Buzz, you'd lend me a new racey HT? now there an offer i should accept, much more fun to be had on that….

I'm not sure how i'll cope with gears, might bang it in middle middle and not move it.

Woodsman, I suspected the Hood would be busy, hinkley point is having alot of work and the hood puts the work force up….let me know if you're struggling for somewhere to stay, i'll help where i can.

Cheers sharki, will do!

new racey HT?

Ah well you see, it's not that racy because I have stuck my uturn coil TORA fork on it!

frame=1.7kg
fork=2.4kg

Planning to take it for a test ride this Sunday at the Purbecks with the SouthWest STW posse.

Thanks everybody for the offers of help, looks like this is really coming together!

We are just getting everybody our end to firm up / get permission, looks at the moment like there should be about 8 of us coming up and staying at the Old Cider House. Looking forward to it!

A quick update, looks like we should have 8 or 9 riders coming up so should be a nice size group. Booked into the Rose and Crown as the others we all getting booked up fast. Should be a great trip!

Alex

Good location. See you in a month. We'll make some detailed plans for meeting up nearer the time. If you want to email me, my address is in my profile.

if you get near triscombe try the christmas tree run, its pitch black in day light but a lot of fun, like a secene out of star wars with the speeder bikes in the trees 🙂

"the christmas tree run"

I don't know it, but I'm going looking for it at the next opportunity!

Just a quick update, Charlie, Buzz, Sharki, Hoping you are all still up for this. We have a group of 9-10 all set for the Quantocks this weekend so would be great to get some definite plans. We are mostly driving up early saturday morning but with the miles a realistic start time is 12.00? I guess we need to work out where to meet?

[bump]

🙂

Hello

Just repeating info I put in an email to Zukemonster –

A convenient place for me to park is Dead Women's Ditch car park.

STREETMAP

There is a minor road going directly from Nether Stowey, up the hill to DWD. It's probably about a 25 min ride up.

Where we go on Sunday depends on where you went on Saturday – we can try to avoid doubling up trails – no problem as there are tonnes of options. The areas I know best are north and west of DWD. I only know the basics in The Great Wood e.g. The Chimney, and a few of the DH-style bits and bobs off Triscombe. Shane knows everything!

Bits I'd like to include (refer to your OS25k map): DWD gully, Higher Hare Knapp to Holford, Great Road to Beacon Hill, Smith's, Slaughterhouse/Somerton, Holford Combe, Great bear, DWD. For snacks we will probably hit the van at Holford. or maybe The Plough if the owner isn't being a grump. Shane: Do you want to do any particular trails?

I'm assuming you'll have a big session on Saturday night 🙂 So what time will you be ready to meet on Sunday morning?

Hi Buzz,

Sounds great, I think we should aim for a 10.30 start Sunday, which is when the group normally meets, we'll just ride with hangovers for the morning – as usual for some! How does that sound to you? I'll put it forward to folk on the night ride tomorrow, but can't see any probs to be honest. If we're being sensible and are up bright and early we COULD ride up.

Thanks for guiding, if you're free Sat eve, more than welcome to join us for a beverage or two…

Pete aka Woodsman

10.30 start Sunday

Perfect. Would like to meet Saturday night but will not be able to get a pass from the boss 🙁 There's always The Plough for a beer mid ride. Bring bike locks.

Riding up to DWD will warm you up 😀

And he's in the house..

Ay up chaps.

12 o'clock meet is fine, i'll be coming through Stowey and would kinda like to recommend starting from there.

OK, so it's quite a haul up to the hill proper but 'WHAT' a way down..a 2.4km roller coaster ride down a swoopy, leafy finale…..

Or if possible, make sure you leave a car back at the rose and crown so someone can do a trip back up top to collect the other cars…

As for a route…well as usual i'll make it up on the day, I'll save some for Sunday just for Buzz, inc DWD gully of dread, But i think Buzz should experience some new to him trails…….

Long term forecast predicts a wet saturday evening, so if you do want the night ride..yer sods..i'm made of sugar! but happy to get wet for the occasion…..Grrr!

Now this thread is reserected i'll answer as many queries as possible between now and friday night.

Hi Sharki, will be tagging along with this if that's ok, probably +1. Will bring some form of cake, and probably gin 🙂 Am thinking FS as the guys who've actually sorted this out claimed technical competence, which is more than I can claim! Will save the HT for Swinley on sunday.

Coolio Rich.

Would you like to turn up early to gain a couple descents before the Brighton Boyz hit the hillocks?

