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Was up in the Surrey Hills this morning and couldn't believe how busy it was, we ride here all the time but today just seemed rammed!
There was a lot of riders just standing on trails as well, more than a couple of times we came round corners to find groups of riders stood on the trail, one group were standing on the gap jump on area 51, bike on the landing and just chatting..... They shouted sorry, you can start again and we'll move.
Any other people experiencing this?
Non dropper noobs 😂 just kidding, we called them much worst 😂
I've been to Sherwood a couple of times since the easing of lockdown and it seems significantly busier especially with people on the red with no lid. I wondered if it's because I'm going a bit later in the morning. Today at 0900 there was a couple who were dressed like they'd just come back from a night out having a can of Fosters sat on the trail. When I told them to GTF off the trail I got invited to fight. Given the number of other groups of riders sat chatting between sections there was no way I was the first rider who had come across them.
Forest Of Dean was similar in places people just sat of bikes 6 or more just covering the trails fortunately theres loads of area dont know what happened to 2metres with some of them thats gone out the window.
I went to Leith Hill which was very busy with walkers and Redlands which was busier than I've ever seen it but in the scale of things quiet and everyone who ride there knows the score.
On the way over the gantry signs near J7 of the motorway said Caution cyclist. and the speed limit was reduced to 50, at J8 was a Traffic officer escorting a roadie off the motorway, so after that everyone else seems well behaved.
The Motorbikes on the A roads around there were riding like nutters and I saw a bike on a recovery truck near J9
Not raining today was it😉
Was ok on Saturday.
Keep the faith. We've nearly weathered this storm. After 4th July the noobs will back down the boozer, in the shops etc.
Until the second covid wave, that is.
Was at Peaslake for 7am today
I normally park at the car park at the top of Radnor road (well past the start of BKB) as its never busy
Got back to the car at 9am and whole car park around the edges was full along with two rows of cars parked in the middle!
Never seen it like that in ten years of parking there, driving back down Radnor road to the village and the little car parks were also rammed
I also rode through Walking bottom car park which is always busy but Ive never seen it as bad as today, people just parking on the entrance road partially blocking it
Also the two car parks by Northern Monkey were full which Ive never seen
Glad i got there early and missed the rush!
Was sad to see Evian has now been completely blocked off and notices put up, seems the land owner has finally had enough with people building and riding on his section of land (which is fair, its his land) and the whole lot as been destroyed according to the Hurtwood Ranger on Facebook
Not raining today was it😉
Was ok on Saturday.
Agree with this. I parked in Wescott and went to Holmbury, Leith then Redland and it was pretty dead. But, it was also pretty wet too. Redlands I didn't see a single person. When its hot with the the plough now doing take away that area gets rammed with locals, riders and walker. I do wonder though with places now seeming "busy" is it due to a few months of people not being able to do anything so the perspective of whats busy and isnt has shifted a bit.
Barely saw any other riders at Mallards on Saturday, probably less than 10, but it was wet. Staunton on Sunday was similar. It's great.
I'm avoiding expected rammed places... theoretically I can cycle to Peaslake from home but I've avoided so far. The semi interesting route is 25km-ish and wouldn't want to ride that on an Enduro bike before getting there and having to ride back after and I can find enough fun stuff on the XC HT on the way... so it seems redundant with my fitness level as a destination other than being familiar as I'd probably get there and turn around rather than ride much once I arrive.
This is what it feels like for the regular gym goers who get swamped by people on 2nd Jan and regular pub goers who cant get their regular seat for the month of December.
It will pass, I doubt many will still be at it on a rainy December morning but I see it as being good for the sport. Good to see the bike shops doing well too.
Personally, I have been avoiding a few places because I know they will be busy. It has been good to explore new and forgotten spots.
It will pass, I doubt many will still be at it on a rainy December morning but I see it as being good for the sport. Good to see the bike shops doing well too.
This. More people riding has be better for the rest of us in the long run.
Woburn has been the same
tho admittedly most of my riding was at night, b4 lockdown
Carparks rammed where they never have been before. Started at 10, finished 3.30ish, was so much quieter.
It was ideal weather, after a rainy saturday though.
Hopefully people will be back in the pubs next weekend - and parking in the pub carparks.
The idiotic non-rollable blind features that appeared on area 51 a few weeks ago appear to have been removed, hopefully some civic minded bikers got to it before the rangers did.