For any peeps who were looking to join daftvader and myself for today’s pootle around the Four Marks/Alton area, we’ve just changed the meeting location to Alton Sports Centre, at 1.30ish 😀

Enjoy the sunshine 8)

Yesterday’s QECP Gravity Enduro was excellent, I thoroughly enjoyed marshalling, although was highly envious of those taking part! My enjoyment not even dulled by my own face plant coming back down stage 3 at the end of the night 😳 The front wheel has re-trued nicely though 😀

afternoon…

well that was an absolutely brilliant afternoon of riding with Mr Slackalice. saw some bits of trail that were fast, some slow and technical and some that just disappeared 😉 really enjoyable and relaxed. may thanks Tim 8) (oh and check for ticks… found 3)
no pics I’m afraid as we were too busy chatting and riding. next time will try tho

cheers

Proper two days rideout for me, 94ks yesterday in a very high cloud broken sunlight sky and no breeze then today non stop blazing sunshine, proper days out riding. I seemed to catch a group up coming back down from Privett heading towards West Meon who were on something called “little bumps” sportive starting from Haslemere and bouncing around the Downs, niiiice ! Chatted to guys who were 50 odd ks in and another 3.5/4hrs to go… I had to recommend Hampshire for riding didn’t I 😆
Then Mrs Bouy and I headed to the beach to bask in the sunshine and catch some rays and sea breeze..

Oh, we also bought a BSO for £20 for one of our nephews that was advertised outside someone’s front gate, bargain.

Oh and one more point, yesterday’s Gorrick up near Arlesford, bunch of dicks on MTBs hacking down a lane full chat past 2 horse riders without any kind of announcement they were there nor actually GAS about the riders.
Dicks

😆
&
8)

There wasn’t a Gorrick event on Saturday. There was a Trailtrax at Cheriton today though.

Ahhh that’ll be it, did I put yesterday?? Ohh well it’s been a long weekend.

Still stands, both horse riders I passed were mighty pissed off and there were about another 20 MTB’ers odd heading down the lane as I was heading up.

I really do hope they slowed down 🙄

How’s your face today, Slackalice? I rode stages 2,3 and 4 today… not sure I fancy 1 too much. Stage 3 was pretty good fun in the daylight – but I was still caught out by some of the roots. I tried not to think about your OTB when I went down that drop, though!

Haha! Thanks very much for your thoughts Bartaemus! Some might say my visage has improved! The good news is that I reckon I can now breathe more easily through my right nostril, which has been pretty much inoperative since an incident with a cricket ball as a lad! A clean up and dabs of very diluted h2o2 and the plastic surgeons were put on hold. Rather stiff neck though, but no bruising, swelling or loss of wanting to ride my bike! The front wheel straightened out no bother with a bit of judicious spoke key twiddling, not sure about the tyre, I didn’t get time this morning to put it back on.

Mr Daftvader, excellent ride! Sincerely echo your sentiments and what a good chap you are. Great company and conversations. Delighted you liked the sampling of trails and route and look forward to doing your neck of the woods and QECP with you and any others who may wish to join us

Got passed by a few of the TrailTeax w*****s while out for a lovely bimble through the countryside. The organisers really need to tell their participants that these a multi-use bridleways not XC race courses.

Struggling to keep up with this thread. 😀

Nice pics and amazing that bluebells are still around. In fact on Saturday I cycled through a wood where they were still looking good and enjoyed the wonderful scent. This was near the Woodland Trust wood.

Just don’t call me Rudolph! 😳

Well I grit my teeth and mailed the TrailTrax (whatever they’re called) “contact us” email and explained the predicament I faced and martinh too it seems. I was riding up Cheriton Lane out of Cheriton (the lane directly south of Arlesford) up towards Tenant Woods, the TrailTrax lot were exiting Tenant Woods coming down Cheriton Lane towards me, the horses were going the same direction as the TrailTrax lot.
All I did was explain the situation I found at the time, location and suggested actions. I wait to hear, if I hear anything at all from them, we’ll see. These organised “rideouts” invariably end up as a race and as such should be treated a bit more heavy handed without road closures and draconian measures or even cancellations of event, but the organisers should be the ones to control this, so I’ve handed it over to them.
Nothing against organised “rides”/”XC Races”/Multiuse of Bridleways but would suggest that others use these too and consideration should be sought when approaching and overtaking, simple enough I think.
It’s easy to turn up to an event and not GAS about it’s location or locals or other users because you’re not there for that long and hey “I’m here to take part and all that”.
But some of us ride these lanes and trails all the time and don’t want to be tarred with the irresponsible riders I saw on Sunday.

Hay
Ho
😐

To be fair to Gorrick they do state on their website the following

“Riders must give way to other users sharing rights of way. “

and

“Please respect other trail users to promote the sport of mountain biking.”

