Yes I did my first Explorer yesterday. Very good event, and I agree the third loop really was a killer. The campsite Saturday was fine and good food served up to. Nice to have the Rugby club bar to use also. I’ll be back next year that’s for sure.

Brilliant weekend. I was part of the Royal Navy inter service team. Third Bonty I’ve ridden and they’ve all been amazing. Great course and atmosphere. Thanks for all the encouragement as the services teams went through the campsite. The dusty cottage descent was the highlight for me.

Dartmoor on the road bike. Fantastic day at long last and glad I chose Tarmac over mud, this time!

V666ern I’ve only just seen your post. I’m in Paignton and can show you a loop towards Kingswear, tomorrow or Saturday if you’re still about. I’m avoiding the mud fest of dartmoor at the moment.

Thanks to all who’ve replied. I think my gut feeling was right and after reading this thread and we’re not going to go with the deal offered.

They did approach me, but it was an approach I was willing to accept as both myself and the other half were keen to hear what they had to say and what it was all about. The salesman pretty much agreed that funding the panels myself would be the best option, but without going “hardsell” said that with bills due to rise every year, even if I couldn’t pay off the loan early, I would still be in profit. Selling the house is a question which we asked and ultimately if we did move then we would have to pay off the loan with whatever we made out of the house profits. The new owners would be getting free panels to an extent.
But is solar energy on your home that good that you can seriously cut your energy bills? Or is it just a case of in the summer it’s great, but during the winter it becomes pretty much a no goer due to darker evenings?

Sounds like those alarm bells are ringing for good reason. The idea of solar sounds great, but it seems I am being asked to pay way over what I should be.

Brilliant couple of days, but it didn’t feel that way at 0300 this morning to be honest! The Sumo’s were an inspiration and the jump of doom kept the slog through the camp site interesting. Hats off the soloists. I don’t think I could bare that kind of torture!

Top ride today on the DD. The rehashed route was a winner IMO. Good effort by all involved.

A bottle of Port with a bit of route planning for tomorrow, does it get better?

Another +1 for the NW Artic’s. Mine are on their 3rd winter and are used on the trails, the commute, and the road bike. Still, after a good wash, as good as new.

Excellent postings so far and some good points to consider. I appreciate all the advice and thoughts. I have visited both NZ and Oz in the past, so do have a little knowledge of them both. The travelling time needed in NZ is a very interesting point. Please don’t be offended about the Perth comment, it’s where the majority of their Navy is, so is where I would have to locate to if I ended up there. Sydney dosn’t appeal at all in that respect.

Thought of Oz, but the prospect of being stuck out on a limb in Perth dosn’t appeal. We’d rather be able to get out and see everything we wanted around NZ. The pay in the RNZN isn’t far off what I get already from what I can gather.
Anymore advice, expericence appriecated.

Wet, slippy, far to much road, but I’ll probably do it again next year as it’s a good end of year slog! As CB above said, cheers to the SPAMers for arranging it all.

Was half thinking of heading up there tomorrow, mind now made up, Haldon it is.

Yep, I’m now also an owner of said book!

Went for a spin before sunrise, and whilst the rest of South Devon was waking up, I was enjoying the view from Berry Head. Wet, but an hour very well spent. Merry Christmas.

[/url]
2012-08-30 14.06.29[/url] by [/url], on Flickr

Me and the boy sharing a fantastic long weekend in Wales. Simply brilliant.

Did it last year, vowed never to bother again, lots of road work joined together with slippery down hill tracks through open fields…..see you on the 30th!

I have to agree, riding down through the car park I was praying that that was the end, but looking at my clock I knew there was a good 9 miles left. That last climb was hell. But it just made the finish that bit sweeter. Saw a few people having some dark moments on the way around. Excellent event imo.

Looking forward to it. I’ve done nothing but my normal daily 12 mile round trip commute his week. Hoping the ups aren’t as brutal as the devon dirt, but I know the downs will be much much better :D see you there.

Is that the one with the chunk missing from it’s dorsal fin? If so then yes, I saw it a few months ago by the castles. Dartmouth, 7000 drunks clinging to a river bank!

Theres a loop from churston down to kingswear I can show you sunday if you like. Plenty on dartmoor, all depends on whether you want techy with some good climbing, or more open casual riding.

I found the last few miles of the Devon Dirt quite painfull, maybe I just need to MTFU !
Good ride though in very changeable conditons, the food was excellent this year.

Phil I’m in Paignton, I can take you around my local loop down towards Kingswear tomorrow morning if you fancy it. Probaly go for a 0900 start from the chippy at Broadsands, about 90 mins worth….over to you.

I have to say that my other halfs anthem climbs better than my 514. In fact the anthem is cracking all round bike, still rather have the extra travel for the more challenging downs though.

Still hoping to make this. See you all in the morning, fingers crossed.

Perfect riding conditions on East Dartmoor this weekend
[/url] 2012-02-25 16.01.25[/url] by [/url], on Flickr[/img]

Perfect riding conditions on the East of Dartmoor this weekend.

Happy Birthday Knottie

I think most Dartmoor types know that bog quite well, I know I do….face first and all that!!!

Congratulations Yunki, who shaved the bears nose?

8 am is fine. Anyone else fancy this one?

I could meet you at Yarner car park at about 0830 if you like. Got to be back in Torbay to watch the lad play football at 1.00 so the earlier the better.

East one day and west the other, sounds like my kind of weekend, if it’s open to all then I’m up this one if avaliable.

I have been running one on the rear for the past 3 months or so, very grippy and I had no complaints with it. Unfortunately it split last week near the beading, it was on a rocky descent so I’m not going to moan about it having weak sidewalls. A decent winter tyre for the rear, never tried it on the front so I wouldn’t know how it’ll hold though slipprey corners and the like.

Muddy 16 miles around Kingswear and Churston in South Devon, happy New year all. Bring on the Port.

I drive an a3 and ride a Zesty. If people want to label me that’s their issue, I’ll still ride with them. You meet all sorts of people from all sorts of walks of life in this sport. Anyone can come off, or have a bad day for any number of reasons, regardless of bike. If you can’t grasp this then you need look at yourself not the rest of us.

Made I laugh :D

Ouch, he has some nuts as it almost went pear shaped on his first attempt. Hope he recovers quickly.