I’ll be running two evening dig sessions this week at the allotment:
Wednesday 23rd & Thursday 24th. Both from 17:15 – 19:00 (when it gets dark)
loads of markings need replacing and both spoons, bbms and moron need some TLC with an army of rakes so that the autumn leaves dint hide them entirely. It’ll also be a good opportunity to talk about what you think we should build next, as the (third quarter) trail development plan will be written over the next two weeks.
Oh and remember it’s TickerTape this coming Sat so this will be a great chance to make sure the trails are running sweet for our little DH jam.
Hope to see you there, cheers!
p.s. I’ll bring tools, but if you have a leaf rake please bring it. Thanks!
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
Over the past month there has been a lot going on at the allotment; plenty of planning, building and riding, but worryingly there has also been a lot of litter.
Now surely I don’t need to explain why this is a bad thing, or why it puts a real downer on an otherwise beautiful place, do I?
Please don’t litter
Please do take home all your rubbish
and if you find any when you’re there please pop it in your bag/pocket and take it home to throw away.
March’s dig day was one of the best yet, we did absolutely everything we’d hoped to and were utterly exhausted as a result.
1. Basic trail maintenance (all tracks)
2. Undo the work carried out by the derelict building to protect the Scarlet Elf cups.
3. Undo “work” carried out on the top spoons stepdown.
4. Redevelop the bottom of 143 (as per last dig days agreed plans) upto tabletop.
5. Prepare spoons for this months tickertape mix-up.
Loads of people made it out and were treated to hot tea, biscuits, home made cakes and cookies, slapstick comedy (haven’t forgotten your trip Neil), and even a barber shop master class from Marjory (yes, Ben decided to shave his head for comic relief – at the seating area).
143 is gonna be pretty impressive so I’m pretty sure that I and everybody else who worked on it likely fell asleep dreaming of riding it…..
Based upon recent progress I’ve estimated it’ll take at least 3 more dig days to complete 143 to the final step-up feature (it will continue down to the middle fire road eventually but this will need another planning phase). That means it’ll be ready mid June.
Fancy completing it sooner? Then lets see if we can get even half the current members to a dig day, we had 15 and did so so much, but with 29, with 29 we could maybe even get it all finished in 1 dig day!
Weekends are precious and often heavily restricted but its amazing to see what can be achieved after just one day of well planned and organised trail building.
Aprils dig day will be held on the 18th/o4/09 so that it doesn’t clash with Easter weekend….
It seems that despite our efforts to clearly communicate what we (the BCC) do and why some people have taken it upon themselves to build stuff at our allotment without any consultation or approval. This simply won’t be tolerated.
We, the collective mountain biking community, are best served by working together to create trails we can all ride and enjoy on land that is set aside and managed accordingly to this end.
The progress made by woodland riders is testemount to that fact and we, in only our first year, are getting there too.
There’s nothing wrong with going it alone except when doing so has such a negative effect on others. Ruining the work of others isn’t acceptable. Worse still this has happened on land clearly signed as being club run, and on existing features built by the club.
The area in question will be returned to it’s former state and additional signs errected.
We’re not against building new stuff and do admire people putting the effort in to do so. BUT where the allotment is concerned; the Black Canon Collective is responsible for all trail development.
Interested in making the area better? Come along to one of our monthly dig days and help out rather than working against us, after all we now have over 55 members and represent the vast majority of local riders.
Please see our events calendar for future dig day details, and look back through the news articles to see what we’ve acheived at previous dig days.
Earlier today we were made aware of a not-so-common fungus that has been found on small part of our allotment. The Scarlet Elf Cup (Sarcoscypha) is a very small, cup shaped fungus with a bright red inner, it’s found on dead wood in damp areas on north facing slopes so I’ll let you regulars guess exactly where….
We have offered to cordon off this area and return the nearby area to its former state so that the delicate fungus can be enjoyed by all with out being disturbed by our activities.
We are devoted to working closely with the Longleat Estate and other forest users to ensure that conflict is avoided and the area can be enjoyed by all, so please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any concerns about our activities or the area on which we operate .
Meeting Paul Hawkins from Project 1SW www.1SW.org.uk this morning. Will be discussing the potential for developing the area in line with plans to make the south west of England a focal point for mountain biking. I’ve been looking forward to this meeting like a child does to Christmas! Will update later today.. Oh and Russell Burton has produced a draft outline of his thoughts on the area which I received last night!!! Full details to follow. Exciting times.
Saturday the 14th February is a day to celebrate the one you love by spoiling them a little.
The BCC is no different, we love the allotment and so will be spending the whole day dedicating our time to pampering it, making it feel special and then giving it a right good going over the following day (well think of all those brownie points we’ll have earned!).
You’ve guessed it; its the BCC weekender – as per the usual set up it’s dig day on Saturday followed by a ride day on Sunday.
There’ll be plenty of tea and biscuits for all those that help out but do remember to bring some lunch.
Full details to follow shortly, but in the mean time the dig day will run from 10:00 – 16:00.
See you there!
(If you’re a non member and would like to help out then please come along, everyone is welcome to dig days!)
Many members ask how they can help work on the allotment outside of dig days. Understandably people are often reluctant to just get stuck in without a little direction. We were obviously thrilled and very keen to embrace this enthusiasm and enable people to join in whenever they can. So, Ian came up with the idea of making some “pile rocks here”, “rake from here”, “…to here” signs to place around the allotment. After a couple of hours of dodgy jig saw skills (that’s skill with a dodgy jig saw) and some inspired paint brush control we’ve made some “help needed” signs.
So look out for them around the allotment and when you get a moment or two in between a bit of riding, well, see signs for further info….
