Hi Jags and Pavel
The tyes that I got are Schwalbe Marathon HS368 700C X 32 on the front and 700c x 35 on the back, I got about 4,000 miles out last ones before changing at begining of March.
With regard photo taking I am usual at the front when I take the photos as I usual lead most of the rides and only takes a few minutes to take photo and soon back at the front or some times the other members on the ride use it as excuse to have stop and chat when I am taking photo.
We do get a few folk falling off bikes when they mis judge things but with out doing any real damage to them selfs.
In Northern England there alot less folk living in the national parks areas and most these live in the valleys, alot of the tracks we use are through the mountain areas where no body lives.
There nothing stopping you setting up a group like South Lakes Group on your side of the pond, you can do it as local group of the Rough-Stuff Fellowship, as the RSF had in local groups in Europe in the past so nothing stopping anyone joining in the states and setting a group up but you would have to chat with RSF chairman before you set the group up.
All I doing with regards organize rides, is decide the starting point, usually from inside a cafe as a meeting point, then advertise the dates on the web via the Group's website, a weekly e-newsletter and the club's magzine which is bi monthly.
The route is usually made up on the day depending on the weather conditions, who turns up, level of fitness of riders.
Most of the hard work, is posting the photos up on web for you to look at!
with regards
Simeon