Author Topic: Long Itch Skillshare Weekend: 6th - 8th May 2016 (Read 42410 times)

Polar Bear · « **Reply #50 on:** 10 February, 2016, 07:45:08 pm »

Quote from: Jakob W on 10 February, 2016, 07:20:15 pm

Can I be a provisional? I'd love to come, but am not sure I'll be able to find the free time. Even if I can't do the camping, I might be able to pop down for the ride on the Saturday.

What are the roads down from Brum like? I quite fancy a ride down, but train assistance may be more realistic...

Yes indeed and you have been added to the list.

Canardly · « **Reply #51 on:** 10 February, 2016, 07:50:15 pm »

Others may be cycling down from Brum.

Basil · « **Reply #52 on:** 10 February, 2016, 08:25:32 pm »

I'll be cycling down from Brum. Unless Mrs B turns out, which is quite likely, as for some unfathomable reason, she quite likes you lot after her visit last year.

If I ride down, it won't be until Saturday morning, cunningly timed to miss the group ride.

Eta. If we drive down, it would also be on Saturday morning, cunningly timed etc etc.
If this were to happen, we'd offer a lift to barakta.

Way too early to be sure of anything though.

Pancho · « **Reply #53 on:** 10 February, 2016, 08:37:16 pm »

In the high liklihood event that I skive the group ride[1], you can join me tending the fire[2], drinking tea, and blowing smoke rings.

[1] I don't want to miss it. But if I manage 130 miles to get to Long Itch I'll need the Sat as recovery day ahead of the 130 miles back.

[2] I suppose camp sites probably don't approve of camp fires these days

Kim · « **Reply #54 on:** 10 February, 2016, 08:38:42 pm »

Quote from: Pancho on 10 February, 2016, 08:37:16 pm

[2] I suppose camp sites probably don't approve of camp fires these days

Some do, but not this one. (Not that it's really a campsite, just some grass behind a pub.)

Polar Bear · « **Reply #55 on:** 10 February, 2016, 08:42:28 pm »

Quote from: Basil on 10 February, 2016, 08:25:32 pm

I'll be cycling down from Brum. Unless Mrs B turns out, which is quite likely, as for some unfathomable reason, she quite likes you lot after her visit last year.

If I ride down, it won't be until Saturday morning, cunningly timed to miss the group ride.

Eta. If we drive down, it would also be on Saturday morning, cunningly timed etc etc.
If this were to happen, we'd offer a lift to barakta.

Way too early to be sure of anything though.

But we need Barakta for Friday and BSL skillshare!

Will be nice to meet Mrs B again. She kept you under control rather well last time.

Kim · « **Reply #56 on:** 10 February, 2016, 08:43:42 pm »

Yeah. I'd also like to get her out on the bike ride, so I reckon we'll be heading down on Friday, one way or another.

Basil · « **Reply #57 on:** 10 February, 2016, 08:58:39 pm »

But the BSL skillshare is the one I'm most interested in. Which is why I am laying temptation in her path.

Polar Bear · « **Reply #58 on:** 10 February, 2016, 11:51:36 pm »

You'll need to rock up for Friday then and chish 'n fips me ol' mukka!

Torslanda · « **Reply #59 on:** 11 February, 2016, 08:54:22 am »

@Basil: At least you won't be able to claim you were distracted by work!

Vince · « **Reply #60 on:** 11 February, 2016, 10:06:52 am »

Mrs Wunja(Tina) has confirmed.

Basil · « **Reply #61 on:** 11 February, 2016, 05:58:18 pm »

Quote from: Torslanda on 11 February, 2016, 08:54:22 am

@Basil: At least you won't be able to claim you were distracted by work!

I've never been distracted by work.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #62 on:** 11 February, 2016, 06:26:10 pm »

Quote from: Basil on 11 February, 2016, 05:58:18 pm

Quote from: Torslanda on 11 February, 2016, 08:54:22 am
@Basil: At least you won't be able to claim you were distracted by work!

I've never been distracted by work.

Basil, how often have you been at work whilst simultaneously at the Country Girl?

Basil · « **Reply #63 on:** 11 February, 2016, 06:42:00 pm »

Never Sir! Good heavens. You suggest I would defraud the public purse?

Wowbagger · « **Reply #64 on:** 11 February, 2016, 07:59:10 pm »

In that case I respectfully suggest that work has distracted you from your true purpose.

Polar Bear · « **Reply #65 on:** 12 February, 2016, 08:48:25 pm »

I have it on good authority that equipment has been arriving at chez Raj and Geetha in preparation for the air rifle target shooting skillshare, and, I am in negotiations with two special cycling celebrities re their attendance.

