Sunday 17th April this year.
New route with loads more off road.
Link for map
http://www.bikeweb.org.uk/dirtmap_2011.htm

Link for facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=254322217946

Do we know when the application forms will be uploaded?

had’nt heard of that one but looks interesting. any good?

Hmmm I fancy that one too.

Who’s done it before? Was it any good??

Thanks 😀

crikey, that’s a pretty big loop.

Some pretty fragile trails there too. Hope it’s not too wet on the day or it will take all year for some of those to recover.

Really TM – I ride those all the time and I would not call the majority of them “fragile”?

Most of them seem to be ruined on occasion by in the winter by motorcross riders IMHO?

Anyway I would not recommend it – its an awful days out and people are very unfriendly so don’t enter 😉

no, not the majority, but stuff like bowermans and into and across the cleave is bad news in big numbers surely ?

If dry I would think it should be OK but as you say if very wet then yes I guess so on those bits – I guess once a year then should be OK? Its fairly hard packed there most days I go but if after several weeks of rain then 🙁

Apart from Ullacombe farm to Lustleigh isnt the majority of that on roads? i.e. not much Devon ‘Dirt’?

Hmm looks interesting. Got in-laws down that way and never had the time to go out and explore the trails in that area. Might be an opportunity to do so without having to think too much about the route! Any info on applications?

isnt the majority of that on roads? i.e. not much Devon ‘Dirt’?

try commuting through the lanes Dave, muckier than the moor 😐

Well if you will turn to the darkside Mr Monkey 🙂

😳

TM finding the commute a little taxing, earlier:

I know the loop up the eastern side of the Wrey Valley, opposite Lustleigh, i.e. across the A382.
You’re getting into my neck of the woods!
The climb up is on the road and steep, especially after waltzing up and down the Cleave a few times! The bit this side is more bridleways than lanes, it also uses a b’tard climb back up on a now disused road that is more deep pothole than degraded tarmac. It then loops off towrds Hennock via ‘real’ lanes as described previously by TM, down through to Bovey and back around.
The biggest surprise will be to the other trail users out my way, there’s a lot of horses ridden and the odd Redscoked Nazi mit Turd layer. The horsey lot are fine, we get on well, it’ll simply be the shock of tons of bikers on an otherwise quiet bit of paradise.
my tuppence
Q

Update:
I’ve forwarded the map and link to my next door neighbour who is a regular horse rider, owns a livery stable where others ride from and has horsey friends. They all regularly use the part of the trails near me. She’ll put the word around locally to be aware that our normally quiet tracks might be a bit overcrowded on that day.
It might just forwarn the regulars.
Q

I have ridden the Devon Dirt for 4 years now and the atmosphere has been nothing but friendly. Its always a good day out and the route has something for everyone. Have ridden the route and its challenging and a lot less tarmac than previous years. If you think its easy, just ride faster.

well, it was a perfect day for it,and what a ride 🙂
A fantastic mix of trails, including an exciting encounter with some motorcycle trials…

For me the only down point was arriving at the checkpoints to find that the fast boys had eaten all the food and there was no water left 🙁

I really enjoyed it – been thinking about it for years because it’s pretty local to me, but actually managed to get my act together and enter this year.

There was still food and water at the controls when I got there, but only buns at the first one (somebody had eaten all the tracker bars…)

Only downside for me (apart from a slight navigational lapse when I was being lazy and followed a group of riders rather than looking at the route sheet) was the queues in some of the narrow sections at the start, but that couldn’t really be helped with the number of entries.

Excellent ride, but I’m feeling it now!

Rob

Likewise, an excellent ride and aching nicely today. Plenty of food when we got to the controls, just got “lost” a couple of times but great fun.