Chilterns Spring Thing 25 March
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- TheBrownDog
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- Location: Chilterns
Chilterns Spring Thing 25 March
I thought I'd start a new thread on this one so we can clear up who's in. Haven't whatassp'ed the winter bivviests yet but will do I promise. There's a list below so if you're keen, copy it into a new post and add your handle to the bottom.
Reg has a route in mind that sounds good. Meet at Leighton Buzzard Station at a time TBC but let's say noonish for 20 miles, bivvy in the Senterre-Parkes visitor centre (LOL) and back to the start in good time for anyone with Mothering Sunday duties to avoid a bollocking.
So far I think interest is from:
Me
RIP
Rich3rd
Mike
Dr Nick ?
Crewlie ?
Zippy ?
Reg has a route in mind that sounds good. Meet at Leighton Buzzard Station at a time TBC but let's say noonish for 20 miles, bivvy in the Senterre-Parkes visitor centre (LOL) and back to the start in good time for anyone with Mothering Sunday duties to avoid a bollocking.
So far I think interest is from:
Me
RIP
Rich3rd
Mike
Dr Nick ?
Crewlie ?
Zippy ?
I'm just going outside ...
- RIP
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Re: Chilterns Spring Thing 25 March
C'mon peeps don't be shy! We're letting 'dog off with a very cheap round so far
How can you miss a ride that goes through Witts End? Certainly by the end you will be......
How can you miss a ride that goes through Witts End? Certainly by the end you will be......
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
Re: Chilterns Spring Thing 25 March
Hopefully I'm in just checking family diary commitments
Not so much a gravel grinder.... more a gravel (mud and tarmac) groveller...
Re: Chilterns Spring Thing 25 March
I'm a maybe, will confirm closer to the time
Re: Chilterns Spring Thing 25 March
I'm a no unfortunately, it's my niece's birthday on the Sunday so I'm not going to be able to get out of that
I've got a pass for the weekend before though, might try to do something then (but potentially slightly further afield, either on foot or by bike)
I've got a pass for the weekend before though, might try to do something then (but potentially slightly further afield, either on foot or by bike)
Re: Chilterns Spring Thing 25 March
Hoping to get involved, pending permission from the boss
- TheBrownDog
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Re: Chilterns Spring Thing 25 March
Excellent news larsmars. C'mon you lot. Three weeks to go and we're still not quite a volley ball team.
I'm just going outside ...
Re: Chilterns Spring Thing 25 March
Sadly, I'm out.
My 83 year old mum died in her sleep last week and we have the funeral on the Fri in Sussex and on the Sat we're catching up with those who have travelled a long way....
Enjoy the weekend and raise a hip flask at some point! She didn't start driving until her mid 40s and was a proper utility cyclist until then....
My 83 year old mum died in her sleep last week and we have the funeral on the Fri in Sussex and on the Sat we're catching up with those who have travelled a long way....
Enjoy the weekend and raise a hip flask at some point! She didn't start driving until her mid 40s and was a proper utility cyclist until then....
Not so much a gravel grinder.... more a gravel (mud and tarmac) groveller...
- TheBrownDog
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Re: Chilterns Spring Thing 25 March
Mate, our deepest sympathies. She sounds like a terrific lady.Dr Nick wrote:Sadly, I'm out. ....
I'm just going outside ...
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Re: Chilterns Spring Thing 25 March
R.i.p sympathies here too.
- RIP
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Re: Chilterns Spring Thing 25 March
3 weeks to go, guess we ought to start cranking ourselves up chap(esse)s? What do you reckon TBD? I knocked up a quick GPX (whatever one of those is ;-)) which I could PM round contestants for [dis]approval unless any other thoughts? Not sure of specific bivi spots round Ampthill, I could do a recce I suppose, or we just wing it in the BBB Approved manner?
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
- TheBrownDog
- Posts: 2108
- Joined: Thu Mar 14, 2013 8:46 pm
- Location: Chilterns
Re: Chilterns Spring Thing 25 March
I've no local knowledge either but a quick google mapping search shows quite a few forests. I think we probs need to work out where we might be having dinner, and work our way forward from there. Anyone know any decent local pubs?
I'm just going outside ...
- RIP
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Re: Chilterns Spring Thing 25 March
Hi 'Brown, my pal Jezzer lives in Ampthill and when I foist myself on him we go to the Albion: http://www.banksandtaylor.com/albion/albion.htm. Great old-style boozer with loads of wacky beers. However, no food, so we'd have to survive the night on crisps and peanuts. Fratelli's Italian Restaurant looks OK. Maybe get to Fratelli's early evening when less busy then repair to the Albion for nightcap? or just Fratelli's, or whatever people fancy.
Are you happy coordinating? If you PM me your email address I can send you my GPX to send round?
Are you happy coordinating? If you PM me your email address I can send you my GPX to send round?
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
- TheBrownDog
- Posts: 2108
- Joined: Thu Mar 14, 2013 8:46 pm
- Location: Chilterns
Re: Chilterns Spring Thing 25 March
Reg, yes very happy to coordinate the victuals. The Albion boozer sounds great but I do think we need somewhere to drink AND eat. I will struggle to move from a sitting position for eating to a sitting position for riding to a sitting position for drinking ... and then have to move off again to find somewhere to bivvi. Leave it with me. Im sure someone in the club will know a decent place. PM coming your way shortly.
I'm just going outside ...
