Black Canon Collective

Category: Litter

  • Richard’s Trail Riding

    I enjoy a huge variety of riding. I ride in all sorts of riding conditions and locations. I sometimes pay for uplifts at Bike Parks but mostly I enjoy “natural trails” riding in local locations which relaxes the spirit and give me a sense of freedom.

    I appreciate these locations and understand that they are there for others to appreciate too. I am merely “passing though” and I believe I owe it to everyone to do this with the minimum impact on the environment. Marked and graded trails are fine for Bike Parks and other official riding locations but I do not create them or take responsibility for their impact – I simply turn up, pay and ride.

    In the woods when I am riding natural trails I aim to:

    leave as little trace as possible
    make as little noise as possible
    be respectful of other users in the environment

    I hope that I succeed at this.

    Do you share my view?

    Rich

  • Too much junk in the trunk

    A Longleat-erpick.

    That’s the new name for a Longleat Litter-pick XC ride. It’s what we do with binbags, rucksacks and bikes in the Longleat forest sometimes. You ride off in pairs to a designated corner of the forest with a binbag lining the largest rucksack you can find, and then each fills the other’s rucksack with loadsalitter. A simple idea which marries a social XC ride with some seriously good PR and a healthy dose of that greater-good inner glow we all crave.
    We had a great turn-out of riders, but the odd number of 13 meant that someone either went solo (which doesn’t really work) or joined a pair. So that’s what happened: a threesome disappeared off towards Sheppards Woods and some daisy-chain sack-filling took place. It was a beautiful thing.
    In a little over two hours we pooled our findings in Longleat’s main car park, there to meet with Longleat staff who’d take it off our hands and dispose of it. To our surprise we’d collected well over 25 binbags full of rubbish, almost filling Andrew’s van, and too much for the Longleat staff to fit in the truck they’d brought to take it away. And what a variety of detritus: a door, a car shock-absorber, an oil drum, a hoover, a cistern… not to mention the usual array of Monster cans, KFC wrappers and lucozade bottles.
    Especial thanks must to Gordon, Clare and young Dylan who made a bee-line for the Crockerton area (a litter hot-spot) and collected so much rubbish they couldn’t fit it in Gordon’s MPV (Longleat staff went back to collect the overflow). Sterling work from those three.
    It was also good to see such a cross-section of club members out together for the one cause. Truly inspiring.
    Nice work, fellas.

  • That’s rubbish, that is.

    Litter Pick XC ride. This Sunday (22nd April).

    It’s a Mini Dig Day re-allocation of resources…

    It’ll combine a leisurely ride with litter collection. It should only take a couple of hours if there’s enough of us. We’ll set off for a section of the forest in pairs, each with an empty rucksack lined with a bin-liner. One rider fills the others person’s rucksack so he/she doesn’t have to keep taking it off or putting it on. Simple as. Maybe take a few spare bin-liners with you, and leave filled ones at strategic (discreet) points ready to take back to the car park on your way back.

    We did one last year and it was a huge success. In light of recent events, now’s the time to do another one (and before it all gets too overgrown).

    We realise collecting other people’s litter is an unpleasant chore, but as well as giving you that inner glow of being really useful, at the very least it’s a gesture of goodwill to the Longleat estate proving that we genuinely care about the forest we ride in. Let’s make an effort. It’s all about the greater good etc etc. C’mon, people, let’s get as many riders out as possible.

    If you want to get all competitive about it there’ll probably be a prize for the do-gooder does the best good (ie collects the most rubbish).

    Meet at 10am at the club car park this Sunday. Bring your own BIG rucksack, hi-vis vest (if you’ve got one) and a bike. Binbags will be provided, as will anti-septic hand-gel-cleaning stuff. Gloves will be provided if you need them. Oh, and don’t pick up anything you don’t want to (that means anything that scores a 7 or higher on the Eeeeeeeew-o-meter™).

    NB – Bring your own Eeeeeeeew-o-meter™.

