Pauls Blog
Hi this is Paul a.k.a DUMPY reporting for fat mountainbiker duty. I shall start with the last 15 years in brief.
A thin
Feel free to contact me at. paul@fatmountainbikers.com
24/08/08
This has to be worth a mention,Two words "THE DRAGSTERS" nothing to do with mountainbiking,but probably the first "FATTIES" night out with almost the whole crew present. Beanie was up from pasty land, Jason was out sporting a rather nice injury from a days action at Q.E and me and Arnie were also there, and musn't forget the families. As you may have already established from 'fatties tunes' my first love is rock music with mountainbiking being a close second. I have been a rocker and keen guitarist since my bum fluff moustache days so seeing the Dragsters play my old skool rock favourites 'Mr Brownstone', 'Walk this way', 'Back in Black' and 'Killing in the name of' was a guaranteed recipe for a boozy beer and Jack Daniels disaster. This group of '30' something blokes which include an old school friend on bass guitar can even make the Red Hot Chilli Peppers songs sound audible (sorry I hate the same old chillis riffs). It was a deep down and dirty pub gig which even saw Arnie on the dance floor. As I have seen bands such as Aerosmith, The Floyd, ACDC and The Stones and any other band worth their salt, I can honestly say without a doubt that this is one of my favourite gigs to date from a relatively unknown band. With Beanie, Jason and my wife as designated drivers it was left up to Arnie and me to sink enough alcohol to level a troop of Roman soldiers, and oh my god didnt we pay for it. Arnie spent the night talking into the big white telephone and I had somehow lost £80 from my wallet, I think someone mugged me in the loos, well thats what i've been telling the wife. I must also mention that my daughter has now seen her first pub gig and thought they were 'mense' (immense to anyone over 18) and that they added a personal touch, this coming from a teen they must be good. oh what a night, happy days, hope for another less boozy one soon- Arnies big white telephone bill isnt yet in and it hasnt helped the full susser plan!!!!!!!!!
18/08/08
It's raining it's pouring!!! Another top British summer in full swing,luckily Iv'e just come back from my hol's in spain so I have seen the sun this year!!! The last couple of months have been poor on the biking front just a few outings, my fault entirely, I need a kick up the ass every now and again and it came in the shape of my top buddy Dunc who I linked up with for a late evening blatt round some of the local singletrack happy beans...Setting out pretty late the second half of the ride was done in failling light which made for much more fun hacking through the salad,veg,undergrowth(what ever) on a stream side trail with a four foot drop that guarantees injury and a damp injury at that if we'd got it wrong......Thankfully I returned in one piece which was a bonus as I was due to fly to spain within day's.Since I've been back it's been full steam ahead I've been out three times just short blips but wicked fun,I've even hit the dirt jumps at the local skate park just for a laugh early one morning on my way back home from the forest when there was no one around to put me to shame as I achieved minimum pop and air off each run,Still you have to try these things and gravel fire tracks are definetly starting to bore me beyond belief!!!!!! So much so that I've put a plan in place to invest in a a full susser ohh yes it's time to up the anti !!! But there is a proviso... I just cant be the fat bloke bottoming out the full susser at every jump or drop off!!! THE PLAN....... lose three stone(It's about time) and then get the bike "NO IFS NO BUTTS" that the deal.
So the target is set for easter...
Hopefully the bike will be a KONA COILAIR 2008 spec (if I can get one a the right price)
Now it's just a case of a serious reduction in bulk...
BUT WILL IT HAPPEN?????????
15/05/08
Here we go just got back from a good blatt!!!!!! Due to the recent dry weather my local singletrack trail is up and running again.O.K it's not exactly "whistler" but compared with all winter on gravel it was as good a release as the relief expressed by Jordans back, following her recent breast reduction operation.....opps..sorry the first boob reference on the fatties site !!!!!
Having been out four or five times in the last couple of weeks the fitness or fatness is starting to come back,which is a result as I have a couple of new routes to recci up over the next few weeks and me thinks another visit to Q.E is a must soon.
Here's a couple of photo's taken on my last outing, the now ridable singletrack has a whole winters growth on it,not to mention the forresters best efforts to ruin it with their winters logging.The trails were narrow and over grown but in true fatties style the fun was in just taking a deep breath and going for it happy dayz!!!!
