Mud x was just about ok yesterday. Most of the trails are ok even in this weather…

The most fun is the bridleway running from west woods to the edge of Sparsholt, as it now has electric fence on both sides, and although it’s a straight run, the trail is very slippery and steering is more luck than skill, so I propose the naming of this as

The numb nadgers trail!

See you tomorrow.

(white t25 campervan stocked with mince pies and coffee…)

Bring hot drinks, as it will be cold…

Happy new year

Weather looks ok for tomorrow, but you will need waterproofs and lights.

Ride will leave the car park at 11am! If you’re late, follow the pink ribbons

(it’s all I could find at short notice but looks very close to breast cancer ribbon colour so nimbys might leave them alone…

Please aim to be in the car park at 10:30ish to allow for faffing.

Bring a spare tube too! The blackthorn round here is infamously vindictive!!!!

Happy new year

May the best piece of singletrack found in 2011 be the worst you find in 2012

Yes to the sheep field. It’s now a park and ride. As its a bank holiday parking is free(I think).

Just set markers out today on a singlespeed, and it is a little bit wet, with a few potential comedy moments available.

I would suggest bringing lights to be sure. You’ll be fine without pub stops but with…..

Plough is probably out as now all middle class etc. bell is much more cool and only a mile or so from the finish.

Route has been shortened due to mud, but only about 5k shorter.

have 20+ mince pies for finishers 🙂

Mud X was ok and only gave up 3-4 times, and curiously not on hills!

Let’s aim to start rolling at 11am

See you there….

Merry Christmas to everyone!

The trail is long and windy…but these are Winchester miles…so not too long really…

clickety link

ROLL CALL:
Andyrt ….yes (+2)
Underthewood…..yes (+2)
Tomthumb…..yes
Ciderinsport….yes (plus hordes of unknown riders)
MulletusMaximus….yes
Stimpy….?
Taff…..yes
Midatlantic……?
Mostly balanced…..yes
Dobo……yes
Frogstomp….?
Slimjim78……..?
Android……?
40mpg……yes
Jimmers…….yes
Singletrackmind…..?
Worldclassaccident……?
Matbee…….yes
Tod456…….?
Rusty trowel…..probably
Markend….gets points for trying…
29erKeith……..yes
Brack…..yes
Deviant……yes
Spikyjames….yes
Campfreddie…..yes
Others?????
CG…..(in spirit)….get well very soon!
I would currently suggest the choice of Trailraker/mudx to be sure only to lose traction most of the time. You’ve just got to love chalk
…

I will post the route tonight after going to the panto 🙂
Most southerly point is the start, northerly point is erm nr Crawley on the A272

Westerly would be Farley mount.

Easterly would be the Bell Inn

There are pubs not far from the route, all over the place. Could detour to the Plough Inn?

ROLL CALL:
Andyrt ….yes (+2)
Underthewood…..yes (+2)
Tomthumb…..yes
Ciderinsport….yes (plus hordes of unknown riders)
MulletusMaximus….yes
Stimpy….?
Taff…..yes
Midatlantic……?
Mostly balanced…..yes
Dobo……?
Frogstomp….?
Slimjim78……..?
Android……?
40mpg……yes
Jimmers…….yes
Singletrackmind…..?
Worldclassaccident……?
Matbee…….yes
Tod456…….?
Rusty trowel…..probably
Markend….gets points for trying…
29erKeith……..yes
Brack…..yes
Deviant……yes
Others?????
CG…..(in spirit)….get well very soon!
I would currently suggest the choice of Trailraker/mudx to be sure only to lose traction most of the time. You’ve just got to love chalk
…

Prizes? What more do you need than a pint of beer and a mince pie?

Anything between 2-3.5 hrs depending upon your pace.

We will mark the course in advance so everyone can enjoy the ride at their own pace.

11am it is then.

We will push back the time for peace and good will to all…

11am start seems ok?

Date: 2nd jan 2012

11am?

There is a train station at Shawford. That’s just round the corner from the car park.

