[Closed] Chilterns - Dusty by now?

Yep, headed out in couple in minutes to see how many footpaths I can ride in the space of 3 hours. I fully expect not to have to clean my bike on my return, and to wash out on some dusty corners. If not, I want my money back.

Oh, and if there aren't any nice arses in jodhpurs I'll feel cheated...

Dusty trails AND jodhpurs???? Decision made!

Haha. Where ate you nickc? It's bone dry in ashridge and the ridgeway by ivenhoe beacon st the moment 🙂

yep, put the race-king 2.2's on fridday eve and it was bone dry and fast over the weekend, last night's rain won't have done much.

Yep, tWas dry over our way last night

Yep dusty round my way 😀

Yep its very hard, bumpy n dusty out there, done 68km ride there on sunday from just outside princes risboro, fantastic ride, saw 4 or 5 puddles in some woods, but that was all.

The chilterns are fantastic at the moment. In fact, I don't think I have ever seen them so dry this time of year - but then I do have a short memory so someone is bound to come along shortly and correct me.

Came back on Sunday with a filthy chain from the dust so it must be time to switch lubes.

Aprils have been good for years now.

Was like a race track this morning, still grinning :^)

I think we've had dusty trails this time of year the last three or four years running. Which indicates to me that July and August will be a washout again!

last time we had an april that was this dry, it was quickly followed by two years of rain (summer 07 to end 08)

just back from aston hill, bone dry, clouds of dust everywhere.

Even the bogs are starting to dry out. The main problem is areas where the horses have left their hoof marks and they've dried hard.

tut tut murray, its up to you to ride all the summers trails loads while they dry out to prevent this happening!

dry and dusty if you needed another voice 😉 riding very fast.

+1 (Wallingford area). Drier than a camel's todger. Although I'm not sure whether it's dust or ash on the trails.

Forecast is for dry weather until Sunday, then showers.

'tis dry had a marvelous ride of mostly linked together cheeky bits with the granny ring saddle-up-the-arse lung baiter that is the Stoner climb, and even that was a go-er today.

Have you seen the tank trap style barriers they've put along the ridge way? there's a thing, eh?

disappointingly, no nice jodhpur action though. 😥

65k (plus ladies/kids stuff) out of Princes Risborough on Saturday, what more do you need?

http://trailbreak.co.uk/southern_100s/

Absolutely gorgeous going east ish from Watlington last weekend. Can't wait to get back out there!

Good riding around Princes Risborough and Great Missenden, more hills than my local Ashridge area.

that trailbreak will be good, gutted im off to Hull 🙁

I must've seen 30 people in several groups in three hours around Nettlebed last night. Word is definitely out!

Have you seen the tank trap style barriers they've put along the ridge way? there's a thing, eh?

Are the bluebells out please?

Turning left onto Ridgeway from Watlington there's some there, and where it crosses under the M40 at bald hill, some there as well.

Woburn/Ashridge/Wendover all A1 at the moment.

[i]Are the bluebells out please? [/i]

Not yet, won't long though

A few Bluebells just starting to come out around my way, a few early ones peeping but main show still a few weeks off I think.

See you at the trailbreak on Saturday if you are going, I'll be the muppet on a barry white inbred 🙂 I'll be starting early so I've got a chance of finishing before dark!

Thank you, shall just have to exercise a little patience. 🙂

Blimey - I thought it'd be a chance for a quiet ride, but after this thread everyone & their dog's gonna be out there. I've met a Trailbreak out that way once before - they were riding down the smooth tarmac of Haw Lane near Bledlow Ridge as I was riding up it, then they were all riding (or mostly pushing) up the entertaining BW descent on the other side as I was going down... so think I'll give that one a miss this time!

Cinnamon, I saw one or two bluebells coming out on Saturday. And no, that's not a euphemism.

nickc, I assumed the tank-traps were to prevent terrorists from attacking our trails.

