Since 2011 Possu and I have been running several trail riding weekends in Wiltshire per year, and one of them is always dedicated to our friends from abroad, affectionately called 'Clogfest', as most of the participants are coming from the Dutch-speaking part of the continent.
This year they were all invited again but pulled out with more or less poor excuses: getting married, building houses, still recovering from injuries, touring elsewhere - so we ended up with around twenty riders from the UK and our token Belgian Pix.
It was still a pretty multi-national bunch gathering in Wilcot near Pewsey last weekend -
Me from Germany and Ange & Tim from North Wales...
Gosia from Poland and Bill from Liverpool
Within five minutes of arrival, Gosia had most of the men at her feet...
We split into three groups and, after a hearty breakfast in the barn, set off around 9am
Wait for me, I'm just finishing my tea, called Ange
After several days of rain the week before, we were really lucky with the weather and already shed some layers at the end of the second trail
Lawn Mower Lane was surprisingly well cut this time
Don't you wish you had opposable thumbs, when you watch those humans having fun?
Yes, we are very lucky!
The byway near Everleigh didn't disappoint - every year we think we are the only ones using this lane
A true lady rides side-saddle through the gnarly bits
Or exercises her thigh muscles to get by - Ilse
Ange
Or you get onto the middle rut like Nick
Those tyres need definitely changing before Portugal...
Sewer Alley near Bulford Camp was entertainingly slippery again
To show my group that there was no shame in falling off, I laid my bike down twice in short succession...
Learning from my experience, the others stayed in the deeper side ruts - Ilse
... where the going was slower but a lot safer - Bill
Regrouping after the worst stretch of the byway was over
The snack break at the end was well deserved
Ange entertained us with some open road exhibitionism
Every day you learn something new about your friends...
(Photo courtesy of Ange's phone)
My Historical Tour leads along some of the most famous English heritage sites
Much appreciated by the riders from further afield
However, the main reason for me taking this route at this time of the year comes after crossing the A303...
I may have mentioned before that I absolutely adore piglets?
They were just everywhere - even on the byway!
Just one more...
Following this theme, we had lunch at the Farm Shop in Berwick St James
The freshly prepared bread rolls are just delicious
A bit of black humour...
On Yarnbury Castle Lane
Nick & Ilse
Bill showing us how to ride a CRF
Relaxing on the edge of Salisbury Plain
Re-enacting the 'Dirty Girls' picture that made it onto the cover of TRAIL in September 2011
My group thinking they are funny...
The playground just off the Perimeter Road
Nick
Pix
View over Devizes
Gosia and the White Horse
On the Wessex Ridgeway
Yeah, the chalky ruts can catch the unwary...
Hey Bill, shall we do the Witch Plantation quickly?
Maybe not today...
Ange fully focussed...
So was Ilse...
Only Nick was fooling around...
Aren't the trails beautiful at this time of the year?
The traditional ice cream at Avebury - thank you, Bill!
Our bikes (and their muddy state) attracted some attention
As people were getting tired, we cut the loop short and headed back to the campsite.
Possu's group arrived shortly afterwards, all in one piece - always a relief...
Sharing landlady Pat's famous belly of pork...
Some people think that's a contradiction - but I love piglets in all shapes and sizes...
The Great Organizer regaling us with another story of his long biking career - LostthePlot, Gareth, Big Stu, Justin, Desert Rat and Possu
... before we all retired for a good night's sleep.
More about Sunday's shenanigans will follow tomorrow; Steve wants to use the computer now...
This year they were all invited again but pulled out with more or less poor excuses: getting married, building houses, still recovering from injuries, touring elsewhere - so we ended up with around twenty riders from the UK and our token Belgian Pix.
It was still a pretty multi-national bunch gathering in Wilcot near Pewsey last weekend -
Me from Germany and Ange & Tim from North Wales...
Gosia from Poland and Bill from Liverpool
Within five minutes of arrival, Gosia had most of the men at her feet...
We split into three groups and, after a hearty breakfast in the barn, set off around 9am
Wait for me, I'm just finishing my tea, called Ange
After several days of rain the week before, we were really lucky with the weather and already shed some layers at the end of the second trail
Lawn Mower Lane was surprisingly well cut this time
Don't you wish you had opposable thumbs, when you watch those humans having fun?
Yes, we are very lucky!
The byway near Everleigh didn't disappoint - every year we think we are the only ones using this lane
A true lady rides side-saddle through the gnarly bits
Or exercises her thigh muscles to get by - Ilse
Ange
Or you get onto the middle rut like Nick
Those tyres need definitely changing before Portugal...
Sewer Alley near Bulford Camp was entertainingly slippery again
To show my group that there was no shame in falling off, I laid my bike down twice in short succession...
Learning from my experience, the others stayed in the deeper side ruts - Ilse
... where the going was slower but a lot safer - Bill
Regrouping after the worst stretch of the byway was over
The snack break at the end was well deserved
Ange entertained us with some open road exhibitionism
Every day you learn something new about your friends...
(Photo courtesy of Ange's phone)
My Historical Tour leads along some of the most famous English heritage sites
Much appreciated by the riders from further afield
However, the main reason for me taking this route at this time of the year comes after crossing the A303...
I may have mentioned before that I absolutely adore piglets?
They were just everywhere - even on the byway!
Just one more...
Following this theme, we had lunch at the Farm Shop in Berwick St James
The freshly prepared bread rolls are just delicious
A bit of black humour...
On Yarnbury Castle Lane
Nick & Ilse
Bill showing us how to ride a CRF
Relaxing on the edge of Salisbury Plain
Re-enacting the 'Dirty Girls' picture that made it onto the cover of TRAIL in September 2011
My group thinking they are funny...
The playground just off the Perimeter Road
Nick
Pix
View over Devizes
Gosia and the White Horse
On the Wessex Ridgeway
Yeah, the chalky ruts can catch the unwary...
Hey Bill, shall we do the Witch Plantation quickly?
Maybe not today...
Ange fully focussed...
So was Ilse...
Only Nick was fooling around...
Aren't the trails beautiful at this time of the year?
The traditional ice cream at Avebury - thank you, Bill!
Our bikes (and their muddy state) attracted some attention
As people were getting tired, we cut the loop short and headed back to the campsite.
Possu's group arrived shortly afterwards, all in one piece - always a relief...
Sharing landlady Pat's famous belly of pork...
Some people think that's a contradiction - but I love piglets in all shapes and sizes...
The Great Organizer regaling us with another story of his long biking career - LostthePlot, Gareth, Big Stu, Justin, Desert Rat and Possu
... before we all retired for a good night's sleep.
More about Sunday's shenanigans will follow tomorrow; Steve wants to use the computer now...