Book now to avoid disappointment!

Polar Bear · « **Reply #66 on:** 19 February, 2016, 10:47:27 pm »

I met a friend of Raj's today who is lending us some targets for the air rifle shooting. He has a nice rifle apparently with an expensive telescopic sight which he is apparently willing to lend me for the event. As he is experienced at the target shooting I am going to invite him to come along on Sunday morning to help with supervision etc.

Pancho · « **Reply #67 on:** 26 February, 2016, 09:25:37 pm »

Day 1 of the Road to Long Itch[1] will be some hybrid of the various options offered here: http://www.cyclestreets.net/journey/51860238/#balanced

Day 2 will be more of the same only slower.

Cudzo's suggestion on another thread that I take the train to Basingstoke is very, very tempting.

[1] Slightly anonymised at the start. You need to add a couple more miles.

JBB · « **Reply #68 on:** 26 February, 2016, 10:48:21 pm »

Quote from: Pancho on 26 February, 2016, 09:25:37 pm

Day 1 of the Road to Long Itch[1] will be some hybrid of the various options offered here: http://www.cyclestreets.net/journey/51860238/#balanced

Day 2 will be more of the same only slower.

Cudzo's suggestion on another thread that I take the train to Basingstoke is very, very tempting.

[1] Slightly anonymised at the start. You need to add a couple more miles.

Done you another possibility - it's all roads I've ridden till you get north of Woodstock; after thatothers may know better.
HTH
Julia
http://cycle.travel/map/journey/19353

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #69 on:** 27 February, 2016, 10:05:18 am »

Quote from: Pancho on 26 February, 2016, 09:25:37 pm

Cudzo's suggestion on another thread that I take the train to Basingstoke is very, very tempting.

The obvious problem being you then have to escape Basingrad! Which IIRC consists of an almost endless series of roundabouts without ever quite reaching the excitement of Milton Keynes. But you'll know other stations just before or beyond which could serve the same purpose.

Every trip I've made to or from LI has involved trains; even when I took two days going home I spent so long enjoying the touring on the second day (ie meandering in every direction except homewards and stopping to look at all sorts of roadside places that caught my interest) that I ended up having to get a train from a station half way between Gloucester and Bristol!

Jurek · « **Reply #70 on:** 27 February, 2016, 01:01:57 pm »

Hmmmmmm......
*Strokes beardless chin and wonders about the practicalities of doing this as a train-assisted day trip onna Saturday*

Pancho · « **Reply #71 on:** 27 February, 2016, 01:57:34 pm »

Thanks for that link, Julia.

A more Westerly route than I've been toying with - crosses the M3 earlier and avoids Basingstoke and Reading entirely (my routing engines chuck me through both). Nicely presented website as well.

Another benefit is that I know a lot of those roads - at least as far as Whitchurch (has a pub there been used as an Audax control in the past?). Just need to find a campsite near the midway point.

nikki · « **Reply #72 on:** 27 February, 2016, 03:21:55 pm »

I just nipped the part of that route that goes near Warmington when I was making my way down to Didcot a year or two ago.

I approached along Sugarswell Lane - as per JBB's route - then hung a right at the B4086/Camp Lane to loop round to the campsite. Here: https://goo.gl/maps/ndcamVsYwtR2

The slog up onto the ridge (via Winderton Road from the north, at the suggestion of someone I met at a pub earlier

) broke me quite a lot, but I remember looking at the fast traffic coming up from https://goo.gl/maps/jEhN42b8WmG2 as I turned right and thinking "thank f*ck I didn't come up that way!"

You might be okay on the way to Long Itch (downhill), but I suggest seeking some local knowledge about the sanity of cycling up the hill with a fully laden bike. The road seemed quite dark and without much refuge for someone either on foot or slowly winching themselves up.

Marco Stefano · « **Reply #73 on:** 27 March, 2016, 08:36:29 am »

Would love to attend, but Ms Marco is playing at 9 and/or 10 for Gloucester Hartpury at Kingsholm (following the Gloucester - Northampton match) so will be tripping over there for the day to support.

Hope the weather is good for you all, & have a great weekend. Shooting with hangovers - what could possibly go wrong?

Wowbagger · « **Reply #74 on:** 27 March, 2016, 11:00:33 am »

I am still up for this and will bring chess sets and clocks. I will have to go fairly promptly after breakfast on Sunday as I will be babysitting in Maidstone later in the day.