Apart from a few close shaves with the brambles some resulting in bloodage and a couple of new tree roots which weren't there last year I'm sure!! Ha..Ha..It was great to be back on it.
Bloaters brook a good whobbler test for the new summer season.
Overgrown and unridden for months" toe down and go for it"
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26/04/08
With spring apon us and the trails almost rideable again it's time for me to shoehorn the post winter pogde into the now slightly tighter shorts and tops and try to build up the fitness again for hopefully another good summers mountainbiking!!!
With good rides at a minimum last winter due to the weather the Dumpsters fitness is at this moment SHITE!! and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one....
The last couple of weeks I've been out on few short fitness tester rides It's great to be out again but Jesus it's a proper struggle at times,I had a crack at the the fatties training route a couple of weeks ago and it nearly killed me I was determined to get round at a reasonable pace but it's fair to say that on some of the uphill sections I was reduced to a slow amble Hamburger hill really took some doing and seemed to go on for ever!!!! still it was worth it all told it's great to be rolling again.Me and the guyz are hoping to get out on a few evening rides in the coming weeks which hopefully will start to up the fitness a bit and put us in good stead for a good old fatties day out the next time beany is up from pasty land!!!
23/03/08
This month the fatties team hit a new area of the new forest "Rockford Common" first spotted by me and Arnie on route to our Ringwood forest adventures back in the summer 2007.Rockford common is near Linwood a small village just outside Ringwood the gerneral area is made up of a serise or ridges either side of a winding forest road,as we drove through in the summer Arnie said there must be some stuff to ride round here we'll have to check it out some day.....And true to our words six months or so later we did.
Beanie was due up from pasty land (which for those of you not familiar with the British Isles is near the Scotch egg Mountains not to far from sausage roll Creek. A.K.A Cornwall) Arnie wanted to plan a ride so we drove out to the common one afternoon to rec up a rough route,that weekend Arnie Jason Beanie and I piled down to the common in three cars and set out on the route we had worked out from the hill top in the week.We really had no clear path to follow it was just follow your nose most of the way but we soon found some good single track and downhill sections in the forest enclosures which were nearby to the common.We managed to piece together a rough loop some firetrack boredom some downhill sections a few jumps a few wrong turns a bit of back tracking some board walk(don't ask) some bog(don't ask)a couple of stiles some walking through post fencing with bikers above our heads altogether a good few hours of good banter and general f**king about!!!!
After this it was back to where our route started the carpark which is home to some rather more interesting terrain we all then set about finding any and all the ways of riding the ridges,loads of loose gravel and sand and various singletrack shoots and runs.There's nothing better than a good goof about once in a whlie and this was a perfect place to do it.Happy Dayz!!!Me and Jason spotted some local MTB'ers riding a self built trail down through the woods but as the light was fading and they had full face gear on we took a rain check on that one til another day.Arnie found some single track to the left of the carpark and Beanie found the highest point and the steepest run and launched himself at it.Cheers to the boyz a top afternoons mountainbiking.
I was back in rockford two weeks later with top mountainbiker and retired Bee keeper Dunc we retraced the former route but this time it was a bit less stop'n'start as I new the places to avoid and all the places to hit.I also had the camera this time so check out the gallery for some cool shots.
5/01/08
Hi guyz well here we go It's 2008 and a whole new year of Fatmountainbiking looms!!!
Last month the riding was tough,it was either very wet or very cold,when it's as wet as it has been the forest is super muddy,the mud is super friendly and in no time the bikes get caked and the gears and disks just get mashed.So after braving the mud for a few weeks the weather turned super cold this was better as all the muddy ruts were now frozen so some of the routes we use were ridable again!!One such Sunday morning over the Christmas period Me and Dunc had planned to go out for a blast,Dunc hasn't been out for ages so we were going what ever the weather,we normally go out quite early and this particular morning was absolutly BALTIC proper freezing,It was deffinetly still below zero when we met up the roads were totaly iced over there was no traction at all on the tarmac(looking back on it now it was probably a bit irresponsible to go out due to the high risk of injury) But to bottle it was not an option!!!!Besides we only do a few miles on road per ride and the forest would be easier to get grip on.After sliding about for about 15 mins just tring to get to the start of the off road stuff It was clear this was going to be a nightmare but a good crack all the same!! Within about half an hour the tube on my camelbak was frozen solid and the wind chill to the face had reduced me to a sort of snot riden red face kid again!!
