Nowt but blue skies and a fine breeze ere in South Devon.

Shame as i was beginning to enjoy wet rides.

I might trek up as never ridden that way before, the ride could do with a little glamour too 😉

Where is it?

Warp factor Gurn 🙂

I’ve recently been dared to repost my pink thong photo…
Butt i won’t, so instead..

Water of leith leaf man.

Water of leith Girl.

Mad man..

And of course my jelly baby shot. 😛

Aw bless……………………

OP needs to get specific on what sort of trails he wants to ride.
As stated tech for one is easy for another, like wise easy for one could be classed as tech by somebody else.

The Quantocks like other riding locations have areas more technical than others, from steep, rooty off camber, steep loose stoney trails, or technical climbs.
The chimney and even the trail myself and Jambo cleared to make a path is deemed technical by some.

It’s a very grey area, i’ve been asked whilst guiding to show riders some technical trails and once at them, told “Not that (insert expletive) technical..

Another way to make a Tox trail Technical is to follow a reckless local, what would normally be a smooth easy trail at a speed you’re comfortable with, becomes a battle of control, etc.

I’m not around to assist on this one, as i’m on Dartmoor getting some alpine exposure in the cleeve.

Enjoy!

Ah Russ, you got home ok then..
Good pootle that, hope you enjoyed the abuse 😉 and thanks for the beer and eccles cakes.

I see knottie is back from Oceanfest. 😉

At first i thought it looked very space aged in colour and with that an image of a young lady straddled it entered my mind, namely Barberella.
So i googled Barberella to check her out for suitability…………………………….

Nice shot of a Juvenile male Woody there, guess it was feeding on ants and unaware of you stalking him. It’s not long fledged i’d say so perhaps a little weak in the flight muscles.
Lovely capture though and great posing from the Young woody.

I was the fastest lady in the 4-5pm timed climb.
78th/401 riders…Go Isobel 😀

Self build weirdness in Kernow.

I’m lashed to a bed in Redditch right now and am planning my escape as we speak.
I need to be back in Taunton before Friday as i’m riding down to South Devon for the weekend, so hope to leave on Friday some time.

5hrs to cram in some Quantocks miles, is plenty of time to induce leg pain. I’ll mail you if i’m due back, by Weds evening then let you know if i’m availible.

Bincombe is best found from a trail leading from the top of Ladys combe.
At the top there’s a tree in the middle of the grassy area, beyond the tree there’s a bank with a gap in it. Go through there and take the obvious trail down, it comes out on the road(caution). Right opposite there’s a barely visible trail head leading to a more obvious wide trail.
It bares down to the left and after a 150-200 metres you’ll see a fallen tree, hop over the tree(there’s a ramp) and follow that piece of single track, Round to the left of the next fallen tree and then the trail really opens out, watch out for the sudden change of direction on blind bits though.
After approx 1 mile, you’ll end up in a shallow leaf littered gully and if you’ve received a lashing from a holly tree on your left, you’re ear the end of the main descent.
To your right there’s a bank with various gaps in it to lower trail/stream bed. Look out for an old metal safe,drop down to that trail and follow it down it’s course, under a fallen tree and take the next obvious slope on the left taking you back up onto the trail you’d been descending on. Follow this trail and it’ll gradually climb out, baring left all the time. You’ll ride through some holly bushes which have been lovingly separated to allow a clear ride through(thanks to Bob and Roge), sharp left where it opens up and follow the vague trail back up to Walfords Gibbet.

The road is really the only option until you get to the BW that skirts the NE flank of the hill fort, where you can either follow that linking back to the hill fort descent, back to Holford combe, or straight onto the layby near holford.
Or instead of the BW, At that same junction there’s a gully run back up to the top of the hill fort which however is a bit of a mean climb.

There little more than forest roads in Stowborrow(deer park), though the perimeter BW makes good link from Vinny combe(pint at the end in the windmill) around the edge of the hills along the greenway to Holford.

Staple plantation has been heavily forested due to Phytophthora ramorum, so the single cheeky trail in there has been lost. It was a short twisting run connecting the picnic bench to the greenway path. There is a path heading south from the corner of the CP near the gate which drops to Weacombe via a set of 12 or so steps.

If i was about i’d happily take you round for a day and try and do a new trail loop, but i’m not sure when i’m back this week, maybe thurs??

As for mine and Jambo’s trail, i’ll not close it down, hell no! it’s evolved in 3-4 years to what it is now and i think is not a victim to it’s own success, it’s improved with age and has gained the character i felt it would.

The original narnia flowed through the trees and never took the traffic this one has, so it remained smooth, Del’s over the other side of rocky horror, was the hooty rooty trail from start to finish and i’m pleased now to see it back to being single track, i remember going down there with an axe and saw and clearing a 40ft section of clear fell, only to see a further 200ft or more just the same and thinking, it’s gone…Thankfully the forestry cleared it up and left a wide track there, so thanks for the help FC.

Sharki’s trail I believe

Cough.

Shame it’s come to that Jambo, quite how revenge of the stump never stuck and that your contribution in it’s creation is hardly recognised.

I might go and chop a load of trees down in it and close it down, before i leave the area again..

I got photies of elfins mowhawk. 😆

Lovely to see those i knew, meet those i do now and shame i missed those i didn’t meet or do not yet know.

