Just to confirm that this is most definitely still going ahead. Aleigh and myself will be leading a posse of STW'ers around the singletrack of Swinley Forest on Saturday 10th January 2009. Meet at 10.00 am and ready to ride at 10.30 am.
For those who have never been here before, you'll be in for a real treat. Loads of singletrack and doesn't matter if the weather is unkind cos it all drains well and some of the trails are aggregated anyway.
Swinley Forest is located near Bracknell in Berkshire, if coming by car follow the brown tourist signs to The Look Out, on the B3430 which is just off the A322.
Nearest station is Martin's Heron, Bracknell, and it's just a short pedal away.
You will need to purchase a day permit, cost £2, but the good news is that you can buy this online and download the receipt (obviously bringing it with you). The money raised goes towards the cost of supplies and specialist equipment needed to maintain the trails. Link here
We will ride in the morning for a couple of hours, return to the Cafe where you can purchase reasonably priced hot and cold food/drinks then riding in the afternoon for those who want more entertainment!
Just to emphasise this is a chilled-out ride, easing gently into good habits to maintain those New Year resolutions 😉 We will be riding as one large group which will certainly be a challenge and a sense of humour is essential!
Please ensure you make yourselves known (I will be wearing a bright green STW jersey) cos discount vouchers will be handed out for a brilliant local bike shop - Mountain Trax in Wokingham are again very kindly supporting.
Polite request - those who know their way around Swinley and are prepared to be "strategically placed" within the group - could they please e-mail me. Thank you!
Look forward to meeting you all!
cinnamon_girlATtiscaliDOTcoDOTuk
Sorry for the waffle but wanted to cover everything 😀
I will be at the back of course as I have been known to make the odd noise and also park my bike in between trees from where I've been riding too fast - and there's no way you lot are going to witness that!
I'll be there, email sent because I know Swinley pretty well 🙂
Aleigh - a prerequisite is to have a sense of humour for this ride! As I'm leading I will also provide the entertainment - good job I can laugh at myself 🙄
Blokes do come off sometimes but it's normally when nobody else is looking!
We will both be there and e-mail sent
I'll be there and J might be along as well.
For the shopping down the road of course, not riding. 8)
I'll probably come along if my legs recover. I know my way around mostly so feel free to use me as a sweeper/whatever. I'll be near the back anyway 🙂
I'll try and come along. I'll be the one touching myself innappropriately and making wildebeest noises.
I may be present depending on lift availability. CG it's bad form for the bloke to come off first 😮
i will be aleigh's crash mat
Thanks for the replies and offers of helping, much appreciated.
pete - you need to tell J that the Spring range is making an appearance!
pk - there's a place nearby that is warmer and safer than the forest, shall I make a reservation for you??!! You can almost see it from Swinley! Top quality clientele!
Sandwich - I couldn't possibly comment!
rOcKeTdOg - I don't think you ride a bike cos you never come to any of our events!
cg, no need for that, I'll try and behave, i'll try and beehive, i'll try and dance the tango. And i'll sing you a nice little tune about rabbits, fairy tale castles and nuclear weapons.
Righto, off to get bollocksed. HNY.
Would definitely like to tag along on this one too if that's alright. Good to hear Chris and co from Mtn Trax supporting - just the spot to head to afterwards for some post ride retail therapy!
rOcKeTdOg - I don't think you ride a bike cos you never come to any of our events!
are you sure you haven't seen me riding as you seem to describe it exactly as it looks...like i nver ride one 🙂
RD...sure has a bike. 😆
sounds fun , shame it so far away from dear old somerset. Doh !
Knottie8 you are welcome to stop over here the night before to split the journey
Think I may make an appearance! Down in Southampton all week so may be able to stop off on my way home on sat. Sense of humor is always packed! Will confirm asap!
Dunc
"I'll try and come along. I'll be the one touching myself innappropriately and making wildebeest noises"
grrrrrrr!
pk - can you get hora to join us?
rocketdog - thanks for offering to be my crash mat 😆 i accept, hope you know what you've let yourself in for 😉
auricgoldfinger - everyone welcome! Retail therapy is always good.
db - no excuses, Soton is only an hour away!
atlaz - can I have your e-mail address please?
pk - reckon aleigh will need to keep you under control 😉
I will be driving up from Southampton with room in the car for one other person and bike. Swinley is only 30 minutes from Southampton when I drive.
😆
WCA - don't forget the flyers for the BigBikeBash, they can be handed out with the vouchers. Happy New Year to you!
Happy New Year
PS How did you know I am WorldClassAccident?
