Sherwood Pines off-piste Sun 22nd Sep

[steve_sordy]

Hi Steve

When I first responded to your invite, I said I would be there as long as"it wasn't peeing it down".
Well the rideout weather gremlins look like striking again as rain is now forecast for all day tomorrow.
I wouldn't normally bother about a bit of rain but both Shimano motors on the bikes I have are proving to be extremely fragile. One is out of commission and the other started playing up yesterday and I don't really have the confidence in it to test it in crappy conditions.
Still hope to be there but will decide tomorrow morning.

Regards
PR

Yes, sad to say the weather is looking rather damp for Sunday. However, one thing I have learned at Pines is that when you are in the woods, the rain never seems quite so bad. I will be in front most of the time (I try not to be, but it is the nature of guiding) and the impact of that is that it's me that knocks all the rain drops off the bushes. So I tend to be the wettest one there, and the one that collects the spiders as well! It's a hard life being a guide.

 

[steve_sordy]

Despite the forecast I am looking forward to Sunday's ride. I have a lot to show you all.

Remember, all the meeting point instructions are in post #17.

Basically, two places to park, one free on Eakring Rd, one is £6 in Pines car park. The Eakring Rd lot meet @myapes at 09:50 ready to ride and proceed to the Pines car park cafe to meet the rest of us at 10:00 by the cafe veranda (under the trees nearby probably).

 

[Peaky Rider]

Yes, sad to say the weather is looking rather damp for Sunday. However, one thing I have learned at Pines is that when you are in the woods, the rain never seems quite so bad. I will be in front most of the time (I try not to be, but it is the nature of guiding) and the impact of that is that it's me that knocks all the rain drops off the bushes. So I tend to be the wettest one there, and the one that collects the spiders as well! It's a hard life being a guide.

SPIDERS! You didn't say there would be spiders.

 

[steve_sordy]

SPIDERS! You didn't say there would be spiders.

Oh yes!
and big horseflies that eat the deer, although the bats tend to keep them down.

 

[steve_sordy]

Ready to ride at Pines cafe veranda 10:00am
Still looking forward to going tomorrow, but for a day or so it was touch and go....

I damaged the spider on my front ring and the bike is unsafe to ride. The replacement spider didn't come in on Fri as planned, in fact it won't be in until Monday! So I booked out a Turbo Levo to collect today at 3pm from Rutand Cycling at Whitwell. Got the bike, no drama; was in the car park setting it up for a test ride, pedals, saddle height, tyre pressure.. all done. I was about to set up the suspension when the compression lever and rebound dial on the shock came off in my hand and started to leak oil! Bugger! I walked the bike back to the workshop to be told that they could do nothing with it. To be fair I couldn't see any screw thread on the bit in my hand and I could see no way to get it back in. They had no other emtb FS of any make. My spirits were raised briefly when the rental guy said he had a Medium Levo (me Large). But when he pulled it out it had a large sticker on it saying "power fault"! Retiring dismayed I got my rental money back.

I rang Sherwood PInes to rent one, it was about 4:30pm by now. All they had was a Medium Haibike. Haibikes are short in the reach in all sizes and I have a long body and a back prone to spasms. Screwed.

Out of desperation I rang the ranger in charge of trails at PInes and told him my tale of woe. I was hoping he would lend me his bike as he is the same size as me, but I didn't want to put him on the spot by asking him directly. I thought that at least he might suggest somewhere else that was still open where I could rent from. Without hesitation he said that I could borrow his! WOW! It's a Kenevo and he commutes to work every day through the woods, so he'll have it at Pines tomorrow. All I have to do is to go pick it up on Sunday morning! He offered to bring in his charger and plug it in on arrival to give me max charge.

WOW! again. Neil Barnes, you are officially a stand up guy!

I hope I don't break it for him.

See you guys tomorrow.
Well now we are 12!
(or maybe only 10 if Peaky Rider and mate refuse at the water hazard)
Me and @myapes
@Hinett
@JetSetDemo
@Peaky Rider +1 (Tranny Tone)
@Digcon
@steve06
@Gibspark
@BILLYP2000
@118
@jonnie brads

 

[Zimmerframe]

I have a lot to show you all.

At least it's raining ! If he's been waxing and wants to impress, they'll be several layers to remove so you'll all have time to make a getaway !

And please, whilst we all like pictures, this is one not to wait for ..

deer, although the bats tend to keep them down.

Make sure you're all back before dusk, you wouldn't want to meet the bats that eat deer.

It's a Kenevo and he commutes to work every day through the woods, so he'll have it at Pines tomorrow.

Someone's going to have a hell of a day ! Hopefully he'll be so distracted he'll forget about the waxing ..

 

[steve_sordy]

Good news! I have just looked at the weather forecast for Sherwood Pines and the weather has changed for the better.

It is now "mostly cloudy" until 13:00, only then does it change to 80% chance of rain. And because it hasn't rained during the night, the trails will be dry and will pretty much stay dry(ish) for several hours of rain.

 

[jonnie brads]

What time are we expecting to have finished and be back at the car park ?

 

[Zimmerframe]

What time are we expecting to have finished and be back at the car park ?

At a rough guess .. 12.30 , 13:00 at the latest.

 

[jonnie brads]

Really sorry (I hate these last min dropouts by the way) I won't be able to make it as putting my bike in the van the Mrs shouts down the CCTV we have family over where do you think you are going ? now normally I would proceed with ignoring her and continue as planned but this case as it was last min and looks like pissing down again I'm going to cancel. I hope we can plan more of these in the future ? sorry boys hope you have fun

 

[Zimmerframe]

we have family over where do you think you are going

So she gave you a heads up and you still didn't take he opportunity to continue your escape !

