Hi all! I am new to here so would appreciate some advice/pointers/help
Me and 2 of my cycling buddies are planning on setting off on our JOGLE adventure in July this year but we need someone to help us out with the support driving. We are planning on using a campers or using hostels & B&B's if the camper van is a wish to far. We did have someone in mind who was interested in helping us out but due to other commitments is unable to help us. The setup was going to be that the driver would be fed and watered at our expense and then there would be some pay at the end to. Meaning someone gets to tour the length of the country for free and then get paid for it.
Hi! Thanks for the reply. We have set 9 days to keep it at a challenge. We are from the North east. County durham but one of the group lives in London. The plan is to travel up to john o groats on the 17th of July and heading back home on the 27th.
The route is planned to the point where we know where we will be staying each night but the nitty gritty actual left and rights aren't planned through yet.
Good luck, both with the ride and your search for a support driver. As you asked for any advice, I'll suggest you probably don't need the support. It seems a lot of expense to share between the three of you, that could be better spent either in preparation or living it up on route. I understand the challenge element of doing it in 9 days, but its looking like a challenge with a safety net. More of a challenge IMO would be to take a couple of days longer and be more self supporting. Hope that doesn't come across as negative, it isn't meant to be, just maybe to get you to consider what you'll actually be getting for this support.
Thanks for the advice. I think we were hoping to get from the support a slightly note enjoyable challenge of that makes sense? We are used to cycling long distances but not 'touring' like carrying luggage etc. a supported ride would be slightly more within our comfort zone haha. Although I am coming around to the idea of going unsupported and as you say, save some money and live it up a bit more on the way.
Also, if you are set on a driver etc, you need one locally to you. I asked about that, because I've driven the support vehicle for some LEJOGers in 2007. Had you lived down here is the SW, I might have been tempted, but as you're up in the NE it would be better to find a NE driver as he/she could get you up to JOG and get you home from LE.
I second the idea of self-sufficiency. My first JOGLE was done alone and unsupported in 11days. I booked my own accommodation and carried a full set of panniers.
My advice would be to use a chunk of the money that you would spend on a support vehicle to have better accommodation and eating etc. along the way, thus making the back up vehicle unnecessary. Apart from in the wilds of Scotland you are never very far fro a town in case of a breakdown and with more use of a credit card instead of taking everything with you in a support vehicle you are still covered. Remember that in many areas it is not really possible to have a support vehicle following just behind you so even if you have a breakdown it is not immediately there like a race support vehicle.
As a challenge going it alone always feels better - also, in years to come friends will ask whether you did it supported or unsupported. No prizes for guessing which answer feels better! I did LE-JoG 30 years ago - unaided and camping most nights. 1,200 miles in 12 days. Boy I wish I was as fit now as I was then! It was great fun most of the time. A sag wagon might have been tempting during heavy rain - good job we didn't have one!