😉
I'm up for this one too, Happy New Year!
I'd like to tag along as well, as long as the numbers aren't getting unmanageable. Would be two us, myself (Nev) and Konahead (Julian).
r6ymy - I hope you aren't implying that Aleigh and I are unable to control a crowd of STW'ers?
Take 2 feisty ladies plus some "strategically placed" locals and, in the words of the inimitable WorldClassAccident, "what could possibly go wrong?" 😀
Worry not, I have done this sort of thing before ... many times ... but not with such an eclectic gathering 8)
We can't wait!
dobo - Happy New Year, glad you're coming and you will see some different trails to yesterday!
more different trails...look forward to it
hora won't come down for it. he's too busy licking windows
Count me in. Have not been round Swinley before although it is only 40 mins away, too busy with the Devils Punchbowl and Hankley Common. Will bring a mate as well.
I'm probably going to be in Swinley that morning too - starting earlier (like 9-930ish) but finishing around the same (lunch)time. If I run into you will say hello for sure and may join you for a bit!
theotherjonv - our ride will be much more fun! I'm sure we'll be easy to spot, snake-like through the singletrack!
May try and get my arse down to Swinley for this one, but not promising. It is almost 2 hours away after all!
[i]hora won't come down for it. he's too busy licking windows[/i]
well someone has to do it i guess 😉
Cinnamon_girl
I have at last managed to get my password sorted and I am up and running again. I am sorry to have missed the ride yesterday, but I had no way of contacting you through this site! I am still up for the ride on the 10th, if it is not already over-subscribed? I did msg you before Christmas, remember me, the wheezey bloke with a note from his mum?
Let me know if there is room for one more slacker?
Matt
Wow - it's gonna be quite a turnout!
mboy - put your foot down, you'll get there quicker! It's not every day you get the chance of being led around trails by two gorgeous girlies 😉
Hello bikey, yes I remember you! Oversubscribed? There's room for everyone, including slackers!
gorgeous girlies? Who else is coming then?! 😯
wanna slap pk?
mboy - put your foot down, you'll get there quicker! It's not every day you get the chance of being led around trails by two gorgeous girlies 😉
Appealing to my shallow side I see!
In that case, will have to see what I can do. Though don't you dare disappoint! 😉
mboy - good stuff! It's not every day you will get the opportunity to meet someone like me 😀
Oi you Southern Shandy Drinkers - stop s****ing 😉
Just ignore pk - he wants to get pushed in the lake 😈
Take some radios if you can get hold of some. JamesD led an STW ride around swinley some time ago (I was tail end charlie) We had more than 40 people along which takes a degree of management!
wanna slap
Ah so it's that sort of get together 👿
why cg, you say the nicest things...
AdamT - I have a loud voice and a dog whistle, will that help? 40 people? I'm expecting double that! We will have some "strategically placed" locals to direct the traffic.
Sandwich - no, it's just that pk needs taming!
pk - so do you!
cinnamon_girl - Membermboy - good stuff! It's not every day you will get the opportunity to meet someone like me 😀
Likewise CG.
mboy - Aleigh is gorgeous too!
LOL
Does she know you're pimping her on here?
I'd say I was gorgeous too, but I'd be lying 😉
Can I tag along to an alread large group. I would really like to know where the labyrinth is hidden. So far I haven't managed to find it....
iRideSpesh
Either: Fast or Furious...
mboy - Aleigh is great fun, a real laugh!
iRideSpesh - you'll be more than welcome. We may well possibly make a little visit to The Labryrinth but there are so many trails to choose from so we may not 🙄 Just turn up!
yay I can post!
I will be there for the morning ride after having good fun on the smaller version on Saturday, apart from my blooming forks dying a death that is...
fu_munchu - will be good to see you again. Are your forks sorted? Don't forget to tell your 'colleague' that I look forward to hooking up sometime.
Will have some different trails for you too.
nope, need to return them next week, its impressive, if i let the air out the stantions completely dissapears into the legs! I will finish gettng my single speed up and running today (hopefully) so will be on that. I will pass the message on 🙂
pk - you'll regret those harsh words......... 😉
*whispers* and i am joking btw 😀
Bring your credit/debit cards and you will be able buy your Big Bike Bash tickets while you are there. Assuming you haven't already bought them from http://www.bigbikebash.co.uk/tickets.php
sorry WCA, that weekend I'm going to DigDykeDash to watch some lesbians run around with spades.