The Mountainbiking was top though crashing through the frozen landscape some of the ice was thick enough to ride on and the sandy sections were frozen solid which made them faster than normal.We managed to plough on for a good few hours which was good as Dunc was worried about his fitness,It was his outing for a few months and he was convinced he would struggle.Iv'e added some shots of this ride to the gallery and yes it really was that cold.
Here's looking forward to tons of mountainbiking this year I hope to get back to Q.E again soon with all the boyz!!!! And I've also got my eye some trails in west Berkshire and the Purbecks.So keep checking in to get the latest from the Fatmountainbikers....
A very cold and frosty NewForest
19/11/07
Hello peeps thought it was about time I logged in and updated,have been a bit of a slacker in October but plan to get back on the case this month.Winter is definatly apon us now and the trails are all muddy and covered in leaves....wicked....
I've been forced to ride solo of late as Arnie is injured after a weekends dirt jumping with Beanie in cornwall and big Dunc has been to Oz on his hol's.
Hopefully me and Dunc will be out this weekend as he's not been out for ages due to hol's and bike problems and seeing as there is mud about Dunc will be keen to get stuck in.
I was out last week doing some of the usual routes and trails some of which I hadn't ridded for months and it's much harder riding now the leaves are down and the mud is friendly.Some of the single track routes are a nightmare all the ruts and roots are cunningly descuised by leaves and just when you get some speed up you lose the front end into a boggy hole which does its best to throw you ass over tit into the salad.Needless to say I was turfed off good and proper last week I caught a wet tree root which I didn't see intil to late it totally wiped out the front end and I stacked,the first of many winter crashes I'm sure!!!!! Still me and the bike are in one piece so that goes down to experience.
6/09/07
Hi guys I'm back sorry for the lack of updates of late I've been having some technical problems with my broadband and computer,still I'm back up and running for now so let's hope it lasts.Mind you I'm afraid theres not much to report I've only been out a few times since I got back from my hols.I hope you've seen the pic's in the gallery of me and my brother Mark(oh sorry Arnie) in Morroco me and the family had a blast!!!! We didn't do any cycling out there dispite the interesting terrain the hotel did have bike hire though ha ha... you could hire the worst bikes in the world they like 1950's postman mobils complete with baskets and panier racks,ultra cool,not!!!The only riding me and Arnie did was up the side of a mountain on a bloody donkey oh yes it was a nightmare believe me I look worse on a donkey than I do on a bike!!!!Still enough of the travel show and back to all things MTB...
I've been cycling a small forest enclosure 10 minutes away from my house me and Arnie cycled had been there before a year or so back but never really paid the place much attention but I think some local mountainbikers have been riding there more regulary as there are some rough trails starting to appear in the woods.The routes are mainly singletrack and follow along the edge of a stream that winds through the woodland,some parts are a bit over grown so it's a bit stop n' start but on the whole I think the place has a bit of promise so I plan to drag the other fatties down there soon.I rode there last week a found some purpose built jumps some of which were not for the faint hearted,I think I will leave these for the beanys and Arnies of this world!!!I plan to go back there this weekend as there were a few more tracks to try.There were tyre tracks all over the place so there must be people riding here.I will keep you posted.The good thing about this place is it's close by so you can just pop up there for an hour or so or take a run through on the way out or way back from a longer ride.
Just before I go I must have a bit of a rant!!! what is it with local bike shops and sram chains... Me Arnie and dunc have all replaced our factory fitted chains with sram chains which I think are great.(I have no problem with sram)But the MTB shops in our area have made the seemingly simple upgrade a nightmare!! More on this in the fatties reveiws section let me just say for now it took us all two or three goes to get the correct chains we required,Does it really need to be this hard!!!
10/07/07
One word somes up all things MTB in the Newforest at the moment WET!!! actually make that two words F***ING WET!!! will this rain ever stop? Done get me wrong I'm definatly not a fair weather only type of mountainbiker,if your allready out and the heavens open resulting in a mudfest so be it,thats part of the fun,but I do hate setting out in the rain only to be pomelled for an hour or two and that seems to be the only option of late.....
