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Might try and get some of QECP in during the long ride today Mattbee, may see you, what bike should we look out for?
Me and the missus in a pair of Transition Bandits, hers grey & mine red!
I did the CX SDW sting today over Duncton and the SDW is running hard and dry, forests too but in some of the bomb holes it's a bit gloopy.
Lovely hack has to be said.
8)
Really pleased that this thread is still going. 🙂 Alas I've moved out of Hampshire and haven't been on a bike for 5 weeks, or is it 6?
Just on the off chance that anyone's interested, Imber Church (in the middle of Salisbury Plain) will be open over Easter and guess who's been accepted for volunteering again. 8)
http://www.imberchurch.org.uk/
Alas I've moved out of Hampshire
Eh?
Thats all wrong that 😆
😆 May be back, who knows! Glad you enjoyed your cx ride. 🙂
Didn't see you Mattbee but we were a little later in the day than expected.
Ohh results for the S'th Downs Sting CX event are up, I did really rather well.. 😀
Evening ride with BigShep today, last time we tried this route his crank arm kept falling off so we had to knock it on the head after about 10 miles. Tonight we set out full of hope and after 3 miles my rear mech started playing up, eventually we fixed it and 2 miles later I got a massive thorn in the tyre. Fixed that, then spent the rest of the ride with a slow puncture, third time lucky maybe?
Still managed 22 miles and it was a good workout.
Anyone signed up for the QECP night Enduro event? I was bullied into it, I should have stood my ground but I weakened under pressure. I may die!
Don't worry the collective will be there to give you beer at the end.
I'm in, worry not its a blinking ace event ( but we need to play it down or it'll be too popular)
It's a fabulous event (I don't take part but pop over to watch) You see so many folks improving their technique and lines that it's worth going over for that alone. If you get a bit wobbly just watch someone else come through the same section and watch what lines they take, and the speed.
I'll be there to watch again, the CX'er useless for this sort of thing 😆
I know that I shouldn't be posting here any more but am feeling quite left out! Here's a pic of today's little pootle - it's Knapp Down taken from the Shaston Drove in Wiltshire:
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That area still counts! Hell, my rides often take me over the border in to Wiltshire and even (Shudders) Berkshire!
Are you over that way now, CG? Shall have to meet in Sarum some day! (Am often in a well known velocipede establishment on a Saturday morning as well....)
Niiiice pic, you need to post more like that. Discover the area, post back 😀
Stunning pic CG, you are allowed here with pics like this no prob,em :-). Anyway, you'll be back in Hampshire at some point won't you!
Are you over that way now, CG? Shall have to meet in Sarum some day! (Am often in a well known velocipede establishment on a Saturday morning as well....)
Dorset to be precise Cap'n. You really must find an lbs!! 😉
Niiiice pic, you need to post more like that. Discover the area, post back
Thanks bb. I enjoy exploring the countryside although I've ridden this drove road before.
Stunning pic CG, you are allowed here with pics like this no prob,em :-). Anyway, you'll be back in Hampshire at some point won't you!
Thanks john and of course it's thanks to you that we have this excellent thread. Has been great to share routes and local info. 8) Not sure where I'll end up though!
Mattbee.
QECP D/N trails are not the cheeky Headdown ones this year.
They are in the main park and will not include Bermy as its being demolished.
I am 'racing' this , should be fun.
Which is bermy? Part of the current red?
nope bermy was/isn't 'official' it was part of stage 2 at the last day night, the bit with a series of bermy chutes that led to the steep roll in and then at the end the chalky rock gardens before the slog back to the top.
Ahh right. Secret stuff *taps nose*
Anyway, this slogging back up thing? How big a part of the race is this? I ask because I am more rubbish at this than I am going down.
The 'transitions' had a fairly generous time for completing. You could either thrash yourself up to the stage start and then rest before your start time, or pace the winch back up. Sadly I exploded after transition 3 and missed my fourth stage start time so I'm not really I a position to give any advice on that.
I think the best advice would be don't stop on the transition and try and pace yourself so you've got some legs for the timed bit.
So when we speak of transitions I think of the changeover between run and ride in a duathalon. Would I be correct in assuming that the transition in this case is the period of time between reaching the bottom of one hill and returning to the start of the next?
Would I be correct in assuming that the transition in this case is the period of time between reaching the bottom of one hill and returning to the start of the next?
Yes and no. You have a start time for each stage. You need to complete the preceding stage and get back up to the start of the upcoming stage within the time between the preceding and upcoming start times, so if you have an epic crash/mechanical whilst racing a stage you may struggle to make the transition. As long as you don't stand around talking all the transitions are pretty easy - I pushed the uphills a lot on the day/night to keep my legs fresh for pedalling the stages.
Looking forwards to the race - only seem to visit QECP for enduros!
In Wiltshire again, this time the Wylye Valley which is one of my favourite places.
If you look just above the gate, between the trees, there is the end of a terrific piece of single track.
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In the middle of the pic is a chalky double track, long long climb that brings you out almost to a fun gully descent.
