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Post by cbm on Jun 17, 2015 21:53:01 GMT
Dear Mr H...
I am delighted to offer you a special deal on the 30 tonnes of Biddlestone Best you recently ordered from us. The reason for contacting you is to confirm your requirements that it be dumped between your front door and the road We do understand that you wish to create a gentle incline that we believe you wish to use to ride your bike on We respectfully consider this a slightly unusual request but understand from friends of yourself that having a quick ride on this , on a daily basis, would kick your endorphins into play and set you up for much more gentle challenges like the so called North Tyne ride We look forward to your confirmation that you have arranged for your road to be blocked for our works and hope to attend with the rest of Bellingham the celebratory BBQ at your house on 20th June 2015
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Post by hodgy on Jun 18, 2015 3:31:56 GMT
Dear CBM
Thanks so much for confirming the order in writing and I am so glad that you did so .
My stupid secretary has completely cocked up as I quite clearly asked her to order 30 kegs of Stones Best Bitter from the local brewery .
My profuse apologies ..but unfortunately your type of stone will not be required ...but on second thoughts perhaps a small sack would come in handy to tie around the stupid girls ankles as I lob her with P45 in hand into the North Tyne .
Yours gratefully
Hodgy.
Ps ...are you still coming on Saturday ...
...I take it you read the subsequent replies in the Clennell Street thread then ....! ( haha )
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Post by hodgy on Jun 18, 2015 4:18:58 GMT
What a splendid game this is ...weather app now showing sunshine and cloud for today ...with strong wind later in the afternoon ( great for drying out the trail) .
Now just cloudy ( again) for Friday& Saturday with rain on Sunday ....talk about hedging your bets !!
I will take another look tomorrow ( Friday) evening ...
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2015 6:55:52 GMT
Good luck lads - sounds like a great ride, shame I'm bloody working.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2015 6:56:54 GMT
Completely changed again ...wind tomorrow. Rain forecast for Friday & Saturday How the hell can this change so often .... You are Michael Fish and I claim my free bag of Haribo's... |
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Post by hodgy on Jun 18, 2015 6:59:06 GMT
I'll bring them on the Bowderdale ride.....superstar mix ?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2015 7:02:02 GMT
I'll bring them on the Bowderdale ride.....superstar mix ? What else?  |
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Post by hodgy on Jun 19, 2015 7:11:00 GMT
Dry today until early evening ..then a 50% chance of rain
Still forecast for rain tomorrow ...but with a temp of 19 c ..it shouldn't be cold .
I will have another look this evening ...
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Post by Jimbo on Jun 19, 2015 7:13:14 GMT
Enjoy guys, very jealous. Lots of photo's of stunning middle of no where lake scenery please!
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Post by andyr on Jun 19, 2015 7:39:43 GMT
Was going to put the SB8 on the back but looking at the forecast for a bit of rain in the morning think I'll leave the HD on. No lakes jimbo, just miles and miles of moorland singletrack....  If I remember I'll be taking the contour to do a bit of filming of Hodgy in action. |
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Post by hodgy on Jun 19, 2015 7:54:55 GMT
Hey ..you'll have to catch me first !
Usual place ..at the back ....
Like Andy says though Jim ..no lakes ..a couple of river crossings but that's about the only water we will see .
The singletrack on the ride though is prime grade A stuff .
It will be a tough but very rewarding ride ..looking forward to it .
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Post by hodgy on Jun 19, 2015 15:07:33 GMT
Sssshhh ....just whisper this but it's just cloudy now for tomorrow ....
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Post by dblom on Jun 19, 2015 20:22:50 GMT
Hi guys
Just wondering if anyone is traveling up from the south for this up the A1? If so do you fancy sharing a lift for the overlapping part of the journey?
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Post by hodgy on Jun 19, 2015 20:57:18 GMT
Hi guys Just wondering if anyone is traveling up from the south for this up the A1? If so do you fancy sharing a lift for the overlapping part of the journey? In case you haven't quite made up your mind ...I will PM you my mobile ...just txt if you are coming / get lost ! |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 19, 2015 21:49:40 GMT
Hi guys Just wondering if anyone is traveling up from the south for this up the A1? If so do you fancy sharing a lift for the overlapping part of the journey? In case you haven't quite made up your mind ...I will PM you my mobile ...just txt if you are coming / get lost ! don't text him dunc he will stalk you and send you rude messages ... 
enjoy your ride guys
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Post by hodgy on Jun 20, 2015 3:54:16 GMT
Will do Gaz !
Sorry your not coming ...after I fixed the weather for you too !
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Post by hodgy on Jun 20, 2015 7:47:02 GMT
Duncan ( very wisely in my opinion ) has decided not to make an epic journey on his own by car to join us for this ride .
It's not the getting here really ..it's the driving back when you are Donald Ducked that's the problem ...
Another time ....
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Post by hodgy on Jun 20, 2015 18:49:48 GMT
Two more didn't make it this morning ...Colin & Gramish .
Colin because he couldn't get there in time after everyone in his family deserted him and went to Spain...so he had too many Animal related chores to attend to ...
