Unless I missed them!! I do believe it would have been great for a SINGLETRACK REP to have been there 2day, for the report and an article in the next issue, which is what it deserves, just to show the following and support they get, ie, how many people today?, 50 riders at least, great stuff. Never seen so many posts on 1 Thread!! must be a record.
once again Well done CG, Hagh Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrggggggggggghhhh!
Lets hope there is a photo of the day in an issue soon !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
in fact I think the word "f***" featured a fair bit. Sorry about that...
Rudeboy, sorry, but I got lucky with a couple of bargains! That said, bikes yours for a tidy profit! 
Regarding Aleigh, I thank her very much for the lift. I was going to totally take the piss etc. as you wanted Rudeboy, but seeing as the girl isn't here to defend herself for a week (off on her holidays tonight), I don't think it's all that fair. That said, you can tell the class of a girl when she's impressed by me telling her my record journey time from Tewkesbury to Heathrow Terminal 4. I've been passenger in a car with slower drivers shall we say! Haha. All good though, we got back safely (and quickly) in one piece.
Besides mate, there was a backup plan, I've got an ex GF in Guildford that I'd have called in to the rescue if everything fell through or she tried something funny! 
I am gutted I missed out.
I set off nice and early in the freezing fog and was driving along marveling at how pretty the trees were covered in frost when my car overheated!
I think something somewhere had frozen and the water wasnt getting round the system properly.
After waiting for things to cool down a bit and checking all the pipes and joins for signs of leakage everything was ok but I would have been too late.
I will try and make the next one because it looks like you all had a good time
Thanks for organising it all Cinnamon Girl! and thanks also to Forge197, great to be taken round such good trails!
Anyone else there on a 29er?? I didn't spot any. Might have to get some bouncy forks for mine soon... my hands hurt too much now!
Mike
C_G, thanks for a wonderful day. It was my maiden ride there but I shall be back for more.
Wearing shorts was rather an interesting experience, bit cold standing, fine riding. It wasn't till I got off the train that I realised it was stupidly chilly.
I must also add WCA should be in Top Gear, I really love a Merc coupe as a bike carrier. And your gin was really good too. Would you post your recepie please? You'd be fabulous alongside May 
Overall, it was fantastic, well worth the effort and I want more. Swinley pt. 2, when?
Hi auntie C_G, thanks for organising a great day out. What a great turnout.
Big thanks also to Forge for guiding and Atlaz for sweeping.
Looking forward to my next Swinley trip already. 
mboy; Aleigh is lovely. A good friend, as are several of the Soft Southern Shandy Drinkers crew. She knows I love her really!
I can honestly say, I can't remember ever going on a colder ride before. It seldom gets that cold down South, and if it does, I don't tend to venture out too far!
Got nice and warm once moving, though, especially with Fu Manchu leading in the afternoon!
Once again to those who wimped out, or made excuses about not wanting to ride in a big group blah blah;
It's all about the fun, happy aspect of mountain biking. CG never advertised it as anything else. It wasn't a 'fast XC ride', or a 'gnarly + rad (Dude) session', or anything 'hardcore'. It was just meant to be fun.
And it was a roaring success. Just look at the responses of people on here, who actually went. EVERYONE had a great time, even the bloke who sadly broke his bike.
See? See what you missed out on? Fair enough, if you had a fast ride planned on your own, or your regular crowd, or whatever. But to those who doubted, well, you couldn't be proven more wrong, I'm glad to say. And if you can't see the appeal of just getting out on your bike, to ride some great trails, with great company, in a totally chilled out and relaxed atmosphere, then you are missing out in life!
Until the next one!
(Raises glass can to Cinnamon girl...)
'ere don't forget the Cotswold Massiv! Three of us there today.
Costswold Massive?
Splitters!
PLease, please, don't let that be nasty pron...
(Crosses fingers, legs, arms, toes, everything...)
I didn't made it but I had a proper excuse. Got suck 11 hours in a 106 trying to void my driving licence trough France, by the look of it I may even have succeded.
Blimey. You alright, Juan? P1ss poor excuse, mind..
RudeBoy, it's alright, I was taking the piss, I got to hear all about you and (some of?) your misdemeanours on the way home
My sentiments entirely as you say about the ride. Good fun had by all I think, nothing taken too seriously, and some very nice trails ridden! Was glad when you fast boys buggered off though, as was said to me when you lot disappeared, "it's alright, you can slow down now, you manly pride is preserved". Haha, think the lady that said it (Kate?) knows me only too well!
Bloody singlespeeder, put some gears on your bike you cheapskate!
Heh! Living in London is so bloody expensive, I can't afford gears... 
I didn't expect the Cotswold Massive...
NOBODY EXPECTS THE COTSWOLD MASSIVE!
Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency.... Our *three* weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency...and an almost fanatical devotion to the Cotswolds.... Our *four*...no... *Amongst* our weapons.... Amongst our weaponry...are such elements as fear, surprise.... I'll come in again.
The dreaded Cotswold Massive attempt to kidnap the lovely Cinnamon Girl, but their evil plans are scuppered, when Nettles develops another hernia...
Pete - who were the others in the Cotswold Massiv then? I've given up asking IHateNettles to come on rides - I don't think he likes me! Is it cos I talk too much?
Strangelove - what bad luck. I'm sure there will be another one.
Megatron - did you not see the legendary WCA on a 29er?, no 69er? no 79er? Full suss. WCA - what was it called?
Hairychested - it's colder in the countryside!!
pants - I may well have a word with my mate Chipps!
Rudeboy - don't think the Cotswold Massiv were too impressed when I rocked up for a ride. Only girlie amongst 8 fit blokes, I certainly wasn't complaining! But reckon Bushwacked did when he very kindly helped me to carry my bike through The Field of Doom!!