<Must....resist....suicide Marzocchi bombers....pun.....>

Quick access question for locals - is it possible to get through Turville Park from the road East of it to the BW that's to the west of it (eg BW/track junction at about 735912).

Anybody? Looks like a track/road up to the farm on the OS map but from Google Earth it looks like it may be a bit cheeky in a hoity-toity get-orf-my-laaaand-or-ill-set-the-dogs-onya sort of way.

Just checking, there isn't an event there on Sunday is there? Just in case I have some energy left over from the Purbecks ride. 😉

thepurist - wouldn't advise upsetting local landowners. :roll

thepurist - never ridden it, but sure you could sneak through if its not a big group.

Instead, depending which way you're headed, but I'd go north, down a great descent on the bridleway at Turville Heath, to a road (747/919) and go left uphill (sneaky track on right of road) to Northend.

Ah heck, I'll give it a go... what's the worst that could happen?

STS - I'm piecing together a route that gets me from Maidensgrove over toward Ibstone so was planning to do that descent anyway - wall of death round the corners IIRC? (CMA - obviously with due care to walkers, horses, dogs etc... )

Will be at the start of the trail break on the Summit MTB stand for a bit dishing out flyers then heading over to feed and water stop to dish out drinks, lark about and wonder why im not riding instead.

All the guys that have been out marking the course have come back dusty so i would say its about the best its going to be all year...

the purist - not sure you can - thought there was a big set of gates/ park entrance, rather than just a farm track.

Excited now! Can't wait for tomorrow, woot!

Just rounding off this question...

Quick access question for locals - is it possible to get through Turville Park from the road East of it to the BW that's to the west of it (eg BW/track junction at about 735912).

We rode it from W to E on Saturday - no signs, gates or any other indication of restriction at the W end, just a concrete track heading uphill. The track then went over a cattle grid, past some high brick walls and then out towards the road past a couple of signs which I turned round to read... "Private, Farm Vehicles Only". Ooops! Though in my defence it was technically only cheeky after the fact. Cracking ride though, even if I did bend my mech hanger on the last big descent.

Anyone ride the summit65 on saturday?

Had a right laugh in the feed station messing about and chatting with riders. Wuld have preffered to be riding though seeing some of the cheesy smiles

Enjoyed the event on Sat, welcomed the flapjack at the feed station, should have taken a larger slice thou.

Any chance of an update please? Was there much rain in the area yesterday? Thinking about visiting on Monday.

Thank you. 🙂

Not much rain yet, but lots forecast for tomorrow. Depends how heavy I suppose as to whether the trails can handle it without getting a bit messy. Tossing up Malvern or the Chilterns for tomorrow's ride personally...it's going to be pretty foul wherever I think!

Edit - lots forecast for tonight actually now, just showers tomorrow (BBC).

Tomorrow looks grim! Sounds as though there will be a fair amount of rain overnight.

Hope it's not too horrendous for you pedalhead! Of course next Saturday will be wonderful weather for the Winchester ride. 😀

But of course 😀

The Chilterns were still dry today Pedalhead. There was even a little dust in places but in general the conditions were really good around Woodcote and Nettlebed. I think they've coped with the recent rain really well after two or more dry weeks.

Of course riding during rain of biblical proportions may not be the same if it's really due to be that bad tomorrow?

Thanks, that's reassuring. Looks like I may have a local guide around the Malverns lined up now so I think I'll head in that direction tomorrow.

Nice and dry here a few miles east of the Chilterns AND the bluebells are coming out nicely. And some jodhpurs around here today. Got back about 7 in drizzle, been raining harder since then so might not be as nice tomorrow.

Its fast rolling but quite slippy i would say.

Conditions were still good this morning:

[img] [/img]

but it's been raining since 7pm and lots more expected overnight. 😕

Been pissing it down all night & still raining now 😥

yea, not too great now.

well today's ride was wet but the ground was still fast as not as slippy as before, good fun 🙂