Ride report - Green laning 5th April 2010

[Blue_SV650S]

Today was the 'long route' starting at Guildford.

This was the first attempt at the long route for a while now, the long route is ... well quite long ... so you need a good day at it, therefore not conducive to the short winter months of late ... but it is officially summer now!!

6 of us showed, Silky666, Philo, boundy, Tatters, Rushy (non BCF member we met on a ride once) and myself.

Weather was good, but where there had been recent rain, made the lanes splashy - best of both worlds

All was going well until ~15 miles in when I got a puncture (nail) in my rear tyre

Fortunately I do carry tube changing equipment and a spare tube ... but a 21" tube (18" rear 21" front) ... I had been told you can use a 21" in the rear too (just folds up a bit) which I agreed should be ok for 'getting you home' ... but I had ~90miles left to do!!

Shortly after this Silky666 and Philo caught a touch of the ghey (to be fair, pretty sure Silky666 had it all along?!!?) and decided to go home before the day had properly begun

Apart from my puncture, the day went without mechanical problems or any injuries - which is always a good thing!!
____________________
The purpose of life is to fight maturity.

[silky666]

[Blue_SV650S]

[silky666]

That step at water lane I remember now.
Didnt look quite as nasty as it does now mind ... always was a commit and go for it jobbie... but didnt need to be built up like that

Did you make it to the end of the entire route ? ie: 150 miles ish ?
____________________
There's nothing that shouts "Poor Workmanship" more than wrinkles in the Gaffa tape.

Gaffa tape is like "the force" - it has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together.

[tatters]

[Blue_SV650S]

[silky666]

[Blue_SV650S]

[silky666]

[Blue_SV650S]

[boundy]

The trouble with bocketts for me is its miles away, you are a very lucky chap to have it right on your door step


To get to the start point we met at last time it took me 3 hours in the van there and back to do 3 hours of lanning.

Im sure if I lived as close to it as you I would have a differant view.

The route me and Blue do is about 75 miles and it takes about 6-7 hours with a lunch break from front door to front door. It takes that long due to the hard work that went in to making a route with only a tiny bit of road work and the very tecnical lanes we do on route

[silky666]

WARNING: 20 minute read of general drivel as I am bored at work.
Bocketts is 30 minutes drive from the start of the Hindhead run ... possibly less if you came via a more direct route.
Even so, I agree that it is a little too far to travel for a 2 hour ride ?

BUT - and this is where us 'inland pansies' (excluding Tatters as he is always moaning that we dont ride for longer) will hold our hands up and say "we became a little lax last year"
We tended to ride the Bocketts run .. hit Newlands corner and then go "shall we go home now "

However, this is our fault.. NOT the routes (if that makes sense).
Let me explain:

Bocketts to Newlands is a 1hr 30min ride (involving some stunning lanes.. Sand Gallops, Chalk hill climbs, rocky flinty lanes etc)).
Newlands to the Harvester outside Guildford is 20 minutes ride.
Harvester to Hindhead is a 2 hour (?) ride (involving lanes such as the woops, the deep ruts at tatters corner (almost impassable last time) , the hill climb at Tatters corner .. etc etc)
So: Combine the 2 routes (which we did do in the early days) ... and then reverse ride it to hit Bocketts... and we are talking a full days riding.

Summary:
Bocketts to Newlands (01:30)
Newlands to Harvester (00:20)
Harvester to Hindhead (02:00)
Lunch (00:30)
Hindhead to Harvester (02:00)
Harvester to Newlands (00:20)
Newlands to Bocketts (01:30)

Start at Bocketts for 9am
Return at Bocketts for 5pm
(times of runs and arrivals are +- 15%)

You are missing out on some great lanes ... doing the Alton run on Monday meant we missed the Tatters corner bit at the end of Hindhead. That bit is great, rocky step up on way back... deep (landrovers cannot get through) ruts, hill climbs for fun (see banned video:) etc.
Not to mention my much loved Sand Gallops with woops and sand berms etc.
Beelzebubs puddle... and the slipper chalky climbs of the 2 x chalk hills)

And I reckon its less road miles that the Alton run !

Thats what I am proposing for the good weather rides anyway.
Time I manned up again and stopped doing just Bocketts, because it is on my doorstep.
____________________
There's nothing that shouts "Poor Workmanship" more than wrinkles in the Gaffa tape.

Gaffa tape is like "the force" - it has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together.

[boundy]

You should come down and do the our southern run one weekend, it really is an awsome route

[silky666]

[Blue_SV650S]

[silky666]

[Blue_SV650S]

[silky666]

[Blue_SV650S]

[Blue_SV650S]