  • A crime we didn't commit

    On Thursday evening a crack litter picking team was sent to longleat forest by the BCC Committee for litter dropping crimes they didn’t commit. These men (and a woman) promptly went about picking litter all over the Longleat estate whilst riding bikes and doing skids. Today, still trying to work out why so many people left bags of poo all over the place, they survive as riders of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire… The BCC Litter Picking Team-crew-gang.

    Al, who had spent most of the evening wearing an unnecessary amount of jewellery and talking street, was keen to comment that “I ain’t gettin’ on no plane!” though we, like you, have no idea what the hell he was going on about.

    Chas Thursfield, who organised the pick declined to comment on Al’s oddness but was heard saying “I love it when a plan comes together” on a number of occasions.

    Say, are we a groovy, happenin’ bunch o’ guys, or what?

    Listen!

  • Wotta Lotta Litter…

    Following on from Sunday’s Dig Day, I can report that The Allotment is absolutely devoid of litter. Not a trace. Not so much as a Werther’s wrapper or an EPO syringe. Rien. Nada. Zip. Zilch.

    Sadly, however, the same cannot be said of the rest of Longleat forest, and this has become something of a bugbear of mine over recent weeks. For me, a ride is partially spoiled when I’m nipping gazelle-like [don’t laugh] through some sinewy singletrack deep in the undergrowth only to find a discarded carrierbag with an empty six-pack of “Monster” cans nearby.

    I’m certain that BCC members are not responsible. But there’s an awful lot of litter around the trails we use. A Mule-bar wrapper here, a Powerade bottle there. Everybody drops litter. Sometimes accidentally. Even I’ve been known to stuff a wrapper in my pocket only to find it’s not there by the end of the ride. I had to punish myself quite severely for that one.

    So, it’s a big forest, but if we approach it methodically, I reckon we can put a substantial dent in the litter levels out there. I suggest a Bike Ride/Litter Patrol one evening, which will combine a leisurely ride with litter collection along the way. It should only take an hour or two if there’s enough of us. We’ll set off for a section of the forest in pairs, each with an empty rucksack, lined with a bin-liner. One rider fills the others person’s rucksack so he/she doesn’t have to keep taking it off or putting it on. Simple as.

    I realise collecting other people’s litter is an unpleasant chore, but as well as giving you that inner glow of being really useful, there will be the added incentive of free drinks/cakes for all do-gooders supplied from Mr Denham’s van. I have also hidden a £50 note in an empty Quavers packet somewhere in the forest. And if nothing else it’s a gesture of goodwill to the Longleat estate, proving that we genuinely care about the forest we ride in.

    A show of hands, first, please, to see who’s willing to help out. So as not to intrude on the Tuesday Nightrides, I suggest a Thursday evening and maybe starting earlier than 7pm? Possibly even THIS Thursday (21st Apr) to make the most of the good weather?

    Who’s with me?

  • PLEASE dont litter


    It’s a simple request, and one that you’d hope wouldn’t need to be made, but at this time of year we do seem to have a sudden rise in litter at The Allotment. Please take yours home with you, and if you see anything else, take that too. Not only is it against the club rules to litter, it’s disrespectful to the surroundings and other forest users. So please, show some respect, and keep the place tidy.

    Thanks.

  • More Litter!

    Rubbish!

    All of this was found around the allotment, at the seating area and at the top of 143. Given that the trails were cleaned last week, it means that this is no more than 7 days worth! Worryingly many of the items had been burnt and a large number of used matches and a used (disposable) BBQ were found also.
    This type of behaviour is in danger of ruining everything we’ve (the club) worked towards, as it won’t take much more before questions are asked by the estate.
    It should go with out saying but fire of any kind is completely prohibited, but at this time of year, when everything is so dry, it’s completely reckless.
    PLEASE DON’T LITTER.
    Thank you

  • Please Don't Litter

    Litter

    I’m sure this only applies to a small number of people, but please don’t leave litter at the Allotment (or anywhere for that matter). It’s so disrespectful to the surroundings, the resident wildlife and local users.

    Thankfully Dave White kindly picked up and took home all of this litter (see pic) from the top of 143 yesterday. Thanks Dave!