First timer report

[robocog]

Not long got in from my first greenlaning experience...OMG!

Met up with 4 others that do this regularly at 10 ish this morning at Bishops Waltham and ended up at Portsdown hill by 3:30 ish
My odometer reckons we covered 90 k's + in total

I know we did '5 Ways' but not at all sure what the others were called - or even where we were TBH

One ended by Loomies as we stopped by for a cofee and fag break and a refuel

I REALLY hadn't appreciated how tiring it is, I know I'm going to be sore and stiff tomorrow and can barely keep my eyes open and lift my arms to type!

Having never taken a bike off road before - I feel I have acheived something, not sure what yet

Not getting on with changing gear or feeling rear brake or even where my foot is on the peg in my new boots (Wolfsport Comp5's)
Have moved the shifter up a notch, but just cannot "gears at will" to work consistently
Very glad I had them on though - I'm sure they saved me from bad things happening

Had one what I would have described from my perspective "massive" crash - which really winded me and knocked my confidence a lot
The other lads were fantastic and made sure I was OK (I got to ride in the middle and think my mistake was trying hard to keep up with the chap in front - who basically is an expert at this stuff)

Bar on one side is bent and I noticed after my bath a sore 'end of handle bar' sized red dot on my sternum, one of my leather gloves tore at the stiching like it was made from paper, I did hit my helmet on the ground and slid a bit kind of on my shoulder and lid ...I think
Just wish the guy behing me had been there to witness it and let me know what it looked like...LOL

That will be my first crash done then - can't say it made me feel any better

The plastic sealey bag they gave me for my phone and other precious stuff burst on that impact and may have acted as an airbag (was in hip pocket)

Luckily the levers and controls on the bars were left quite loose (advice from the previous owner) otherwise I'm sure I would have been in trouble
Had 2 more low speed offs after the 'biggy' and many many more 'moments' along the way

Best of all I didn't die and neither did the bike
That DR250 is one tough old bird
Jetwashed her and my kit down when I got back
Lubed the chain, randomly sprayed a water disperser round the bike and kicked it back into life again to dry her off
Looks as good as the day I picked her up last weekend (apart from the left bar being sat at a jaunty angle)

Looking forward to doing it all again
(but give me at least a week to recover!)

Regards
Rob
____________________
Needs a bigger garage...

[Tonka]

LOL Sounds like a good day out and perfectly normal!!

Keeping up is always a problem and one of the best bits of advice I was given was "to ride at your own pace" - easier said than done when you feel a numpty for holding others up, but you hold 'em up a hell of a lot more when you stack it, so good advice! Better still get the guy in front to try and stay at a pace you should be comfortable with and then you can learn a bit too (I was lucky to find someone who has done this for me and it's made life a lot easier and little bit less painful!)............and for anyone who thinks you just sit on a bike........

It's very addictive this greenlaning lark isn't it?


____________________
'The core of a man's spirit comes from new experiences'
Suzuki SV650S (Clean); Yamaha XT250 Serow (Dirty)

[Blue_SV650S]

Nice one robocog

The 'big' one sounds a bit nasty and you won't want many of them in the future! but don't beat yourself up over it, these things happen. Big ones are rare, but the 'little' ones are all part of the game and can actually be quite funny to watch if there is no harm done! ... and it is only fair that if you get amusement from seeing others have little offs, that you have a little one yourself to return the favour every now and then right?!?!

I was out today and the route I did starts in Denmead and goes up to Alton (68 miles round trip). I'd be interested in knowing the route you did if you can reverse engineer from a map as it might be the same/join up??

Anyway, good to know there is someone else from this way that is into laning. We will have to go for a ride at some point ... are you keen enough to want to go out next weekend?!?
____________________
The purpose of life is to fight maturity.

[boundy]

Nice to hear you had a good day out, you might of seen me a Blue on the lanes. It was just us two, me on a KTM EXC400 and blue on a KTM EXC250.

Don't worry to much about falling off, its all part of the fun.
See here for my off today https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=213222

[robocog]

Saw a few other groups out today(including one chap who was stuck at the top of somewhere I /think/ they called "grandfathers"??)
I think it was just after 5 ways??
and the other chap was having stalling issues further down and one of our group went off down to lend a hand and got him up the other way (the easier way that we had just ascended)
Our 'leader' did say next time out we will be ascending this one
(it looked bloody intimidating - chalky, very rutted and lots of roots and holes....and I did say there would be no way I'd attempt it yet and he teased me a bit)

There was one point where 2 others came from the other direction and stopped
Did you come across our herd blocking the path at the start of one?

