Sculpture Trail 2012

For the fourth year we are presenting a different reason for getting out on your bike, while supporting a really worthwhile cause.

What is it?

The aim of this motorcycle ride is simply for you to visit some of the important public sculptures of Britain within a calendar year (i.e. from January to December). The sculptures may be visited at any time of the year and in any order. You do not need to visit more than one on any particular day or trip. You do need to visit a specific place at each sculpture, and provide proof of your visit by photographing your ride placard and your motorcycle at that place.

How do you get involved?

A road book containing details and a map of the specified locations is available by sending a donation to the work of the air ambulance (we suggest at least £15 but more is always welcome!), either by cheque made out to ‘WNAA’ (Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance) to the address below or via Paypal (please mark as a gift) to 'grim@thegrimrider.com'. You have two choices: EITHER send an A4 SAE (large 1st) with your cheque to receive a copy of the roadbook containing details and maps of all the locations to be visited, and a placard with your personal number on it which you must include in each photograph OR send an email to grim@thegrimrider.com - you will receive your personal numbered placard and a copy of the roadbook by email. I will also send, you a Garmin gdb file of all the landmarks - if you need them in another format (e.g. TomTom Navigator, Tyre, Autoroute), just let me know.
In either case please include details of your postal address, email address and usual motorcycle ridden in your application.

What else do you need to know?

For 2012 there are a few changes.
This year there are 20 landmarks in total, but no requirement to visit all of them. As in previous years you can claim one of the following certificates by sending your photographs in at any time in the year –
Bronze Award - visit any 5 landmarks;
Silver Award – visit any 10 landmarks;
Gold Award – visit any 15 landmarks;
Special Gold Award – visit 16 landmarks, at least one of which must be in Ireland (Belfast or Dublin).
There are no compulsory landmarks, apart from the Special Gold requirement so you are welcome to choose whichever landmarks you want to visit. Certificates can be claimed at any time in the year, otherwise they will all be sent out after the closing date for applications of December 12th 2012.

Photographic Challenge

Another change for this year is the ability to indulge in your artistic side! There will be a competition running alongside the ride for the best photograph of a Sculpture Trail landmark – please note for this the photograph must include your motorbike at the landmark , but does not need to include your ride placard. You are welcome to submit as many entries as you like and the winner will be judged after the closing date in December. Please submit entries at any time as jpegs via email (size does not matter as long as they will go as an attachment)

Some riders may wish to combine a number of castles in one ride to gain one of the Iron Butt Association’s distance awards (for further details of their rides see www.ironbutt.org). You may also like to visit some of the landmarks from any of the other Grim Riders' rides as well.

All money raised goes directly to the Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance, the largest air ambulance service in the country who do incredible work to save lives and limbs - after horse riders, motorcyclists are the group most likely to be in need of their service which is not government or lottery funded.

Many thanks for all of you who have taken the time to read this, and especially to those who feel able to take part. I look forward to meeting some of you and reading your stories of your rides - please send any in and I will publish them on this site.