I remember years ago there used to be a fair few meet ups arranged on here...in fact, WCA organised the first Big Bike Bash (before we knew it would be the first BBB!) simply through the kindness of his heart...
I've seen some great kindness on this here website...the support I've received of y'all (both forum and PM based) when going through my tough split - and I'll go as far as to say I think I've been kind as well... I let NedRapier stay over at my house years ago (I was there) , and I let Stoner's wife stay over at my house a few years back (oi oi..I WASN'T even there that time! Just gave her the key!)
I'm not sure what the weather's meant to be doing in a few weeks...but I'm happy to extend out a little welcome to you nice people of STW to come on down to Worthing and I can show you around the lovely area that is our stretch of the South Downs... We can head off in the late morning, enjoy the area, maybe ride over to Devils Dyke taking in the scenery on teh way..a few little cheeky trails, and then back to mine for a BBQ and some beers...
I was thinking maybe saturday 14th September - a few weeks time...
People are welcome to stay over at mine if they wanted to after the ride and they're coming from afar (I won't have the kids, so can lay a few mats on the floor in their room if bunk beds aren't your thing!)... Or there's loads of lovely hotels in Worthing.
I'm sure I could even stick up a big tent in teh garden (will have to check) to put a few up I guess!
Dunno if this appeals to anyone, but I miss the days of the old "STW meetups"!!
I'd love to as I'd like to meet you. But that weekend my lad is racing at FoD.
Cool... Which race is that??
Good luck to your lad! Can always arrange another day too I guess!
DrP
Sounds a great offer and thank you for making it but alas its too far to reasonably trek there and back in a weekend.
A generous offer and normally I'd say yes but logistically a bit of a challenge for me at the mo. Thanks though.
Cool… Which race is that??
Little Fodders enduro at the FoD.
To add a little though. These sort of days are what make forums more interactive than just pixels. Every year i put on a motorbike weekend for a forum group, we've had 15, we've had 35 people... it was EPIC, we all got to know eachother and made our online personalities even closer as friends.
I've done a few STW days with small groups i've arranged in Morzine and it's one of the highlights of my year, not just because i'm in Morzine but because i'm meeting up with guys from here...
So well done to you for giving it a go !
Sounds grand but I live abroad. Great initiative and more of this sort of thing...
If you ever come to Sweden I can host!
Yes please count me in! I don't live a million miles away so won't need to take up your generous offer of somewhere to sleep.
Bad timing! Would love to come but you’ve picked the only month where I’ve got things happening.
Can’t make the weekend of the 14th as I’m working. If other people are in the same boat, the weekend of the 21st works for me.
Sounds interesting - my mum's in Worthing I could combine a ride with a visit.
Nice one! I would definitely have been up for this but I’m taking my daughter back to uni that weekend.
What a lovely idea. I'd love to, but it's a bit too much of a trek for me at the moment with current employment vagaries.
Well, I'm interested, but.. there's "but"s...
1. I'm a sick man, so no way I could keep up DrP riding pace (not that I ever could lOLZ).
2. I have my son (he was a wee lad at BBB no.1!) and dog that weekend. Dog would've been up for it 5 years ago, but she's too old now - son [i]might[/i] be up for it, if we've got him a new bike by then (I sold the Yeti). However, he's not a fan of "XC", so I'd have to do some persuading...
So, providing there's an old, knackered-heart-bloke pace and I can get the boy out the house... we could make a day of it!
pa. Brill idea. STW Meetups have been marvellous over the years.
pa.? ..(ps.) 🙂
I can't make that weekend but I'll keep an eye out in case you reschedule.
Im out, little bro's stag do that weekend.
Wassup y'all.....
I think we'll stick with this date (14th sep) as there's interested parties both online and in the real world..
TimP will be joining us too!
Dez... Come along.. Would be great to see you again (don't really have facilties for a dog though 🤷♂️)... Your lad will have fun too!
Those who've shown interest for other dates, look in you diaries for 'alternating weekends to this one' as i have my kiddies every other weekend!
I'll pm those who wanna come with more details 😁
DrP
Kid has his new Trek, so I think will be keen to try it out 🙂
We'll see how slow I am on Sunday. I don't mind being left behind though, I'll keep slogging away 😆
If anyone is on the SDW on this Sunday (8th) and sees someone going by on an electric unicycle then it's probably me, so if you fancy trying one then flag me down 🙂
Might be a bit knackered as I am trying London to Brighton via the Thames Path, Wey Navigation, Downs Link, SDW, Meridian Trail 🙂 As long as my charging stops pan out, otherwise I will be ubering home.
Unfortunately, we're out now too. Kid has a trial shift at his (potential) new job.
Shame.
Just pinged out a PM to you all!!
Weather is looking lush!!
DrP
I never made it onto the SDW on my electric unicycle on Sunday in the end 🙁
I started out from clapham junction at 8.15am in the morning with a view of trying to get to Brighton.
I rode along the Thames Path and then down the Wey Navigation, stopping at The Anchor, Wisley at 11.10am for a couple of hours to recharge.
Then the going was slow down to Guildford as the canal path wasn't much more than a track in places and bumpy from cows using that area, so I couldn't keep good speed up on my 18inch wheel.
Joined the Downs Link and had one spill on a steepish downhill bit (not many of them) as I made a mess of getting around a corner, and then stopped at The Bax Castle for just under 2 hours for another battery recharge.
Left there at 6.05pm and only had a couple of hours of light to get to Brighton so had to miss out the SDW route and continued down to Shoreham on the downs link and then along the front into Brighton to arrive at Brighton station at 8.20pm - pretty much 12 hours with 8 hours riding (standing 🙂 ) and 40% battery left.
85 miles, mildly fun - mostly did it to see how feasible it was. Not really viable for popping down from London to see the relatives 🙂
My wheel is like this one :
Love to but used my hols. Very good offer though.
In Wales this weekend but live in Chichester, work just south of Arundel but don't really know anyone to ride with down this way.
That was an absolutely brilliant day thanks DrP.
6hrs? 100K? Thank the lord we couldn't make it! 😆
And I was holding them back too!
Felt pretty sick at points 🤢🤢🤢