I have managed to get out three or four times in the past few weeks and the conditions are just like bloody winter mud everywhere and small ponds apearing round every corner,great and now its mid july what a nightmare!!!!
I managed an everning ride with dunc the other day,we were only half an hour when his chain broke one of the links sheared clean off and with no chance of a temp repair we had to turn back and I towed him home. It's hard enough to keep my frame on the move sometimes but it was a total nightmare with dunc hanging onto my saddle stem in fits of giggles!!!! Still never mind it's something to talk about in the pub other than the smoking ban I suppose.....
I'm off on my holidays next week with the family and also my brother Arnie is comming along. Two weeks of all inclusive sun,food and booze in Morroco happy daze! So I will sign off for now "Keep up the miles guy's"speak to you in August......
18/06/07
Q.E COUNTRY PARK........
On saturday the Fatties were all off to Q.E a place I had never been before but a sure must for all MTB riders out there.Beany was up from pasty land and Jason was to meet us there so I loaded the car, picked up Arnie and we set off for some promised proper mountainbiking.The weather forcast was bad heavy thunder showers so the trails would be wet through and the as they were full of roots and chalk based extremly slippery which meant tough riding all round.We arrived and set the bikes up and with one eye on the blackening sky set off,the first stage of our ride was a climb right up into the the hills but it's all worth it for the long downhill tracks which criss cross the park,there are some marked out trails the orange and purple routes but you can just make it up as you go along linking in parts of trails and bridleways.I think we were about forty minutes in when the heavens opened this made things even tougher all the tracks were now monster slippy and as they were mostly off camber you were constantly fighting the bike which just wanted to slip away sideways. I was doing well I think and started to up the pace in the downhill sections when I rounded a sharp corner and hit a large tree root which totally wiped me out I ended up face down sliding downhill with the bike somehow trapped round my right leg.It all went quite for a few seconds and the Jason came steaming through the same corner thankfully he handled it with a bit more finess and was able stop before riding over me.We sorted out a minor bike problem and then pressed on to catch up with Arnie and Beany and apart from a couple of cuts on my leg I was all good which was a bonus as there was plenty more riding to be had.
We put up with some prety heavy rain over the next few hours but because I was enjoying the more technical elements of this type of terrain as apose to my normal comfort zone in the Newforest the weather wasn't an issue.
We stopped for lunch when the weather eased a little and then pressed on for some more riding We did a few steep downhill sections which when looked at from the bottom I was not sure about but after a few words of encouragement from the boyz were well worth the push up the hill these steep,fast runs were easier than some of the singletrack stuff,but there was one thing for sure on all the sections you had to commit to a line fully as once your wheels were rolling there was no stopping if you pulled the brakes you just locked the wheels up and you just slid and slid and slid.....
I think we had done most of the tracks this place had to offer by late afternoon But Arnie and Beany wanted to find a non marked section of downhill which sounded scary we re-rode some of the earlier routes to try and find this downhill section to no avail so we will leave this until next time when hopefully it will be a bit dryer.
It had been a great day and the riding was totaly different to what I was used to alot more dificult but tones more fun proper technical sections of single track and long downhill runs you don't get this in the Newforest which is a bit of a shame.I found some of the climbs tough but the weather didn't help we were all totally caked in mud from head to toe and the bikes were caked too which always seems to make things harder.There will be some photo's in the gallery soon as we took a couple of cameras with us,also Beany had his helmet cam but I think he was having a few problems with it we will have to see what he's got when he uploads it.
Hope to get out on my bike again soon and i will keep you posted.....
12/06/07
I have been out cycling with my Brother A.K.A Arnie three times in the last week we've basically been re-mapping our usual routes in and around Lyndhurst,Brock and Ashurst but this time investigating all those small tracks and trails we normally just speed past and say"we must try that path one day"or "I wonder where that track comes out" And as luck would have we've found some good single track and tricky sections of trails we've up until now just passed by.
There is some very narrow and overgrown single track out near Dearleap which makes for pretty good riding the track is littered with tree stumps,roots and even an old railway sleeper bridging a small brook
which is only about four foot across but requires some ballsey balance tactics as the lead in tries to send you the wrong way! The first time I road this track I had no idea the brook was there and it caught me a bit by surprise as you don't see it until very late,so I sought of just kept my speed up to aviod eccess wobbling and went for it,the problem was when I was clear the relief and a momentary lapse of consentration resulted in me nearly taking my self clean out on a tree...Never mind I'm still here.
