Wearing Pj’s I hope Ming !

But of course!

Paceman – that would have been me + Rory + Josh Ibbet & a few others..
In fact filming the very preview vid up there /\. And thanks, I haven’t been called svelt for quite some time….

No problem Dave 😉

Good luck Saturday.

Guy; not too fussed! I’m quite happy to do the first lap! Means more riding!

Weather is looking ominous, I reserve the right to review my choice of bicycle on the day! 😉

metoffice says warm and dry during the day, thunder in the evening; its all good Pete!

I’m doing it with a couple of mates. I’m really looking forward to it. I’ll be on my Trek Remedy so apologies to anyone who gets stuck behind me on any singletrack climbs.

Blimey it looks very tight around the singletrack with not a lot of overtaking space !! Hope I don’t hold anyone up too much !!

The video only really shows some of the singletrack highlights, don’t worry there are plenty of wider path sections and multiple lines for overtaking (or being overtaken). 🙄

There is a secret line I’ve found through one of the twisty sections of singletrack which is straight as a dye & avoids a couple of low speed corners. 8)

I intend to use this line to get infront of anyone who’s passed me on the previous fireroad & then hold them up for the rest of that section of singletrack. 🙄

Local knowledge & all that 😉

I’m off to Stanmer tonight to have a look-see 😀

It’s going to be crowded, muggomagic’s going to be there too and I’m taking my boy over for a look.

i discovered the short sharp climb up to teh second road bridge is not good on a freeride bike with 170mm forks whist sat down. loop-out-backwards-tastic. made all the more fun by being clipped in.

if i pass you on the descent please try and catch me when i`m coming back down the climb upside down. i promise to do my best to unclip.

I had a ride round in Stanmer last night and it’s dried out nicely from the rain we had last Saturday. And the met office (at the moment) is saying there is no more rain forecast till Saturday night – hurray! I think I’ll leave the summer tyres on then.

I’m heading over there this morning for a quick spin with my work buddy, also gonna give the summer rubber a run out to see how it goes. Blue skies and a breeze out there right now so should be lovely and dry. 😛

Couldn’t move for mtb’s at Stanmer last night.

Lots of yellow arrows on the ground and yellow paint over hazards (although not the bit I managed to fall off on and bash some ribs, sadly).

It was riding really well – only soggy stuff was a few muddy holes in the Jungly bit near the bottom end.

Did first night ride with my son (on his new Cotic) too “That was our best ride yet Dad!”. He even gave me half his chocolate bar at the end of the ride so he must have enjoyed it.

Good luck to all the riders on Saturday 🙂

Did first night ride with my son (on his new Cotic) too “That was our best ride yet Dad!”. He even gave me half his chocolate bar at the end of the ride so he must have enjoyed it.

😀

Quick spectator Q;

Should I come down on my bike so I can cruise around a few different places to watch the action, or will it just be a PITA with the crowds/in the dark star tent?

Can’t wait to see the action in my local woods!

take your bike and do the one lap ‘wonderdog’ thing?

to access the course will be a lot easier on foot than by bike, tbh, and it’s all in a fairly small area so it’s probably not more than 10-15 minutes walk to any point from the pub tent.

Really weird seeing my local trails as part of an event! I’m at work though 👿

Next thing you know it’ll be the mini DH world Cup at Wild Park!

Hmmmm might not be doing this now as i woke up this morning & can’t put any weight on my ankle. 🙁

Will see how the next 24 hours go but fingers crossed 😕

The yellow paint on the trickier stumps and roots is very off-putting, it draws your eyes to them meaning you then ride towards them 😯

Very fast and dry though today.

Pete – I was all set for soloing until i dislocated my thumb 2 weeks ago. You won’t believe it but i rode into the scaffolding on the footbridge over A27 which is on the Big Dog course. Also smashed up my face.

I think i’ll be marshalling so i can still throw abuse at you and Brian and the others as you go round. I’m up for beers at the Fortune afterwards.

See you saturday.

Mark

Agree about the yellow paint being off-putting. Nearly came off last night trying to avoid “hazards” that I hadn’t even noticed previously!

Agree about the yellow paint being off-putting. Nearly came off last night trying to avoid “hazards” that I hadn’t even noticed previously!

Maybe they could paint the SAFE bits yellow and the hazards black instead? Would that work?…

A side benefit of this is it would attract additional sponsorship monies from Stryper…

A side benefit of this is it would attract additional sponsorship monies from Stryper…

😆

Sold!

Blimey Mark – I did hear about your misfortune. One day you will get on the podium at the ‘dog – you deserve to! 😉

Jim, the cat is out of the bag now – guilty pleasure maybe…..ahem 😯

One thing about the Yellow stripes, at least they aren’t Orange (if you’re reading this) 🙂

Any rain in Brighton today?

No, but it’s looking ominous currently.

Torrential floods 80 miles away in Bournemouth… looks to have passed us by in Brighton 😀

Stanmer is smooth and fast as of half an hour ago, forecast is looking better now.

Was fast last night. Shoulder barged 3 trees and came off 4 times. First time with J bars. Not sure.

Giving the course a low speed test run tomorrow. Mr P7Rich has kindly provided our team with authentic early ’90s jerseys, so if you’re stuck behind some sartorially challenged luminescent lycra on the first climb, my sincere apologies… Hope your ankle recovers in time Si!

Rode it tonight, super fast & dry. The 2 steepish descents on the way up to Badgers are a little loose & sketchy, be careful there.

Anyone know who the sullen & uncommunicative rider on a spesh was with a blue / black long sleeve top tonight? If it’s you; it costs nothing to smile or say hi.

I think your description sounds like it could have been me !
Sorry guys no intention to appear sullen or be uncommunicative, I was well away, the trails were riding so good.
Were there 2 of you, one maybe in a red top about half way round by the turn of a main trail leading to singletrack with the large log you have to jump or skirt round ?

Pete: (Re: Guilty Pleasure) Not Stryper as such, though I did partake of my fair share of coiffure metal back in the day. I draw the line at “hair metal for Jesus” though! 😀 I’ll say this for them though – they put the effort in! – Some of these bands think it’s good enough to just turn up in jeans and a T-shirt. Those matching outfits look like they took a substantial amount of work (but well worth the time and trouble, I’m sure you’ll agree)

No rain in Brighton…Trails were indeed riding lovely last night. I stand by my “dust bath” prediction 🙂

Hi Shaggie, fair play if it was you and you owned up. No worries, neither of us was in red as it happens,. It’s riding very well at the moment so getting ‘lost’ in the trail is understandable.

Back there again today to map out arena and some of the course. The forecast is set fair for the next few days. It will be hot, it will be dusty and you MUST bring all of the water you need with you.

BRING WATER BRING WATER BRING WATER (you get the idea where we’re going with that one..)

beer tent? i dont remember being able to buy beer there last year? i`m sure i would have found that!

Had a little recce this eve, and it’s super dry – even the wet bits – sketchy and loose!

Tomorrow is another day…………….

Just watched BBC weather, there is a possiblity of some dampness before 1200 but clearing up after that.