Re: Chilterns Spring Thing 25 March
Peep's, really looking forward to my 1st BBB trip (practice ride for WRT), play nice though, do dodgy 'initiation' ceremonies allowed I'm not quite sorted yet for the whole bivvy thingy yet, so was hoping to take my little tent on this trip. The Albion looks an vaguely exciting boozer, but prefer pub with food & fine cask conditioned ales. Where you planning to start from, I could get train up from Berkhamsted or drive if anyone needs a lift from around these parts.
Never knowingly under biked...
Re: Chilterns Spring Thing 25 March
Whats with this profanity filter thingy, that was written as 'awes0me' ???? Has it got the whole viz profanisaurus in it, I know, lets try it out..... red wings, bobfoc, zuffle .....Rich3rd wrote:vaguely exciting
Never knowingly under biked...
- RIP
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Re: Chilterns Spring Thing 25 March
'Viz profanisaurus' - excellent, I can see how this outing is going to unfold already . Horse's handbrake indeed...
'Awes0me' - STW filter... likewise we dudes won't be sending it on any gnarly tracks... (Oh. Well they all got through so obviously we will be...)
'Awes0me' - STW filter... likewise we dudes won't be sending it on any gnarly tracks... (Oh. Well they all got through so obviously we will be...)
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
- RIP
- Posts: 9118
- Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 7:24 pm
- Location: Surfing The Shores Of Sanity Since 1959
- Contact:
Re: Chilterns Spring Thing 25 March
TBD has OK'd my route and dodgy pub choice, so although it's anathema to BBB ethics being Sat night we probably ought to "book" the pub, http://www.frenchhornpub.co.uk/index. Looks a bit posh for tramps like us but Rich3rd is bringing his profanisaurus (the book, not Dave B ) so we should lower the tone of the place nicely. Who's in then?
TheBrownDog
RIP
Mike
Rich3rd
Larsmars
UncleTomCobbleyAndAll
TheBrownDog
RIP
Mike
Rich3rd
Larsmars
UncleTomCobbleyAndAll
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
- TheBrownDog
- Posts: 2108
- Joined: Thu Mar 14, 2013 8:46 pm
- Location: Chilterns
Re: Chilterns Spring Thing 25 March
Pub choice looks luuurverly and the route appears doable for the fatter (me) but still challenging for the fitter (the rest of you)TBD has OK'd my route and dodgy pub choice,
C'mon, need a show of hands so I can book a table. Bivvy options are quite varied and RIP may find time to scout a spot this weekend but if not there are several patches of forest to shelter all within a reasonable distance of the M1.
I'm just going outside ...
- RIP
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Re: Chilterns Spring Thing 25 March
Have found a selection of bivi spots capable of housing, say, 3-5; at most of them you could have pheasant for breakfast if you were that way inclined. Downside of that is it's possibly a bit gamekeepery round there but we'd be well hidden and away at the crack of dawn (poor girl, seems a bit intimate to me but there we go). They're pretty well out of earshot of the blue road. I can PM the locations for perusal at some point. The riding is really pleasant round there too so it should be a nice little mini-event.
TBD is doing a great job here with pub bookings etc, so can we firm up our places please chaps so he can crack on before we leave it too late and end up with potnoodles in the carpark?
R
TBD is doing a great job here with pub bookings etc, so can we firm up our places please chaps so he can crack on before we leave it too late and end up with potnoodles in the carpark?
R
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
Re: Chilterns Spring Thing 25 March
I'm defo in in this. RIP, do thou think I'll get away with putting a tent up under the gamekeepers nose (mmm straying into double entendre tertiary here) its reasonably dark green, nothing to luminous, or is it bivvy only (I do have a summer bivvy bag if needed)?
Never knowingly under biked...
- RIP
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Re: Chilterns Spring Thing 25 March
Nice one Rich. Yeah I reckon a tent should be hideable so long as it's not a Laser Space 2 (*) or similar. Maybe bring yer bivibag too, then yah got options. My tarp's 8x10 so not exactly inconspicuous. We can tour all the spots until you're all happy with the choice .
(*) Yes I actually have one of the, probably, two or three of those that ever got sold! 3.1kg. Might be amusing to bring on WRT to the hilarity of all present ;-).
(*) Yes I actually have one of the, probably, two or three of those that ever got sold! 3.1kg. Might be amusing to bring on WRT to the hilarity of all present ;-).
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....
"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
Re: Chilterns Spring Thing 25 March
It'll be fine, no taller than a tarp http://s.aliexpress.com/Bvaay6fM , i just got a lush carbon pole from bare bones towers for it, doubled it in value
Never knowingly under biked...
Re: Chilterns Spring Thing 25 March
Don't think I'm going to make it, we're only getting back to the UK on the 23rd and I suspect I may be needed for a few jobs that weekend. Have fun :)
- TheBrownDog
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Re: Chilterns Spring Thing 25 March
No problem Crewlie.
Looks like it's just the three of us. I couldn't entice any of my clubmates out either, not even with with the offer of my "spare" bike bags.
RIP do any of the likely sites happen to be a woods with sturdy trees around 4-5m apart for my hammock? I can bring a bivvi bag too but hammocks, well, once you've tried 'em it's tough to go back to sleeping with the slugs and grime on the ground.
Looks like it's just the three of us. I couldn't entice any of my clubmates out either, not even with with the offer of my "spare" bike bags.
RIP do any of the likely sites happen to be a woods with sturdy trees around 4-5m apart for my hammock? I can bring a bivvi bag too but hammocks, well, once you've tried 'em it's tough to go back to sleeping with the slugs and grime on the ground.
I'm just going outside ...