I hiked with MapMyRide+! Distance: 10.84km, time: 04:18:00, pace: 23:49min/km, speed: 2.52km/h.

http://mapmyride.com/workout/1624883612

This guy came out from under my flysheet when breaking camp.

Finally, a successful day.. Carl and I hiked up onto the plateau ready to intercept the group. For us, that was lots of micro-navigation across the moorland spur.the northern edge above a scarp would give a good view in binoculars.
The radio reception was clear there too. But, unfortunately, we’d missed them. So quickly, we plotted a cross country route that should take us back to the finish point. From featureless moorland to a path is a harder target to hit. Eventually, a path that was hidden by bracken appeared. Again, our nav. was spot on.
Passed a small reservoir and onto a bridal track then in front, there they were, all finished and relieved.
The girls were patching themselves up, some cleaning legs; others, treating blisters.

They have come a long way, 60km and metaphorically too. I plan to suggest that we add extra training for those participants who skip Silver and go straight to Gold Award.

Very hot day, 31°C, 0 cloud breeze higher up.

I biked with MapMyRide+! Distance:19.75km, time: 03:20:00, pace: 10:08min/km, speed: 5.92km/h. It was hire bike with a kiddie trailer filled with 20kg of water.

http://mapmyride.com/workout/1624972874

Today’s route is up the side of both reservoirs and then across the moors to Midhope. For water supplies 2 staff came down from the north onto the moors and I hired a bike and rode up the reservoirs to the Slippery Stones.
It was an ordinary mountain bike with a kiddie trailer which we filled with 5litre water bottles and my rucksack.

The group can fill up from my supplies and make the climb to the next checkpoint with water in 5Km. That was the plan anyway.

Bike route up the reservoirs’ west banks.

That bike was tremendous fun to ride. I had 4x 5litre bottles in the trailer. When the water started to rock back and forth, the water in all of them synchronised pushing and pulling the whole bike. From the front, the trailer lunged at a constant rate, it was like riding a rocking horse.
I wondered, as I rode, what’s the etiquette for this? If a normal mountain bike overtakes, and I chase him down; is that ethical when he believes I have kids in the back? The ride was hot and sunny and lasted about an hour, nice though.
I set up my checkpoint in the trees, lay down and watched the dragonflies. The sandwiches were good.

The group arrived about half an hour late. That’s okay.
I led them down into the trees and settled them down to cool them off.
They weren’t in the mood to continue, it was too hot and they couldn’t face the climb. They also feared another evening arriving in camp after 10pm. All group cohesion had gone. Some were game to continue, some were persuadable but that’s no use if the remainder refuse. I tried my best, I really did, but got nowhere.
The clock moved on, the hire bike has to be back at 5pm. I had to move.

In all, I spent about an hour trying to get them to complete the hike. I tried everything I could think of. “Come and wash your feet in the river”, (that didn’t work) but washing hands and forearms in the cold water went down well. They cheered up; well, not all of them.

But had to go soon.

Riding back down, I crossed Chris in the minibus and explained what had gone on. He took the water and drove north.
With the bike returned on time, I relaxed with a nice cup of tea. Another hour passed, and the silver minibus pulled in with the whole group inside.
They had all chickened out.