We also tried out some tracks near Dennywood in particular the track I have now named "Arnies folly" this is the track with the bog in the middle which Arnie keeps ending up diving head first into at the bottom of his downhill run,As predicted Arnie powered off down the track and when I caught up at the bottom Arnies bike had part submerged itself in what can only be descibed as slurry,and bucked him off into the salad!!! Thankfully he was still in one piece But It was now time to try our hands at some basic damage limitation trail building...
We collected some logs and branches and tried to form a sort of wraftway over the boggy bit in the middle of the section,this would hopfully mean we could hit the whole single track section at a good speed therefor maximising fun factor and minimising risk of carnage!!!
Well it worked the next time we rode this section we were able to rumble over out newly laid log carpet and onto the next part of the trail without slowing to much,what a result.There are some pictures of the Arnies folly trail in the fatties gallery.I will also try to tag one onto the end of this blog.Some other highlights from last weeks outings included some more single track alongside a small stream near Dennywood and sand riding near ashurst campsite.Hopefully all this practice will put me in good stead for next weeks trip to Q.E where all the Fatmountain bikers are heading for a day out on the 16th of this month.I look foward to letting you know how we get on in my next blog...
The self build log run at Arnies folly
Arnie tries out the new addition
5/06/07
Bakers Hanging and Ringwood Forest.......
Last Saturday I picked up a hungover Arnie and drove out to Ringwood Forest to check out some new routes, it was hot and sunny and time for Arnie to put his late night drinking session and resulting hangover behind him.
The plan was to hit three separate areas Bakers Hanging,Ringwood Forest near Moors Valley and the larger area of forest between Alderholt and Verwood.We didn't have a map so just followed our noses through the fire tracks and any time we saw anything that looked remotely like single track we changed direction and plouged in at top speed.There were a few good bits here and there and some of it only just wide enough to ride and littered with tree stumps and broken branches(good stuff)
Our second port of call was Bakers Hanging I had heard good reports of this place so was keen to check it out.This is an odd place on the map but not marked at all from the road,so you have to find your own way in.Me and Arnie pulled off the main road,bombed down a short piece of single track and rode straight into some serious VEG!!! salad everywhere and no way out!! So... we retraced our route and when we finally reached daylight agian we chose another track.This time we found some more interesting terrian,there were several ridges each with one or two shoots down,steep to ride up but well worth the effort on the way down!!!
There was definitly something about this place!! The riding is average nothing seems to flow BUT...
what a freaky place!!!! A cross between and old english country garden and a set from the battle of Britain. Every track you ride is littered with shot gun cartridges,every ridge has hides,camo mesh tents and bunkers complete with sandbags and everything.We took a few photo's and rode up and down the ridges before making our way back to the road.Leaving this most eary of places behind us we headed back toward Ringwood forest.
We headed briefly back into Ringwood forest this time we found a large clearing in the trees with some single track around it's perimeter Arine bombed off and I did my level best to keep up,picking the best path through the tree roots and ruts.This place has some promise but we were running out of time so we didn't venture to far a field,we will definatly come back to investigate this place further.
A view from one of the ridges at Bakers Hanging winding down to track at bottom
Arnie resorts to pushing on a steep climb
21/05/07
I chucked the bike in the back of the car last week as I wanted to get a bit further a field to find some new routes and trails.I had planned to go to a place called Bakers Hanging where there is supposed to be some great woodland singletrack,but the weather forecast was ropey as I was riding solo the last thing I wanted was to be lost in the forest in the pissing rain and I had never ridden in Ringwood forest before I decided to save this venture for another day.
I ended up in slightly more familiar territory,I parked near to Sway and picked up the disused Ringwood railway,I cycled this for a few miles before picking up some tracks near wootton bridge from here i crossed the A35 and rode down into the Holmsley enclosure.This place is full of up n' downs mostly fire tracks but I did find some very narrow and overgrown singletrack which was a welcome change from the gravel.After stopping here briefly with the camera so I could share this ride with you guys I picked my way back to the car taking in some quick blasts through Set thorns campsite,Longslade bottom and Horseshoe botton.