Aleigh, CG, you'll be able to take the piss out of me back too, so plenty of time for you to think up some appropriate insults.
im new to STW and would be looking for some riding buddies/places to ride near my work in Oxford and Swinley isn't far away. What kind of riding is it going to be? Back home my local trails are Glentress and at the moment i'm more in favour of the descents than the ascents due to fitness levels!
shteve - welcome to STW! Riding will be mainly singletrack, climbing tends to be short and steepish. No mountains, sorry! There's only one way to find out so come and join us!
pk - I don't do insults (knowingly). Reckon you're a pussy cat in real life though 😉
shteve: There's only a couple of places that will really require a big effort and even then, like cg says, they're quite short. You're likely to cover some miles but as the pace is relaxed, you should be able to pedal along at a pace that works for you.
ah ok, maybe i'll take my bike back down south with me then! like i said before, i'm looking to find some places to ride and people to ride with so this sounds like an ideal start.
Been looking around the site, trying to work out if everyone is turning up in lycra on full XC bikes ready for a day of uphill riding as i think i'm quite far from that 😀
aww so my velvet leopard print skin suit is out then?
*looks sad*
shteve.
Prolly not . Most riders will be on a fine selection of eclectic machinery. Not your usual fare, normally sensibly upgraded with high end componants. With a group as large as this it will be a social ride with some sessioning or return visits to fav bits after foodage stops. Lycra?? maybe hidden under baggies, tights if its uber cold.
Expect some SS Ti Carbon 29 CK Hope ano and you get the picture.
shteve, I only wear lycra on the road bike, but stm is right, I'll be there on either a ti or carbon CK'd up bling thing.
But it'll have gears as I'm not a complete pervert.
shteve - the good thing is that on these group rides you get a real cross- section of folk and a cross-section of bikes too. Some wear lycra, some don't, some have bling bikes, some don't, some have gears, some don't, some can ride, some can't (I'm not ashamed to admit it either!).
Just take people as you find them - you ride bikes so that's all that matters. Ignore some of the bantering going on here - some of us know each other 🙂
rOcKeTdOg - you're just a tease 😉
Any bike will do around Swinley. It's not very demanding. I will be coming on a cheap bike.
I dare say there will be people on 6" travel 'all mountain' machines, but it's all fun.
If it rains, bring spare brake pads. All that sharp sand destroys pads, in the wet.
sounds good, i'll bring my bike back down south with me then! but if rocketdog decides to wear his velvet leopard print skin suit, fair play to him 🙂
i wear it round the house mostly and the velvet has rubbed away in certain areas
Time to buy another RD!
[i]Aleigh, CG, you'll be able to take the piss out of me back too, so plenty of time for you to think up some appropriate insults[/i]
I don't do that - have a bit of banter yeah but I'm not mean! And anyway, I'm still relatively new to all this and am not in the position to say a great deal 😉
I'm really looking forward to meeting everyone and having a laugh, mainly at my expense I suspect but who cares! 😆
will there be a 'niche-est bike' prize?
c_g, you've made it earlier than you previously mentioned - is that to get enough time in for the afternoon ride?
I'm working out logistics with the other half, but should be able to make it, and also have a mate who sounds keen.
[i]will there be a 'niche-est bike' prize? [/i]
yeah the person that wins can buy us coffee and cake 😀
Dont think I can make next week 🙁
It'll be cold though! Make sure you all get the layers on 🙂
Won't be able to ride 🙁
Just driven down to Dorset for a ride with DrP. 20 minutes of faffing, 30 minutes of riding and my ankle has given up completely. Sat here eating Ibuprofen and sausage sandwich waiting for the bath to fill and watching the swelling. Not Good.
Looks like I will miss out on SPAM tomorrow too. I will probably still turn up to both events to meet everyone, promote the Big Bike Bash and to eat cake.
See you all there hopefully.
Bad new WCA hope your not hurting not much. See you tomorrow
Ice it up WCA /BBB
Worst thing for a swollen joint is heat. Gives a tempory relief, but will lengthen proper healing time.
WCA - I'm sorry to hear about your ankle. I suppose that ride around Lordswood is off now? Get some RICE treatment going on the ankle to start that healing process! Take care and speak soon.
Matt
[i]20 minutes of faffing, 30 minutes of riding and my ankle has given up completely.[/i]
Makes you wonder what we were doing during the faffing eh...!
Was good to catch up anyhows WCA/BBB - sorry that your ankle didn't hold up, but when it's stronger we'll catch up again and maybe we'll make it all the way into the forest!
Take care,
DrP
Yes, RICE treatment is the thing for the swollen ankle - I find Uncle Ben's is best! 😆 Get well soon, mate!