BCN Challenge 2015

[nicknorman]

... in the lovley spring drizzle.

 

You have false memory syndrome. More like continuous heavy rain!

[Laurie Booth]

A couple of years ago I photocopied the relevant pages from the Pearsons guide and had great fun cutting and sticking them together. I stuck the finished map on the back of the door into my cubby 'ole.

I showed my finished effort to some Y11 students. They smiled and nodded politely, convinced I'm sure, that Mr M had flipped his lid!

I hope this was part of the National curriculum. Plus put the copier use down to another department.

[junior]

You have false memory syndrome. More like continuous heavy rain!

I thoroughly enjoyed my first experience of the Challenge and my first visit to the BCN. But I don't think I'll ever forget that rain. I suspect for people not as enthusiastic as me it could have put a serious downer on things.

 

I have my fingers crossed I'll be able to enter this year, but I'm not sure how I'll feel if the weather forecast is rain. I might end up doing a 'Clarrie'.

[Victor Vectis]

Yes this year you get 7 extra points for starting in a x3 bonus area as per the areas on the planner.

 

But you have to cruise the x3 section to get the starting bonus.

 

Looking at the planner you can start at Deepfields Jn, cruise to Bradley and back, shoot orf around the system and then back to the finish at Bradley (again), thus doing a x3 section 3 times.

[matty40s]

I thoroughly enjoyed my first experience of the Challenge and my first visit to the BCN. But I don't think I'll ever forget that rain. I suspect for people not as enthusiastic as me it could have put a serious downer on things.

 

I have my fingers crossed I'll be able to enter this year, but I'm not sure how I'll feel if the weather forecast is rain. I might end up doing a 'Clarrie'.

 

I believe light drizzle was indeed at the start, the heavy rain followed.

 

The VERY heavy torrential rain at the top of the Rushall saw the crew of Albion go and hide inside leaving me with nose over hatch steering.

 

This also meant it was a pleasure to go inside and have Mrs Fizzs wonderful Lasagne leaving Captain Fizz up top when the thunder and lightning and monsoon hit at the top of the Walsall.

[nicknorman]

I thoroughly enjoyed my first experience of the Challenge and my first visit to the BCN. But I don't think I'll ever forget that rain. I suspect for people not as enthusiastic as me it could have put a serious downer on things.

 

I have my fingers crossed I'll be able to enter this year, but I'm not sure how I'll feel if the weather forecast is rain. I might end up doing a 'Clarrie'.

Yes we really enjoyed our first Challenge too, despite the weather! Just for clarity, we decided not to do it again this year just because I recently bought a very expensive new (to me) 2-seater glider and want to get value out of it, with May being the best month for cross-country soaring in Scotland. If the weather were going to be the same as last year I wouldn't mind, but if it was going to be a fantastic cross-country weekend in Scotland, I would spend the Challenge looking at the sky and feeling resentment! I've got too many hobbies!

[john6767]

But you have to cruise the x3 section to get the starting bonus.

 

Looking at the planner you can start at Deepfields Jn, cruise to Bradley and back, shoot orf around the system and then back to the finish at Bradley (again), thus doing a x3 section 3 times.

All true, but as I am in a very generous mood at the moment and feeling less competitive about the challenge this year, watch out with Bradley. It may be still a 3x section, but the distance that you get from previous years has been halved. Previously it was 4 miles return, this year it is only 2 miles return. The actual physical return distance is 3.66 miles. It is therefore poor for point scoring, particularly given the average speed you can make on it, and it is way down in the points per hour in my planning system (OK its a spreadsheet, but its one heck of a spreadsheet).

[davehull]

We are going to enter this year, never been down to Brum before so, with a crew of 6, 4 having never been on a boat before, a great dane, akita cross and a deaf jack russel I don't think we will be noticed.