All looking good, lets hope the rain holds off, it would be a real shame if our navigator dissolved in front of us!

Z.

Cool! I'll probably be riding my Somerset Hardtail as can be seen here….

Personally, I think I'll give the night ride a miss, two days on the Q's will be satisfiying enough – I've ridden there, it's hilly! Plus, knowing our lot, especially the Zukemonster – when the first ale is supped, no one will be riding until the next day! 😉

Looking forward to it….

Ability is quite mixed btw

Buzz should experience some new to him trails

Yes please.

Rich, how long does it take for you to get to the Q's?
Really want to ride them one day but not sure if its possible for me to do it in a day without me getting up at stupid o'clock.

That be a raven then…

MM, cease the day, plenty of people get up at stoopid o'clock to travel 4hrs to a trail centre again and again.Where's that tree?

To ride a new place, guided and to meet new people, etc is worth the effort IMHO.

And Saturday isn't an early kick off unless you want to maximise the journey…and gain a few miles by being here at 10am..

Gwan, you know it makes sense now the nights are drawing in and trails are turning mushy(not round here)

MM, it's less than 2 hours from mine, not too much further from Andover given you're right on the 303. Can fit an extra one in the car for Saturday if you'd like a lift from Wilton? Lovely riding round the Q's 🙂

Sharki, think I need the 12am start tbh, have to do cake shopping 💡 Also, bit broken from 1st (and last) snowboarding lesson…

Cheers for the offer Rich but i've already got plans for Saturday with the missus. Will see you on Sunday though for the Swinley ride.
Will MTFU for a future day trip to the Q's though. 😳

The tree is on my local 'ride from the door patch' in western Sussex. 🙂

Where exactly do you want to meet up Sharki? In Nether Stowey, or at one of the car parks near DWD? Will be in blue Scenic as usual…

With a clear run I've done Andover to the Quantocks in 1 hour 40 mins but it has taken me nearly three hours if Stonehenge is bad.

Sunday 10:30 meet – Dead Women's Ditch Car Park

Sunday's weather looks awful. Bring your waterproof jackets 😀

What a great weekend! Thanks so much to Sharky and Buzz who showed us around so many great routes, and put together a perfect couple of days riding for us!

The Rose and Crown thoroughly stepped up to the mark.. mmm cider….

A real shame we were a few down in numbers but we still had a fantastic group. I just wish i had the legs / skills / bollocks to keep up with Sharky a bit better!

Thanks again guys

You are very welcome and a pleasure to ride with you all. Hope to see you again sometime. Sorry it was so wet!

It was bloody wet, the brownies were awesome as was the fudge cake.

Lovely to meet you all, you don't need to be fitter , i need gears to slow the pace down….

Did i say it was wet?

See you all soon, get fixed buzz and DWD is waiting for you to nail it, but how washed out was it..

Thanks for guiding us around Sharki! I really enjoyed myself on Saturday!

I was rather sickened by the speed in which you were getting your single speed up the hills, it was also a lot of fun chasing you down the hills 😀

I will definitely have to head back to the Quantocks to ride again soon!

Cheers again
Pete (Black Commencal Meta 5.5)

whatever you do, dont follow sharki down a hill.

at least if you do, then hang back a bit and watch the chaos unfold….

I resent that remark, Jim….

My riding it smooth and controlled now….even Tree Magnet was confident to follow my line choice down the chimney…. 😉

Cheers tic, my pleasure..

Now come down anytime and we'll spend a day in triscombe hurting me.

might be up at triscombe in a couple of weeks.

gonna hurt myself if I keep boating every weekend. at least when you **** it up riding you tend to stop after a few yards….

"I resent that remark"

Sharki ,you mis-spelt that ….. "I resemble that remark". I second that you should never , repeat never follow Sharki downhill !

Hmmph!

Now you all tell us!! 😉

It was fun though, and did someone say wet…..

Thanks again for showing us around sharki and buzz, and if you're ever in Sussex, east or west we'd be delighted to show you our stomping ground.

Cheers all

Pete aka Woodsman

Cheers Sharki for the guiding, was nice to meet up with the rest of you too. Good cake 🙂

I enjoy following Shanes lines (at about half the speed…)

I don't get what your all on about. I followed Sharki a few times and was very happy with his line choice and sheep clearing methods. Would be happy to follow down a trail again, A* guiding haha

his line choice

Stop sniggering at the back.

Thanks Pete, it's a rare comment.