2011’s Events

October 2011 Dales Trip
This trip was a first visit to the Dales for several members, but all attendees enjoyed the hospitality of the Dales Bike Centre, the local hostleries and the local trails – Fremmington Edge, Barf End, Gunnerside Gill and Apedale. On the Friday one group sampled the delights of the Nidderdale loop near Pately Bridge and purposefully arrived a fraction to late to join JayDayCo who sampled the delights Dales Bike Centre led night ride! Once again a big thank you to MrGreedy for organising and leading the rides.

September 2011 Chilterns Day Trip
Only a couple of hours down the road but very different terrain for a Sunday ride compared to Tunstall! The group readied themselves in the car park at Watlington some riders were eyeing up the Red Kites circling over their heads whilst others picked up lunchtime savouries in the nearby Co-op. A great loop of 28miles climbing and descending the ridgeway many times. The ride featured the delights of the climb up to Dame Alice farm and a rooty descent down towards the River Thames at Hambledon.

August 2011 South Wales Trip
A new venue for a TROG trip took in the legendary Gap ride in the Brecons on Friday before heading further south to The Green Lanterns B&B on the outskirts of Neath. The plan was to do W2 at Afan the next day but the delights of a Friday night in Neath had to be sampled beforehand. Even though the loop around W2 was in the rain it was still a great ride – although climbing for an hour post lunch wasn’t enjoyed by everybody! The final day threw in an unplanned ride around the Rhossili penisular – what a gem! A classic old-skool ride in the sunshine with Ice Cream vans appearing just in the right place & time.

June 2011 Tunstall MSG
Almost 300 riders across the categories ventured to Tunstall for a very dry and dusty spin round a dedicate race trail which reused parts of last years FarEndFour loop. Although this year two new bombholes were added to the loop to challenge the riders – Junkpit and Armpit.

May 2011 Peak District Trip
Initially organised my Mark until he broke his arm on the North Wales trip. A large group of riders headed out to Bamford to sample the delights of Ladybower loop, Cut Gate and Jacobs Ladder. A big thank you goes to Jules.b for picking up the arrangements from Mark.

April 2011 Wales Trip
The Easter trip to North Wales is a pass of rites for TROG members – ever popular and well organised by The Downhill Cod. This year a new venue – Nant y Arian was added to the regular visits to Coed y Brenin, Penmachno and Llandegla. The weekend was plagued with pinch flat punctures, a broken titanium frame, a taxi rip off and a broken arm. Thanks again to The Downhill Cod for the arrangements and our hosts at Heulwen B&B in Dolgellau.

Jan 2011 Dales Trip
In past years the Dales have been part of the calendar for October – it slipped to December but was then postponed due to the bad weather. The Dales Bike Centre kindly allowed the booking to be moved free of charge. So at the end of January a group of TROGs ventured up to the Yorkshire Dales to sample the classics such as Fremmington Edge and the Barf end descent to Gunnerside. Thanks to MrGreedy organising the trip and negotiating the postponement with Stu at Dales Bike Centre.