Midsomer Madness - South of Bath Evening Ride - Weds 22 Jun

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Midsomer Madness - South of Bath Evening Ride - Weds 22 Jun

19 posts & 8 voices | Started 11 months ago by AnalogueAndy | Latest reply from AnalogueAndy

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AnalogueAndy - Member

The infamous 'Midsomer Madness' is back - an evening ride south of Bath on the nearest Weds to the Longest Day.

All welcome - we're running it 'in association with' all the local clubs (Bath CC, VC Walcot, Somer Valley CC and the Black Canon Collective) as a Bike Week Event - using their free event insurance so it's free to enter - http://www.bikeweek.org.uk

Arrive from 6.30 onwards for a 7pm start

St Gregory’s School, Combe Hay Lane, Bath BA2 8PA. just off the A367 near Odd Down Park and Ride. Parking available on the road outside and nearby.

Two route choices – 20km and 30km.

Route cards and maps will be provided but we plan to ‘lead’ up to 4 groups of differing abilities.

Optional pub stop near the end (The Wheatsheaf, Combe Hay).

Some great technical trails linked together by country lanes.

Wear a helmet, bring a bottle, spare tube, lights ( and a fiver for the pub stop)..

New for this year..PRIZES!! Kindly donated by Bath's newest bike shop, the fantastic Cadence http://www.cadencebikeshop.com - for the ‘Most Spirited Ride’ to someone under 25 and one male and one female..

Posted 11 months ago #
Fuzzyfelt - Member

Sounds good - might try and get acouple of SPAM'ers along as well!

Posted 11 months ago #
llama - Member

to someone under 25 and one male and one female..

Andy does that mean you have to be both male and female to win?

And would you believe I was under 25?

Posted 11 months ago #
AnalogueAndy - Member

llama - Member

to someone under 25 and one male and one female..

Andy does that mean you have to be both male and female to win?

And would you believe I was under 25?

Just to be clear there are three 'prizes' -
one for someone 25 or under male or female
one for someone male over 25
one for someone female over 25

Birth Certificate to be provided in cases of doubt (I know you're 26 llama!)

The judges decision will be final

It should say 16-18 year olds welcome if accompanied by a adult. One of the ideas was to and get more young 'uns out - e.g we've pushed details out to the Venture Scouts.

Be good to get some SPAM'ers along too Fuzzyfelt

48 of us last time we did it (in lots of groups meeting up at the pub at the end):

Reminds me llama, mentioned to Tasso months ago, will drop him a mail too.

Some pics from last time courtesy of ThurmanMerman over @ the Black Canon Collective news page

Posted 11 months ago #
Janesy - Member

Im up for this as a SPAMer! done a few good rides in that area too.

Posted 11 months ago #
AnalogueAndy - Member

A 'bump' courtesy of the fab poster by Thurman Merman

Posted 11 months ago #
llama - Member

so whats the route?

Posted 11 months ago #
AnalogueAndy - Member

llama - Member
so whats the route?

Shorter than the last 'long' one we did (40km) back to nearer 30km.

Have tried to include all the best drops. A tiny bit of main road (bottom of Dunkerton to the LH turn to White Ox Mead). Wet feet and mud guaranteed as always

Midsomer Madness 2011 - Long Route

Posted 11 months ago #
Candodavid - Member

Is this SS friendly?

Posted 11 months ago #
UrbanHiker - Member

Oh, want to come but can't make it

Surely that route should include pipehouse?

Posted 11 months ago #
AnalogueAndy - Member

Candodavid - Member
Is this SS friendly?

Tony did the recce on his Mustang SS (aka 'Neddy' :lol:) there are a few short sharp climbs (not sure if they are friendly :wink:) but yep it's doable SS.

UrbanHiker - Member
Oh, want to come but can't make it

Surely that route should include pipehouse?

Strangely enough we did Pipehouse last week. Probably too technical for the kind of audience this is aimed at, (ie. everyone). The stream bed descent from Upper Twinhoe is similar but shorter (do you know that one?).

If you can't make this one there's a group of us that ride every Weds night from Widcombe (6.30).

Posted 11 months ago #
AnalogueAndy - Member

A bump in case anyone missed it first time round.

Been out clearing bits of the course today. Looking wet and muddy in places.. and looks like it'll stay that way.

Someone asked 'is the route way marked?' - it's not. Easy to follow on the map and routecard though and as mentioned above there will be 'leaders' who know the route 'leading' 4 groups this time (Fast, Steady, Gentle, Gentlest).

Posted 11 months ago #
Fuzzyfelt - Member

Feet wet & muddy already! - reminded myself why I don't ride the towpath from Trow to Bath when wet this morning...... Kit now making a mess at work - may have dried out for later....to get wet & muddy again!

Posted 11 months ago #
AnalogueAndy - Member

Yep, it was indeed peeing down earlier!

I'm going with MetCheck:

4.2mm up til 10am then drying out later

I'd bring the rain jacket just in case though..

http://www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/FREE/today.asp?zipcode=ba1%204lh

Posted 11 months ago #
Fuzzyfelt - Member

Cheers Andy for the organisation. Fun ride and a good turn-out. Pint of Cheddar Valley gave me a ready-brek glow for the ride back to Trowbridge - sweated most of it out going up Pipehouse lane (which was a daft thing to do!) I'll bring a bag of oats for Tony's Neddy next time!

All the best
Martin (in the SPAM top)

Posted 11 months ago #
AnalogueAndy - Member

Cheers Martin and all the other STW'ers who showed up.

Great turn out. 51 in all. Lots of familiar faces but lots of new ones too. Some good connections made.

No disasters. A few crashes but no injuries. The route worked well, despite the wet and mud.

The ‘led rides’ idea seemed to work ok too (most people still took maps). A few mechanicals and some splits but I think only one guy (who arrived late) lost his way a bit.

Most stopped at the pub near the end for a pint and a chat. Lots of smiles, ‘thanks’ and positive feedback.

Thanks again to the guys at http://www.cadencebikeshop.com for the ‘prizes’. Lots of nominations, plenty of ‘spirited’ descending and climbing - most had a go at riding the ford and some had a go at the unrideable bog, loads of friendly encouragement and support too. After much debate amongst the ride leaders we decided to award them to:

Emily – she rode on her dinky little Spesh Rockhopper with her dad. Split off near the end of the short route (it was past her bed time!) made a real effort and kept smiling!

Celia and Rich – They rode over from Bristol. Rode with the ‘Tony, Steve and Aileen’ ‘Hard’ Group, were both a real laugh, got muddy and bloody and were still smiling at the end - and Rich did it on his SS!

Andy

Posted 11 months ago #
andy_hamgreen - Member

yes thanks for organising this - really enjoyed it - found the lost chap
do you do this every wednesday ? - very impressive if you do - also hats off to the people who rode to far flung places after as well - felt guilty driving back to Bristol

Posted 11 months ago #
Mr Agreeable - Member

That was great fun. My legs are utterly useless today. Hats off to everyone involved with organising the ride - hopefully we'll see you soon for a Wednesday spin.

Antony

Posted 11 months ago #
AnalogueAndy - Member

Cheers! Pleased to hear that Andy - hope he wasn't too far down the Fosseway

Nice email from Emily's dad when I told him she'd won, he said she'd be very chuffed, really suffered on the 'Does It Hurt Yet?' hill, but the writing on the road brought a smile back to her face……at the end she turned to her Dad and said "why do you do this every week?"

Posted 11 months ago #

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