Ok, a little dramatic, but it really is very important that you know what to look for, how to prevent getting them and also how to get one out should you be unlucky…

We’ve created a Tick page in the ‘about’ section of the website, and included details on the FAQ’s but please do take the time to read the advice below as Limes Disease is pretty horrible but is known to be carried by ticks in the area.

As you may have seen we’re in MBUK this month!
The pics were taken a few years ago now, when Gee Atherton (riding for muddyfox!!!) cleared the “Smith Gap” landing on the never before (or since) attempted second landing.
Things have certainly moved on since then, with more trails being built by the hardworking BCC Dig Day crew and loads of mini races, events and activities being offered by the Collective and its members.
If you want to get involved, or ask some questions please email andrew.denham@blackcanoncollective.co.uk
The whole Allotment is licensed to the club by the Longleat Estate so you do have to be a member to ride there (and carry a valid BCC Membership Card). Riding the Allotment without a Membership Card will cause big problems as we stand to lose all the hard work we’ve put in to build this great local riding spot, so please join up if you like what you see.  You can join by reading our membership page here and following the instructions….
Cheers!

Our good friends at southerndownhill.com have launched a DH Race team for the 2010-2011 season! With an awesome line up of riders, great equipment and a pretty funky custom kit they’ll be instantly recognisable at the races. BCC members (and TickerTape regulars) Rob Lewis and Neil Cousins are both in the team so we’re really proud and keen to see them do well this season.

In light of a few recent misunderstandings we’ve made sure that the club rules and constitution are both clearly displayed on our website. So, if you haven’t already, please have a little read… it’s mostly common sense but as with any sports club both documents are important and must be adhered to. Thanks

http://www.blackcanoncollective.co.uk/about/rules-and-constitution/

Communicating with our members is really important and enabling our members to communicate with each other is very important too. Over the next few weeks there’ll be a few changes made to how we achieve each.

Along with our existing projects, we’re working on a new club forum that’ll be part of this site, a frequent newsletter that’ll be produced in-house, and a Facebook fan page that will update automatically when the site is updated. Once in place these three changes will make it far easier for us all to keep up to date with what’s going on, and stay in touch with one and other.

We’re thrilled to confirm that the BCC is training up 11 of its members as Ride Leaders.

After 40 hrs of training, held over 4 1/2 days, the candidates will be CTC qualified MTB Trail Leaders carrying the ITC Outdoor Activity First Aid certificate also.

Being able to provide professional quality guided rides will help stimulate the local MTB community, and will also enable new riders to come along and try the sport out in a safe and enjoyable way.

The training will be completed by the 28th Feb, and the newly qualified Ride Leaders will start immediately in march.

It’s taken some time to get to this point, but we’re really excited, and of course very grateful to Marion Liquorice (Elizabethan Evening) and Marjory Hatvany (awesome fancy dress evening!) for their charitable donations and fund raising efforts that have made this possible.

Spring isn’t far away

The buds will be sprouting and trees will begin to leaf

The nettles and brambles will be just as excited though, and soon start closing in on our local trails

Why not take some time to do a bit of seasonal maintenance so that the trails are running sweet for the summer?

Ian and I did this morning, clearing a single track route through Vallis all the way to Tedbury

(It was a glorious morning as you can see)

The job was made much easier thanks to the work that Simon had already done a few weeks back

Afterwork rides to the Talbott Inn will be far less prickly now

Fancy racing riding around the allotment, and surrounding area, on a mini BCC enduro pre Set 2 Rise ?

Ian Crook came up with the idea as a kind of XC enduro TickerTape equivalent; basically it’s a low-fi, members only, mini enduro race event with apple strudel Mule Bars to give away. At this stage that’s all we’ve got, but it sounds good to me…

Check out the suggestion box thread on the forum here: http://www.southerndownhill.com/forum/index.php/topic,164215.120.html to get involved, or make your own suggestions.