I think their maps contain some wording too about the event not being a race.

Unfortunately idiots ride bikes too and will ignore whatever organisers do/say.

To be fair bikebuoy there are people who haven’t a clue about horses, whether they’re cycling, walking, running or driving. One horse rider I spoke with reckoned that roadies were the worst as they silently whizzed past and far too close at that.

I just wish people could use a bit of common sense when in the countryside.

Well we’ll see, as said I felt I had to comment and glad I did.

Great weekend in all though wasn’t it.

These events and roadie-sportivs say they are not races as it would generally be forbidden to organize them on open public rights of way, be that a road or a bridleway. I have no doubt the MTB-ers in @bikebouy’s post thought they where racing and thus slowing down for horses was “out of the question”

Rode at qecp early Sunday morning, too old/fat/slow for the enduro the night before. (maybe next time)
Did the usual loop that then seemed to turn into stage3. Excellent fun, although the 2 dog walkers coming towards me round a blind bend had a bit of a shock! Should I have been riding it (yes), should they have been walking up a track marked with tape (no), who knows.
Stage4 also seemed part of the usual ride.
Most enjoyable compared to the usual qecp route which always is a bit of a slog for little reward.

It was bike orienteering. I can’t believe that people would take chances near horses but, as in any event, people can easily get carried away with competitiveness. You never know when a horse is around the next corner, thank goodness for Hope’s!

I wasn’t at the Trailtrax yesterday although I often do them, and was the course-setter for the one back in April (although I don’t claim to speak for Gorrick).

As c_g says, it’s bike orienteering, which means there is no set route, just 20 checkpoints and a start/finish location, and the riders decide their own route.

Add that to the staggered start times, and you’ve got around 100 riders spread over approx 100 square kms, so not really too much like a sportive with everyone following a fixed route (although some clumps of riders will inevitably form at times before dispersing again).

Most riders know how to behave around horses but some don’t, usually ignorance rather than aggression (bike orienteering doesn’t appeal to too many of the gung-ho crowd). Sounds like you had the misfortune to meet the ignorants…

Anyway, if you’ve contacted Gorrick then I’m sure they will take notice.

I’ll mention it to the other course-setters to suggest that participants be reminded at the start of the next event, possibly emphasising the advice about talking to horses when approaching from behind as well as slowing down and giving space.

Hey, I think your events are Ace, really I do. Nothing short of an excellent day on the bike IMO.
Just pass the message home is all I ask, if they act like dicks after the message has been given in the breifing then hey, but just feel it needs a bit more air time thats all.

If they aren’t races then they need to adjust the winning conditions:

“The winners will be those with the most points. Ties will be decided by firstly, the shortest completion time…”

Haha thanks for the compliment bikebuoy (although I can only take credit for part of one event!). Hope the incident didn’t spoil your ride too much.

But you’re right, and as a regular participant I wouldn’t like to see the events get a bad name from a few people who don’t get it.

There isn’t really a pre-event briefing, more a chance for each rider to ask questions of the course-setter just before they start. Usually this is map or rules related, but it won’t hurt for us to remind folks about trail etiquette. I’ve missed my chance this series as the only event I am setting has already gone, but I’ll raise it with the others.

There are mentions of respecting other users and giving way on the website here, but it sounds like a more prominent reminder wouldn’t go amiss!

forgive this quick hijack – i need a really good country pub not too far from Farnborough to take some foreign guests? any ideas.. im after top notch quintessential english type fayre…

quick look online spat out Duke of Cambridge in Tilford – any good?

Smashing ride round the QECP red on Sunday evening. Still to fat and unfit to enjoy the first half as I would like but am getting faster on the second half 🙂

So is this stuff that was created for the enduro race around the red route or is it out the back somewhere?

If a group ride is being planned be sure to give me a shout I get a bit lonely every weekend on my own 🙂

Strava is your friend for the enduro trails, though not ‘official’ all within qecp, stage 1 & 2 head down to burton, 3 cuts across from lumberjack to the second car park in the park and stage 4 was the final descent with some minor tweeks

The Race Report might help you with this… http://ride.io/news/qecp-night-day-enduro-report/

Southern Test Valley advice please. 🙂

Wanting to check out the ridge that leads to Pepperbox Hill (A27) so would it be best to approach from the Northern side, ie West Dean?

Am figuring that if I park at the Test Way car park on the A3057 then use minor roads? Alternatively what’s the bridleway climb like from Rowden’s Farm?

Thank you in anticipation. 🙂

Hampshire people, I’m so impressed with QECP after the night enduro! I have to admit that I didn’t expect the steep bits to be quite that steep though… I strava’d the stages if you want to find them – watch out for some of the roll-ins to the fireroads though, they’re pretty ‘interesting’! 😉

Got my fix of the Enduro lines last night. Started off gentle then my mate took the lead, so I felt obliged to floor it too! Got some very good Strava times too 8)
Would loved to have raced, but have a feeling I would have pushed too hard in the dark, my eyes aint great and I often see things late in the dark lol!

