Autumn mini gathering - Cotswolds - 'The Ding' - 19/21 September

[The Other PaulG]

What time will you be heading off on Saturday morning? I’m still game for a ride even if it is wet!

That's not been discussed - I'd guess 09h30-ish, with maybe an early stop for breakfast. However.. could be anything, depending on what folk want. I will PM my mobile no. to you so we can make comms. It will be good to have you along so we'll plan accordingly.

 

[Toddmeister]

Bike parked in field
Tent erected
Tarp up

Must be beer o’clock

 

[Toddmeister]

I deliberately haven’t put a picture of the tarp up as I don’t want to make Ev jealous!

 

[EVskiy]

I deliberately haven’t put a picture of the tarp up as I don’t want to make Ev jealous!

I’d like to see it, but the weather is getting worse

 

[tjmouse]

Radar forecasts makes it look like the escarpment will hold the rain back in the morning and then it could be quite wet in the afternoon with very heavy patches around 16:00-19:00 so campers will want to be at the pub by 16:00.

 

[adventuredon]

And we’re in

 

[tjmouse]

Fantastic ride out gents. Thank you very much.


EV - you missed a lovely day, and it was dry!

 

[adventuredon]

Great day out

 

[EVskiy]

Fantastic ride out gents. Thank you very much.


EV - you missed a lovely day, and it was dry!

Glad you all have had a great day chaps!
I am sorry I couldn’t make it, despite really wanting to.
To be honest, not only have I been busy, I’ve been suffering with a headache (at the base of the scull) all day.

Nice pics @adventuredon

Weirdly enough, it had rained in Watford area twice.

Perhaps a “Second Mini Ding” can be arranged for sometime in the early Spring? Same area works for me, as I live going out to Cotswolds. Done it now a fair few times over the years.

Just one thing to note: I will not be around though from Easter weekend for best part of two weeks. Trip of a lifetime will be taking place. Then again, I am planing on off-loading my bike come spring time. But that’s just a plan for now.

Anymore pics, please do send them. Did you go to the bike garage place/cafe on the outskirts of Cirencester?

PS: which route have you used?

 

[tjmouse]

I’d be game for a second round. Might even manage to camp as well.

We used a slightly modified version of the one you shared, shortened slightly to get back to the campsite a little earlier due to the forecast.

 

[Nin]

Nice to meet up with some of the fellas in the pub! I’ll be up for another, with more commitment next time!

 

[Oldrat]

Great pics looks like a lorra lorra fun was had gents.

Sending man hugs from France

 

[EVskiy]

I’d be game for a second round. Might even manage to camp as well.

We used a slightly modified version of the one you shared, shortened slightly to get back to the campsite a little earlier due to the forecast.

Lets make it happen!

 

[adventuredon]

Apparently flip flops are bad form

 

[The Other PaulG]

Hi gents - well that was fun!

2 great nights in the pub / Don's bistro, a really good ride out, a decent game of rugby and a load of laughs.

Thanks everyone for making it happen. Toddy for the superb tarpage, Don for the never-say-braai in a hurricane, Austin (in the old days he'd have smashed the Furthest Travelled award, Tom for being our local guide / fixer and Nin for the guest appearance.

The roads were truly excellent, and the pub / campsite worked very well - we would not hesitate to use that location again. I'd definitely re-visit the Hook Norton brewery too, I thought that was a great spot. Mercifully we escaped from CTL bikes with our credit cards intact - but again it was a real find, a good breakfast / coffee and more 70s bike porn than is good for someone of my age.

The weather was kind to us - just a bit of drizzle for 20 minutes during the ride, barely worth putting waterproofs on.

 

[The Other PaulG]

More...

 

[EVskiy]

Fantastic! Thank you for sharing your experience Paul!

 

[Toddmeister]

Well that was a lot of fun, thank you for organising Paul.

Good to meet Austen and Tom for the first time, and also catch up with Nin (and his rather lovely Multistrada) again.

Top job from Tom putting together a great route taking in a wide variety of different roads - thank you for being an excellent guide.

Don has cemented his position as Brai legend by managing to produce excellent food in some seriously windy conditions. It was that bad that the gazebo the MG Owners Club set up for their posh outdoor nosh, was completely destroyed!

All in all an excellent couple of days in great company

A few additional pics from me below:

 

[The Other PaulG]

Lets make it happen!

I'd certainly be keen for a re-run, just suggest a date or two.

 

[EVskiy]

I'd certainly be keen for a re-run, just suggest a date or two.

Let me look into this Paul.

Edited to add:

How about a weekend of 24th-26th of April?

The weather should (hopefully) be warm enough by then to enjoy a beer garden, etc.

The weekend of 1st-4th May is a bank holiday, so likely the area will be quite crowded.

I personally can’t do much before then.

If it is a go ahead, then perhaps a fresh open invite thread should be started?