I had failed to find much in the way of challenging terrain but this was probably a blessing as the bike had been giving me grief all the way round.The gear shifter cables were sticking and each gear change became a huge clonk followed by the chain leaping about three cogs a time there were grinds and clicks coming from places I didn'nt know I had places!!!!! I was however totally to blaim as after the last couple out outings I had just chucked the bike back in the garage no muc-off no oil no nothin...I think this was the bike rebelling good and proper.So to get the beast back on side it was time to give the bike some TLC.
When I got home I gave the bike a full clean,plenty of De-greaser followed by plenty of Muc-off.all the cables out cleaned and relubed,all gear componants stripped and cleaned,chain off De-greased cleaned and relubed and also a bit of Bikespray on the frame and folks for good measure and that extra shine!!!This should get me back in the bikes good books and hopefully give me clonk free next ride.
Over grown singletrack holmsley
7/05/07
Hi peeps.
Sorry for the gap in blog's it's been a mental few weeks for the fatties I won't go into it it's a long story.......... no really....
ANYWAZE!!
I trust all you mountainbikers have been making the most of the great weather (I do hope this is not the only summer we get!!!!)I was lucky enough to put foot to pedal three times last week, I even squeezed in an evening ride, the first of the year !!! rock n' roll. Me, Arnie and Jason (A.K.A. the saviour of the fatties ...another long story...) managed to get out after work last week, it was a great crack with Jason on his energy gel sticks to keep him fizzing and me in my "SPRAY ON SHORTS" as Arnie kindly pointed out to everyone only two minutes in!!!!!
We did the usual Brock route, but cut off a few corners using bridleways " well its been so dry why save all the bone shaking for the horses". Me & Jason did our best to keep up with the super fit Arnie, but no matter how much gel the "saviour" gulped and how many times I pushed those primo's down we still found Arnie waiting at every crossroads practicing his balancing thing, there is a name for it but it eludes me at the mo!!! still it is great to be out again in the evenings.
Then......
Bank holiday Monday arrives (how thoughtful of the "powers that be" to give us a day off work for mountainbiking) Me, Dunc and Arnie set out early'ish, this was the first time Dunc had been out for a few weeks and he had a stormer!!!! one of his best rides ever(this tuesday night Badminton he's doing must be paying off!!)But don't worry I promised him I wouldn't tell anyone about his midweek session playing with his COCK whoops sorry buddy!!!!
Arnie linked up one of our usual routes with a few single track blasts, one of which we lunged into as he said "make sure you stay well left of the tree at the bottom, I didn't last time and I stacked, went home wretching and stinking of horse SHIT!! cheers mate it's too late now we're on our way down!!!! luckley we missed that most smelly of hazards and plugged on!!
Thanks to the boyz for a good few miles mountainbiking and many laughs to boot!!!
The last of my ventures was a solo ride, an early morning blip around the "full route" (the fatties training route, probably 18 to 20 miles of fire track frenzy) mundain, but neccassary to keep bellies at bay!!!
still it was a lush morning, here's the bike taking a rest as I have a WAZZ nearby!!
HAPPY DAYZ ......
With the bike back firing on all cylinders and me determined to make the most of a sunny Easter weekend -I had planned to cycle Sunday and Monday. On Sunday me and Duncan put in a good few miles in the
What a double whammy that bloody wheel has cost me a trip to QE and nearly 90 BEER VOUCHERS!!!!!!!
Details to follow my curry has just arrived!!
After limping the bike back last ride I knew it was time to visit my local M.B and see what they made of my rear wheel. After taking one look at it and rubbing his chin the guy said" well I think this is knackered mate I suggest a total rebuild, all new spokes, a proper true and the hub needs servicing" ok I replied grabbing my wallet, but will it be ready for Saturday??(Q.E) "yep should be! The next day I got home from work and there was a message on the phone and my fears were confirmed, the wheel was even more totalled than first thought, the hub was beyond repair and the rim was wrecked, I would have to have a whole new wheel!!! So I am know the proud owner of a shiney new wheel made up of a Deore hub, Mavic x.c black rim and apparently D.T double butted super strong spokes, I will take their word for that last one as I do not have a PHD in spokage. Still if it keeps me rolling who I'm I to question!!!
