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  • First night ride lst night, eventful!
  • core
    Full Member

    So 3 of us headed out last night on our usual (I haven’t actually been for weeks) Wednesday evening ride, it’s normally just a 15-30 mile ride around some hilly and rough backlanes with everything from carbon road bikes to knobbly tyred mountain bikes.

    Last night we all had mountain bikes, me my scandal 29er, one 10 year old Trek on Judy’s, and an early 90’s Marin hardtail on elastomer forks, the rider of which hasn’t done much mountain biking.

    We set off from the river, sun was out, 6.30pm, all good, about half way round we did a loop through a little wood, which was a bit muddy for the roadie on the Marin with semi-slicks, especially as the light was now dropping off, I hadn’t got lights besides little flashy ‘be seen’ types, other mate’s battery was dead, leaving just the Marin with anything half decent. So we cut short and headed for the road to complete the loop, via a green lane which comes out near my house. By now it was virtually dark, and the lane well overgrown.

    We bimbled along steadily, me up front, virtually blind, trying to pick lines for the other two to follow after one fell off in a rut early on.

    All going reasonably, then, in the darkest part of the lane, adjacent a wood I see some lights down the bank, though no, surely not, nah, stopped. Yes, 2 fires burning in the wood, at least one person by one of the fires, whistling a tune very loudly, then I swear I saw someone else move, much closer to us, no sound, no light, and we made our exit sharpish. Had to walk the last part of the track as we couldn’t see at all, it’s all off camber, muddy, and if you’re not careful you’ll end up in the river.

    Negotiated that fine, was on the last stretch home, steadily cruising along when bang, something hits my front wheel, then the back and gets caught up, was like someone was grabbing the wheel. I managed to stay on and keep going, lots of shouting, turns out I’d run over a fox or badger!

    So there we have it, a roadie converted to mountain, a night ride with no lights, creeped out by a guy in the woods (not far from my house), and ran over a fox or badger.

    Keen to go at night again now, just perhaps not solo………

    scaled
    Free Member

    I suppose going out on a night ride with no lights would liven it up a bit 😀

    Poopscoop
    Full Member

    Sounds like an adventure!

    I also got caught out a week back.

    Out on my tod as usual and got chatting to an angler fishing by the rider at the pub I stopped at for a break.

    Before I know it the sun’s almost down and I’m 10 of miles from home with a cheap EBay special “emergency” flashing led front and rear.

    Made the off road section back very interesting. Oddly, as I couldn’t see the off camber roots and huge chunks of flint etc. I didn’t tense up and just let the bike do it’s thing.

    Actually quite fun in a “I’m getting better lights soon” kind of way.

    Didn’t run over any wildlife though.

    Rode through a few dog eggs however. All post their fresh date too.

    May as well haveused a bog brush on the bike by the time I got home.

    Pungent, really pungent.

    scandal42
    Free Member

    You went on a night ride with no lights?

    Get a light it will make a solo ride seem not so scary 😛

    thegreatape
    Free Member

    Apt username

    wwaswas
    Full Member

    You went on a night ride with no lights?

    Quite, I’d call that a ‘got caught out by the darker evenings’ ride.

    rocketman
    Free Member

    Last night we all had mountain bikes, me my scandal 29er, one 10 year old Trek on Judy’s, and an early 90’s Marin hardtail on elastomer forks, the rider of which hasn’t done much mountain biking.

    [quote]I hadn’t got lights besides little flashy ‘be seen’ types, other mate’s battery was dead[/quote]
    Sounds more like a nightmare than a night ride 🙂

    Sort some proppa lights and take control of the night

    Poopscoop
    Full Member

    I’m used to solo rides.

    I slow people down to much so I prefer them! 😀

    The part with the free range dog eggs happens to be right near a big bronze age burial mound. It’s genuinely eerie at night.

    Good motivation to ignore having to ride by way of The Force only to get back to civilian sharpish!

    teamslug
    Free Member

    First properly dark commute this morning at 5:30 but I was prepared. Gloworm x2 on bike and Solastorm on helmet. I knew batteries would last so full power all the way. I don’t like the dark!!!.

    binners
    Full Member

    You went on a night ride with no lights?

