I like to ride fast, but I’d like to enjoy it and not Race around so that I can’t remember / don’t see anything I’ve just ridden 😯

Ride the fun sections fast, have a natter on the bridleways/double track, tea, cake, go home.

Booked my permit BTW so I’m a definate!

Hang on so If I order a permit off here:
https://sslrelay.com/www.mbsawebsite.com/sess/utn;jsessionid=1550c1d00bdf86d/shopdata/index.shopscript

does it get posted to me? do i need a print out or what?

(Excuse ignorance – thought id try and beat the ‘crowds’ buying on the day)

titusrider – its sends you an email which you print out and take on the day.

I’m up for this if you’ll have someone unknown and not lightning quick?

I’m up for this if you’ll have someone unknown and not lightning quick?

Everyone’s welcome.

Doubt we’ll have enough for 4 groups though (unless people want small groups?) so I’d propose fast lead by PaulD and ‘slower’ group lead by whoever turns out to be the least slow but with a vague route in mind, sticking to the most fun bits and probably doing them twice, I’ve barely turned a pedal for three weeks due to an upset stomach so I’ll be sweeping at the back for that one 😛

I reckon Alzore would be good to lead the slower group 😉 knows the trails well and more importantly can navigate off the firetrack. Look forward to meeting some of you guys (I think ha 😉 )

I’m going to see if i can make it. I’ll be riding in from the other side of the forest to get there between 9 and half past. I’d be happy to help navigate from mid pack of one of the more social groups – being a BOB* I know most of it pretty well** and can throw a decent loop together to take in all the highlights without too much backtracking and fireroad.

* don’t hold it against me – judge me afterwards, not before. If you still think I’m a cock after, fair enough.

** Know it? i built (some) of it. And I own it as a result. There! that’s the BOB prejudicial gauntlet thrown down 😉

Excellent. This will be an awesome opportunity to actually find some of those trails at Swinley I’ve heard so much about yet never managed to ride…

Tall guy with a black Orange P7, riding up from Martins Heron.

ok I’ve got my hand up for theotherjonv group, I only seem to have found fire road at Swinley about 8 years ago, I want to be entertained. 😀

Happy to lead a fast group and will see what I can piece together so the best bits get done twice…and the full Stickler both ways.

Probable route will be firetrack south from start and up into the trees to the ‘new’ trail, across to jump gulley, up to reservoir, Alpine route, left at the view of the Wall and skirt to exit of Labyrinth, up Wall 2 and down the whole Labyrinth, round to the reservoir via the Harry Potter Film Set, down the mini-DH to the Gully, over to Tank Traps and the Stickler entrance, Stickler both ways, Lower Star Post, Seagull to the Bench, Session area and Corkscrew, back to the cafe. Not my usual 90 minutes….sprint and gasp and some windbagging.

PaulD

Me and a few mates where considering heading to Swinley this weekend as Stamner park in Brighton is a tad muddy at the moment. Would we be ok to join you? Should imagine we’d be in the reasonably fast but happy with the odd break group

PaulD – stickler was still closed off with orange fencing this morning so you might need a alight tweak to your plan.

See you all tomorrow, look out for my mojo dandy horse, probably in the fast group unless ur all on carbon hardtails 🙂

looking forward to it!

looking forward to it!

Me too, even had a curry to celebrate.

Right, well the SS is in the boot, with inappropriate Mud X (too lazy to change)

Car’s frosty already, so hopefully it’ll stay crisp… picking a mate up in Newbury, so we’ll sit nicely in the slow group enjoying the fun bits (and walking up the not so fun bits…)

IIRC the lookout does not open till 10am
Buy your permit online tonight so we dont have to stand around getting cold for an hour
many thansk

The Discovery Centre building including Day Permit purchase, toilets and cafe is open every day except Christmas and Boxing Day from 10am to 5pm.

He’s right *packs standing-around-clothes*

Permit booked, see you all tomorrow.

Orange 5 – check
Mid thirties – check
Audi – oh bugger, BMW close enough?

Permit sorted, wheels attached to bike, alarm set…

Have fun you lot, I’ll be living the dream at work…

Me too, even had a curry to celebrate.

