Thetford Winter Series?

Only marginally north of Northampton but just about fits your criteria.

I think I just made the mistake of thinking TMV might sound anything like ATDI, so ended up hating them. Though tbh I think I would have come round to hating them anyway, just would have taken longer

This. Inertiatic ESP was brilliant, everything else unlistenable. My (then) girlfriend and I went to see them on their first tour and by the third song we gave each other the ‘WTF?’ look and made a beeline for the bar.

As it turned out, Sparta was by far my favourite of the bands to rise out of the ashes of ATDI. Not that they sounded all that similar either, but something resonated that certainly didn’t with Mars Volta.

Not at all, interesting to see other people’s route choices, there’s always a chance to learn, and you probably know some bits that I don’t anyway!

My two biggest problems were on two of the singletrack sections where the start and the checkpoint are marked on the map, but not the exit back onto the fireroad or BW. Screwed it up on Holmbury and again on Leith, both avoidable mistakes but it’s rare to do an event without one – very satisfying when it happens!

Have you ever done the Gorrick Trailtrax events? Same idea but using a 1:50000 map rather than 1:25000. The last one of this year is this Sunday from Hambledon just south of Godalming. Venue is always a pub :)

Will have to take a look at the link later, can’t see it at work.

quite how slow/lost others must have been I don’t know

Very, very lost is always possible, I’ve certainly done it :)

Haven’t got a track of my route, so I’ll bore you with a description. Headed out north to the two points towards Albury before coming back up and clearing Pitch. Fluffed the crossing over to Holmbury a bit but did the stuff at the southern end before crossing over to Leith via Joldwnyds and the steep climb up through Burnthouse Copse. Then down the eastern side of Leith before heading west and getting the remaining CPs on the way in.

Got the whole lot in the end, but not nearly fast enough to win, which was my optimistic aim. John Seaston knows the place like the back of his hand whereas I don’t ride there enough any more to navigate in a hurry, so five wins in a row it is – chapeau sir! Smashed everyone again!

Think I may have parked next to you in my battered red Berlingo, was someone with a blue Cotic anyway.

The best thing about the MTBO for me was screwing up the navigation near the end and accidentally rediscovering some sweet singletrack I hadn’t ridden in many years. Not rediscovering any gap jumps was also a highlight :wink:

There was another event going on as well, I was doing the MTBO and saw quite a few riders coming towards me with number boards on – MTB, not a road sportive. Anyone know what the event was?

Anyway, cracking day for it, even though it did have that melancholy feel of the last day of summer!

I also did the survey and made sure I raised the issues with the MoD, and the idiocy of the footpath/bridleway distinction.

No idea if much will come of it, but as ninfan says, it can be a numbers game. I’ve suggested to TAG that they might like to do the survey too :)

Or just leave it there. Did one ages ago and it was fine, tyre eventually failed at the sidewall instead.

2nd most annoying thing ever.

Just saying.

Can you remember the last time a British politician refused to stand aside for someone who had beaten him in an election?

Gerry Malone in Winchester, 1997 :-)

Go straight to the Timelaps website, they are up there.

Well done Nick! No idea if I caught you, doubt it as I was also mainly watching people overtake me.

Great course, but how can it be too hot to race by 10:30 at the end of September – mental!

At least 5 Whyte 29C’s at the Gorrick orienteering event a couple of weeks ago, including mine.

Not too many rocks round that way (Basingstoke), but took mine to Snowdonia in July and it was plenty capable there, although I have got the top spec model.

Must try and get to one of the Black Mountains events next year!

If ‘learning from George’ includes borrowing his legs, then you’ll be fine!

Looking forward to hearing about it on Sunday :)

Good luck Nick! Should be ideal prep for Sunday 8O

Hardly ever do that climb, always end up climbing Tanhurst Lane when I’m over that way. Might be a good option for a warm-up, as long as you don’t puncture!

Obvious I know, but you did click on the ‘Save changes’ button?

Whereas EPO has no harmful side-effects of course.

Rebelstar

You’ve also got the baying hordes of Sport, Masters Plus and Vets Plus snapping at your heels.

No pressure ;)

He’ll be styling it up as he flies past ;)

Vets + is great fun, but hurts quite a lot!

Enjoy your bonus lap Nick :) I would worry about being lapped by Isaac if I was doing Expert :(

Ground Effect have 2 or 3 colour options on their shorts that aren’t garish.

Generally quite rugged, some more fitted options (i.e. the ones they describe as Performance rather than Baggy).

England

Yes – show us the way to a written constitution, a fair voting system and a fully elected parliament.

With less cars around there is less chance of the fly tippers being seen, hence more fly tipping

This is exactly the kind of reasoning that we need to be putting to the DIO. Having fewer responsible land users around makes it easier for those engaged in anti-social activities. This is particularly true at night when hardly any civillians are on the land except MTBers and the odd dog-walker.

Unfortunately, at the contentious public meeting held by DIO back in June, MTBing and BMXing were lumped together with arson and fly-tipping as problems – this is the mind-set we are trying to change.

Yep, Hungry Hill is the north-eastern side of Caesar’s Camp. Car parking will be behind Royal Pavillion I expect, with entry via Bourley Road.

Note – Autumn Classic 1 now changed from Tunnel Hill to Hungry Hill – see Gorrick website for details.

Thanks globalti!

Although it seems they don’t have Mont Chaberton :(

Got a link for the historic maps globalti? Their main site is a bit too conspicuous to spend too long searching at work!

Dave – excellent…you know there’s only a single faff between our respective speeds

:)

Maybe last year when I was fitter, and on my home turf – this year has been a different kettle of spanners!

Still got to get Trans-Cambrian done too!

Nice one. Bought it on tape all those years ago, not heard it in many moons but still love ‘Boy in the Bubble’, and ‘Crazy Love Vol II’ almost makes me cry!

Ventnor is a good night out too – and you could bivi in the ruins of the radar station on the top of the hill overlooking the town – that would be a spectacular view to bed down to/wake up to. And also a nice leg-breaking climb from the beach :)

Having said that, I’ve never bivvied there or anywhere else so you might want to do a bit of your own research first!

Autumn Classics are my favourite races. All the evil eyed racer monsters have been worn down by a hard season and the birds are free to sing in the trees once more.

Yes that’s often true!

A couple of years back I moved up from Vets to Super Vets (now renamed Vets Plus) at an Autumn Classic, and was delighted to finish 5th. I thought I’d be rocking it in the Spring Series, top 10 for definite. Come the first race all the big boys were back and BANG – 24th :(

I think I might be giving this a go next year, either as an adventure or training, can’t see me beating your time Mark :)

Good work setting it all up!

Je vous en prie!

Yep IGN are excellent.

Stanford’s will have a wide variety of different types, so have a look.

I like the airshot idea too.

In theory I could make one myself, in practice I won’t get round to it.

Looks like a Salsa hardtail of some description, either a polished finish or grey, with light blue decals.

But I am looking at a tiny photo on a terrible phone, so could be completely wrong.

Edit – numplumz is right I think, probably titanium.

Reached the turn in 6h22m, so going well!

What a strange thread

Yossarian is the one making the most sense here.

I won a set of lock-on grips just yesterday, for winning an MTB orienteering event.

Of course it’s not about the prize, it’s all about the glory and the acclaim of the throng of spectators. And the groupies.