Ok, so what time are you thinking?10am?

and the link to the Car Park[/url]

Ok, the start will be at the St Cross park and ride car park, heading out at 9am.

The route will take in west woods and Farley mount (which is all SS friendly) and then make a dash for Crawley.

No, not THAT one! It’s inbetween Winchester and Stockbridge. Then there is a lovely stretch of singletrack all the way back to Winchester.

Then a long climb

Then down to StCross to the Bell Inn.

Beer, mince pies and then a short pootle back to the car park.

It’s about a 2.5-3hr ride
It will be very muddy, but it’s chalk n clay so no grip and the potential for some muppetry.
It will be a good idea to bring waterproofs, scuba gear, grappling hooks and a winch (the usual kit in your camelback)

Email me if you want more.

9am start seems about right. I hope everyone knows the car park?

Suggest we park up at the other end, furthest from the entrance, as its usually empty and is the direction we will be heading in…

ROLL CALL:
Andyrt ….yes
Underthewood…..yes
Tomthumb…..yes
Ciderinsport….yes (plus hordes of unknown riders)
MulletusMaximus….yes
Stimpy….?
Taff…..yes
Midatlantic……?
Mostly balanced…..yes
Dobo……?
Frogstomp….?
Slimjim78……..?
Android……?
40mpg……yes
Jimmers…….yes
Singletrackmind…..?
Worldclassaccident……?
Matbee…….?
Tod456…….?
Rusty trowel…..probably
Markend….gets points for trying…
29erKeith……..yes
Brack…..yes
Others?????
CG…..(in spirit)….get well very soon!
I would currently suggest the choice of Trailraker/mudx to be sure only to lose traction most of the time. You’ve just got to love chalk
…

ROLL CALL:
Andyrt ….yes
Underthewood…..yes
Tomthumb…..yes
Ciderinsport….yes (plus hordes of unknown riders)
MulletusMaximus….yes
Stimpy….?
Taff…..yes
Midatlantic……?
Mostly balanced…..yes
Dobo……?
Frogstomp….?
Slimjim78……..?
Android……?
40mpg……yes
Jimmers…….yes
Singletrackmind…..?
Worldclassaccident……?
Matbee…….?
Tod456…….?
Rusty trowel…..probably
Markend….gets points for trying…
29erKeith……..yes
Others?????
CG…..(in spirit)….get well very soon!

I would currently suggest the choice of Trailraker/mudx to be sure only to lose traction most of the time. You’ve just got to love chalk 😀
…

ROLL CALL:
Andyrt ….yes
Underthewood…..yes
Tomthumb…..yes
Ciderinsport….yes (plus hordes of unknown riders)
MulletusMaximus….yes
Stimpy….?
Taff…..yes
Midatlantic……?
Mostly balanced…..yes
Dobo……?
Frogstomp….?
Slimjim78……..?
Android……?
40mpg……yes
Jimmers…….yes
Singletrackmind…..?
Worldclassaccident……?
Matbee…….?
Tod456…….?
Rusty trowel…..probably
Markend….gets points for trying…
Others?????
CG…..(in spirit)….get well very soon!
…

ROLL CALL:
Andyrt ….yes
Underthewood…..yes
Tomthumb…..yes
Ciderinsport….yes (plus hordes of unknown riders)
MulletusMaximus….yes
Stimpy….?
Taff…..yes
Midatlantic……?
Mostly balanced…..yes
Dobo……?
Frogstomp….?
Slimjim78……..?
Android……?
40mpg……yes
Jimmers…….yes
Singletrackmind…..?
Worldclassaccident……?
Matbee…….?
Tod456…….?
Rusty trowel…..probably
Others?????
CG…..(in spirit)….get well very soon!
…

ROLL CALL:
Andyrt ….yes
Underthewood…..yes
Tomthumb…..yes
Ciderinsport….yes (plus hordes of unknown riders)
MulletusMaximus….yes
Stimpy….?
Taff…..yes
Midatlantic……?
Mostly balanced…..?
Dobo……?
Frogstomp….?
Slimjim78……..?
Android……?
40mpg……?
Jimmers…….?
Singletrackmind…..?
Worldclassaccident……?
Matbee…….?
Tod456…….?
Others?????
CG…..(in spirit)….get well very soon!
…

Your welcome

Congratulations!!!

