Ride report. Sun 9 June – Leith and Holmbury
Another ride to Leith and Holmbury seemed to be up for everyone’s taste, including those about to take part in the Mountain Mayhem extravaganza at Gatcombe Park on the 15/16 June, so the assembled riders at Bocketts car park consisting of, Yvette, Ginny, James, John R, Karl, Dave C, Dave W, Elliott and Big Al, who rode over from Coldharbour, headed off with a plan to put in some miles and a bit of climbing. (apologies if I missed anyone).
We had only been going about 10 minutes when an unscheduled stop for Dave C to inspect a rapidly softening rear tyre meant a longish stop on the way up to Polesden.
Latex issues and broken valve stems in pumps spring to mind and this resulted in much faffage as we inserted a spare tube only to see it deflate in rapid time!
In went another tube and this too collapsed, DOH! Question, how many Moles does it take to fix a puncture? Answer, loads!!
Sadly this meant we had to leave a moderately Grumpy Dave to return home for repairs and continue on up to Ranmore without him.
After a rapid thrash down a beautifully fast and dry McPhersons we headed over the railway and down to the Dorking Road before climbing on up past the fisheries and up to Leith Hill via the Stinky Farm climb.
Passing Deliverance saw D’Dub and Karl take on the dodgy descent without incident while the rest of us headed round to the bombholes for a quick play.
The bombholes were dispatched with varying degress of style and results but no incidents occurred before heading on up to the tower climb and tea, cakes, pasties etc.
After meeting up with Adam at the tower Big Al headed on down to Coldharbour and home while the rest of us rolled off down towards Holmbury, first taking in the Mother and various other trails the names of which elude me.
The Mother was a blast before heading across to the top of Telegraph and letting rip down the full length of the trail in superb conditions!
Elliott, D’Dub and Adam screamed off in front followed by the rest of us in various states of control, no control, out of control etc etc. 🙂
Grins all round followed apart from D’Dub who had left his rucksack back up at the tower .. bye Dave, so we departed without him.
Heading for home down to the Volunteer and over the fast descent to Abinger Hammer before grinding up to the Abinger common saw Ginny peel off as she was not feeling too great so decided to head back along the roads to Bocketts.
A collective decision to head back up to Ranmore via the lovely Whitedown climb meant we had a long grind upwards to endure, but to be honest it seems to be getting easier the more we do it! Elliott certainly rolled up it without any problem and as JR was at the back taking pics he had no competition and Yvette seemed to smile her way up it!
To be honest the views are superb and almost make up for the pain of the climb!
Back along the Ranmore road before battering down Hogden Lane (Thanks JR) meant we took a beating on what is becoming a really loose rocky flinty strewn track with lots of potential for disaster.
In fact after summitting Polesden I saw Yvette bearing the tell tale marks of an off, but she seemed ok and no visible damage done.
We finally arrived back at Bocketts car park with a depleted crew of James, Karl, Elliott and myself due to riders peeling off for home at various points, after yet another dry ‘n dusty ride in great company saw 25 miles on the clock and a respectable 2842ft of climbing so all good. Long may it continue.
Also met Ginny coming back along the road to Bocketts so good to know she made it safely back as well.
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Dave says:
I was more than a little grumpy by the time i got home having to re-inflate the rear 3 times. I took it as a message that the Specialized Renegade Tyre was not for Mayhem and so I fitted a Bontrager XDX, inflated with a track pump (after replacing the valve and adding more Stan’s) and set off in what I kidded myself was a pursuit.
Cutting as many corners as I could think of I was soon pounding up Wolverns only to run into OrangeRoo coming the other way having missed us altogether at Bocketts after a “forgotten helmet” error. A brief chat and then I was off again to pass a couple of very fast ladies coming out of the end of Summer Lightening. I though I recognised one of them and a quick check on Strava later confirmed it was Leona. QoM galore!
I cleared the climb to the Tower and then tried to call the others but to no avail as the mobile signal is terrible in that area so I set off again down the Mother. Here I met D-Dub on his way to collect his bag. Another brief chat and I was off again to climb up to Holmbury and then take in Telegraph and follow in the others wake past the Volunteer.
I never caught them but I did have 30 miles on the clock by the time I got home.
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Posted on June 11, 2013 at 2:57 pm
Elliot says:
A nice ride covered well in your report. Karl looks menacing in background of that third pic!
I’ve just put my Defroster’s back in working order with a new Boa ready for the Mayhem. Silly me, why would I need Defroster’s?
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Posted on June 11, 2013 at 4:09 pm
Muddy John says:
Great report Kev – and a fine day for a ride.
I paid the price for suggesting the Hogden’s descent when my wheel threw up a large flint which smacked me in the shin. When I stopped to look atwhat I thought would be a small cut or a bruise, I was staggered to find a huge lump half the size of an egg!
Glad that Dave C at least met up with Dave W while following us round.
I just hope it’s dry like this for Mayhem this weekend . . . . hmmm.
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Posted on June 11, 2013 at 6:21 pm
OrangeRoo says:
Yeah, I arrived at the car park (now with helmet) just as everyone was leaving, so swiftly prepared my steed and zipped off up the trail. I knew exactly where you were all going – via Yew Trees – as it had been confirmed on the Forum ….. wrong! After trying hard for far too long for my lungs I decided to have a rest and consider my options. Heading slowly south east along Ranmore Common Road I waited a while at the top of McPhersons (at this stage I guess I was probably now ahead of the group with DaveC’s puncture). A fast descent later took me on a wild goose chase without maps, GPS or a clue really. Going via the Fisheries and Logmore Lane, I eventually came up to Summer Lightning and tackled Leith Hill.
After a solitary cuppa and an obligatory slice of carrot cake I zipped back down to Summer Lightning taking in Deliverance with some friendly chaps.
The trails were in great condition, and it was then that I met DaveC coming up the hill. He gave me instructions how to get back to Ranmore via the Rockery and Zigzag and I was off – I love that stretch!
On reflection I decided that you can actually have fun by yourself, but I am sure it would have been better with the main group! Mind you my route and trails skills must have come on a treat!
Best of luck all at the Mayhem you nutters!
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Posted on June 11, 2013 at 9:35 pm
Karl says:
Good ride report Kev, and I see that you underplay heavily your outrageously fast and extremely smooth McPherson’s descent, which I witnessed through your dust cloud as you engaged warp drive in front of me.. This put you overall 3rd, at 46.8mph, and like the cool unflustered James Bond type you are, with a measly 86bpm.. WTHell! The man is ice..
Big shame not to have had you along Dave, but glad you managed to put some miles in anyway..Thanks for the go pro strap loan. Hope you discovered where I hid it?
I was on the rigid 69er and must say, that the Chunky Monkey 2.4 dual compound 29er tyre on the front was absolutely amazing. Could not believe the grip, and it’s bump absorption was superb..
Anyway, good luck for MM boys and girls.
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Posted on June 11, 2013 at 10:11 pm