so as an aside, where exactly is this hardline track? will it effect me riding Dyfi on Sunday?

Track is in Dinas Mawddwy different valley to the Dyfi so no problem.

I use Endomondo on my Lumia and then export the gpx file in to strava.

I use something similar to the extinguisher.
Its a tank from an old oil boiler,welded the seam for strength.
Already had a presta valve on so just connected a hose and gauge.
Pressure it up with a track pump or tyre compressor to 80 psi.
Works a treat.

Maybe Charlie will step up in the future, he’s already a big part of it, bit its not a one man job and Steve really was the driving force behind the series, finding venues, digging trails, working with BC etc

Charlie’s growing potatoes next year

NEW RACE FORMAT FOR 2016…MASH UP!
Saturday and Sunday Races to suit your timetable
3 stages for each round
Race all 3 stages as many times as you want, your best time from each stage counts for the overall results
Live Transponder timing to so you can check your progress after each run
Each stage will be open for 3 hours
Best 3 stage times win
Prize for fastest time on each stage
No insurance or full face helmets required but recommended
Entry for round 1 will go live on January the 4th £45 + £1.50 booking fee

Welsh Gravity Enduro MASH UP! 2016 Dates

Have these on my sons bike,bit expensive,good quality though.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171596281013?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&var=470589890255&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Start from Ffestiniog and head in the direction of Cwm Teigl,make your way up the short hill to Bwlch quarry :D
Iit’s not that bad :-)
When you arrive the quarry,still working by the way,this is were you need navigation to find the path down to Cwm Penmachno.
Here is a Strava run that works its way back from Penmachno but goes to Blaenau instead of Ffestiniog.
here

My kids all have Islabikes and although I’d rather they had something a bit cooler and different, they do seem to still make the best small bikes albeit at an increasingly extortionate price!

Islabikes are great but not for MTB apparently! according to them.
Got an e-mail recently from Islabikes telling me what my son could and not ride on his Cnoc 16.

Only on smooth paved, grassy or dirt surfaces with moderate gradients. It is not intended for any kind of jumping.

No more jumping! :(
That’s why he now rides a Commencal. :D

Yes i would say so,you could save weight on buying different parts but it’s not easy to find parts for a 20″ bike.
Commencal whole bike Weighs 11.4kg/25.1lbs
My son’s bike weighs around 10 kg.
I was a bit worried about the weight at the start going from a Cnoc 16 6.1 kg to 10kg but to be honest it hasn’t been a major issue,the main thing is for them to have gears i feel.
They soon get used to the weight and throw them around.

This is my son’s bike

I would suggest going to Antur instead.
Book a half day riding and then go on the bouncy trampolines or zip wire.
Good cafe,pub and the air ambulance knows it’s way there :-)
Betws y coed The Royal Oak Stables to watch the rugby.
Llandudno for some nightlife,not much though! :-)

Some info on a build here
My son has a built one from frame only purchase,slightly different to the one above.
It’s an amazing little bike!

Curly Dock for Nettle stings.
Usually find it growing next to the Nettles,use some spit and rub it on the stings. :-)

Link above has Minion DHF 2.5 says in stock now ?

2.5 minion DHF?
Sam Hill runs minions front and back,stick the 2.3 rear and the 2.5 on the front?.

Offshore ROV Pilot in Norway.
Enjoy the work and the time off is a bonus as I work 2 weeks on and 4 weeks off :D
Being paid in krona is a bit of a pain at the moment due to the strong pound. :(

Approx 36.5 cm from centre of axle to base of bridge.

http://tinyurl.com/phk89s6

Best date to watch 11th-14th
Lying on my trampoline looking west :D

Dyfi UKGE in September ?
Irish champs for me at Ballyhoura this weekend.

Anyone seen this?
Dan Atherton at Whistler on a 14 min stage 8)

I was at Antur today with little one,we stayed mostly on the blue and bits of the red.
Full face in the wet and on the red bits for me also watch out for the wind! 8O
You’ll have a great time!

Great little place,well worth the visit.
Some of the tracks have recently been upgraded by CYB pioneer Dafydd Davis.
Tech 1 and Tech 2 loops are a lot of fun!
Nothing too technical,very flowy.

There is friendly mtb shop and they have showers there as well.
You’ll need 5 euro coins to get in the car park.

I’ll be there in August for the Irish Gravity Champs.
Enjoy!

