Welcome to the Cotswolds edition of the winter 2018/19 #Jennride.
Whilst Tang takes some respite from organising, I’ve put myself forwards to lay on a winter ride, taking inspiration from Tangs past events & The Racing Collectives way of doing things.
The ride is set for 09:30, Sunday 6th of January 2019, what better way to welcome in the New Year & blow away the festive seasons bloated cobwebs!
The ride will start & finish in Stroud, Gloucestershire.
The route will be 50ish miles of the Cotswolds, a mix of on & off road, CX suited, with… a heavy focus on mud, slop, gloop, puddles & winter weather!!! I’m not sure on the % in distance of on/off road mix, but at a guess, with the right foul weather conditions under tyre, I’m hoping riders will spend as much time off road as on, taking in a mix of byways, bridleways, tracks, back lanes, showcasing some of the fantastic South Cotswolds scenery.
The concept is that there will be a ride meeting at 09:00 for pre-ride meet & greet & chin wag, the possibility of caffeine. The route will be a shared GPX file, not made available until a day or two before the ride. For those who use Strava, it will include several Strava segments, that upon completion of the ride will give a leader board of times. The first rider back gets the honour of buying a beer for the next rider back, and so, this system continues for each finishing rider. It’ll be a DIY improvised start from 09:30am, setting off as solos, or small groups, not a mass start as we need to spread out along the route, particularly the first few miles as its narrow-shared use paths.
The ride is free to participate in. However, your welcome to make a donation on the day, that along with any proceeds raised will go to St Gemma’s Hospice.
Charlies rules apply.
Is this ride for me:
YES:
Fancy throwing yourself into winters worst weather.
You love mud.
If you are willing to enter into the spirit of an ad-hoc improvised group ride.
Can ride through arduous conditions whilst remaining self-sufficient.
You want to ride solo or in small groups, giving way & being courteous to other trail users.
You can cope without support or sag wagon.
You can follow a GPX route.
If you don’t mind slip sliding, maybe falling off & having your 7kg pride & joy race bike weigh in at 45lb covered in mech destroying mud whilst you drag, carry, run with it through 8” deep hoof impregnated slop.
NO:
If you want to race the whole thing.
If you like litigation and or indemnity cover.
If you want support.
If you need guiding.
If you want a mass start.
WHAT BIKE:
Run what you brung. I’ll be on a CX bike with mud tyres, a 29er HT, SS, fat bike, gravel bike will all get you round fine, hopefully frame clearance will be the most needed frame characteristic. Hell, turn up on an enduro bike, it’s all riding.
Please register any interest on this thread.
I’ll keep this thread updated as things progress, a Strava club will be created for the ride & a GPX will be available from GPSies.
Cheers,
Martin / Qwerty.