Graham having been told at the hospital on Thursday not to get the wound wet couldn't risk it ..and made the right call ..there was in places a lot of standing water to negotiate !
Which is a real shame ...as if I may say so myself ..that turned out to be one hell of a ride ..possibly the best moorland route I have tackled in the North East ..certainly in this particular part of the world .
Russell who was joining us for the first time reckoned it should be put forward to an MTB magazine ..which it probably should were it not for the fact that there is a Max 2mile section that is excellent but very naughty with no alternative " legal route "
I have taken a few pics ..which were pretty boring to be honest ...but will post them tomorrow .
What I would say is that that bugger Andy Rutter did shoot some vid footage ..but as to where and when no one really knows .
Ahem ...I did at one point where I had taken a wrong line on a "down " and had come to a complete stop realise that he was recording ...so if he does post the bit where he says to me " Neil ..what are you doing ?" ..just bear in mind that my response was for the benefit of the camera ...and that I was really in complete control of the situation !
( think I got away with that ..phew! )
Too many highlights to mention and the trails in the main were running sweet !
Many thanks to Russell ( the muscle ) ..one hell of a strong rider.. Andy ( apart from the embarrassing vid ) Dave , Jean & Paul for their excellent company on what was a truly fantastic ride ..all 30.5 miles of it ....
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Post by hodgy on Jun 21, 2015 8:23:37 GMT
Some pics The end of the almost 5km road climb from Whitley Chapel to the start of the rough stuff at Kings Law Plantation . Some of you out there may well be wondering how I was in position to take pics of these guys approaching me ( being the worlds crappiest climber ) ..it's very simple ..I left 10 mins before them !  The start of the off road ..double track for 200m ..then superb singletrack ..  After another 5 km moorland road climb topping out at 568m the bridleway to link us in to the Black Way   Oh look someone's left a Santa Cruz Blur LT ! The boggy bit of the black way b/w  Andy Rutter ...bit of a nutter  Hey man ..it pure Scicillian thin rolled Ciabatta..wanna try ? ..the Godfather " Don Jaconnelli "  No action shots ..the good bits really were too good to stop ! |
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Post by davet on Jun 21, 2015 15:31:53 GMT
Great ride Neil, some brilliant single track which considering its in our back yard we don't ride enough. Good to have Russel and Andy join us too, they both showed us a clean pair of heels on the climbs, oh to be really fit or young :-)
Truly an epic ride showing off the best of Hexhamshire, well planned Neil. Thanks to all for great company and a great day.
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Post by andyr on Jun 21, 2015 19:33:23 GMT
Indeed, absolutely craking ride out. Legs are feeling it a bit today though. Here's the route for anyone that's interested. www.strava.com/activities/330245438Thanks for organising it Neil. Apparently if you want to get better at climbing become a farmer... I'll try to post some videos later. The soft southener in those photos up ^^^^ is the only one without a jacket. |
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Post by andyr on Jun 21, 2015 22:10:42 GMT
Here we go, no fancy edit or pounding metal or gnarrrrrrr factor. Just 4 minutes of cracking moorland singletrack.
This is the Carriers Way heading back towards Slaley Forest.
And here it is. Especially for you Neil... (can't believe how Geordie I sound in this)
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Post by hodgy on Jun 22, 2015 2:35:14 GMT
Andy ...I think I heard the stampede of singletrack lovers everywhere heading for the North East after that first vid ...and it still doesn't come close to how good it really is in the flesh ...class !
Thanks for the second vid ..don't really know what "spooked" me there ..I just went a little bit offline ..looks fairly innocuous after some of the stuff that had gone before ..but not like " Geordie " Andy to miss a trick !
At least you had the grace not to show my builders arse as I set off again lol
Ya git !!
Haha .
Edit : for those who couldn't hear my response to Andy...
It was " panicking! "
At the very start of the clip you can see a quite severe drop to the left which I was looking at ...took a bit of a wobble went off the track " panicked " dismounted and was caught looking girly by Andy ..
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Post by cbm on Jun 22, 2015 22:02:52 GMT
Gutted I missed this - comedy of errors After dealing with 'dying' sheep ( that I havent been able to catch since) threw stuff in car and proceeded to Whitley Chapel Arrived about 10:25 cars all parked as follow our leader but for once no you lot and- no bloody phone signal, asked local worthy which road to forest and wasted another 15 min going the wrong way So back to WC as by then realised I had 'the book' in my car and it gave reverse directions - bike out of car - had puncture - so had complete strop and went shopping instead One day when all you poor souls are working must -especially after seeing fantastic vid - do this route. On Sunday went to East Cheviots in rain and strong westerly to get it out of my system Looks a classic ride Have had the first of 2 hospital appointments re my back this week so was hell determined to get out before this but good news so far!
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Post by davet on Jun 22, 2015 22:49:12 GMT
Never had you down for one enjoying retail therapy Colin, did you buy anything good? You must of only missed us by 10 minutes! It was a cracking day you would of enjoyed it.
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