 

Dave

[Starcoaster]

The rain did somewhat piss on my bonfire at the time, but the thing with being cold, wet and miserable is that later when you are warm, dry and drunk, you cannot fully conjure up and feel exactly how grim it was when you were in the middle of it. Over time, your memory fades to something like "oh yeah it rained, we got wet, it was dire" but with no real emphasis of how blindingly craptacular it genuinely felt at the time.

I suspect that if this wasn't the case, humanity would simply never go outside.

[Kustomcut]

I was a first time BCN Challenge last year and although very wet I loved it, was a bit achy when we woke up at 3am but the hot shower at farmers bridge top lock helped.

This year I am aiming to do some of the few areas I have not yet travelled on the BCN, if they ever open up the canal going into brum that is, been stuck at home mooring at lady lane, although will hopefully provide my new crew member a days worth of locking when I take him to lapworth and back, thats if they are all open?

[Mrs Tawny Owl]

Some of you may know that there was a request to help with the organisation of this event in recent years.

We have really enjoyed taking part, and wanted to help, but we still wanted to take part, so some creative thinking was called for.

 

Some of you may know that my day job is writing bespoke access databases, and I asked if such a database would be useful to speed up the marking of the entries at the end of the event.

 

The answer was yes, it would save Roy hours of calculating speeds and adding up points, then rechecking to make sure it's all correct, and this is something only he can do, it's not an easy process to help with.

 

So I have just met with Roy and John to show them the database, and they are very happy that it does the sums correctly, and will make Roy's life much easier. As it's a case of entering the results into a computer it means that he can have help. (Roy doesn't do computers!)

 

The sums it does are based on the rules published on the website so everyone has access to them. We all know the photo locations, so that isn't a problem, but of course there are also the questions.

I have allowed for this by giving them a form to enter the questions into, then they can pick from a list the ones that each of us have answered. I would like to confirm that I haven't seen the questions, and don''t want to. I tested the system by using last years questions, which we have all seen anyway.

 

I am announcing this, not to make you think how good I am, but so you all know what's been happening, and I don't get accused of cheating if this gets know afterwards.

 

So if you have any questions about the rules, I can probably help and will be happy to, but Team Tawny Owl does not have access to any information that you don't have and we are going to enter and try to win again.

 

John did say they could arrange it so we didn't win if I was worried, but I'm not that worried!

 

Getting closer now, really looking forward to it, maybe we better start planning our route.

 

Sue

[alan_fincher]

I thoroughly enjoyed my first experience of the Challenge and my first visit to the BCN. But I don't think I'll ever forget that rain. I suspect for people not as enthusiastic as me it could have put a serious downer on things.

 

A reminder

 

[Catrin]

 

A reminder

 

I wondered when that picture was going to surface again.

 

Despite appearances I was not unhappy - look, I've got two coffee cups and a tin of biscuits.

[Barry]

I have to say, though, that you do look as though your heart is breaking.

 

Or else just completely bleedin' miserable

[john6767]

I wondered when that picture was going to surface again.

 

Despite appearances I was not unhappy - look, I've got two coffee cups and a tin of biscuits.

Watered down coffee and wet biscuits surely! The picture does rather capture at least the Saturday last year, lets hope for better weather this year.

 

 

Some of you may know that there was a request to help with the organisation of this event in recent years.

We have really enjoyed taking part, and wanted to help, but we still wanted to take part, so some creative thinking was called for.

 

Some of you may know that my day job is writing bespoke access databases, and I asked if such a database would be useful to speed up the marking of the entries at the end of the event.

 

The answer was yes, it would save Roy hours of calculating speeds and adding up points, then rechecking to make sure it's all correct, and this is something only he can do, it's not an easy process to help with.

 

So I have just met with Roy and John to show them the database, and they are very happy that it does the sums correctly, and will make Roy's life much easier. As it's a case of entering the results into a computer it means that he can have help. (Roy doesn't do computers!)

 

The sums it does are based on the rules published on the website so everyone has access to them. We all know the photo locations, so that isn't a problem, but of course there are also the questions.

