Well, this ride ended in a very sad way for Jim (Shinythings), but what a ride.

Started out at Hound Tor then crossed, via Jay's Grave to Hameldown Tor

We then crossed I think to Grimspound, descended "Psycho" (a tad too steep for me in places) and then down some amazing singletrack in the "Golden Triangle" ending up at Warren House Inn.

Then it was Hookney Tor and down another mad decsent.

I am not too sure of the route we took to get back to Hound Tor, but there was some lovely bridleway with some yeucky climbing too!

Unfortunately, when we got to the car park, Jim rode down this innocuous looking dip. In what can only be described as a freak accident, he put on his front brake, and his back one too but the back one did nothing and right inbetween the cars he went over the handlebars and had a really awkward landing, really damaging his arm.

As you can see, Rich was taking this very seriously. We went back to Jim's house and he decided not to go to hospital. But hopefully it wont be too serious, although we think he could really be uncomfortable for the next few days.

Rich will be along on this thread tomorrow with some more pics, including a very embarrassing off for me, but it was more a case of the bike trapping me on a steep and loose uphill canyon but at least I gave it a go and didn't bottle it in the end.

Hope everyone else had amazing rides this weekend.

Si

Full set here although it was one of those rides where you just wanted to ride the amazing stuff and not faff with too many pics.

looks lovely on the moor.

Ah, Rich has loaded his pics up 😳

It was very steep hence me needing a bit of help getting my bike off me!

Aw! Mr Hill has changed his pink helmet 🙁

*waves at Si Hill*

Ah, Rich has loaded his pics up

I certainly have but Flickr was slow this evening and I've only got ten or so of them up so far. Great ride and nice dry, unspongey trails, unusual for Dartmoor. Shame about Shinythings's accident. Glad he missed my car though and the carpark at the end of the ride's not a bad place to come a cropper 😉 Hope you are OK Jim 🙂

You seem to have posted up my piccies for me, but here's a couple more…..

Ah Rich – there are some good pics – i didnt think you were meant to be on your computer tonight 😮

i didnt think you were meant to be on your computer tonight

Nor did I but I'm taking advantage of a sudden, unexpected hour of free time gifted to me by way of something called the 'Lark Rise to Candleford Phenomenon' 😉

Well im alive. Made a damn good effort to kill myself on the second loop. 40km in total. Need to be stronger….

Has anyone heard from Jim? Is he OK?

Had a text from Jim at about 6pm saying that he was thinking of going for an x ray, but not heard any more.

Shame to hear about Jim's accident. Equally devastating news is that the lower part of the Bowerman's Nose bridleway, below the gate, has been sanitised with hardcore everywhere, and all the rooty steps gone. 🙁

We were out from Yarner around to the Hound, Bowermans, Easdon, back via Black Death. Looks like you guys did Bowermans so you probably saw the 'damage' there! Looks like Easdon in the photos too. The singletrack there was almost too dry – very hard bumpy dried out mud, but the wet bit in the trees was as bad as ever. That section really needs a substantial diversion.

Oh yes, nearly forgot, Jim was blaming octopron brake pads for his car park incident 😕

Tim

I think one plan may have been to do Bowerman's, but our legs didn't want to carry on so we called it a day around 3pm. I think Simon may have continued, but yes, the guys did speak about that bridleway.

Yeah – Jim did speak dark words about checking to see if the pads were "Super**** Comp*****" but I will let the man speak for himself on this matter once he is back with us.

Si

My mate and I were out then – I think we may have seen you over by Haytor, by the spoil heep by the disused quarry? Howel Tor?

Map Linky

BTW they are taking down the chair along from Jayes Grave as its been refused planning permission 🙁

Jim has broken his arm and cannot ride a bike for up to six weeks 🙁

Yep, just heard the news from Jim too. 🙁

Healing vibes to shinythings.

Broken his arm! Dang, that's really bad news.

Just so people know, Rich and I went back with Jim to his house and to help consider if he should go to hospital. Although he was in a bit of pain when moving it in a certain way, I am surprised that he wasn't in a more obvious type of pain given that it was broken.

Rich – can you send a get well soon message, from me and everyone? The other thing is that Jim had thought about wearing elbow pads but decided against it. Maybe a lesson for people here in that the most innocuous of places to ride can result in something like this. I am deffo padding up for Wednesday!

Spam alert

Cheers for the consolations all (apart from that git Si, who's probably still taking the P**s!)
The brake is across the radial head which explains why I couldn't feel it by hand and why I felt a tad sore driving and this morning (not at all exacerbated by the radiographer asking me to "just lay your arm flat with palm up"….Yeah,right!) .

