in and out of the saddle, facing some of the toughest terrain and elevation. Despite this, he is determined to ride into the night and get to Salisbury or beyond to try and secure that 4 day finish and make the challenge cut off time. Adrian is working hard to keep himself fuelled and from what we can tell he is doing it very well ...

![58594f70-cde8-42bb-96ca-7e951290ce78](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/51Nt6mNvRSCGeVv9mPJgtz/89cde72a2ade9cb130010a5f57e97bae/58594f70-cde8-42bb-96ca-7e951290ce78.JPG)

After riding with Nat and Sam for a while earlier today he has now set off into the night with the intention of pushing onwards and making that cut off deadline, we are here with you Adrian in your invisible peleton, willing you forwards ...

![af80459e-2828-46b1-9eb6-ff0a86f5240b](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6Nj3ffGa6oxQ5PtJeNY5Aq/fd7d5d6db3f6a2a4f9bd6eef68452d42/af80459e-2828-46b1-9eb6-ff0a86f5240b.JPG)

Nat and Sam have played a bit of cat and mouse today but in the end they have decided they are stronger together. They have now decided, in true tourist style, to ride together and make the most of the ride. they will now most likely finish sometime on Monday. Hopefully, working as a pair they will be able to come up with a great name for Marcia, the organiser, who set a challenge earlier today, asking the most imaginative nickname, for her. In light of her route choices and the challenges these guys faced today, I'm sure they could come up with some pretty colourful contributions ...

For the record ... I still think my suggestion of "Satan's Sister" should be in the mix ;) Yes, I too have ridden routes crafted by Marcia!!

We love the team work from Nat & Sam and look forward to them progressing together towards the finish line.

![c9343100-16eb-4ffa-8bda-2ba596243489](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7w8cmC0nqETqekUhzw37sk/7281e36361469d93c85c810deaba0847/c9343100-16eb-4ffa-8bda-2ba596243489.JPG)

Further back on the route, Richard is riding steady and ticking off the checkpoints. He is now through CP2 and en route to CP3. Richard is currently learning to embrace, "The long Way Round" he has worked hard today to see some pretty stunning views. In Richards own words, he has taken his loaded bike up "very steep rough surfaces meant only for horses and people on foot, or Yaks or Nepali Sherpa's" ... sounds like Richard is having the time of his life ;)

Just look at the view he got from the top though, got to be worth it right? 

![fc710b58-5ed6-45f2-ae2e-2210a6cf848a](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/BJrVZkpjTeNMXSkv1vBTn/57f739ea91bfcd71cf4e5725b405a28e/fc710b58-5ed6-45f2-ae2e-2210a6cf848a.JPG)

Over to you Richard ... I think his latest suggestion for Marcia's nickname was "Creator of routes that can make men cry" :) Well, we love a man that's in touch with his emotions and not afraid to show it, so a big hug coming your way Richard, oh, and lots more crying I should imagine ;)

Sadly, Michael, our final rider has decided to scratch. We are really sorry to see Michael go and admire his determianation to get out there this morning and give it another go after a tough day yesterday ... sometimes though, it's just not your day, the door is always open for next year, hopefully we will see Michael back to finish what he started.

As the night draws to a close, and with 50% of the field now DNS or DNF, we have only 5 riders remaining. Some plan to ride through and some who will see how far they get and then pull up to a camping spot. Niel on the other hand is practising how to turn a perfectly lovely fresh hotel room into your Mother's worst nightmare! 

![IMG 5378](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/27mvNSCeRkfXBvhaRN8WbG/0273fc3f78272786bea7dd83c375de6f/IMG_5378.jpg)

This guy really knows how to pull off the kit explosion in style ...

Tomorrow is the final day for our challenge finishers, the clock is ticking, who will make it in time ....

Well, where to start? 

In true ultra cycling fashion the last 24hours have shown us here at The Rough & Ready, anything can and ultimately, does happen!

9 riders set out from Lands End on Thursday and due to either mechanical issues or injury we are now starting the morning with only 6 riders remaining. We currently have 3 challenge riders remaining and leading that pack is, surprise surprise .... Niel Copeland! I did call out on Day 1 that despite Niel "taking it easy" he could still creep up through the standings and he has. Niel, as I mentioned previously has a vast mountain of ultra cycling knowledge and ability. He's a work horse that just keeps moving forward and short of the sky falling, he will find a way to advance towards his goal.

