Epping Forest Epics

Mick_the_Greek · Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Posts: 264 Location: South Woodford

Well we have finally set a date. Sat 3. June We will be riding at Cwmcarn in South Wales. Riding will be for one day only, Sat. Though some of you might want to make a weekend of it. It would be hoped we would start riding about 10.00 am and finnish about 4pm, needing to leave London about 7.30 am (depending how you drive). Those people able to offer space or require a lift please let me know either through the site or whe n you see me and I can try and pull it together any sugestions welcomed. We had fun there last year and it makes a good contrast to our usual ride . Hope to get a map produced later , so with a bit of Luck we might all meet up at the same place.

smellyengine · Joined: 24 Apr 2006 Posts: 169 Location: Chingford

I'm up for it...gotta convince my sister to have her birthday bash of the friday. If all goes well I can probably squeeze another bike in the car too.

Cazza · Joined: 10 Jan 2006 Posts: 63

I posted my reply in the wrong place about Wales, but I am up for it and willing to offer someone a lift - don't fancy the boredom of driving on my own or the petrol costs.

I am riding in south Downs on Sunday, so won't be out, but will give you or Mukesh a ring, Mick to arrange for the Friday.

Cheers

Caz

Mick_the_Greek · Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Posts: 264 Location: South Woodford

Same as message posted on Forest Rides, Meet at Bike Shed 7.15 am, sort out cars & hope to go about 7.30am.

Cazza · Joined: 10 Jan 2006 Posts: 63

Hi there Mick

Any idea what time we will be returning to London, only last time we went to Wales I got home at 11pm and I've got a party to go to Saturday night (they don't come along very often at my age, so I'd hate to miss it!)

Won't be out at Beastway this week, either. The path to hell and all that.......................

Caz

Mick_the_Greek · Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Posts: 264 Location: South Woodford

Caz don't know why it took you so long to get home last time, cannot see us biking much after 4.00pm . So if we leave by 5pm you should be back about 8.00pm maybe. . Why are you not gracing us at the Beastway, especially as you were the one who first posted it ?

girl_from_pitt · Joined: 12 Jan 2006 Posts: 28

Caz - you need to come
it will be fun & we'll get you
back for your party

deb

Cazza · Joined: 10 Jan 2006 Posts: 63

Nice to be missed and wanted! You would not believe how complicated my life has been over the last couple of weeks. However am now on less of a bumpy ride (no pun intended) and will see you all Saturday for the Welsh adventure.
Yes, I think my lateness last time was due to a detour to Kentish Town with Jane. She can't be persuaded to come on Saturday, I'm afraid.
xx

smellyengine · Joined: 24 Apr 2006 Posts: 169 Location: Chingford

Had a look at a couple of sites in the area...it looks bloomin great!

hewmun · Joined: 28 Apr 2006 Posts: 29 Location: Sydney

You know the drill, skip the text at the top and get to the pictures at the bottom.

My day...
5:15AM - Get up with 3.5 hours sleep.
6:25AM - Out the door. I know I'm slow.
7:15AM - Shock! Arrive South Woodford right on time for the first time! Thought I was going to be 15 minutes late since my big pack was laden with water, clothes and a heap of junk food but I was suprised at how much more efficient (though bumpy) my bike's tyres are at 40psi compared to the usual ~25psi.
~8:00AM - Leave the Bike Shed. I had made a compilation CD of pre-ride road-trip music that I often play when I'm riding but unfortunately the car wasn't equipped with a CD player. The track listing is here anyway...

01. Gerling - Ghost Patrol
02. Delfonics - Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time
03. Emiliana Torrini - Sunny Road
04. Geoff Muldaur - Brazil
05. Devendra Banhart - Little Yellow Spider
06. Hayseed Dixie - Rockin' in the Free World
07. Queen - Bicycle Race
08. Daft Punk - Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
09. Akinyele - Put it in my Mouth
10. Theme - A-Team
11. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps
12. Dust Junkys - What Time Is It?
13. Theme - Benny Hill
14. Dayglo Abortions - Fcuk My Sh!t Stinks
15. Theme - The Goodies
16. Moloko - 100 Percent
17. Theme - He-Man
18. Orbital - Frenetic
19. Theme - Inspector Gadget
20. Aphex Twin - Come To Daddy
21. Theme - Knight Rider
22. Mocky - Mickey Mouse Muthafcukers
23. Soundgarden - Spoonman
24. Theme - Speed Racer
25. Theme - Transformers
26. Vanilla Ice - Ice Ice Baby

Reasons for tracks? Some may have had a bike in the music video or be about bikes or be on a MTB video but most importantly is fun/amusing/motivational for my own reasons.

Who:
Mick (S-Works ?something? duallie), Deb (Yeti 575 dually), Peter (GT ?something? rigid), Caz (Trek 4100 hardtail), Leon (Kona Lava Dome rigid)

Stacks:
Minor topples all over the place on the rocky uphill bits
Caz's nice chainring tattoo

Mechanicals:
Mick's SPD pedals failing to release

Distance:
15.5km per lap and we did about 1 and 1/5th laps

Time:
~2.5 hours for the first lap

Bleh, I have too many more irrelevant observations so I'll just leave you with the pictures.

Crossing the River Severn

Trail leading from the Pay Lodge

The climbing starts. The creek at the left of the trail was surrounded by lush green ferns. Trail is doable on a singlespeed if you're not a crap, weak rider like me but I think a suspension fork is definitely required as there are lots of rocks to stop forward momentum on the climbs.

More up

Mmm, sweet singletrack through pine forest

Climbing again

Finally at the top after a moderate firetrail climb

Just before the start of a nice rocky rolling singletrack section. I was feeling at home here with the warm weather, steeper longer climbs, loose rocks and sand which is quite different to my Epping Forest experience so far.

Mick, Caz and Peter off along the singletrack with Deb already way off into the forest. This was the pattern all day.

One of the short rest stops after every uphill section. Most of the group's time was probably spent waiting for me as I was always a minute behind doing my best tourist photography duties. Sorry guys.

More up

Weee! on the way down

Contemplating dropping off onto the downhill track which was moderately steep and loose. Notice the difficulty the DH chick is having climbing back up the slope. Mick showed us how it was done and rolled off the top and barrelled straight down the track and took a shortcut past the first turn.

DH dude

Hungry hungry chainring

On the way home. Mick our fantastic chauffeur and guide for the day and me still thrilled with the day.

Tally Ho - Nice halfway stop for a pint or two just a mile south off the M4. Future reminder that the kitchen opens at 6PM. Oh sorry, this picture is for a submission to urinal.net.

Not sure how the other guys managed with their parties in the evening because my dinner consisted of one Tim Tam biscuit and some cordial. I had put something in the oven and woke up in time to switch it off but was too exhausted to eat it and subsequently fell asleep again.

An excellent day out - great trail, perfect weather, good fun.

Thanks guys.

alaric · Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Posts: 69 Location: Nea Makri, Greece

Nice to see Mike concentrating on the driving Laughing

Glad you had a good time.

Photos look good, and we know the trails in Wales are always good - but it's better when the sun shines as well!

Alaric.

smellyengine · Joined: 24 Apr 2006 Posts: 169 Location: Chingford

That sums up a pretty much perfect day out Leon. A marvellous reportage on a great days riding.Great pics too. After all that climbing, Pole hill should seem a lot easier?! Top reporting!

Cazza · Joined: 10 Jan 2006 Posts: 63

Top report, Leon and it really was a great day out. Nothing to add, except chain ring tatoo has finally ceased throbbing and so I've finally stopped whinging.

Caz