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Only 11 miles that included Snail Creep Hanging Wood, what an amazing name. Twas good to be out except the place where I'd hoped to get a cuppa was closed, boo.
What have you chaps been up to then?
Great Pics, is that some blue sky right there ? Well we had loads of that too on the Coast 8)
I hacked up into the Hills for some early climbs and all went rather well. Nice to be out in short legs and L/S top and a cheeky grin. As my ride went on more and more bike'ists came out to play and I hooked up with a fast bunch heading back to Wickham... did my turns then turned South for home, took in the Coast road to ogle at Warsash Spring Series competitors bob around in 5knts and bright blue sky.
Got home, and drank Tea to M-SR...
The. Day. Was. Awesome.
FWCC fas boys BB???
Digging up at QECP today. Its bone dry so get up there if you can as the trails are rolling well.
Wearing shorts??? I was in Winter tights and softshell jacket due to the Easterly wind, it was biting.
Only dampener of the day was being involved in a road rage incident that resulted in a stand off. I had a word with the ned. 😐
Ended up at QECP late this afternoon just for an hour of riding. Saw some of the collective coming down the final decent as I started the ride, were you one of them Singletrackmind? Trails were indeed running well and I bagged myself some Strava PR's on the downs, none on the ups because I am rubbish 🙂
Nice pics CG, Wiltshire is looking fine 🙂
CG, re my choice of LBS....
They're local enough! Have always spent time in Salisbury, and often pop over on a Saturday morning en famille. Lovely little city, so very much worth the trip.
They're excellent. FACT.
I'm very loyal to good people, and they're very good people.
😉
FWCC it was indeed !
I knows wheres they ryde, I knows where's thys stop fer kake. 😆
Short legs now the Suns out, tan lines need topping up. We must have had 13C down yer, that yeller thing in the sky kept me back warm and pacing on kept me blood flowing.
No pics from me, too fast, too head down, too introvert fer glamorous landscapes 😆
FW are my roadie club
Inters for me , Im not quite able to mix it with the fast boys ( and girl )
JJ . Nope . recovering from manflu so full of bogies , hence no riding and abit of mattock work for me today
Need some miles this week though as its HonC in 2 weeks ish , might do another 6 reps of Harvesting Lane after work
Qecp again this morning, very different from last weekend, wet and slippy and fell off twice. Also got shown up on the hills by two others, but they do say that you only get better by being ritually humiliated hill after hill!
Well done for getting out! I reckon we'd been a tad spoiled with dusty trails and tomorrow doesn't look any better, boo.
Just cross-referencing this post:
[url= http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/cotic-and-turner-stolen-last-night-in-winchester ]Bikes stolen in Winchester[/url]
Had my Cotic and Turner stolen from a very securely locked garage last night in Winchester.
That's shitty markend, sorry to hear. Will keep an eye out around Andover and Fareham plus QECP if the dirty, theiving gits actually ride them before selling on.
cx's were spotted at Imber today. Riders and bikes were pretty mucky.
Imber featured on Sky news today, they were just leaving as I arrived.
@Cinnamon Girl. Inspired by your photo I drove to Wilton to ride out last Tuesday (the windy one) and got to Snail Creep before turning back.
Strava [url= https://www.strava.com/activities/276998685 ]here[/url] if you're interested.
I'll be heading out that way again on Tuesday with my son and a friend. Can you recommend anywhere near Snail Creep for a light lunch?
[url= https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7598/16841749528_e310af1315_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7598/16841749528_e310af1315_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/rEfnnS ]2015-03-31 15.42.47[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/122586547@N08/ ]perfectbalancecycles[/url], on Flickr
Mostly_Balanced - really pleased that my pic inspired you and I guess if I log into Strava your route can be enlarged? Happy to pass on gpx's from that area, e-mail in profile.
As regards lunch am sorry but don't know. This is where I was hoping to have a coffee but it was closed, they serve meat from their own farm:
http://www.thegingerpiggery.co.uk/
Over 1,000 visitors to Imber Church today including more cyclists. Pretty exhausted now from serving refreshments all day!
I am intrigued CG, 1000 visitors to a church, our local struggles to get 10, how did they do it?
Took both. Holden up to QECP yesterday, it was heaving! Managed to get a parking space eventually and H tried out his skills on the red and blue trail using his newly inherited 24 Cube. He struggled bless him, but for a 7yr old he did ok, said he had fun and only fell off 3 times so all good.
john - it's in the middle of Salisbury Plain hence it's only open when there's no firing. The MOD are supposed to allow it to open for a certain number of days each year but it falls far short.
It's in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust and it's their busiest church.
http://www.imberchurch.org.uk/
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Well done on getting your children out on bikes, it's a great facility at QEP.
Lovely early morning road and grrrrravel spin around Micheldever before work today. Spotted some interesting looking jumps by the station and some singletrack snaking around Blackwood.
Re the latter, is it worth taking a MTB over there for an explore?
Best get out while it's lovely and dry, folks!
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I had a nice ride and explore around upham.