Don't be fooled into thinking he travels light either, he doesn't! He has all the tools required to continue with no help, just take a look at his kit explosion this morning ... now he's got to get it all back on the bike :)

![f5353f30-5a99-4594-a0ab-f75cf11155ad](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2K8rtM3NiIHIfbS0k8OVVf/49b345e6df74d5f2a7cdaee7e2422f38/f5353f30-5a99-4594-a0ab-f75cf11155ad.JPG)

Annoying, he also has time to set mini challenges within his personal race, like making it to the pub before last orders so the event organiser needs to buy you a pint before bedtime! Marcia delivered and got the beers in so well done Niel, recoup some of those entry fee expenses ;)

![f15cb3b0-5c50-40c7-b614-498e5827426e](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/iQXkohDDPltZTylgoRsai/30468640a9a5b8e8c223c8bbd17b2352/f15cb3b0-5c50-40c7-b614-498e5827426e.JPG)

Looking forward to watching his dot moving forwards but I think from now on, it will be a lonely dot from here on to the finish! Best get some tunes on Niel and just enjoy the views ...

![9cfd9eeb-dd56-4639-8cec-f0aa1c08be2c](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6WxDfsIR3lsZYvdknc5FS8/2132734bf25d34f509b3fcc0792644df/9cfd9eeb-dd56-4639-8cec-f0aa1c08be2c.JPG)

Yesterday our man Dan was flying, having a great time, looking strong and a real favourite to give Niel a run for his money. Sadly though Dan has been having a knee niggle that has now progressed to a full blown knee injury after the grueling terrain from the last 24 hours. Dan decided this morning to scratch from the ride and we are really sorry to see him go. 

Good luck with the recovery Dan and we hope to see that smiling face on the start line again next year :)

![d0d80b09-4a80-4a28-9c41-c02ae864ed11](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4mp7NZRwThwgtPhyhox66i/688164fdb03751cda1357beadff2ad3c/d0d80b09-4a80-4a28-9c41-c02ae864ed11.JPG)

With Dan now out of the picture the race for 2nd place intensifies. As I write this Adrian and Nat are both sat in Costa Axminster in joint 2nd position. 

![66d92f0a-df98-452c-b9fa-b12ca57aa53f](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4TLVBbj5Yeo7AhXPpTD1Fg/8e6a39d3c5c02e9b0c7c2e890b74ee5b/66d92f0a-df98-452c-b9fa-b12ca57aa53f.JPG)

Interesting, Nat is not even a challenge rider but it looks like she could finish in a top 3 spot for sure. As our only lady rider, it would be fantastic to see her make that Hall of fame position! Nat is also our 1st position Tourist rider so could end up make 2 Hall of Fame lists! 

Go on Nat! Do it for the ladies :)

Adrian had a great evening and early morning, he was our first rider out on the trail this morning and he is looking strong, focused and determined so we'll be watching his dot closely today to see how his journey progresses. He has the refuelling strategy down to perfection so I think he will fly again today!

![1f6433d4-8aa2-441e-9fb7-03166f392742](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2NIH3NzIghiuvJu2J0FFWE/ca497d003867b84c8a4b12a2cf2b78d8/1f6433d4-8aa2-441e-9fb7-03166f392742.JPG)

We love both Nat and Adrian and look forward to watching their dots move across the route towards CP3 today.

Sam, who was around 5km behind Nat when I started writing this update, appears to have overtaken both Adrian and Nat while they sit in Costa refuelling and he is now a few km further down the road sneaking quietly into 2nd place! This could make for some interesting cat and mouse chasing throughout the day! Go on Sam, we love a dark horse. There is a podium spot there for the taking if you want it bad enough, we'll be watching your dot with much interest today!

![9c2b5732-63d0-43e1-a8eb-bbf8567cf38d](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/42jWyvKrzn7K58BemgJYH8/931accdac28cb013e44c170dfbafecc7/9c2b5732-63d0-43e1-a8eb-bbf8567cf38d.JPG)

A little further back on the route we have Richard and Michael, Richard is up and out en route and heading for CP2. He should comfortably make the ferry too avoiding the addition km's to go the long way around. We have not seen Michaels dot come to life yet this morning so perhaps he is treating himself to a lay in or just taking in his surroundings for a bit.