This should be a notable warning about the pads that dare not speak their name. Yes, that's the make that delaminated on my rear! I've not had a problem with them in 2 yrs because I was mindful of not letting the back plate corrode which seems to be the usual problem. But, you don't expect failure in barely used pads!! The one side that's left in the rear indicates hardly any wear.
Unfortunately the lever went straight to the bar just as I was heading towards the car and instinctively I grabbed a handful of front with no room to maneouvre… straight to the scene of an awkward landing!

Otherwise a brill day and a good Dartmoor Swansong for Herr Ralli.

they have been taking the chair down for about three years now.

they have been taking the chair down for about three years now.

I heard they had to re-apply for planning permission last year and were refused – the last permission was for 5 years?

BTW sorry to hear about his broken arm – hope it heals quickly 🙁

We're riding up around this way next weekend, quite interested to know where this "psycho" descent is around Grimspound? "A little too steep in places" sounds great 😀

(apart from that git Si, who's probably still taking the P**s!)

Ah Jim, to cheer you up I have uploaded this little video of you cleaning the canyon and showing Si (the otherone) how to do it!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/simonralli/4434748411/in/photostream/

Delusional – I think Psycho is the Bridleway that goes west down of Hameldown Tor? maybe some can verify that. It is a fast descent with lots of drop offs and jumping off boulders, but even the chicken run bits proved too steep and twisty for me. I am sure someone of your talents though would love it, and then immediately after you have some very fast, dry, twisty singletrack to play on.

Healing vibes from the edge of the tox Jim.

IIRC, 'Psycho' i believe drops down to Grimspound from the top of Hameldown, as you head up Hameldown fork left to pass the memorial stone and continue to the left eventually heading south, you'll reach a large barrow, 'Broad Barrow' here you need to find the NW trail and head to the cairn/trig and continue NW down to Grimspound from there, it's at this trig, Si hucks off that rock as seen in the pics.

IMO. It's not too steep, just rapid and rather rough going if that's how you like it…

*misses the moor*

Cool – I havent been down the pyscho before – I'll do that the next time I'm up – cheers 🙂

i miss the 'moor too! really need a fix soon-do you know of any group rides?

Great, thanks for the directions. I think I've spotted it and will try and work it into our ride on Sunday 😀

I'm glad you've already heard of my talents Simon!

*misses sharki*

Riding 'Psycho' isn't actually allowed, for Rights of Way reasons, so of course any reference to riding down it must be purely imaginary 😉

Looks like a fun day out apart from the injury. 🙁

Im new to this forum and XC bikes but live just outside Plymouth and am hoping to get out on Dartmoor soon, hopefully next week once my Juicy 5's are fitted.

I'll make a post as i dont know anyone that rides XC so would like to go out with a group for a day, you chaps seen a friendly bunch! haha

Adam

Like riding the two moors way down to widdicome – tis a blast APARENTLY 😉

Yes Hameldown Ridge does look rather interesting *on the map* doesn't it?

Well I SAW someone ride it yesterday – it was lovely weather and HE was going rather fast with a big grin on his face whilst he blasted (carefully) past the kids practising for the Ten Tors 🙂 He said 'its soo lovely up here and dry trails are fantastic'. I said do you realise this is not bridleway…. 😉 I think he was riding an Orange Five which aparently was created for descents like that IIRC 😉

Well I of course did not ride it, either actually or theoretically so did nothing untoward 😀

🙂 He sent me a link to his Garmin tracklog 😉

Si did not ride it either 'cos he took so much air at the top that his wheels never touched the ground! (and that family of ramblers at the bottom knew it was a cheeky trail 'cos they were very reluctant at returning our good morning greetings)

BTW, more bad news about Jim. His brand new handlebars are **** as well 🙁

Cheeky trails in the winter are APARENTLY allowed – in the summer they are APARENTLY more difficult to ride because the rangers are out and about a bit more 😉 and there are more walkers 🙁

There's a notice board in Dartmoor that says "cyclists must keep to the paths"

Well it certainly appears to be a path and that's good enough for me.

If the tenant farmer says we can ride across Hameldown, that's good enough for me 😀
Grab the conditions while you can cos they don't really get better, apart from hotter.

Slight snag; A broken arm and the washing up don't mix!

Sharki, about time we saw you back on the moor.

Is it your fettlin arm Jimbob???

Tim im puttin an email together to complain about Bowermans. I see no point as once you a re through the gate all hell brakes loose as ever…

Also contacted RoW officer about it. Will send round anyone whose interested. Its shocking that there was no consultation and Easdon remains in such an inaccessible state