If your’e coming from the North to CYB then you could check out the Marsh Tracks at Rhyl,they also have a bmx track.
The foundry jump track at CYB is great fun on a 16 inch,kids spend all day there,check it out online,ithere are different level of tracks as well.
You can then go down the last bit of beginning of the end segment,right next to the foundry,it’s called Glide on Strava,start at the other side of the Tarmac road and it ends up just below the centre,manageable on a 16,remember to keep left half way down or you’ll go down the Tarw,bit rough that one,also watch out for Strava junkies! 8O
If he want to tackle red’s at CYB,he’d be better off on a 20 inch to be honest,no problems on the blue runs.

Mine’s a 750 ,wish it was an MSL like yours :( 8)
Lovely bike Sir! makes me think about buying another one :D
Love the ride!

Saw them at Feilie Festival 1990 in Tipperary

Kuò?n Sh?yu?n’s Ten Bulls[/url]

Mindfulness

Google Tir abbey farm.
Its about half hour away from Afan.
Has showers and toilet,road is a bit rough getting up to it but its a gem of a place,Neath is just down the road
I’ve stayed there 4 times and absolutely love it,no midges and 4G mobile.

Helmet

pads

gloves

Lots of stuff on MX1
Pads are good,helmet is a bit warm in the summer.
Plenty of choices in gloves from fox as well.

MBR done,he’s ridden most of CYB,were lucky as it’s only 10 mins away.
He’s done BPW uplift as well on his 20″ full sus.
Turned 7 now,still rides the cnoc,great little bike as it’s so light.
You’ll have a great time with him on the cnoc in cyb! :D

I took my son to Llandegla when he was 5 on his cnoc 16.
He found it ok but the push up was hard going,he preferred the jump track to be honest.
CYB is not much further than Llandegla and better on a cnoc 16 in my view.
You have the foundry skills area and the minataur blue,plenty to keep him entertained.

I have 2 kids,23 and 6,both have turned my world upside down.
Never wanted children but wouldn’t change it for the world.
Children are awsome,shown me how to love and experience what love is.
So much joy, laughter and tears,they have the knack of stretching you to your emotional limits one minute to pure joy the next.
I never planned on kids,it just happened,so glad it did though.
Being an older father is better in my experience,so there is no hurry.

On Children by Kahlil Gibran

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts.
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.

Most of the best bits are on this route here
GPX here

I paid £699 at Glyncorrwg with fitting.
Replaced my 34 float and so far very happy :-)
Never had Pikes so can’t compare.

“old/busy/lazy” Yes that’s me :-)
Had mine 6 months and it’s the best thing since sliced bread :D
I do a veg smoothie,green leaves,frozen veg and beetroot juice and add some various seeds as well.
Fruit smoothie,loads of different frozen fruit,yogurt and sometimes some protein powder after a ride.
Easy to clean and pulverizes everything to liquid so not much waste.

This one is nice but it can get busy.
It’s close to CYB,Antur and other natural trials.

As he ^^^^ suggests!
I bought a T5 van and converted to a camper.
It’s great for bikes,initially built it for touring with my motor bike.
Some pics here
I didn’t want to lose the storage space so i put in a bespoke bed,it pulls out to make a double.Van has a small sink and the front double seat can swivel round for seating,it can take a hook up and it’s fully insulated.
Some good info on T4/T5 Forum if you decide to do your own conversion.

Might be some diversions at Afan next weekend due to the Welsh Gravity on.Starts from Glyncorrwg,un official practice Saturday and race and practice on Sunday.

Ballyhoura[/url] MTB
Good Trail centre,similar to CYB,some of the tracks built by Dafydd Davis himself.
Not easy to find camping places as someone said so it’s best to book your camping sites before you travel.
Here is a good one in Tipperary The apple farm[/url] stayed there a couple times.

I had an issue with uploading endomondo gpx this afternoon,opened a ticket,they mailed back this evening and all is good now.

Plas Talgarth[/url] 10 mins from Machynlleth,30 mins from CYB.
Good place for kids.

5’5″ Small Commencal Meta AM
Thought i would never buy a 29 until i tested one while waiting on parts for my 650B.
Bought the Meta and absolutely love it,it’s my preferred bike for trail centre riding now.
Find it great if i’m a bit tired or lazy just roll it down the tracks and hold on :-) Bit more hands on with the 650 i find.
Time wise find it on par with the 650 at CYB.

Took a week for mine to arrive,paid on 23 Dec and arrived on the 30 Dec.
Pretty good considering it was over the holidays :-)
I had a tracking number for Fedex in France that said it was still in France but was actually with my next door neighbour. :D
What i mean is that the French fedex did not update and the UK fedex did not have any notice of the bike in transit and the French tracking number did not work.

^all good points ^ cheers