Ride in the north downs this Saturday

Darren and I are thinking of heading down to the north downs this Saturday for a ride on some different terrain. If anyone is interested fell free to join us. There may be one or two others with local experience joining us to show us some of the local trails.

I can't do Saturday

like the idea, but have you seen the rain?!?!?

Well this is the current forecast for Saturday:- http://www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/FREE/anydate_forecast.asp?zipcode=RH5&day=11&month=7&year=2009

If I'm honest it doesn't look all that bad. Also looks like there won't be any rain on Thursday or Friday down there either. Then again this is just a fore cast and it is not unknown for these things to change significantly.

Even if it does rain, then the trails will still be good fun (I've ridden there in complete down pours before)!

Surprised at you Fizz,I thought you were an all weather all action kinda girl!

THAT IT PUT THE MOCERS ON IT RAIN RAIN AND MORE RAIN THAT ALL WHAT I NEED ON FRIDAY 10 July is rain as i hope to do better in the friday night race
i am just waiting 4 the Lady to come out of the cycle shop......

Darren wrote:Surprised at you Fizz,I thought you were an all weather all action kinda girl!

what a reputation!

Hi Zebardy.

Are you still planning on going to the North Downs tomorrow?

Dan

Hi Dan,

yep still up for a trip to the North Downs tomorrow. I'll stick together a post with the meeting point in shortly. The weather is looking good for tomorrow . Probably going to be me navigating as our guide has failed to obtain a pass out for the day (don't worry I've been there a fair few times). And there will be a stop for tea, coffee and cake mid way.

Thinking of meeting at 12ish.

Right, the meeting point for Saturday is:- http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=108690513545706926691.000463baf49bd8dcdbc93&ie=UTF8&ll=51.18623,-0.417888&spn=0.008366,0.022724&z=16

Lots of great trails around there (http://www.singletrackworld.com/trailguide/uk/south-east/the-north-downs/).

Pleas let me know if you are thinking of coming (that was can swap mobiles to coordinate things). Also if anyone wants to share lifts etc.

Hey Aaron,

That looks cool to me, I know the spot so can meet you there for 12ish.
I'll be heading down with my wife as we are visiting family as well,you've got my
mobile so just text or buzz me if there's any probs. See you tomorrow

darren

Hello

I'm afraid I'm going to give tomorrow a miss. Have a good ride.

Hopefully see you next Tuesday.

Dan

A bit of a warning

If your traveling down for 12ish don't take the M1 then M25 as there are road works on the M25 around Junction 20 to 16 (I think thats the numbers)
Narrow lanes, 50mph limit average speed camera whole thing grinds to a halt in the daytime.
Get on the M25 at the M40 junction or after
Coming home you will be lucky to get to the M40 junction! as the traffic just backs all the way up.

Good shout Daz, best to go down the M40 me thinks

Yesterday was a great ride even with the misty drizzle. Here is a small report I threw together with a few videos for illustration (yep, I'm afraid it is not us in those clips, I really need to invest in one tho).

I set off from Mk with the sun shinning and even wearing shades in the car, and immediately upon leaving MK it started to rain, oh well there goes the sunny day I was hoping for. Getting there was interesting, tho not the worst I've ever seen the M25. It was pretty slow even from the M40 junction (thanks Daz for the advice), so I ended up being about 30 minutes late. The road into Holbury st Mary was also interesting as it's pretty much single track which had just been recovered with lose chippings causing some (fun) interesting fish tailing around some of the corners.

Managed to meet up with Darren, and head straight up Holmbury hill. Headed straight over to Barry Knows Best (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6dG3RIMuX8&feature=related) with a little help from a group of local riders who's group we tagged onto the end of. We shot down the trail (despite the now slick roots and my decision to leave my summer tires on :S), and dropping out onto the road into Peaslake at the bottom. Smiles all round and approval for the trail from Darren.

Next the guys we had tagged onto stopped off at the village store/refuel stop, which is a tradition amongst riders in the area, while Darren and I chose to push on up the steep climb up Pitch hill. Darren grew up in Peaslake (his Auntie still works in the shop apparently) and so described the history of the place as we climbed up the hill.

After a short (but sharp) tarmac climb, There was lots of fire roads and trails until we eventually reached the top. Ok I admit it I couldn't quite remember where the trail I was planning to take was, so I made a quick phone call from the top for a reminder, as we looked out across to the south downs to see more rain headed our way :S.

The next ~half an hour was more of an exploration of the woods, as we tried to find a trail named star wars. Note to self instructions of just head through the car park, turn left and it is around there, don't quite make as much sense when you get there. We got a little lost, and spotted bits of the trails we wanted but could not quite find the entrances. In the end tho we found one and blasted down it with much enjoyment. At the end of this trail we met up with a couple of other riders exploring the woods and joined forces in exploring the woods and flying down the trails (lots of banked corners and fast flowey single track).

Finally time for a break at the Peaslake village store and a chillout in the very bike friendly bus shelter (apparently there are no buses).

Refueled it was time to head back up Holbury hill with a long slow climb to the remains of the hill fort at the top from here it was straight into a trail known as BMX https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVBwrVm95GU&feature=related. From here it was straight into telegraph (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgUm3ls3hbc&feature=related), another great fast trail named after the telegraph poles dotted along the route. With the last bit dropping into a car park just a short cycle down the road from our finishing point.

Back at the car I loaded the bike into the back and left Darren to head back to Peaslake taking in one more ride of Barry Knows Best. For me it was a surprisingly clear journey back straight up the M25 and M1.

It was a good ride and a shame others couldn't make it. I feel like I know the woods much better after exploring them. Definitely forth the journey (even with the road works).

GPS track for the ride :- http://connect.garmin.com/activity/8540985

The hurtwood trust who manage and maintain the woods:- http://www2.hurtwoodcontrol.co.uk/

Great report Aaron,had a great ride on Saturday and look forward to doing it again Must confess on my second ride down Barrys I made it to the bottom and then fell off my bike in the road!.

Darren