Doorstep Adventure

[Timolgra]

Just occasionally you have a true adventure without hauling off to far flung places.

So four of us, Timpo, Forry, RickA and myself loaded our bikes with lightweight camping gear and set out for a gruelling three days offroading in some of north and mid Wales's finest.

Nobody said it would be easy.

 

[Timolgra]

The photo above was taken later during the first day after a branch jammed up against my radiator leaving no option but to lay the bike down.

My 'mates' had carried on to the end of the forest...it took me 10 minutes to pick the feckin bike up

We met up in Mold, Forry was to meet us that night at the camp after a good few trails we stop for fuel and lunch.

Here's Timpo.... it's not what you might think....the lamb was half dead so he tried reviving it with some water.

I stop ahead of Rick and his 690, he puts a foot down....into the ditch

Too many tracks to comment on, perhaps just a few photos to tell and it's more tricky with some weight on the bikes.

 

[Ash]

looks simple enough to me

 

[Timolgra]

If you go down to the woods today....

Heavy trail bikes in these conditions always needs team work

Rick in his element and sporting many pockets of 'bling'.

Timpo in/out of a rut

A narrow rut throws his chain

Deeper into the forest.

And the ruts get deeper.

Don't even think about bringing a big GS in here

 

[Timolgra]

It's ok to dump rubbish in the coutryside....if you're a farmer.

On to Dinas Mawddwy, get the tents up, Forry joins us and to the pub for half a dozen
We return to the tents and find them covered in ice, oh joy

 

[Timolgra]

Day Two

The first trail is indescribably difficult, 1km steep down hill of very slippy bedrock.

The rocks covered in a slippy green slime, almost impossible to stand upright on.
Gingerly we descend, in gear, engine off using the clutch as a rear brake.

It's much steeper than the photo suggests, even Timpo's crapping himself

The further we went, the worse it became with no way out but down.

Finally we're down and nobody even dropped their bike

tbc...

 

[Stevie73]

more more more more more more..........

Can I come with you next time???!!!!!!

 

[Timolgra]

The weather on day 2, last thursday, was stunning so here's a couple of reminders of what a beautiful country we live in.

The 650 class of trail bike....the perfect Adventure bikes and I think all four of us agreed, much more fun and rewarding than a full on pogo for a ride like this

 

[Timolgra]

Timpo and I wait, it seems Forry had a erm little problem on a steep rocky climb

At last, here he is

Followed by Rick who took little time in filling in the details of Forry's misadventure

 

[Timolgra]

Hmmmm, could be trouble ahead

Much to our suprise...tinged with not a little disappointment from those who'd already gone and were holding a camera, we all cleared it

 

[DavidHale]

Oh the joy!

 

[Timolgra]

It wasn't possible to photgraph most of the very difficult trails so some more of this:

...and that

Gorgeous...the weather and scenery's not bad either

Rick has a 'side stand' moment

Timpo and I both got a er bit wet on Happy Valley, no doubt Forry will post photos, then a lovely long fast blast across the moors to here..

Ok, so it's orangeflippin great bike though

The build up for the last trail after a long tiring day, Kings Road.
I've cracked a sternum on it in the past and Rick broke his thumb there, so it seems here, that Rick has his reservations

We make the camp at Dolgellau, drink copious amounts of beer, eat a huge Indian, more beer before a drunken kebab.

In the morning my petrol stove, bought in Kazahkstan, explodes

 

[Ash]

super smashing great

 

[Timolgra]

It pissed with rain during the night and for most of the next day so you'd think we'd make a final day a bit easier....oh no! Timpo wasn't going to let us off that lightly

Another forest beckons...

A slippy log blocks our trail so Forry places a rock in front.

You can clearly see the rock has moved now....something which was slight 'hiccup' for me....(#6644.387 in my book of lame excuses).

We tackled some very difficult rocky climbs which hopefully others have photos of. I did take this short vid though of Forry climbing one of them
<object style="height: 344px; width: 425px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hxeLZf6PzgE"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hxeLZf6PzgE" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="425" height="344"></object>

 

[Timolgra]

soaked and cold we eventually got our breakfast in Bala at 1.30pm after which Rick's bike mysteriously wouldn't start.....a jump start from the bus garage soon sorted that and we headed through a few trails to the Corwen Car Wash to clean, hopefully, the bottom half of out bikes.

A few more easy trails and it was over
A wonderful mini adventure right on our doorsteps, total cost for 3 days including camping, fuel, food, beer and more beer, £120.

The very best of company, a laugh a minute, so hope you had a good 3 days in the office last week...don't bother asking for the tracklog

 

[forry]

Excellent mate best riding ever,piss take a minute haven't laughed as much in along time

I'll add my pics and videos tmw nite

 

[Toad]

Great stuff..

 

[Mort]

Looking forward to the rest of the photos one thing I noticed in a lot of the photos that all of you seem to be able to do but I've never managed.
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How do you get your feet flat on the ground when sitting on those bikes

 

[RickA]

Mid Week Bimble...

Fantastic 3 days out - Big thanks to Timpo for sowing the seed and getting us together for a memorable trip - his route planning was it's usual splendid ( and a little sadistic..) effort.

One big regret - I forgot my camera! No worries, Tim did his usual good job in that respect. Look forward to Forry's and Timpo's to follow....

One thing for sure, we will be doing this again!

Cheers, Rick.

 

[earthmover]

Excellent.
Mark