I had a rare day off last week the weather was lush so I decided to venture out for the day, Camelback at the ready, off I went about mid morning- I put in between 35-40 miles. From home out to
Here's some pic's of the downhill unmade track through the woods.
I knew from what I had read in the past that if a wheel was blowing spokes it was probable the rim was stuffed so I new this repair could put a dent in the wallet
Hi peeps, Hope you've been making the most of the recent warm and dry weather I've been out a couple of times last week and it was so pleasant I even got the camera out and snapped a few pic's. Here are some shots taken between Sway and Brockenhurst on off-road trails.
The other evening I was tinkering around in my garage/mountain bike workshop(see pic below) when I glanced over to my other bike! This was the first bike I bought when I wanted to get back on two wheels again after a long break through my early and mid twenties. This was the Hal fords special "SARACEN RUFFTRACK". Cheap as chips and with the frame geometry of a pylon, super skinny tyres and budget TOPGUN suspension forks with the standard 1 inch of less than smooth travel. Mind you this bike did quite a few miles and never let me down it also still has a very important purpose its ideal for that trip to the shop or offy for emergency beer supplies when you can't drive in BBQ season. While we are on the subject of old bikes, my first real mountain bike was a DAWES SWITCHBACK in about 1989 or 1990, I must dig out a photo!!
SARACEN RUFFTRACK!
Greetings--After having to having to work the last two weekends and missing all the fun at QE (GUTTED) I just had to get the wheels rolling Sunday. Just one problem the weather forecast was ropey to say the least. I spoke to mud mad
22/2/07
Hi guyz it’s been a while, but no fear I've been keeping up the miles, we've had a lot of rain of late in the forest so there's water and mud everywhere! This makes for tougher riding but is more fun. Most of my miles the past few weeks have been done solo, so I’ve trying some new routes and detours to keep me awake. One found me picking up a track from"Standing hat " near Brock signposted 5.5 miles to Beaulieu, It brings you out near Bucklers Hard from here take the road winding down into Beaulieu village then up the hill out of village to hilltop then follow the road straight as if going to Hythe but just before you get to roundabout turn left into Dibden enclosure here there is some up n' down single track over some wicked tree roots to keep you on your toes in the wet!! Also I've found a track that links Brock to
The one thing that has slowed me down the past few weeks is bloody punctures I've had I think 3 in the last 5 rides two of which even the SLIME TUBES couldn't cope with and saw that I had to replace the tubes before I could go on!! last week on the way out I picked up a two inch nail which went clean through the rear tyre and out the other side, I had to push the bike 3 miles back home needless to say one was totally pissed off, but I've found a use for the nail It’s now beat into the wall in the garage with a spanner hanging off it, well the bloody thing had caused me to turn into a rambler for the afternoon the least I could do was put the sodding thing to a better use!!!!
Wanted to try a new route this week so I and Arnie had a crack at the Fritham to Frogham trail. The trouble was this meant an 8-10 mile on road borefest from home to pick up the off road tracks near Eyeworth pond. from the B7038 Fordingbridge road we picked up a short off road track down to Eyeworth pond from here it's all uphill to just outside Fritham where we turned right on to the trail from here there's roughly 8 miles of up n downs though the Amberwood enclosure then onto Latchmoor bottom and then onto Frogham. It was all going great until I had a bloody blow out to my rear tyre(the one I have not yet replaced with a slime tube)what a shitter!!! Oh well its tube change time! When we got back up and running we carried on to I think about 3 miles short of Frogham where I ran out of steam so we turned back,well we were still probably 15 miles away from home and I think a 30 ish mile round trip is enough for and Sunday morning don't you. I think however Arnie was just getting warmed up. This is a good route though but we have to find an off road way of getting to the start point as road riding is PANTS!!! and better suited to those lycra clad 8 stoners that are scared to go out in a breeze!
just a quickie! went out twice over the Xmas break the usual route on Xmas eve and then a quick 10 mile blip on new years eve plenty of mud out there at the moment with the rain we've been having so all good fun!!! Looking forward to having the full team out this coming weekend hoping to find some new mud out Stoneycross way will consult the boyz this week to plan a route. That's all folks I’m going for a pint!