Neville and Julian were the other two. Neville posts as R6MY and rode the white Pace 405, Julian was on the Yeti.
Well that certainly was the coldest ride i can remember being on. I didnt remember filling my water bottles with slush puppie but i certainly ended up with one!
Another great ride though, thanks again to C_G for planning it all and for the group leaders, forge and fu_manchu and for everyone else for the good company, good to see a few familiar faces and meet a load of new ones..
Didn't Aleigh give you a lift home? And you're still alive????!! Still in shock? Need therapy? Poor lad...
Of course he's still alive, and he even survived two cups of tea that I made for him as well (that weren't made with cold water and a tea bag in the microwave I hasten to add! :wink:)
Besides mate, there was a backup plan, I've got an ex GF in Guildford that I'd have called in to the rescue if everything fell through or she tried something funny!
I don't try anything funny - not on the first bike ride anyway!
I, as did all, had an excellent time! My Camelbak tube thing, well the water in it froze so I couldn't have a drink at all so I had to buy a bottle of water in the cafe
Right, whilst you lot are all tucked up in bed I'm off to Tenerife now for some sunshine for a week woohoo!
Nice to meet those that I did, you were great company
Just to add my thanks, I thought it was a cracking ride, and a pretty substantial turnout given the weather. Thanks to c_g and Aleigh for organising, Paul for leading our intermediate group, dezb for the photos and pants et al for the Mule bars when I felt done in near the end
Cheers for the Garmin tracklogs, too - I meant to take mine but forgot. Not sure I believe the claimed 827 Calories burned - maybe in 25C it would be!
BRRRrrrrrrrr. It was absolutly freeeeeezing in the forest. What an amazing turnout on such a cold day. The singletrack was running really fast, although there was that constant fear of hiting a patch of ice at speed and stacking into the trees.
Well done to CG for organising a great day out.
Big 'Thank you' to Paul for leading our little group around. Perfect pace for me , fast , with enough little rests to let the tail enders catch up. They were never more than a few seconds behind so no standing around waiting and getting cold. Just got to get my front mech to work as advertised. I think it had enough moisture in the cabling to freeze as it was working when i got the bike out of car.
[smug singlespeed git mode] Front mech?Nah, mate you don't want to be bothering with mechs, and cables, and all that malarky! [/smug singlespeed git mode]
Personally, I think the ride, and Cinnamon Girl, deserve recognition in Singletrack. After all, it's through the forum that we all met up, and how the ride was organised. And it promotes ST magazine. And CG went to a lot of trouble, organising the ride, and worrying about whether everyone was going to be ok.
But I'm sure Chipps, Mark et al will have noted this, and be planning to give CG the recognition she deserves!
Jammy buggers. Sounds like you all had a right laugh.
If anyone ever fancies organising a Cannock Chase meet I'll be glad to help loop some of the off-the-beaten-track stuff in. Plenty enough for a 3+hr ride with shorter options.
PT
nicko74
Cheers for the Garmin tracklogs, too - I meant to take mine but forgot. Not sure I believe the claimed 827 Calories burned - maybe in 25C it would be!
Rudeboy - thanks for the nice words but it was a team effort. The guides and sweepers were brilliant and it couldn't have happened with them.
One guide I already knew, had met 3 for the first time at the Swinley New Year's Eve Ride and the other one I hadn't met before! It just goes to show that there's good public-spirited people in the mtb community.
PS Hope everyone has been enjoying the slightly warmer weather today!
Does anyone have a gps/gpx of the ride as i couldnt get and wanted to find out where certain sections/trails were?
CG; you are too modest. I think everyone would agree, you made a lot of effort, to organise this, and make sure everyone had a good time. A 'team' effort, maybe, but every team needs a good leader.
Mention also to Aleigh, for helping motivate people, and generally being lovely as well, and to the guys who kindly led the different groups around.
GPS, Check out my post on Page 11
Can't see anymore photo links. Anyone else get some to add to my efforts?
I think sandwich was taking some but he has not uploaded them yet.
Pants - i have checked it out but it wont allow me to download the .gpx file.
A big thank you to C-G for organising the event and to DezB for the super photos. Glad you enjoyed my choice of route for the intermediate run and I look forward to the next STW event. It will be warmer!
The Paul D in the purple Buffalo.
Quite a few of you were asking if it could become a monthly event which is obviously very flattering!!
Would be interested to receive constructive comments/suggestions about the day, how the groups worked, should there be a maximum number in a group, choice of trails etc etc. Please don't mention the weather though!!
As regards a monthly event, it would be dependent upon guides being available to help out. If there is anyone else with local knowledge who wants to volunteer, I could certainly co-ordinate. I'm a local so happy to lead but am a slow old girl so wouldn't suit the majority
Monthly???? You mean your not doing one this weekeknd as well??
Seriously, a monthly gathering would be a great idea if the locals are happy to be on guide duty of course.
I would certainly be interested in both riding and if wished, leading another ride. I would say that monthly would be a ok, or perhaps quarterly for the big organised rides. At the end of the day it would appear that quite a few STW riders are regulars including the two pauls and me when I can ride. There is a ride most Saturdays from about 8:30, im sure people could start to tag along to these and I don't see any issue with trying to state times on the site like forge did for NYE.
Certainly group size (for mine) wasn't an issue! If the rides were more frequent then I would imagine people would get a better idea of levels, in the past we have always tried to balance out the group speed as best as possible to accomodate all, the cold was probably the biggest factor in necessitating the need to split on saturday into abilities. From experience we have found 15 is about the max for a reasonable flow through the trails.
Ian
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