And another bump for evening viewing for all those expressing an interest…

Bump

ROLL CALL:
Andyrt ….yes
Underthewood…..yes
Tomthumb…..yes
Ciderinsport….yes (plus hordes of unknown riders)
MulletusMaximus….yes
Stimpy….?
Taff…..?
Midatlantic……?
Mostly balanced…..?
Dobo……?
Frogstomp….?
Slimjim78……..?
Android……?
40mpg……?
Jimmers…….?
Singletrackmind…..?
Worldclassaccident……?
Matbee…….?
Tod456…….?
Others?????
CG…..(in spirit)….get well very soon!
…

ROLL CALL:
Andyrt ….yes
Underthewood…..yes
Tomthumb…..yes
Ciderinsport….yes (plus hordes of unknown riders)
MulletusMaximus….yes
Stimpy….?
Taff…..?
Midatlantic……?
Mostly balanced…..?
Dobo……?
Others?????
CG…..(in spirit)….get well very soon!
…

ROLL CALL:
Andyrt ….yes
Underthewood…..yes
Tomthumb…..yes
Ciderinsport….yes (plus hordes of unknown riders)
MulletusMaximus….possibly
Stimpy….?
Taff…..?
Midatlantic……?
Mostly balanced…..?
Dobo……?
Others?????
CG…..(in spirit)
…

Yes, Monday the 2nd.

Oooh! Exotica?

Ok, so we are still on then! RIGHT….

We shall meet in the St.Cross park n ride car park at 9:00am

As it is gopping I suggest 35k route out to Crawley via Farley Mount.

Pub stops optional, but I was thinking we could stash some mince pies at the Bell and then finish the ride back to the car park.

It will all be single speed/clown bike/attention seeking bike friendly.

ROLL CALL:
Andyrt ….yes
Underthewood…..yes
Tomthumb…..yes
Ciderinsport….yes
CG…..(in spirit)
…

Well yes, but you know what I mean

We have a route planned, but the conditions out there look really nasty. We currently have Mech braking mud just about everywhere, so unless we get some really hard frosts for the whole of next week I think it would be better to run away to Frimley or some such well drained zone. Your thoughts???

Whatever…full bouncer for hardback and heavy frost days and hard tail for singlespeed slip sliding and Swinley until I need a 29er….

GW: any idea how much those bearings cost?

Besides its more fun on a hard tail in the slop.

We agreed on a price ( I won’t disclose) to replace the whole bike as mine was probably one of the last ever to be anodised brown. I loved the colour. Went really well with CK mango!!!

Well, what can I say! SCUK have been great. Issue resolved and everybody’s a winner today. Only shame being my bike won’t be brown any more, but it will be great!

They threw in a headset and crown race adapter to boot as no longer doing 11/8 external headsets.

Thank you all very much, and see you out there, but as ever the Blur will stay at home whilst rain and mud persist!

Yes, I’m a closet hardtop singlespeeder in the gloopy seasons.

I share your pain, missing it already and it’s still here….

Toppers, drop me a line, happy to oblige…

I have just been officially amazed, you could say I have seen the light!

THE LIGHT TO RULE OTHER LIGHTS AND IN THE DARKNESS BLIND THEM!

to give anyone who cares any idea how good spidereyes is:

You know those cinematic scenes where dim lighting of the protagonists face is then made bright in a rectangle around their eyes?

Well the trail ahead is your scene, and the singletrack is given the perfect, bright rectangle (where bunnies/squirrels and any other living thing will dessicate before your very eyes.

My speed was managed by a brilliant Dream Theatre album running at about 210bpm. Not once did my singlespeed beasting session did I feel like I was going too fast to hold the pace (until I turned it off and relied upon my sturdy exposure 720 lumen candle! 😯

OMFG!!!!!!