I almost managed to avoid sticking a number on the bike, but did and thoroughly enjoyed the single lap with semi slicks.

Now trapped near brum for a few days 😕

These young girls chose to ride (illegally :?) on the pavement for their own safety away from the dangerous traffic.
It was in a heavily built up area at around 8pm last night, so 30mph zone.

However one driver decided that he’d drive with too much alcohol in his system to do so. He mounted the kerb at a estimated 80mph(not confirmed) and hit the girls from their assumed safe riding location.

Let this not be a rant against DD in particular, but let it be a reminder how we all have a responsibility to each other whilst going about our rushed and hectic lives.

A ghost bike is a great idea, however in this case as she wasn’t on the road it seems a little inappropriate to the incident.

It’s an endurance event, you’re not meant to get a kick out of it, you’re meant to endure it.

That’s why they have it during the wet summer and not in March or September when it’s dry and comfortably warm.

For me the numbers make it what it is, Not that i aim ever to do it again. I like to enjoy my rides, not endure them.

Now you’re cool cuz chicks dig men who bust themselves up being gnarr.

If anybody is heading up past Junc 25 of the M5 and has room for one, i’ll be interested in a lift.

For cuts in the field i’ve been known to cover with a section of birch polypore cut into a plaster sized piece and placed over a clotted wound.

If poss, i use super glue to stick back the skin, but it’s very important to ensure the wound is free of dirt and debris.

On an open wound such as a graze, i’d throughly cleanse the area first, then smear with savlon or similar, then let it breath. If there’s risk from getting dirty in the next day or two, cover with gauze and a bandage, however on removal you may break the healing skin and delay healing.

Spray on plasters? Na, let you’re body deal with it like it can do..

As for Hornets…Still plenty around. The brood die off each year, so the queen needs to start again from scratch each spring.

She’ll chew off bits of wood and make a small nest with many cells, in which she’ll lay an egg in each of them. After around a week, they’ll hatch and the queen will now feed them insects for another couple of weeks until they seal themselves into their cell and transform into adults.
These become workers and will undertake all the previous duties that the queen has been doing apart from egg laying(only the queen does that), so nest building and feeding of the immature(larvae) hornets. It’s at this time of year now that the brood will start to grow and by the late summer the colony will peak. This is when more can be seen.

HTH

Dan Haggerty, if an actor from any era could be used
From the modern crop, i’m not sure as i’ve not seen much TV or films over the last 6 years.

Anyone who can play the part of a homeless, jobless person, whom likes the freedom of being in the wilds whether on foot or on a bike, whilst breaking out of normal society and survive without handouts, savings, etc..

Must like camping too.

Once felt like this kermit
And it got me here

Now i’m pretty much here.

Once felt like this kermit
And it got me here

Now i’m pretty much here.

I just ammended a few as they showed as cycling not Mountain biking.

Same here joined but not on the list, been using it for about 6 weeks now.

Mapping from the garmin seems more accurate than from the smart phone i think.

It’s a rather moist one out there, so….a wee thread resurrection.

Not sure, might ride up so leave on thursday morn, arrive Friday night, perhaps,meebie.
Unless i cadge a lift.

tox

No, chicks dig a man with an interesting background or exciting lifestyle, a scar just happens to be a part of one of the many stories.

Oh and hello peeps

I put my bike and trailer on a LDT with no issues at all.
Book the bikes on though to reserve the space in the hold.
Trailer is in fact the permitted size allowed for luggage so should be allowed on the main carriage(subject to space)

If you choose a non peak train, you’ll have plenty of room.

me.

Email in profile.
Cake and beer!
I can cater for all riders till we drop.
🙂

And also my last weekend in the area so will be a full on riding weekend.

I’ll pass on your coments.
Its been cut and shaped by a rather lanky gangly dh’r whom jambo knows.
Forget his name though, rides a 224.
Nice flowing trail with a little thought for all abilities.
Only ridden up It so far but thats my style 😉

Thankful for having great friends, old, new and not yet met.
Also for all the wonderful forms of life that we share this planet with.

With out these I’d be nothing.

Also very thankful for my fitness and good health, Im one lucky sod.

Sent home so all good. Mullered helmet, amnesia and a broken finger.u

He was placed on a spoke board and flown to hospital to be checked over.
He had blacked out for a minute so off to get scanned for neck Injury and suspected broken wrist.
I’ll know more tonight when his mate texts me of news.

Impressively efficient response by all the services who attended.
The red chopper needed to attend an emergency in minehead so another chopper was. called In to aytend yo this less serious patient.

Nice to meet and ride with you and tothers today and i hope that nasty cold burgers off, the noise of you hacking up scared all the wildlife.

Healing vibes to you, ya clanger 😉

No room on this hobo road, or nobody crazy enough to join me.

300mm lens, hides and camo?

Never tried it with all that, guess I just stink of the outdoors and blend in well as I am.
top tip, be patient……..wait….. and finally learn creature tracks and habits.

Thanks for coming guys.
Round two tomorrow.
Buzz, 10 at cpg.
We’ll be heading over to triscombe for some dhlite, then some other built trails followed by the chimney.
Time then to drop a few early leavers off at cpg before the remainder, descend for a pub grub nom and more trails.