Do you need a crew at a non-competitive ride?

[Suz]

I am going to my first non competitive 32km ride this summer and although I have read all the stuff on the endurance GB website I am still wondering about the whole crew thing.
All the other pages I have read are by experienced endurance riders talking about far longer distances than the one I am working towards. Do I need a crew that will meet me half way round at this distance or is it just at the end?
Also for a non-competitive ride can you get a start time with a few other people as I have 2 friends who also want to give it a go and we would like to ride round together?
Any advice for a newbie at this exciting looking sport would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Suz

[arabheaven]

Hi,
I would ring the organiser and ask if there are troughs en route. I did 25km NCR to start the season with no crew but there were toughs on route... you dont want to even risk dehydration.
For 32km, I do usually have a crew meet me 2 - 3 times on the rider. I am doing 42km next sunday and will definitely have a crew for zac to have a drink but also for me to have a drink, choccy bar, see a smiley face, make sure i am ok and on track and head off

You get sent a map with check points and distances so you photocopy and arrange with your crew where and roughly when you will meet them there.

If you send your entries in with friends you can ask for same start time, or send it in with a note 'same start as xxxxx rider name' organisers are usually very accommodating xxx

[LuckyRed]

I must admit the crew issue is one of the concerns I have with endurance - I have an endurance buddy whose wife crews for both of us, but if he can't come on the ride, I'm snookered as I don't have any friends who are either avaible or willing to come along!

[Suz]

Thanks, I'll ring the organiser and find out. Guess my Mum will easily be coersed into crewing as she will have to drive the lorry to take me there, can't wait till I pass my lorry test!!!!

[silversnaffles]

I was thinking of having a go as well this year but the crewing bit put me off as I don't think my mum would do it as she is so busy. Can you do 32km as long as there is water en route without crewing?
xx

[LuckyRed]

My mum would crew - provided she didn't have to get out of the vehicle as she is petrified of horses! She just about accepts that mine is a nice one who wont try to kill her, but all other horses are too big, too scary and not to be gone anywhere near!

[Karon]

You don't really need a crew on the route - it's nice to have but up to 25 miles (40km) I have managed without a crew OK. I think it's useful to have someone back at base who can drive the trailer if you need it, though. I don't know what it's like now but when I was competing all the crews were friendly and if you asked nicely if they had any spare water chances are you'd get a drink for your horse OK. Don't go barging in and expect it though, you won't be popular! And don't do what Ash did at one ride and go and drink someone's dirty slosh water....

ETA: When I have had a crew I've made sure we've got enough water to spare for the odd rider who doesn't have backup as I've been helped out many times in the past. Or at least, it's been offered but Ash usually refuses to drink anyway

[arabheaven]

suz - if you have the choice and want to do endurance, do your trailer test rather than lorry. that way when you get there, you just unhitch and have the car as your crew vehicle

crews are all really friendly, i have never needed to ask for water but know my boyfriend and mum (crew) wouldnt mind at all if a rider needed it and we had enough

[Suz]

Thats a reallg good point thanks arab heaven, I was going to do the lorry test as my mum has a lorry and i don't have the funds for a trailer but I guess there is always hiring till i can afford one, hmmm and the trailer test is cheaper- lots to mull over now. It's nice to hear so many reports of how friendly endurance is I can't wait to be fit enough to give it a go!

[arabheaven]

i did the trailer test 2 years ago, well worth it, no stopping me now ;D

it cost 45 quid an hour though for lesson and use of 4x4 and trailer. my advice in hindsight, is have lessons to start with and lessons on reversing, but if you can get your own car and buy or hire a 4x4, just keep practicing with L plates and a driver next to you (like your mum) you will save lots of money that way

[gemma]

As others have said, you'd be fine to do up to 25 miles (40km) without crew. I've done it on a couple of occasions when my crew chose to do the NCR instead of help me - how rude!!

Anyway, it was cool weather, there was water on route and I met up with a couple of friend's crews who were carrying extra water for us. One thing about endurance is how friendly people are. On the longer rides, if I'm doing a class with someone I know, we'll often share the crews, so have them at alternate crewpoints.

Also, don't be fooled into thinking that you need to crew every 5 mins. If it's not an exceptionally hot day, you don't need to do it too often. I've found that as the pone has got fitter, as long as there is water on route, we tend to go further without crewing than when we started. It makes a BIG difference on your speeds.

[Karon]

Nice to hear people are still friendly - I've been out of it for a while (anyone want a crew in the Shropshire area???) so it's good to know that hasn't changed.