The surroundings are pretty stunning, the route has had plenty to offer tired eyes along the way with lots more of this to come later today ...

![IMG 5334](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7KL2F7zmX5RyuzRUxzmXMD/2d72d038fd18db8c1b71546d95d16dc4/IMG_5334.JPG)

enjoy watching the dots today, it will be interesting ... until later :)


The parcourse Marcia set has taken an absolute beating on the riders today, be this greasy stream crossings, broken bikes, broken riders or the relentless hills.
The hills seem to be having their toll 36 hours in, knee pain is a common complaint, and unsurprising with the parcourse. A few riders bikes have forced a DNF and riders avenging to return next year, a few thinking of quitting but knowing night time isn't the right time to retire.
Neil is forcing an absolute pace to beat last orders and have Marcia buy him a pint, he is also 1st on the course after Ross was forced to retire when almost all his chainset bolts failed on him and make the bike unrideable.
Rob gardner made an earlier scratch call after his brakes failed and made the steep riding dangerous, a wise move really, it's only a bike ride and not worth risking.
Natalie has found a nice campsite and is chilling, whilst Michael is enjoying pub food.

That's all for now, sleep well all you riders for tomorrow is another day.

Dan


Rough and Ready evening brief

What a morning!! Drama, drama and a wee bit more drama ...

The day kicked off on such a high with great views, a little sunshine and breakfast heaven for all our riders at several cafe stops along the route. These guys know how to breakfast and I have felt more than a wee bit jealous this morning sat here with my boring toast, salivating looking at this lot! 

![IMG 5281](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6HTrDiRb4NMqKnmf8GU0h8/18bb0a7726899baa6c4c2df129812318/IMG_5281.JPG)

With breakfast done, fab route and the great views ahead, what could possibly go wrong ... everything was good in the world of ultra cycling

![d19599f7-e5c0-43ee-9786-9c36f56acbc3 2](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2FvWp8tWowjLATUACpgMOy/331a56757b0b89f804aa641edddeb96a/d19599f7-e5c0-43ee-9786-9c36f56acbc3_2.JPG)

until it wasn't ...

Rob's day started well and he was closing down on Ross, despite having ridden all night after his "Oh Deer" collision last night. The route has also caused additional challenges of it's own, it has been no easy ride! Rob pushed onwards regardless riding well, however, at around 11am this morning he had to scratch as he suffered a major mechanical with his rear brake which failed completely and in his own words "It was the final nail in the coffin after a tough morning" We are so sorry to see Rob bow out, he has been a great rider and he has showed true grit and determination over the last 2 days! 

Unfinished business for next year perhaps Rob ...

... and then there was 8!

Well until mechanical distater no2 struck!!!

Our front man Ross has had a morning and half although it probably still feels like it's yesterday to him and he just has not stopped riding!! The challenges came thichk and fast today for Ross, firstly he had to cycle the long way around to CP2 in the early hours as there is no ferry at night, sometime later he encountered a 6ft locked gate that meant he had to re navigate again (made worse by the fact the gate did actually open and he could have saved himself the detour!) ... only to be faced further along the route with some fiesty mad cows in a field early this morning that were not too keen on him coming through there field at all. Said fiesty cows had a large Bull in tow so Ross, once again, had to find another way! 

Not the best of mornings for Ross but then, he arrived at CP3 and was able to take the weight off, have some food and refocus! 

Surely his luck was changing now right?

Ross set back off onto the trail and very quickly it became evident that he had big mechanical problems. Not only had the bolts on Ross's chainset failed but the inner ring was badly bent meaning he only had the big ring to work with and that was not working well either, not to mention the challenging terrain of the route itself to contend with! Ross pushed on and gave it a go anyway but then, shortly after 1:30pm, he too, had to bow out of The ROUGH & Ready! :(

We are really disappointed to see Ross scratch, he has been a first class Dot to watch and we will miss him over the rest of the weekend.

Again, some unfinished business there perhaps ...

Meanwhile back on the trail , enjoying these views, only 7 riders remain ...

