Aftermath of "A Weekend of GS Trail Riding 9th & 10th June 2007"

[Clive]

I'd loaded the bike up on Friday, so at 7.45 on Saturday I rolled it out on to the driveway. Far too much luggage as normal

I went to thumb the I-pod, when I remembered I don't own an I-pod so made do with humming the theme tune from Thunderbirds while I waited for Desert Rat to arrive.

At Stow we popped into Tesco to stock up on sandwiches, fruit and doughnuts - you can't beat a balanced diet.

We arrived at the BP garage in Stow around 9.40, I was struggling to remember how the third verse of "Lonely This Christmas" by Mud went when I switched off the humming.

Seven of us - Jarv, REM, GPS, Nin, Dr Rich, Desert Rat and myself set off from the BP garage just after 10. I'd had a call from Pumpy to say she was running traditionally late, so we arranged to meet them at Kineton ford.

Five minutes later I got a call from Nick to say he and his mate on the DRZ were running late so we arranged to also meet at Kineton ford. Note for the future - there is no mobile signal at Kineton ford, so perhaps not a good RV point

Pumpy and Gordon arrived - then there were nine. No sign of Nick & DRZ guy - we had several attempts at an RV over the next few hours, but it was not to be and they retired, lost

As our official tour photographer, Pumpy, was now with us I didn't take many photos myself on Saturday but the ones I have follow...

 

[Seamaster]

So, please tell, what happened next, I wanted to go on this trip but work commitments prevented me.

 

[Clive]

Gordon
<a href="http://www.zooomr.com/photos/Clive/2420699/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.zooomr.com/images/2420699_60bf794047_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="P6090001" /></a>

 

[Clive]

REM..
<a href="http://www.zooomr.com/photos/Clive/2420705/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.zooomr.com/images/2420705_85cddf01eb_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="P6090002" /></a>

 

[Clive]

GPS..
<a href="http://www.zooomr.com/photos/Clive/2420707/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.zooomr.com/images/2420707_b7e0a634c7_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="P6090003" /></a>

 

[Clive]

Desert Rat
<a href="http://www.zooomr.com/photos/Clive/2420708/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.zooomr.com/images/2420708_11b547108d_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="P6090004" /></a>

 

[Clive]

Dr Rich
<a href="http://www.zooomr.com/photos/Clive/2420719/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.zooomr.com/images/2420719_b1884891dd_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="P6090005" /></a>

 

[Clive]

Pumpy
<a href="http://www.zooomr.com/photos/Clive/2420720/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.zooomr.com/images/2420720_c5dbcf4b97_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="P6090006" /></a>

 

[Clive]

Jarv.
<a href="http://www.zooomr.com/photos/Clive/2420721/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.zooomr.com/images/2420721_b8062b56ef_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="P6090007" /></a>

 

[Clive]

Nin - who did a sterling job as tailend
<a href="http://www.zooomr.com/photos/Clive/2420722/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.zooomr.com/images/2420722_42613fa6c6_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="P6090008" /></a>

 

[Clive]

A group of tossers and a tosseress at the end of the Fosse Way near the M4.
<a href="http://www.zooomr.com/photos/Clive/2420723/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.zooomr.com/images/2420723_b9e149f809_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="P6090009" /></a>

With my splendid new pannier chevrons on display

Oh, and a random cyclist who crept up behind me

We'd had a few incidents along the way, involving a very slippy ford and numerous ruts - hopefully, those who took pictures before rushing to assist , will be along shortly

 

[Clive]

It was about 3pm by now so the non-campers went their own way home and the happy campers set off for the Avebury area to do some more byways.

On the way though, I got a call from msgs1200 who was at the campsite just about to book in.

We decided that we'd go straight to the campsite, set up our tents and then head out for a couple of hours bywaying before hitting the buzzing metropolis of nightlife that is Calne.

Unfortunately, just after we had set up camp, it started persisting down with a vengance so those of us who hadn't decided to pack a brolly had to seek shelter.

<a href="http://www.zooomr.com/photos/Clive/2420724/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.zooomr.com/images/2420724_98526753a2_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="P6090011" /></a>

 

[Clive]

As it appeared that the rain didn't want to stop, we had to raid the camp store for beer supplies and once the trees stopped providing shelter, had to construct a makeshift tarp from my groundsheet and some branches.

Seemed to do the job for the "not so wise" monkeys who also hadn't packed something half comfy to sit on

<a href="http://www.zooomr.com/photos/Clive/2420738/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.zooomr.com/images/2420738_accdafa256_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="P6090012" /></a>

 

[Clive]

By about 9.45pm the rain had stopped, the beer had been drunk and GPS had decided that his injured knee wouldn't prevent him hobbling the mile to the nearest pub.

Luckily the pub stayed open until 11.30pm which gave us time to sink one or two pints

I'm not quite sure what I thought I was taking a photo of here - I guess I shouldn't drink and operate a camera

<a href="http://www.zooomr.com/photos/Clive/2420756/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.zooomr.com/images/2420756_6dfb9c1722_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="P6100013" /></a>

 

[Clive]

Some of us were up bright and early...

<a href="http://www.zooomr.com/photos/Clive/2420759/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.zooomr.com/images/2420759_23a152f8de_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="P6100014" /></a>


and some of us were not...

<a href="http://www.zooomr.com/photos/Clive/2420761/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.zooomr.com/images/2420761_042d0f24ec_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="P6100015" /></a>


Breakfast arrived slightly more alive than required...

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[Clive]

We were all packed up by about 9.30am on Sunday and were joined by VAL. H. and Kleine Blumen. We set off for Cherhill (pronounced Cheryl apparently ) and took the back route to Avebury.

At the end of a tricky rutted section, Kleine Blumen & GPS
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[Clive]

msgs1200 and VAL. H. with Desert Rat bringing up the rear.

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[Clive]

VAL. H. with Desert Rat giving his bike a bit of a lie down in the background

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[Clive]

Heading towards the Ridgeway with Avebury in the distance

<a href="http://www.zooomr.com/photos/Clive/2420804/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.zooomr.com/images/2420804_07fc425940_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="P6100020" /></a>

<a href="http://www.zooomr.com/photos/Clive/2420805/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.zooomr.com/images/2420805_a5816e87d4_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="P6100021" /></a>

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[Clive]

A tricky little byway leading down from the Sanctuary

<a href="http://www.zooomr.com/photos/Clive/2420814/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.zooomr.com/images/2420814_8fe410be4f_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="P6100023" /></a>

<a href="http://www.zooomr.com/photos/Clive/2420815/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.zooomr.com/images/2420815_cbe714e381_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="P6100024" /></a>

<a href="http://www.zooomr.com/photos/Clive/2420816/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.zooomr.com/images/2420816_f4a5332c3e_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="P6100025" /></a>

<a href="http://www.zooomr.com/photos/Clive/2420818/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.zooomr.com/images/2420818_b1e0f258f3_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="P6100026" /></a>

<a href="http://www.zooomr.com/photos/Clive/2420820/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://static.zooomr.com/images/2420820_da4a15c88a_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="P6100027" /></a>

shortly followed by a few "incidents"