West Salisbury plod > ride report with pics

[Hooky]

Ride report with riders of Trail Bike Magazine
Sunshine, very warm saw the start to a perfect day.
Rhomeck was waiting to go, having exhausted his supply of Benson & Hedges it was time to head to the garage to fuel up .
A distant gurgle of a pristine xr 250 rumbeled in to the car park ,"Slick" had made it.
https://img257.imageshack.us/img257/9039/20060916image0001yq2.jpg

Nice to see a clean bike ! He seem a little concerned that this ride out may be a bit fast as he was nearly a virgin.

Tales of water so deep it could drown the entire population of The Houses of Parliment ( ) got the nerves jangling .

The first part of the ride starts off the A354, called Dragons lane ! .

Easy bit this, nice and boggy but ideal for a warm up.

The road passes the Compton race course via a nice shingle lane to a road junction .

Amazes me how many people find it hard to find decent Byways, We found it very well signposted, ideal if you crap at reading maps
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The first sight of a puddle , Rhomeck must have something strange in his hydropack, he must have had to stop every mile to relive his straining bladder .
https://img53.imageshack.us/img53/3226/20060916image0004my2.jpg

This little puddle was 4 foot deep when I reccied this ride a few day before.
Yes it had well and truly caught me out, hence problems with my camera on his trip..

The pace on the next bit was pretty quick, It ran like this for a good few miles
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See the dot of yellow in the picture ? It grew bigger and bigger.
https://img57.imageshack.us/img57/9085/20060916image0010wj9.jpg
Thats it we thought , its the ugly police ! maybe we had been speed trapped on a byway .
I jumped into a ditch to let Slick take the wrap , it is always a good idea to let the normal looking bloke to explain our actions.
https://img73.imageshack.us/img73/6514/20060916image0013fh3.jpg


GUTTED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! .

NO not the local police . it was a bloke from the BMW off road site .
R1200 GS on green lanes with road tires ! a very brave man indeed.
Time for another smoke and stick the lenze through the hedge.
https://img73.imageshack.us/img73/2831/20060916image0012oa7.jpg

Makes me realise that We are so lucky to have all this on our doorsteps.
Salisbury Plain in the distance, our next trip is planned in this short moment.

These lanes just seem to keep going, maps are not needed as all to soon we end up just outside Donhead for a liquid lunch.

Decision time ! Maps out, Winspit Hill to the Ox Drove , it must be done !

I think only the stupid would attempt it alone, yes Romeck take the lead please
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https://img168.imageshack.us/img168/1451/20060916image0016gm7.jpg

After Winspit it all gets a bit difficult, sweat and muck, fantastic !
https://img172.imageshack.us/img172/834/20060916image0019qp4.jpg
https://img65.imageshack.us/img65/3162/20060916image0018uj8.jpg

Not far from here, the Ox Drove claimed the first victim of the day .

Poor Slick , it really was going a bit too well , Im pissed off because i didnt get his spot of ballet dancing on camera , it was very impressive (apparentlly.).

Followed on the Ox Drove, personally I truly struggled, my arms felt like lead, my piles took a real beating.

At last the ride ended at a small village just outside Fordingbridge, we said out goodbyes (no sloppy kissing tho
).

A massive thanks to Gary and Nigel for the best day out on the lanes I can remember , a sence of humour is a priority on a trip led by me

[matt_uk]

Cool thread, looks like alot of fun !!
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- - - BIKE - - - Passed CBT : 21/07/06 - - - Currently : Riding a 2001 Aprilia rs125 (SOLD)
- - - CAR - - - Passed Theory 20/07/06 - - - Lessons, Test on 15th Jan 08... Passed 2 minors

[Klause]

Cool, just bought an rmx250 yesterday for exactly this!
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Current bikes: 1960 Triumph 5ta x2, TTR600RE, KTM200EXC, Cagiva Elephant 900ie.

[Hooky]

Thanks chaps, it seems quite a few people from this forum are given up the road bikes myself included . I wish I had done it years ago
I have had more fun on old xr250 in a few months than 20 years of road riding.

It does help if you have 37,000 hectares to play on every weekend (Salisbury Plain and surrounding areas).

https://img48.imageshack.us/img48/8213/20060916image0005aw0.jpg

In the words of Braveheart