You might have heard of the Blackburn Ranger programme before. We ran a story in issue 108 of Singletrack about it too. Blackburn seeks out a bunch of riders that are up to a challenge (in the US, there are several routes to pitch yourself against, like the Great Divide Route) and they get a bunch of co-sponsors together to help out with bikes, tents and so on, with Blackburn providing the luggage. And then they set them off and see how they do.
That scheme has now made it to the UK and Blackburn’s importer, ZyroFisher is very excited about it. And for this year, the riders will have to take on the mighty Highland Trail 550. There are also other challenges in Spain, Germany and Switzerland to add to the coast to coast and border to border challenges set in the USA.
Applications are open now and here’s what ZyroFisher has to say:
ZyroFisher are excited to announce that the Blackburn Ranger program has opened applications to their 2017 UK campaign, growing the brand and increasing their presence in the region.
This year, the Ranger Program comes to the UK to tackle a special route: The Highland 550 in the Scottish mountains. This stunning trail traverse the remote Scottish wilderness with over 550 miles of mixed terrain and at least 16,000m of climbing. The Rangers are the ultimate testers of Blackburn products supporting the core culture of outdoor discovery that Blackburn embodies. While the fastest riders have taken as little as four days to complete The Highland 550, the route is worthy of a much more leisurely pace.
The Ranger program honours Blackburn’s founding principle, ‘the spirit of adventure’ by telling the story of iconic cycling routes, the people who ride them and the unique adventures they have along the way. The challenging Highland 550 will serve as the blank pages upon which a new adventure journal will be created, joining the stories already told on iconic North American routes like the Pacific Coast Highway, the Great Divide, and the Transamerica Trail.
Applications to the Ranger program are now open and will close on 28th February. Final selections will be made by 15th April and ZyroFisher are actively encouraging riders from the UK to apply. For more information head over to Blackburn’s ‘Be a Ranger’ page. Good luck!
Here’s that link for you: https://www.blackburndesign.com/en_eu/be-a-blackburn-ranger/