    Quite, I’d call that a ‘got caught out by the darker evenings’ ride.

    Go out on a limb, and take a wild guess which forum member I had the following conversation with yeterday:

    “Are we still out tonight?”
    “Yes… you put your lights on charge?”
    “Lights? Will we need lights?”
    “Yes, of course we bloody will. You are aware its not actually June? And we’re on the moors, where there aren’t any street lights?”
    “Oh… I’ll have to try and find them”

    Some hours later….

    “I’m not going to make it tonight. I’ve found the light units. One for the bars, one for my head, but I can’t find either of the batteries”

    Go on…. take a wild guess…

    core
    Full Member

    We were slightly caught out to be fair, thought we’d be back at dusk, I do have an exposure diablo, and even had it in my hand before I set off to meet the others, but was running a bit late and thought nah, it’ll be fine.

    It will be on charge and become my helmet light, something else for the bars soon to be purchased.

    Am keen for some proper night rides now though, and will get prepared, although last night was fun, in a slightly bonkers adventure kind of way, well all came back laughing and smiling that we’d survived!

    dknwhy
    Full Member

    Even with decent lights, night rides in the woods are creepy.

    Poopscoop
    Full Member

    @core

    Ha ha! 😀

    Poopscoop
    Full Member

    dknwhy – Member
    Even with decent lights, night rides in the woods are creepy

    I also at a different burial mound to this one, at summer solstice most years.

    Get a real nice bunch of people turn up.

    Camo fire, beers, druids…. Yes really.

    Trouble is, most years everyone’s gone by 11 pm leaving me alone trying to sleep in my bivvy bag under the stars all on my lonesome. A burial mound that had the remains of 22 people dig from it back in the early 1900s.

    I always get what I cask my “Blair witch half hour” where every noise from the trees sound me freak me out and I can’t get that damned movie out of my head!

    Last could of years I take a small bottle of vodka with me.

    Seems to help me sleep! 😀

    core
    Full Member

    I don’t think you’d get me going solo night riding in the woods to be fair, but in a group it was fine. Well, maybe until the man of the woods bit….

    Poopscoop
    Full Member

    Am keen for some proper night rides now thought, and will get prepared, although last night was fun, in a slightly bonkers adventure kind of way, well all came back laughing and smiling that we’d survived!

    Absolutely, sometimes it’s kind of a Stand By Me” scenario where is actually gun to be a little scared and have a bit of a shared adventure!

    Poopscoop
    Full Member

    I don’t think you’d get me going solo night riding in the woods to be fair, but in a group it was fine. Well, maybe until the man of the woods bit..

    When 🙂 cycled the sdw over the course of 3 days a few years back I slept rough 2 nights in bin bags. Bin bags= light. Seemed a good idea for the summer…Idea didn’t work,I froze…. First night I slept next to a farm field and couldn’t see a house light or street light anywhere. Freaked the hell out of me.

    Took to wearing my little bungee corded frog light on my finger that night so I could switch it on to point at all the noises in the undergrowth I could here.

    Couldn’t wait till sunrise. I didn’t sleep one wink. Freezing cold, wet from condensation and scared s#!*less.

    Soon as it was light enough to ride I was off like a rocket! Happy memories though! 😀

    fooman
    Full Member

    Last time I went through our local woods at night, solo but with lights, I was ok until I heard what sounded like cats fighting. Freaked me out, I could not get out quick enough. I’m not comfortable there by myself anymore, but when I’m with my 9 year old on a night mtb ride it’s ok, like he’s protecting me from night terrors! By myself, the mind plays tricks.

    Poopscoop
    Full Member

    I know exactly what you mean!

    When I used to go wild camping with my lad. Though he was a proper kid at the time it kind of gave me a weird Dutch courage! Odd eh?

    globalti
    Free Member

    What a bunch of pussies!

    flashes
    Free Member

    Actually nights are fine, but in daylight I’ve run over a coot chick and a snake with my Karate Monkey (not on purpose), been hit off by a dog, ridden flat out into a log across a trail and a camoflaged speed hump (road bike). I think I must concentrate more at night……….

    binners
    Full Member

    We were on a night ride round Llandegla. I’d dropped off the back, like I usually do, on the last descent down through the woods. The my lights died. It was about ten at night, and totally, completely pitch black. I was stood there in the woods in total darkness, and had to wait for the lads to realise I wasn’t there, and turn back to come and get me. I couldn’t even start pushing the bike, let alone ride it, as I genuinely couldn’t even see my own feet.