If so I apologise as I actually assumed you were meeting our lot so I didn't move my bike which was right in the way and just stood there with a big silly grin on my face and panting a lot

Didn't pay much attention to the bikes the 2 guys were on as my eyes were still watering and jiggling about and I was concentrating on just staying alive

I still cannot believe how totally mullered I feel
Now worried I'm going to have to throw a sicky tomorrow if I cannot get up
I was assured it will get easier each time I go out and my recovery times would eventually come down

Blue_SV650S
Will try and get one of the lads from today to draw the route we did on a map, directions are not my strong point
I do have a ruggedised gps that IIRC will log where you have been and can be transposed onto a map, next route out its getting bolted to me or the bike
Not sure about next weekend, depends how fast I recover / forget the pain......LOL

boundy
Saw the pics, that looks chuffing painfull
I did the ride in sunglasses today
(I know, I know.. but in my excuse I had just blown a huge wad on the bike and boots and only discovered my work safety goggles dont work with the helmet this morning when getting ready because of the straps position is againt my head not the outer edge...DOH!
I made a mental note to get a set of goggles that fit before next outing- must check they come with a nose guard!! (as well as a new set of gloves now I ruined my summer road gloves)

Tonka
Yes my bad really ref trying to keep up
I just thought it would be 'polite' to try and keep up
I spent the rest of the ride at my own pace - the guys were very understanding and did say it was OK to take it at my own pace at each and every start and finish meet point and did re itterrate that I would not be "holding them up" as they were just out for a fun ride
They even assisted me and the bike up and helped kick my bike back into life when they realised I was completely pooped
I know I caused one guy behind to crash as I rather spectacularly managed to get my front and rear wheels in different ruts,blocking his path, so he had to bin it and managed to snap his hand guard clean off...OOPS, luckily his lever underneath was just fine

Couldn't have found a friendlier more helpful bunch of chaps to take me to the mud TBH

Addictive....yep
as soon as the aches and pains go away and I have another £5 to stick in the tank for a days entertainment/workout and a nod from someone in the know....I'm there!

Regards
Rob
____________________
Needs a bigger garage...

[Tonka]

Regards the sunglasses and goggles - take a look at getting some safety glasses. I keep a pair in my pocket for when my goggles get fogged up in the wet. They really are worth having with you and better than risking sunnies!

I got mine from Arco and they were about £1.50 for a pair - so cheap as chips!
____________________
'The core of a man's spirit comes from new experiences'
Suzuki SV650S (Clean); Yamaha XT250 Serow (Dirty)

[Blue_SV650S]

[waffles]

[robocog]

Boundy- don't suppose you rang Popes in Gosport did you ref some new goggles with a nose guard?
I popped in during my lunch break and bought some of their cheapest goggles and asked specifically for one with a nose guard and mentioned your prickly crash when the sales assistant asked why they MUST have it...and he did mention he'd had a phone call from someone who had just had a very similar encounter...coincidence?

Waffles...I have to say it was terrifying to feel the bike "doing its own thing" usually just when I had myself convinced I was in control and I think I have strained several muscles trying to fight it rather than guide it

... I still ache
I must be really unfit

The experience was positive enough that despite my aches and pains I'm still looking forward to doing it again!

Hoping I can achieve "water flowing over rocks" ...eventually

Regards
Rob
____________________
Needs a bigger garage...

[G]

It can be quite knackering, but it's also just because it's a new activity for you that doesn't help - even when I've been quite fit, usually the first couple of times of doing anything new I ache badly the day after.

The first twenty minutes to half an hour of decent off-road riding I hated the feeling of the bike moving about, but you do get used to it and get used to the feel of letting it do it's own thing.
For added fun, go out this time of year with a road rear tyre and an off road front (or road both if you're really brave, but I do like some steering input given the choice). Ok, maybe not something to try now, but with the road rear you really get used to it being all over the place, but still keeping control.

Reading the terrain ahead is a big part of off-roading.
Following a faster rider at a lumpy motocross track I realised half of what he was doing was just selecting a much smoother line, meaning that he wasn't fighting the bike/terrain so much.

In trail/enduro stuff, getting your body to react to the environment also helps - so see a dip, push the bike down in to the dip (effectively keeping your body level, so it takes less abuse) - similarly, bring the bike up to you as such (using arms and knees) for a bump.

Oh and the first time I rode off-road I reckon I managed about 10 crashes, so you weren't trying hard enough .

[Blue_SV650S]

crashes are knackering in themselves... what with all that picking the bike up and restarting stuff. obviously electric foot alleviates the latter
____________________
The purpose of life is to fight maturity.

[boundy]

[bikermike59]

[bikermike59]

[robocog]

bikermike59
I /think/ so
I know we did it shortly after the Meon hut brew stop
It was a grassy 4 way junction (so not sure what the 5th way is)

The steep one you refer to...
I think thats the one they called "grandfathers" (maybe thats the 5th way?)

