I've gone a little set of battery powered fairy lights in the garage somewhere, this might be the perfect time to christen them!

My daughter also has a little set of battery powered pink, heart shaped lights - they'd be hilarious. She loves them and they're on most nights though so would be gutted if I nicked them!

Some christmas decorations might be funny too

"keep..... discrete: might attract... attention otherwise". I reckon (I mean this in a nice way!) we're WELL past that scenario M-P and there's still 2 months to go ...........

"battery powered fairy lights"... "pink, heart shaped lights"..... "christmas decorations"..... 13 bikers.. no, 14.. taking over local hostelries...crashed out in the woods somewhere (a bevvied load of bivviers as I once called it).... blah blah

"Leave no trace"? We're going to leave a load of stunned, tree-light-blinded, normals in our wake wherever we go!

"Reg"

OK, just been out for 55 miles loop across to Wendover and Whiteleaf area from around Ashridge. Would make about 45 miles inc the Berkhamsted+Ashridge start for the winter bivi. Riding while thinking of a bigger group and winter trail conditions etc I think that's OK and Whiteleaf is a good aim, far enough probably but what do you all think? Easy to adjust on the day.
At the weekend it might not be good to have 12+ bikes in a group on some of the trails I'd ride at other times but even so the route will involve quite few FPs. Hard to avoid them tbh. So, happy to map something out to be shared via email if it's just for personal use only. Maybe Ben can co-ord that as OP?

Called into the Red Lion, they can do food for a dozen if we confirm asap and order food a week or so in advance. Menu is on the website Reg posted the link to earlier.

Bivi spot for a dozen with a number of tarps etc likely to be up .. tricky. There is one place that's fairly close to the pub but it's not exactly 'remote', I'd be suprised if there wasn't the odd walker etc passing by. Great views though. Will keep looking for something more stealthy within an hour or less of the pub.

Number of attendees is going to be an issue for some of it for sure

I'll coordinate getting the fox/route to people once it's sorted

I'm also happy to book the pub and collect orders in advance

Edit - I meant gpx, not fox! DYAC!

Numbers should be OK on the trails, just needs some sensible route planning. Er.. hold on.

With my current fitness and my memories of Chiltern's winter mud, 45 miles is sounding like plenty to me

Please can attendees PM me their name, mobile number and email address? I'll arrange getting the route file to you via email at a later point, and I'll also email direct about your food order for the pub

I'm just collating the details for now, don't expect anything for a few weeks!

I might also set up a whatsapp group ahead of time, will be easier to organise a group of folks together. If you don't have whatsapp, or worse still, if you're a luddite with a prehistoric phone , let me know and I may be able to help you get it or accomodate you in a different way (i.e by keeping you in the loop via old fashioned text message)

Gents - almost certainly won't be able to make these dates but just wanted to 'register' as a SE resident (Maidenhead-ish).
Hope to catch up with you all sometime.

^ Spring bivi then? Thought the other day that a seasonal social would be good, April, June, Oct and Dec?

Pub's booked for the 10th, 7pm onwards for food for 12-14. Any more and we might need to warn them. Menu on the site http://www.theredlionwhiteleaf.co.uk/
There's another pub round the corner if we need overspill space, get thrown out, etc

Nice one James. You know you're in the Chilterns when every second pub is called the Red Lion

get thrown out

Love the optimism

Well, not getting let in when they see the state of us is more likely!
Will be OK, there's a note about muddy boots at the door, prob used to it.

'Get thrown out' - I'm liking the sound of this outing the more I hear about it!

Is no one else bringing their sister's jeans for the evening then?

On a separate note, I wore a Brynje mesh base layer for some Alpine walking last weekend. We went into Chamonix for some food after and I had to wear another layer on top, and was absolutely boiling as a result, because I looked like a member of Right Said Fred. Top was great though! Might wear it again as it was so good, will need to think about the impact on the other diners or me though!

Is no one else bringing their sister's jeans for the evening then?

I hope you're going to roll the appropriate leg up?

I could bring my sister's jeans certainly if that helps. Trouble is she's currently wearing them (I've just asked her) and she lives in Llandeilo. Extrapolating slightly - don't worry I'll clear it up afterwards - it's not always easy to deduce a BBB-er's sex from their username but I would hazard a guess that our current guest list doesn't include any representatives from the brainier gender? I compliment them on their perspicacity though to be honest!

"Reg"

I think we should make an aesthetically-refined film of the ride including some on-point graphic design, with a few bearded riders drinking some artisan bourbon or citrus coffee to fulfil regional hip-packing stereotypes Mind you if we get too smashed we'll nevah find our way back to Paddington station.

Or perhaps something that portrays the gritty reality of sleeping in a ditch and not going home for your tea...

Long for a bit o'grit round here I tell you. All chalk and clay as far as the eye can see.. no gritty reality, chalky reality is as murky as it sounds. Or flaky, even.

Evening all.

I know its still weeks away but I'm already thinking about kit for this one, as its going to be cold wet and muddy, which means I will probably want to get off the ground in my hammock. Any chance the bivi spot will have a few perfectly spaced trees?

It's already gone all muddy too. Three hour trial ride yesterday and I looked like the creature from the black lagoon when I got home.

So are you telling me that my Thunder Burts won't be appropriate?

I was thinking about some 'muds' the other day for this bike.

Is this little adventure going to be mainly off road aka on mud or a general split.

I've got an even bigger problem than mud, my kids' school xmas fete

It's on the saturday, and seeing as my wife is sorting a fair bit of it out, me mentioning that I wasn't around didn't make me hugely popular

I'll still make it but might miss the beginning of the ride

"hammock" - there's a party trick there somewhere I reckon, along the lines of "how many elephants can you fit in a Mini"......

Depending on jameso's final route, it can indeed get fairly gloopy round there at this time. I think my "Swamp Things" will be living up to their name....

R

Reg, you're welcome to have a go in my hammock. Just wipe yer feets first.

So are you telling me that my Thunder Burts won't be appropriate?

Meanwhile over on another thread, the debate rages as to the best all purpose tyre that can handle a bit of mud. MBNUT, no one mentioned the Burts I'm afraid. The way the trails are softening up this at the moment and the rain we've been getting, you'll be skating on those things.

EDIT: although I just noticed that Lee Craigie used them in the HT550 (I think) on the back of her bike. And she's from Scotland and everything!!

I have a set of mud tyres kicking about, sounds like these would be a better choice compare to my rocket Ron's?