![e2363d38-f617-4ac8-9cc2-5fbe55d26f1c](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/JcoPb5aFlTfIPVtjqsmng/918ff41ab810cd932215a4a03dc789f8/e2363d38-f617-4ac8-9cc2-5fbe55d26f1c.JPG)

Now as mentioned yesterday, Dan Hardy doesn't view himself as an ultra cyclist, he says he's a tourer and Niel Copeland is not treating this as a race, he's been having more of a drink and food party to himself so far :) However, here they both are now in 1st and 2nd place! They arrived at the ferry together just before 1pm this afternoon and have both now cleared CP2 and are CP3 bound.

![d97f6381-bb33-48c0-b550-7514e6386910 2](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3rs5hAGLqt20tO99nDO8JI/3f6cd439054fb0a9431691fd2cb8bf14/d97f6381-bb33-48c0-b550-7514e6386910_2.JPG)

![e3ca460e-62a3-48f5-99f9-044d8dc4b0aa](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5zMdiWrn5n9pEwJ54QbaPz/af1f132d25fcdeb73924347809a35415/e3ca460e-62a3-48f5-99f9-044d8dc4b0aa.JPG)

I love that despite their efforts to take it easy they are potentially up for podium spots before the weekend is over! Come on lads, show us what you've really got in the tank ... looking forward to seeing how this plays out as it really is anyone's guess right now.

Around 20km further back, current in 3rd and 4th place are Nat and Sam. It looks like they are riding happily alongside one another currently but I guess that could change if the push for 3rd place gets going. One thing is for sure, they will both want to be arriving at the ferry before it stops to avoid adding an additional 20 odd km onto there route today if they need to ride around.

Nat gave us a great pic of the view this morning as she set out to find breakfast :)

![f20b7820-0e88-442d-84e8-31989cb6d03f](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5bMMKdFoALX9VkWxAPk4Nc/e2ab266429fb1af3aeeecf19c703a7bc/f20b7820-0e88-442d-84e8-31989cb6d03f.JPG)

Adrian started his day later than planned this morning after sleeping a little too well :) his words, not mine! He is riding well and has a big push though if he is to make the ferry today or face riding the additional km's around the estuary. Come on Adrian, put the foot down and catch that ferry!

Michael and Richard are a little way further back on the route and I don't think they will be able to make the ferry today so they will need to make the call of whether to ride around or bunk up tonight and await the morning ferry.

Richard is not a fan of the long way round so I'm thinking he may wait until morning ... in the meantime he's been admiring shortcuts created along the route, although I have a feeling the stretch between CP2 and CP3 could be his worse nightmare as it's all the long way round through gate after gate ... watch this space.

![IMG 5284](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6NUOFK8uPhxQD34ws0uQNe/8e864b2d5e3fa762f500ff6bd05a80d3/IMG_5284.jpg)

Lets see what the next few hours bring but for now, the Rough and Ready podium is anyone's for the taking :)


Wow wow wow! What a brilliant performance, after cycling for 26 hours to cover 367km our 1st rider, Ross Lovell is through CP3.

Well done Ross what a fantastic race you are having :)

![IMG 5267](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4BUliNGTM0uPVairS1QDIE/49dbff12e4c6ee8d0c18cb97774695b7/IMG_5267.PNG)

Now he has some serious refuelling to do and this looks like the perfect locatation for it! A true breakfast for Champions!! I'm kinda wishing I was out there too now after seeing this ...

![17fbe153-3c81-4a89-baa4-b9ee0d844f9d](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/2Cr6P2okaPKwKnbtSUCzTM/41a7acbc5b142b10c1d85c6678923cc7/17fbe153-3c81-4a89-baa4-b9ee0d844f9d.JPG)

With only 30km to go until CP3 Rob will be arriving next but for now he's enjoying some lovely sunshine enroute. Come on Rob theres an A star brekkie awaiting!

![9cf108aa-42b1-4c5f-9697-f2afde0fedb8](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/561nKb31dTw8uV7gFtxOPc/9a7ad153a32b0178dea2ca0c8682db88/9cf108aa-42b1-4c5f-9697-f2afde0fedb8.JPG)

CP3 opens for business ...

Daniel Jones

Donna Mitchell

ROUGH & READY TRACKING: This inaugural mixed terrain, gravel bike friendly adventure takes in the stunning scenery of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Wiltshire, and then finishes off in the woodlands, moorlands, river & canal trails of the home counties towards London.

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ROUGH & READY - The Southern Divide 2022

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