London Calling

cooldad

Hoping to get out for a non rainy ride tomorrow, maybe Caesars or Minley, flexible on when where how etc.
Spent some time today fettling the bike (which will all be undone in the first muddy puddle) so wouldn't want to waste all my labour.

Anonymous

I'm up for a somewhere and whenever. Muddy I'm sure but apparently no rain. Might be fireballs raining down and four horsemen about though.

Fettling for me involved popping loads more sealant in the tyres at last for super low pressure riding. If that doesn't work, will be riding on the rims. Not really needed here though. Also gave the wheels a shower in the bath! Bike isn't so bad but the mud/clay/whatever has been sticking to the things recently.

cooldad

Right so a few hours round Caesars Camp tomorrow, 11am. Starting from Odiham Road, GU10 5AB opposite the Shell garage. Slow pootle in the mud type pace. (Or my normal speed in other words).
So far me and DK.

cooldad

Weather's looking OK tomorrow and Boxing day. Anyone up for something.
A guide at Minley would be good.
Caesars isn't too boggy.
Otherwise I'll just lash a canoe to the bike and swelch around Swinley.

cooldad

OK arranged Caesars about 11. Odiham Road, GU10 5AB opposite the Shell garage.
Slow pootle in the mud type pace.

Anonymous

Up for that. Was good the other day, though expect a bit wetter now. Seemed to hold up okay round there though.

Curious Yellow

Anyone got a GPX/TCX file they'd care to share re where they're riding now a lot of trails in Swinley look to be shut please?

Went there today and Seagull, Stickler and a few others all looked to be shut for trail building. Asked at The Lookout before venturing there, but the lady didn't seem to be aware of anything out of the ordinary. Would be good to find out which trails are open and ridable.

cooldad

Not me sorry. I just follow someone who knows what they're doing.

Ride planned for boxing day 9am from Caesars to Farnborough and back, or 10 am from Farnborough to Caesars and back. Crashing a Trolls ride.

Curious Yellow

Cool. Any suggestions on where I may find out when the trails will open again? The signs just have a generic "work being carried out will reopen in July" statement. Or something to that effect, but would be good to know if they have a schedule per trail or something.

cooldad

Nope. Supposed to be closing bits, building them and then opening biys as they're built, but so far just seems to be closing stuff. Should all be finished by March.
More info.
http://www.facebook.com/groups/SwinleyforestMTB/
and
http://www.facebook.com/groups/444395922287125/

cooldad

Ride planned for boxing day 9am from Caesars to Farnborough and back, or 10 am from Farnborough to Caesars and back. Crashing a Trolls ride.
Starting from Odiham Road, GU10 5AB opposite the Shell garage for the Caesars start, or Nokia Southwood for the Farnborough start.

Curious Yellow

Anyone riding on Saturday or Sunday?

benpinnick

Probably out Saturday.

arigold

Stuck in cornwall with no bike...not jealous or frustrated at all

cooldad

Don't worry too much, it's a messy grindy mudfest.

cooldad

Swinley tomorrow for a couple of hours. Go Ape at 12.30 or Pips Seat at 1. Ben Pinnick, myself, maybe a few others.

Anonymous

Decided rocks are what you need to stop it getting messy. In terms of mud that is.

Anyway, New Years Day - anyone in a fit state to ride?

milko9000

I would say there's about a 1% chance of me being fit enough to ride. Blech. But do post if you go somewhere just in case. Heck, maybe I'll win the lottery too, buy us all some cake.

cooldad

DK is sounding quite enthusiastic, as usual, but so far the only response was mine, from Facebook page -
"I don't mind wet, or mud but am getting a bit fed up with the gritty grindy sh1t. Feels like the bike is slowly wearing away. So I'm not going to make plans. If something is on, and I wake up, and I finish my bacon in time, and it's not pissing down, and I can be arsed, I might, maybe get somewhere. If not happy new year."

Anonymous

Likewise will see how it goes. Beers first. Just a chance it might not be actually raining. That the conditions are boggier than a boggy bog like thing is another matter.

There was a vague hint of maybe the guys on MTBB getting out, but seems apathetic there too.

If no one does anything I may end up round Surrey Hills later. Or I'll be eating bacon and watching TV. Would be nice to get a ride in before going back to work.

Anonymous

A slog through the mud after lunch. Swinley perhaps, 1pm-ish?

Edit: That's my plan anyway. 1pm meet at the gate by Go Ape. Muck about for a couple of hours, probably not fast and no real plan. Check out what's been going on so far and tell people off who are riding the new stuff.

milko9000

I still feel hungover. Oof.

cooldad

Missed out on a decent ride - bit soggy, but blue skies. Nice.

milko9000

I still feel hungover.

Blind Danny Johnson

milko9000 wrote:

I still feel hungover.

Ha ha! Means it was a good night!

Deadkenny how's Surrey Hills running at the moment? I haven't ridden there in ages and am keen to take my big bike out around the steeper and jumpier trails but can't be arsed if it's a mudfest. What do you reckon? Do you fancy joining me? I'm thinking of parking at the car park by Wedgie and riding those for a bit then heading up to the drops further up from there and riding the trails, Northern Moneky etc around that area. Then maybe trying to find the flytipper run which I believe is a little further on from Northern Monkey. Does that sound about right DK? Oh and to finish I want to do some Stravaing on BKB... Anyone else like the sound of that?

milko9000

I might be up for some of that this weekend if the weather manages not to be too shitty. I've stopped feeling hungover, and replaced it with a cold.

Blind Danny Johnson

milko9000 wrote:

I might be up for some of that this weekend if the weather manages not to be too sh!tty. I've stopped feeling hungover, and replaced it with a cold.

Cool, I'm thinking Sunday if weather permits. Will check back Friday afternoon when there's a better idea of the weather and conditions.

Anonymous

Haven't been Surrey Hilling for several weeks now, but I'd assume it's very sloppy. Still, will have been mostly dry for a few days, maybe even a week(!!!) by Sunday.

All depends how much the trails are getting ridden. Seems to get busier the more winter muddy it gets strangely. What happened to fair weather riders? !

Anyway, probably up for it. Not fussed about parking up the top as I can climb up, then back down via fun stuff and do BKB or whatever later.

Doubt I can do much on the Pitch DHills other than make it down without crashing, if they're not a crazy mud slide. The gaps and drops are beyond me there especially when it gets that steep. Northern Monkey is fine though the jumps are way too big for me. Can go over to flytipper maybe via Charlie Bronson. There's a bit of climbing back from Winterfold but can push on the steep bits if you're on the Status.

Blind Danny Johnson

I'll defo be on the Status as that's the only bike I have at the moment. Think I'll bank this as a plan for Sunday and check back Sat eve to see if a) the weather has made it pointless and b) who wants to join. Maybe we can meet at some point around the Northern Monkey area if you and others want to do some other stuff first while I fart around on the wedgie stuff. By the way what hill are the wedgie runs on? Pitch?

Anonymous

Wedgie is Pitch along with the switchback one left of it, the other stuff further left by the bench and apparently there's one more further still. No idea on the names but they've got big gaps and stuff. Then the stuff to the right that I have no idea of the names either. In fact Wedgie is just what I was told when first shown it and I bet it's known as something else.

Anyway, yeah will see who's up for what.