[Closed] SITS camping area...

Pat is planning on separating parking and camping areas this year to prevent a quagmire and to enable everyone to be able to get away without needing to be towed if it's wet - which it won't be 🙂

We will have more details on the camping/parking/caravan/campervan provisions early next week.

[i]if it's wet - which it won't be [/i]
These Voodoo rituals will come back and bite you on the ar5e one day... 😉

Pat is planning on separating parking and camping areas

I can understand the reasons behind that but from my experience of these events riders use their cars and vans as makeshift pits areas (and to keep bikes secure when not in use) - isn't moving vehicles to another field is going to cause a fair bit of inconvenience?

It's a balancing act... between convenience of riders during the event and logistics in getting people on and off site if it's wet. Like I say, we'll have details, including a site layout, early next week.

trying to drag your car out of a bog will be very inconvenient. Can't see the problem myself and good to see some foresight!

Will there be a Tarmac area for my 250BHP RWD 255-wide-tyres Saloon? It doesn't do so well on even slightly wet grass.

😉

Anymore news on this then?

Indeed. What if you're intending to sleep in the car/van?

Nobby - Member
Indeed. What if you're intending to sleep in the car/van?

Make sure its 4WD.

Make sure its 4WD.

Make sure you know how to drive your 4x4 in the mud 🙂

In fact, there's a serious side to this. I appreciate there's finance to be lost, but the organisers need to make an announcement of the state of the area.

Allowing people to travel from all over the country into what could be a very unsanitary area for camping, and certainly a strain of a competition that some people will find difficult and unappealing.

IMO, Provelo should be launching a statement about the state of the camping area, alternative parking plans and expected conditions ASAP BEFORE this weekend so people have the option to choose their fate.

To not do so and force people to be in a position where refunds cannot be recieved because they "didn't" turn up or are forced to head back home due to unacceptable conditions is unprofessional.

Wet weather notwithstanding, this year is an exception and Provelo should announce something.

Won't this simply result in people "camping" in the car parking area?

Maybe Druid, but with kids running around, bikers milling about and cars slip-slidiing everywhere that kind of chaos could be a disaster.

Here's the rub. Our group consists of 2 full teams plus an assortment of pit bitches. Between us there will be a camper, a caravan, several tents & a big gazebo as well as sprogs, dogs & assorted riff-raff. If we can' all be together it takes away the main reason we're all going along as 1 big group i.e. shared resources.

I need the car close at hand as it'll have some medication in the mini-fridge - if that's not an option then my place will be up for grabs.

Nobby's latter issue may be specific, but the rest is applicable to a lot of people.

C'mon Provelo and/or Singletrack - DO SOMETHING!!

Hopefully this sunshine over the past few days will have helped the situation a bit 🙂

Even if it is wet some metal trackways would be a massive help in getting cars on and off the campsite, some of this at Mayhem would have been a great help. I noticed the organisers at Bontrager 24:12 had this ready but it wasn't needed due to a bit of sunshine on the Sunday.

Not sure I will be totally happy if the car isn't next to the tent. Over night the bikes are normally locked up in the car, not sure I want to leave a spare bike locked to nothing in the tent while on a night lap, and not sure if my bike would be insured in the tent without me there?

BOOM! Er, sorry, BUMP!!!!!

Yes The last thing I want is to be seperate from those camping those with the pikey wagon and trying to organise food dring and whose doing what laps.
Sort it or I send the lads around.

most peoples only secure place to lock there bike is in the motor,splitting them up is crazy in my eyes but to be honest i think the lack of info in general is shocking,no info on entered riders and nothing as far as i can see about the discount offer where you take an item in an get a brand new one at reduced costs shorts jerseys etc

Bit worried about this now as we tend to use our car as a safe for our valuables rather than leaving them in the tent, plus I normally put my contact lenses in the car as the mirror/seat combo is handy. And half of our team are in two motor homes, will they be forced to go somewhere separate from us? :/

Any news? 🙄

I've just contacted Provelo with this:

Hi Provelo.

[i]Many members of bike forums are possibly feeling discouraged about the lack of news regarding SITS 2012 next weekend. In particular the state of the camping area and arrangements for vehicles is being discussed. No news is not good news and many are cancelling or thinking about cancelling thier attendance. Could you confirm the state of the area after the reason rains, and any arrangements that have changed and whats more confirm that SITS will go ahead as planned. In particular an announcement via singletrackworld and bikemagic would be a good start. Many thanks.
[/i]

I'll let you know if I get a response.

They might be a bit busy with the Thunder Run this weekend. It's also at Catton Park

Storm in a tea cup why not just turn up and deal with the situation,its not as though its a long way to camp and park unlike the Malverns. No matter what they do it will be wrong have a cup of tea and chill its a mtb event its supposed to be chilled. 😉

Rich

Maybe postie rich, not all of us want to pay epic fuel bills to get there only to and spend the weekend in a wet tent / gear and have a very unsatisfactory ride.