I have allowed for this by giving them a form to enter the questions into, then they can pick from a list the ones that each of us have answered. I would like to confirm that I haven't seen the questions, and don''t want to. I tested the system by using last years questions, which we have all seen anyway.

 

I am announcing this, not to make you think how good I am, but so you all know what's been happening, and I don't get accused of cheating if this gets know afterwards.

 

So if you have any questions about the rules, I can probably help and will be happy to, but Team Tawny Owl does not have access to any information that you don't have and we are going to enter and try to win again.

 

John did say they could arrange it so we didn't win if I was worried, but I'm not that worried!

 

Getting closer now, really looking forward to it, maybe we better start planning our route.

 

Sue

Well done Sue!

 

 

I just had in the post today the sealed envelope so it is indeed getting close. We had better wok out our plan, we are the least prepared this year of any that we have entered so far.

[Peter X]

Maybe the mugs were long since empty, the biscuits were soggy, and the crew were more interested in taking a photo than the primary crew function (other than locking) of keeping the helmswoman supplied with refreshments.

 

John6767: I think you are more prepared than you let on, at least on the catering front; you appear to have let slip that a supply of Chinese stir-fry is your secret weapon.

 

I remain interested in taking part in this year's Challenge as crew for someone, if I can find a way to do my IT support, which involves me logging onto the company server (briefly and at intervals of 4-12 hours) using Remote Desktop. I have a laptop so I can get a decent sized display, but need a wifi connection and have not yet worked out the equipment and ISP provider for my own.

[Tom and Bex]

We're getting excited and looking forward to this year, particularly some of the photo opportunities. I think we're the least prepared though as our engine is currently in pieces - although Richard assures us it will be back together in time and working!

 

Tom

[alan_fincher]

I think we're the least prepared though as our engine is currently in pieces - although Richard assures us it will be back together in time and working!

 

As Richard might just see you as strong competition, are you sure you can believe his assurances.

 

(Or maybe that it will stay working!).

[Tom and Bex]

 

As Richard might just see you as strong competition, are you sure you can believe his assurances.

 

(Or maybe that it will stay working!).

Well he did threaten to leave an injector pump out but being an HA3 I figure it has at least one spare cylinder anyway!

[john6767]

John6767: I think you are more prepared than you let on, at least on the catering front; you appear to have let slip that a supply of Chinese stir-fry is your secret weapon.

Took me a few mins to work that one out! The catering is a significant part of the planning though, but not my domain.

[little duck!]

The worst thing about the rain is the effort required to peel off the layers of waterproof clothing when a toilet break is required! Worse still is putting it back on again to brave the elements once more. One thing I did learn- my waterproofs are only shower proof not BCN challenge proof! If we can do it in last years weather we can do it anytime!

The worst thing about the rain is the effort required to peel off the layers of waterproof clothing when a toilet break is required! Worse still is putting it back on again to brave the elements once more. One thing I did learn- my waterproofs are only shower proof not BCN challenge proof! If we can do it in last years weather we can do it anytime!

[nicknorman]

Competitors may be pleased to hear we are taking Telemachus from Fazeley to Anglesey basin over the next few days, and will therefore likely hoover up all the winter's supply of plastic bags, mattresses etc. if we fail to make it under a certain bridge and are still there is May, a tow off would be appreciated.

[Dave_P]

Has anyone heard from TheCatWhoWalks? Can he update his excellent route planner for 2015?

[Odana]

I've sent The Cat a text to say you want him, Dave.

The Cat no longer walks by himself - Team Cat and Team Poppy have decided to join forces this year to form Team PoppyCat. This will improve the social, eating and drinking experience, and ensure we are firmly down the leaderboard. We may move one boat round the corner in Hockley Port and take a photo just to guarantee last place.

[junior]

I hope to be taking part again this year, although it will be dependent on a few things.

 

Team HALSALL. Myself, Captain Fizz and Rob M. Same crew as last year minus Matty who is entering his own boat this year.