Its Dig Day this Saturday and there’s plenty to do!
We’ll be aiming to continue work on the new bottom section of BBMS which will include; bench cutting the new line, building a catch berm, building up a drop and then continuing to clear the trail to the very bottom.
Hopfully plenty can make it out, it should be great weather and would be ace to be able to open this new line by the end of the day. Oh, you might need insect repellent though but dont worry if you haven’t got any – we’ll be selling it on the day!
See you there… (starts at 10:00am and finishes at 16:00, any help during this time is greatly appreciated)…
This weekend is going to be ace… lots of bikes, lots of singletrack, and lots of time to eat mule bars and listen to dodgy techno-trance music.
set 2 rise is a firm club fixture and with 4 BCC teams this year (and some splinter cells) we hope to do more than make up the numbers (actually that’s prob what we’ll do best).
Come over and say hello if you see us, we’ll be the ones with the fire pit and plenty of vans – we’re working on our team kit (it’s nearly done) but for now we identify ourselves with flames and commercial vehicles .
Puppets has always been known as a great track but had been dormant for a few years whilst we worked hard to get BBMS, Spoons and 143 up to standard, so you can imagine the excitement of the first ever TickerTape on Puppets!
With no times to compare against there was plenty of guessing what would be respectable on this deceptively long track… would it to favour those who can ride the steep or the flatter corners at the bottom? would anyone take on some of the straight line options on judy? do we really have to push all the way back up?
Stace and Jim were involved in their usual ding dong but were so focussed on beating the other that they completely missed Charles’s blistering pace on board his loaned TRANSITION BLINDSIDE – beating both by a clean 2 seconds!
Ben Irons was busy putting in his usual fast runs, teasing those of us on full sus bikes and making his hardtail grimace. poor thing.
Will Hardy was stupidly fast through the steep tech section leaving us silent as he doubled up the steps and hit the berm faster than everyone else. He also put in 17 runs which is ridiculous and shouldn’t be encouraged!
As is becoming a bit of a theme Chris Smith earned yet another TickerTape Sticker with the smooth and consistently fast style that is begining to haunt the rest of us. Chris said it was his favourite track but stressed that he’d never even sessioned it before, he also said he owed his victory to his Lucozade Sport and a pretty awesome sandwich that Cally made him [pro riders ey, always banging on about their sponsors].
Stuart won the Beans award for riding his hardtail with no fear whilst wearing a ‘wife beater’ top, we’re hoping that he’ll wear his new Dakine jersey from now on as I’m not sure we’re ready for another display of those guns. Special thanks to MAX BIKES PR for the awesome prizes.
So, 45.31 I wonder how long that will stand? With Ben Batt, Neil Cousins, Rob Lewis, Redd How, Jack Howe and many others yet to set a time it’ll be interesting to see especially as the track matures, roots come to the surface and new lines open up.
This months TickerTape we will be using Puppets for the first time thanks to all the hard work and tremendous effort people have put in at recent dig days (thanks)!
We’ll be using the Judy line (swoopy one as apposed to the drop line, called Punch) to lead into the new bottom section of trail, then the very bottom of the course which will be a suprise section of cleared but not raked virgin trail (which will be loamy lushness all day long).
Given that ‘battery hill’ is so steep and stepped there will be an alternative option for those who don’t fancy taking it all on at once.
As always we’ll have the freelap system up and running, but remember it’s just a bit of fun so no need to take your peak off.
So, all you need to bring is a working bike (with 2 working brakes) and a full face helmet. Oh and some beans…
9 riders turned out for the ride away this month, 5 of us travelled in style in Chris Sheppards new bus/postal van/Ferrari (very handy for dodging down bus lanes).
We completed a “classic” loop of the Timberland trail, it was great, so great that Ian felt the need to leave an imprint of his face and the local Flora. After stopping for a bit of first aid and the very artistic application of some dressings we retired to the Cafe for some tea-hydration.
On the second lap we rode a modified loop to take in some more of last years Bristol Bikefest course. There was an impromptu group detour and some “lost sheep” that needed rounding up but no other major incidents – unless you count Marjory going over the bars…!
Back to the Cafe for more tea with Egg & Bacon rolls and a Caramac bar – burp! Nice.
Check out the calendar and forum for details of our next BCC XC Ride Away…
As advertised the Club XC ride away for May is at Ashton Court in Bristol on Sunday May the 9th
Timberland Trail – Ashton Court
Overall grade Blue – due to the lack of climbing – but the tech sections are more like Red
Distance approx 8 miles per lap dependant on the route choices we make
Time 45 mins – 75 mins per lap
Climb – Very Little
Most of the trail has been hand built by http://www.bristolmountainbikeclub.co.uk with materials donated from the quarry next to the site. It is used as the Bristol Bikefest course and it’s fairly flat with some fast and furious singletrack and a lot of rocks and roots. Some log drops and steps, grit berms plus a little bit of technical climbing (especially if it is wet).
The surfaces vary widely from rock,mud,grass,grit,roots, wet leaves and is suitable for better quality mountain bikes – full suss or hardtail.
Tyres – If it’s dry, summer semi slicks are ideal, if it’s wet though bring mud tyres !. whatever you run pinch flats are a very real possibility – so be prepared.
There is a basic Cafe on site for Bacon Butties and tea but parking can get a bit hectic at the weekends so would advise we get there earlyish.
Meet at the Cheese and Grain 8.00 for 8.15 departure.