I wasn’t at the Trailtrax yesterday although I often do them, and was the course-setter for the one back in April (although I don’t claim to speak for Gorrick).

As c_g says, it’s bike orienteering, which means there is no set route, just 20 checkpoints and a start/finish location, and the riders decide their own route.

Add that to the staggered start times, and you’ve got around 100 riders spread over approx 100 square kms, so not really too much like a sportive with everyone following a fixed route (although some clumps of riders will inevitably form at times before dispersing again).

Most riders know how to behave around horses but some don’t, usually ignorance rather than aggression (bike orienteering doesn’t appeal to too many of the gung-ho crowd). Sounds like you had the misfortune to meet the ignorants…

Anyway, if you’ve contacted Gorrick then I’m sure they will take notice.

I’ll mention it to the other course-setters to suggest that participants be reminded at the start of the next event, possibly emphasising the advice about talking to horses when approaching from behind as well as slowing down and giving space.

FWIW I think it may be the short length of the events (3 hours the one I did) that causes the rushing. No excuse for individuals being d**** but it did feel like a sprint rather than the marathon (Trailbreak events were only 1/2 an hour longer but felt much longer for some reason, I was usually riding 5 hour events).
Having done them quite seriously (winning a few series)with Mrs B for several years, we never felt it necessary to barge past horse riders or walkers so I’m afraid there’s only so much organisers can do.

^ Sure, but a briefing before everyone sets off would No?

Anyway not wanting to dampen the event, nope, just respect for others would be a cool message. Maybe it’s got “lost” in as the event has grown.

Still think it’s a great event, and as expected I’ve heard nothing from them.

Having done them quite seriously (winning a few series)with Mrs B for several years, we never felt it necessary to barge past horse riders or walkers so I’m afraid there’s only so much organisers can do.

This is true. I’ve done well in the Trailtraxes without being an idiot (at least in relation to other trail users!) and most of the competitors I’ve met are well-behaved too. It is always hard to legislate for the outliers who don’t listen.

I often get brain-fade towards the end of the event as the pressure of the time-limit approaches, this is the case regardless of the overall length of the event, so I’m not sure a longer event would make much difference. Regardless, it’s my own fault if I’m running out of time, no excuse for being inconsiderate.

Still think it’s a great event, and as expected I’ve heard nothing from them.

I’m not sure you will necessarily get a reply, but I’ve raised the issue and there will hopefully be a reminder about trail etiquette at next month’s event at Cliddesden. Do come along – you won’t have to listen to me droning on at you at the start 🙂

It’s not a mass start event. People can turn up, register and start riding when they want (between various category start/end times). So there’s no ideal point to do a rider briefing without giving the same spiel out lots of times.

Perhaps some reminder signs up might help but some people won’t care no matter what you do.

There’s no ideal point to do a rider briefing without giving the same spiel out lots of times.

Perhaps some reminder signs up might help but some people won’t care no matter what you do.

One or both of these may happen. I don’t want to promise, as it won’t be me doing it.

You know what I ought to come along, I did one about 3 years ago and me and my mates fell about laughing, we really enjoyed it.

Off to the the proper interweb to seek out the details..

😀

Will be out for a spin this weekend, first ride in ages.

@chief is your Strava login/track easy to find, available to all ? (I tired searching for your login name here)

bikebuoy if you are coming along for a laugh I’m sure you will enjoy it!
If you don’t have much experience it can be hilarious in a farcical kind of way, especially in a pair where you can’t decide which of you is in charge…

Having said that I now have plenty of experience and it still descends into farce more often than I would like 😳

Competitive or for fun – either way, 3 hours will disappear before you know it.

And you always finish at a pub 🙂

jamabalaya, I’m on strava as threehatsal – though the stage segments should show up if you use the map explore thingy. I put them in because I was waiting for the results and wanted to see if it where I’d come relative to my expected mediocrity – and found out that I was indeed in the middle! But races are mostly entered by fast riders, right (crosses fingers)?.. 😉

@chief – thanks. I’m going to do a few races this year hopefully, I never knowingly let anyone get behind me on a ride.

I really must get to QECP, I used to live 20 mins to either there or centre of Surrey Hills (or ride from the door) so never made the effort as I lazily rode where I knew. Now its 30 mins vs 60 so QECP I must discover.

For anyone planning a trip to QECP:
http://www.qecptrailcollective.co.uk/2014/05/red-trail-closures/

There’s oil in them thar hills: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-27529175

they have been pumping oil out of the south downs for year!

http://binged.it/1niWS0x
and
http://binged.it/1nyxRtX
and
http://binged.it/1niX7sF

Just a couple of locations near me I know about bet there is loads more.