White chalky stuff, ruts big enough to get lost in, seemed scary steep and narrow, covered in tree roots and a wire (not sure if was barbed) fence running alongside it, so no real room for getting it wrong and I don't recall seeing any easier routes up, just deep ruts all the way littered with roots poking through the chalky mud

I sat on the stile at the top gathering my breath ogling the gnarly terrain (and praying that wasn't going to be our way down)

our 'leader' did say we would be coming up that one next time they went out....I laughed...but he was deadly serious and one of the others piped up that last they did it - it was raining so was like trying to ride a very slippery waterfall

One of our party went down it to help rescue a guy that had got stuck part way along it and guide him up the easier bit we had just done - I didn't even dare look at his descent

I'm still not fit enough to consider going out tomorrow
Going to give my shoulder another weeks rest - its the last part of me giving me pain, all the other aches have settled down

Ordered a set of (2nd hand) renthals and those hand guards with an alloy brace running in them and will treat it to a new set of grips when the other bits arrive
Carb was stripped down (full of rust!) so no wonder the ide speed was having to be tweaked up and down along the way!
Fitted an inline cleanable glass fuel filter (and its hopefully going to reduce the frequency of carb stripdowns required - its gathered a lot of rust already and considering adding a hard drive magnet to the side of the filter??)
Need to petseal the tank or get another, its full of rust!
Air filter looked OK and clean so left it alone - will get an oil filter after the next outing and do both filters and an oil change
Did the clearances (its still a rattly old engine..not sure if this is normal?)

Regards
Rob
____________________
Needs a bigger garage...

[Blue_SV650S]

To save any confusion 5-ways is actually here https://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=469600&Y=122060&A=Y&Z=115 .. and aptly named! ... could even call it 5.5 ways?!

Not sure where this rutted chalky hill of fear is .. can you find it on the map?

There is a really challenging on that starts here https://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=468590&Y=122177&A=Y&Z=115 that you must try!! EDIT ... I have video thinking about it!! {click click click} https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEz4CrQ5OLY&hd=1

The one that starts here (and goes south) is full of awesome too!!!

https://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=471007&Y=122330&A=Y&Z=115

EDIT: Vid!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35MWjZw43Js&hd=1
____________________
The purpose of life is to fight maturity.

[robocog]

Not the place I thought it was then looking at the video

(thought it was odd they called it 5 ways TBH and did ask what the 5th way was...LOL)

If you head up towards Langrish, theres a place called "Sheep walk"
Thats how I would imagine it would look (and lo and behold just underneath there is a 4 way intersection...)

Don't suppose you have a vid of that area?
I would deffo remember it!

I know the 2 lanes merged at the top (and a stile I sat on)
Right hand side lane is the "easier" route we went
To the left (going uphill) is the gnarly rutted to fxxk V steep chalky one, to the left of that again the land drops away to a valley and beyond that another big hill (there may have been a building on the peak?)

I do remeber they mentioned Langrish, so we must have been around that sort of area
(Kicking myself I didn't take the GPS in breadcrumb mode to refer back to!)

Just googled a bit and found this snippet..
"Hack up to butser hill as if you're going up to the radio mast about 100m past the junction on the right going towards oxenbourne look out for a part blocked lane. Stop bike and walk down a ways till it splits. Have a look down on your right which is grandfathers bottom, that's a nice fun climb in the wet. "

Regards
Rob
____________________
Needs a bigger garage...

[robocog]

Found footage of it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=US&hl=uk&v=8RH2wQAGgpw

Regards
Rob
____________________
Needs a bigger garage...

[Blue_SV650S]

[Blue_SV650S]

As promised

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmLm91dVr-k&hd=1
____________________
The purpose of life is to fight maturity.

[robocog]

No mistake thats the place I'm on about on the last vid with the KTM
(can just make out the stile on the left at the end)

Video simply does NOT do that place justice
(of course you managing to get that far also made it look easy!)
I know 'they' called it "Grandfathers" and looked scary as hell to a newby

At the end of the vid by the stile, theres a t junction
we came up from the right hand one and continued straight on (left at the end of your video)
IIRC the next section after that was very deeply rutted with refreshing ice bath dips now and again

Is that not where "Sheep walk" is on the map then?
(I was guessing when looking for possibilities where that was - my nav skills are not good!)

Just got memory map installed here and trying to see where we possibly went, but looks like theres just too many possibilities to have the faintest clue

I'm 100% certain they would have not taken me anywhere we shouldn't have been - they were an older bunch and would bet they were all paid up members of the TRF

Regards
Rob


Further mucking around in Memory Map - were those vids taken at "Rake Bottom"? between Twentyways Farm and Cross Dyke?
if so I have a feeling the one we did was Limekiln lane

Putting it into memory maps 3d function puts it into a better perspective!
Tried to capture what I think is the 2 trails leading into 1 and how easy the route we did was in comparison (ours right hand side on the "spine" and yours with the impossibly steep bit on the left!)
____________________
Needs a bigger garage...

[Blue_SV650S]

Yes, the tricky bit is here https://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=470896&Y=120569&A=Y&Z=115 ... oh and get with the technology and use streetmap to mark points fella!
____________________
The purpose of life is to fight maturity.

[bikermike59]

[bikermike59]

[Blue_SV650S]