The Sweep

Doug Percival has been worked on many TDA tours over the years and in many roles. In this piece, he takes a look at one of them, the staff cyclist who stays behind all the riders.

TDA has undeniably changed the way it operates since its inception in 2002. In all the Chaos that is mostly occurring, set staff duties and patterns of ‘to-do’s” and “need to be dones” are fulfilled by the staff on the road each day, often to the sound of a well oiled machine… *Add sarcasm.

Food shopping, or checking in at a hotel for 30 people, or servicing some bikes in the evening. There are 100’s of small details that take place each day, to
make a successful day of Cycling and Food for the clients.
(Somedays it just goes Pop, and the unexpected stands up tall!)

As every TDA client of ours will know, TDA has One role that sticks out, that makes them Different to any other Brand. Sweep Duty.

Ive been asked by hundreds of clients over my 17 tours with TDA, Why do we have a sweep?
Ive been told by many, ” isnt that pointless?”

And in all the years i have never known the real reason we have a sweep.
I just always knew, that Henry wanted it in place.
One Rule.

So we have sweep duty in place.

First time readers might ask : What is this Sweep duty thing He is muttering in about?

The veterans of TDA tours will know it well.
A member of the staff, rides as the last rider of the tour each day.
A vital piece of the daily puzzle.

So what is Sweep’s use?
Sweep is the key time source to how your day is planned.
Checkins, checkouts, dinner plannings’, refill stations positioning, the list is long…
Sweep is the person who makes sure, that all the chickens return to the coup.
But still many ask, but is it really that Nesessary?

So whilst i have just cycled across South Africa’s karoo desert for ten days, with family and some close old friends, it took me to chatting to my wife Frida
about the experience We have just had, and she gave me The Answer of Why do We have a Sweep.
It is the psychological Feeling of comfort.
Knowing that someone from The Staff, is there.
Now some riders never see Sweep in a tour of 5 months, not once.
But i can assure you, many many have!

Sweep Baba and rider Trixie ride through the mountainous region of Madagascar

Sweep for some is like the Boogey Man, they get all restless and feel they cant be seen.
Some love the chit chat, the company, the sharing of a coffee.
Some people get lost so Often in a day, they meet Sweep 5 or 6 times at different intersections in a city.
(A fine gentleman called Andy, im looking at you).

As i have a fair handful of tours under my belt now, and earlier in the year had tried to do some rudimentary math of my tours, and how many “Sweep Miles” i
have done…
I got lost on the answer, but it is Tens Of Thousands of kilometres.
Crazy.

Doug sweeping the Blue Nile Gorge in Ethiopia

What i have seen from the seat of my Sweep Chair, what i have heard, or what i have conversed in over those 40 odd thousand km’s.
It would fill several britannica’s.
What a free education in Humans.

A bike is an extension of my body, its what i do.
So to ride 100km, or 200km, or even 300km, they all will take time for sure, but the mileage is not something that bothers me at all.
Ive ridden alot, for 30 years now.
Thats what 30 years of riding has given me, but i have put in the time.
30 hours of cycling each week, for 9 months a year, for several years, taught me that i can ride the distance.

So when im on Sweep duty, i dont have the mental fear of mileage.
However it was on my second Tda tour in 2013, the Bamboo Route, from Shanghai to Singapore, that i really learnt my role as Sweep.
What is Easy for Me, is Hell for someone else.
And respect that.

Walli Pagniello going for the century on the 2013 Bamboo Road

It was a big day, 166 planned kilometres.
I rode Sweep all day.
And i mean, ALL day.
The Lady i was with, was on a mission.
She had dreamt of riding 100 miles in a day (160km).
I watched This Lady push her 70+ body, mind and soul, so far to achieve that goal.
I dont care how fit i was, when you sit on a bike seat more than 12 hours in a day, you know its a big day out!

>>Related Post: Going For The Century

As i said, the psychology of having someone there, when all others have moved on…you not left behind, and you can continue on your mission.
Walli, I have not forgotten our 172km day together.
We did do 6km extra, due to your navigational strategy of some Cambodian village.
But whats 14 hours on a bike together like ?
One hell of an experience!

To all the people who have tried to duck and dive, and hide and play tricks, and evade our spying eyes….we know.
Its Game On when We come following….

Perhaps some should not worry about the Boogey Man so much, come hang at the back and chat… Ive yet to meet a member of staff who doesnt like a cold refreshment or a hot brew on the side of a road…

A happy sweep!

To those who’ve never met Us at the back, you are always welcome!!

“Sweep’s” have been known to finish an all time Brutal double shift in the baking Sun, and enjoy a thirst quenching refreshment with his or her companion at the end of the day.

Alot has been shared on the road, alot of beans have been spilt.
Relationships have occurred from Sweep.
Im telling you, its an experience back there!
– ive heard it all.

But to summarize,
Why Sweep?
Because We like knowing you safe, or at least on our Radar, until you “home” each day.
Thats it.

Simple and Good for the Human experiment, just as i imagined Henry had planned 😊