 

[jonnie brads]

So she gave you a heads up and you still didn't take he opportunity to continue your escape !

? I like your way of thinking. If this had not of been such short notice I would of without hesitation

 

[steve_sordy]

Well, the rain held off mostly. we got a bit at the beginning and a few showers, but nothing of any concern at all. The trails were mostly just grippy. We got nine riders in total and it was a good crowd, we all sparked off each other. There's a team photo here, with Peaky Rider behind the camera (he appears later)

That's me in my guide's orange top, so you can see me from a distance amongst the trees.
Here is a series of shots of the biggest descent (I'll split them up over several posts)

This one shows just how high up we were ("hey we're above the trees" said one rider).

Are we really going down there?

Peaky Rider has the cling fit shorts (and very nice he looked too). His sartorial elegance was an example to us all!

 

[steve_sordy]

Yes it is steep!

Getting ready for the big descent.

Edit: (Actually that was somewhere else, but I can't be arsed to move it!) In this shot @myapes is at the bottom having already fallen all the way down. I tried and failed twice today at this one (I've done it before honest - I blame the strange bike!)

Hmm, left or right of the tree?

(Most chose right).

 

[steve_sordy]

Lots of gorse!

Camera trickery; descending or climbing?

Safely away!

 

[steve_sordy]

@myapes climbs on!

@myapes falls off! (He was not the only one)

myapes gets to the bottom

My apologies if you went that day and didn't appear in the action shots, It was not deliberate, I just picked the best shots.
It was a fantastic ride out guys thanks to you all.

Also a big thank you to Neil Barnes Forest Ranger who lent me his bike for the day, otherwise I would have had to cancel today's ride.

 

[Gibspark]

Just at home with a cheeky beer reflecting on a great day at Sherwood. Thanks Steve for being a fantastic guide and taking us through the off piste- brilliant flow trails and plenty of chutes- loved it !!!

 

[BILLYP2000]

Great ride out Steve. Thanks again for leading the way.

 

[Tunny]

Seems like i missed a good ride today. I'll hopefully be able to make the next one ??

 

[jonnie brads]

Looked awsome I would of been well up for all of that anytime you can schedule another ride I'll be there ? how about next Sunday ?

 

[Zimmerframe]

Great ride out Steve. Thanks again for leading the way.

You know he was lost don't you !

 

[steve_sordy]

Looked awsome I would of been well up for all of that anytime you can schedule another ride I'll be there ? how about next Sunday ?

It was awesome, but we were very lucky with the weather.
According to the weather forecast, it will be raining every day up to and including next Sunday. And also every day up to and including the Sunday after that!
But I'm sure that I will still be going out again, I just can't keep away!

I'll let you know

 

[Zimmerframe]

Looks like a great ride Steve. Hope @myapes is ok, it looks a bit like he was trying some of my techniques !

 

[Doomanic]

Yes it is steep!

Can't have been that bad if Damo rode it...

 

[steve_sordy]

You know he was lost don't you !

You are closer than you know! The route we did was longer and more complex than I'd done before. So I wrote it all down beforehand. Then kept changing it! I wrapped my final route in plastic to foil the forecast rain, then promptly left it behind! The route we did was one I have never done 100% before. I'd done all the bits but never in that sequence, so I just had to go off memory. I checked when I got home and I'd nailed it. (Not that anyone else would know one way or the other!)

 

[steve_sordy]

Looks like a great ride Steve. Hope @myapes is ok, it looks a bit like he was trying some of my techniques !

That was his first run down from top to bottom. When we first tried it initially, it was very, very dry that day and the trail surface just skidded away under your tyres. Neither of us fancied ending up in the gorse, so we both pushed down the first 20'. The conditions today were damp and it stabilised the trail to an extent. At the very top where we were all standing, it was tricky just keeping your footing.

 

[Doomanic]

When's the next one?

And can I interest any of you intrepid explorers in the FoD ride next Saturday?
Forest Of Dean, The one with hills... 28 September - EMTB Forums

 

[steve_sordy]

Can't have been that bad if Damo rode it...

I own up to having called it a scary drop, because I found it scary. Peaky Rider said it was just "tricky". Two of us didn't attempt it, of the seven that did - two fell off, or was it three? Peaky was one of the ones that fell off and demonstrated the problem with riding clipped in when he was trapped under the bike by one foot.

 

[Zimmerframe]

The conditions were damp and it stabilised the trail to an extent. At the very top where we were all standing, it was tricky just keeping your footing.

Looking at the body positions, it looks slippy and difficult on foot at the bottom !

I think you should all jump on one of the new Aussie Can Bus's and go join Doomanic on the Doom and Gloom ride.

 

[Peaky Rider]

Well, the rain held off mostly. we got a bit at the beginning and a few showers, but nothing of any concern at all. The trails were mostly just grippy. We got nine riders in total and it was a good crowd, we all sparked off each other. There's a team photo here, with Peaky Rider behind the camera (he appears later)
View attachment 18979
That's me in my guide's orange top, so you can see me from a distance amongst the trees.
Here is a series of shots of the biggest descent (I'll split them up over several posts)

This one shows just how high up we were ("hey we're above the trees" said one rider).
View attachment 18980

Are we really going down there?
View attachment 18981
Peaky Rider has the cling fit shorts (and very nice he looked too). His sartorial elegance was an example to us all!

Yeh! and what a scruffy looking bunch the rest of you were just trying, in vain, to look cool.
Lycra for the masses I say.