Sure its a risk we take in our sport / hobby, but I for one thing its fair that with the massive proportion of rain we've experienced, reports of the camping area under water etc, that those in charge take some responsibility and alert us to what we are about to experience.

I can chill out, have a cup of tea and ride from home without the £85 in fuel it'll cost me, but thats my choice.

I heard that Catton was under ten foot of water this morning. And that giant man-eating ducks are stalking the course. And that plans are for people to park five miles away then carry all their stuff over in punts because the water is inundated with pirahnas. I have mailed the organiser and asked if all these things are true told them that people on bike forums are justifiably concerned about the duck thing and are considering watching the Olympics on telly instead. I shall report back.

You can take the piss BWD, but the flood of compliants after MM shows that people are concerned enough to maon after they've paid eh?. Pity no one else had the bollocks to represent the masses and ask Provelo, or are you going to skulk off in silence and forgo your £40 becuase you are happy to?

Cycling in the shite is one thing, living in it for 3 days with family at a cost when you dont have to is another.

You can take the piss BWD, but the flood of compliants after MM shows that people are concerned enough to moan after they've paid eh?.

I just don't quite see what you expect Pat Adams to be able to tell you with the event over a week away. I've seen Catton Park go from being a mud bath to being pretty dry all over in the space of 12 hours, even it were muddy now, it would mean zip in the terms of what it would be like at SITS.

I'm actually encouraged that Provelo has clearly made some sort of contingency plans for a wet event and I trust Pat, as one of the most experienced mtb race event organisers out there to be doing his utmost to make it a good experience.

Sorry if my post upset you. I'll be riding whatever the conditions, just like I did at Mayhem and 24/12, but probably without having a team one-year-old baby to look after between laps this time...

Well done. Glad you trust them, I'm sure the potential loss of revenue isn't influencing their decision at all.

FWIW, I'm also sure Pat would like this to go ahead for all our enjoyment as well.

If its a wet field deal with it why the hell would you drag your family to camp watching you go round a dull flat maybe moist field paying £85 in fuel you must be mad! 😯

I will be there maybe 😉

Well done. Glad you trust them, I'm sure the potential loss of revenue isn't influencing their decision at all.

I don't quite understand what you're trying to say. Do you want them to cancel the event if it rains?

Agree with Kryton 100%. Was contemplating a pair for SITS but considering its nearly a 1000 mile round trip (Aberdeen) the weather has a lot to do with it.

Don't fancy racing round a muddy field for 24hours and if my car was a mile away from the camping area! Don't think it's unreasonable to ask for an update due to the recent rain. Not the event organisers fault at all but people do like to know what the conditions will be like.

Not the event organisers fault at all but people do like to know what the conditions will be like.

I guess I don't really see how knowing what the conditions are like today will tell you anything about how they'll be in seven days time? Like I said earlier in the thread, I've seen the ground there dry from completely soaked and muddy to bone hard in about 12 hours or less.

But maybe I'm being a bit dense here, which wouldn't exactly be a first 🙂

Don't fancy racing round a muddy field for 24hours

I thought that was the whole point of endurance racing?

Considering this thread, http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/re-the-poll-why-arent-as-many-people-doing-events-this-year an update on the camping and parking arrangements and an entry list on the web site would be nice for my £72

Considering they said they'd made contingency plans for Mayhem and taken the worst bits out of the course and they'd done nothing of the sort, I'd take any response with a pinch of salt. Bristol Bike Fest secured metal trackways at a days notice and it was far drier than Mayhem, I'd be wanting confirmation they were doing that now for SiTS frankly.

In light of how easy it to reach people nowadays with the likes of forums, facebook, twitter and the web in general - there really isn't any excuse for not giving more info - even if it was just to say "everything is fine".

Come on Pat and the STW guys - why the radio silence?!!?

There is this, from t'other thread....

Hells - Member
Just back from Thunder Run at Catton Park. I've no idea how the course we ran will compare with the SiTS course but the ground was actually quite dry. There are a few sticky bits in the woods, but overall I'd say it is in good condition, no sign of any mud at the moment!

Considering they said they'd made contingency plans for Mayhem and taken the worst bits out of the course and they'd done nothing of the sort, I'd take any response with a pinch of salt. Bristol Bike Fest secured metal trackways at a days notice and it was far drier than Mayhem, I'd be wanting confirmation they were doing that now for SiTS frankly.

You going up then?

In light of how easy it to reach people nowadays with the likes of forums, facebook, twitter and the web in general - there really isn't any excuse for not giving more info - even if it was just to say "everything is fine".

Catton Park, near Burton on Trent

Thanks.

You going up then?

Nah, not this year! Can't say I'm too gutted!

fwiw, i'm a short ride away from catton, as described above, the trails are mostly dry but some parts are holding water. Having said that, the weather man says rain for the next week. I'll be going by catton on wednesday, i'll report back.