Me too, could be breezy tomorrow. 🙂

will not be arriving until approx 9:45, hope im able to find y’all still hanging around

Sorry Jim I didn’t catch your post did you catch us?

Urrrrrrrrr, my legs hurt 🙂 Hot shower, big pot of tea, big bowl of chilli, half a family bag of malteasers should solve that”

Thanks PaulD for leading, Mrs Poddy for the biscuits, Andy for carrying the biscuits and Mr Poddy for handing the biscuits out and everyone else for turning up and eating the biscuits.

This is STRAVAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

http://www.strava.com/runs/31645997

Good ride chaps, and thanks to Paul for leading.

Stan. (White Yeti/stickler face plant.)

Which one was you ‘spoon?

Good ride everyone, hard work but fun.
Well done for those that travelled from far and wide, especially the chap from Dorset.

Trails were in good condition given the weather recently and excellent leading guys!

Biscuits were super yummy!

Roll on the next STW meet.

Jonathan (black Yeti).

Yeah thanks for the biscuits! Was really nice riding out there today and good to meet some of you guys/girls in real life!

I was the guy on the spesh – yes who stacked it on that downhill bit 🙂 ha still trying to work out how that happened!

Aye – good fun given the conditions! Hope everyone got back to the cars in time. I measured 22 miles by the time I got back to my car the other side of the woods but they felt quite hard – wasn’t much roll on some of those surfaces today. And when the surface was good PaulD had managed to ensure it was pointing upwards.

Jonv (white Trek XCal 29er)

Thank you all for making me feel welcome. I enjoyed myself even tho I’d not ridden for two weeks. I will certainly return to Swinley in 2013 when all the ‘works’ are finished. Thanks again.

The guy from Dorset

AKA keefus

Yeh, thought that was a really well crafted route. Joined up all the fun bits and introduced me to a few new trails… Well done and thanks Paul. Have to agree that the biscuits were a bit special too. All in all a nice, easy paced and entertaining ride and always nice to meet STW riders.

Enjoy the rest of your weekends.

I had a great time, though I doubt I could find my way back to all those awesome trails. Maybe I’ll get better at it next year.

Cheers everyone for the company, guiding, organisation and biscuits.

Ed (black Orange P7).

Thanks for the show around Paul and tinas was good to meet U and get out to see some nice trails. My legs are letting me know about sprinting up stickler!

Cheers
(young looking mojo sl rider!)

Thanks for the ride. It was a shame I had to go back to my car with my mate, my mojo was flowing with the route you’d picked

Cheers,

Mark – Blue Gary Fisher SS bodge

Keefus – sorry you had to endure the delights of Bracknell town center* (you mentioned you stayed there)….next time you visit swinley stay in Wokingham! Nice place with loads of decent pubs to try and swinley only a short (ish) ride away.

*I live in Bracknell so perfectly within my rights to say the town center is a plop hole!

Thanks for the nice comments about the route guys. I deliberately missed the singletrack after Seagull up to the session area as I know it is a mudfest…I checked on Thursday.

Hopefully we can do it again in better weather and much faster trails…Stickler in the summer on an 8kg hardtail with Furious Freds was electric fast and fun. Jump gully did not quite live up to its name…more like velcro alley.

tinas, thanks for organising it and Peter+Kirsty thanks for the cakes.

PaulD

Yep, a big thanks to everyone, especially Paul for leading. My first trip to Swinley & it’s left me wanting to return.

Short, fat bloke on old school Yeti AS-Rc.

Tunnel Hill, Frith and Porridge Pot were pretty much dry today – Swinley is such a swamp in the winter…

doncorleoni….advice taken on board. Wokingham it is next time. Many thanks.

Which one was you ‘spoon?

Singlespeed Swift and a beard.

Tunnel Hill, Frith and Porridge Pot were pretty much dry today – Swinley is such a swamp in the winter…

Wasn’t too bad actually, mini-alps was almost bone dry! Although maybe I’m just comparing it to the hub deep clag fest that is the Chilterns at the moment!

Thanks Paul , Quality ride as usual .
The singletrack behind Pips bench was gloopy last time I was up there.
Very enjoyable day out , and surprising not that muddy.
Rob
Black ano 575