    Then the noises started. Just rustling and twigs snapping. And just stuff moving that wasn’t me, as I was paralysed in terror. I think it must have been about ten minutes before they came back. It felt like 3 days. By the time they did I was virtually whimpering with fear. The only thing I had in my mind the whole time was this….

    jimdubleyou
    Full Member

    …I heard what sounded like cats fighting…

    That would be foxes, at it – terrible racket.

    Scapegoat
    Full Member

    My lad and I underestimated the time it would take to ride Gisburn. Light was fading as we rode Hully Gully, and by the time we were back on the cross roads in the middle of the figure eight it was pitch black. It was our first time there and so we had to follow the trail to get back as we had no reference points at all. It was only by luck we realised we were back at the car park, but I only found the car by repeatedly pressing the remote until it was in range. No ambient light up there!

    benp1
    Full Member

    This is a long story short

    Solo ride
    Very dark
    Middle of the woods
    Cycling slowly hill the fire road
    Badger jumps out ahead (20m maybe?)
    Stares me down
    I stop and get off my bike (dunno why)
    Badger runs full pelt at me
    I p00 myself
    Stops about 5m before me (I didn’t know it was going to stop)
    Stares me down
    Runs off into the bush

    Honestly, I thought I was going to be attacked by a badger. I had a really SSX2 on my bars and a headlight on so it probably couldn’t see me, but still, I wasn’t thinking that at the time

    takisawa2
    Full Member

    I used to ride Cannock back in the early 90’s, with POS Ever Ready lights.
    Was great at full moon though. Once acclimatized you can kill the lights out in the open.

    dannyh
    Free Member

    Good work. You’ll rapidly get up to speed with getting semi-decent lights and a regular charging routine.

    I went at it the other way – started night riding solo with semi-decent lights. In hindsight I’d have preferred to start riding in a group like you. At least I wouldn’t have been jumping out of my skin at every small rustling sound ‘just off to the side’!

    On a less funny note, I would also have some company when I crashed and bust some ribs. Big smashes on your own at night are not funny. In the slightest.

    On a different note (literally) three of us were out on my regular weekend local bimble a few Sunday mornings ago. We reached the minor road at the end of a local trail and were about to start off again when we heard a lone trumpeter playing some kind of military tune off in the woods across the road – quite odd. Hope it wasn’t some PTSD’d veteran about to go off on a spree(!)

    prawny
    Full Member

    Night rides always freak me out after about 20 minutes. I keep myself together for a while then the noises start getting to me and I bottle it. Sometimes I ride in headphones so I can’t hear the noises, then I get freaked out that I can’t hear the bad noises and I’m about to be murdered.

    There’s no way to win.

    core
    Full Member

    I need to start trawling the ‘what lights’ threads for a half decent bar light with decent batteries that don’t explode!

    br
    Free Member

    So 3 of us headed out last night on our usual (I haven’t actually been for weeks) Wednesday evening ride, it’s normally just a 15-30 mile ride around some hilly and rough backlanes with everything from carbon road bikes to knobbly tyred mountain bikes.

    We set off from the river, sun was out, 6.30pm, all good, about half way round we did a loop through a

    15-30 miles, so somewhere between 2 and 6 hours riding from 6:30pm? 🙄

    We left at 5:30pm last night and did 17 miles (and 3000ft climbing); it was dark when we got back, in fact we needed lights just after 7pm in the woods.

    core
    Full Member

    We don’t always go at the same time, and last night was probably nearer 6.45 in fairness. I haven’t been out for a while, so just didn’t think. 30 miles is usually all road and 2.5-3 hours or so.

    We didn’t need lights til at least half 7 last night.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    Hah.

    I used to get scared on night rides, the first few times. But then I had 10W of halogen, which is absolutely bugger all in today’s terms. However now I’m bad-ass and am not scared at all.

    Btw, it’s a lot spookier at 3am than it is at 10pm…. 😈

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