Retrobike National Event Series: Forest of Dean Aftermath

Looks like you chaps had an awesome time, heard about this ride from Ed Edwards during his visit here in the Philippine Islands and from the pictures alone I know that the organizers did a great job. Again congratulations to the organizers for a great ride.

I do hope to ride the Forest of Dean trails when I get to visit the UK.

Great day and well worth the long journey down to the FoD. First visit, and the riding certainly lived up to the hype. I don't think I've ridden quite so much quality singletrack in a single day before. So many thanks to Ed, Mark and Pete for organising and guiding. Thanks also to Del for all the recce work he put in before breaking his collarbone.

Great to see lots of new faces amongst many familiar ones too. Plenty of fun to be had chatting about everything from elPedro666's penchant for stripping in layby's to the reasons behind Mr K's constantly perplexed expression. The two aren't linked by the way...

Anyway I've still not made it home yet, but I have managed to find an internet connection in the meantime.

I'll post up the 'official' awards photos tomorrow along with several other riding shots, and some short term nostalgia presented in bullet points.

legrandefromage":c51i9ycg said:

Apologies to those behind me who suffered the winds of wrath too.

Click to expand...

My eyes are still stinging :cry:

Thanks to Ed and everyone involved in the organising and for Pete for guiding. Another great RB ride and absolute singletrack heaven !
It's not often you go out on a ride with a group of 20+ year old bikes and see something less suited for an off-road thrashing but the moped display team certainly were a sight to behold !
No pics of the ride from me but a couple from this morning of the post ride damage

All my pics fom yesterday can be found here, please copy and paste as you wish.

We had a great time yesterday, Everything has been covered really by everyone else.

Well done to the organisers and guides (really felt for Del :cry: )
What a turn out 44 riders is amazing!!
great to catch up with faces
Pleased the new steed held together (apart from forks )
after 6 months out of the saddle its put fire back in belly :twisted:

Cheers

daj

Top day out... Thanks all for sorting out, leading etc.

Bit mentally scarred from Ed going on about Lorraine Kellys Growler mind...

I really must make less effort and get myself to the back of the morning ride next time. Was mid / back of the afternoon ride and heard no mention of LK.

f o d meet

thanks for the organising gang. mark, ed, pete and all who attended to make this my fave ride so far. the singletrack in this forrest was a real challenge and nothing repetitive.

the karma/market was just great! i grabbed a few spares and a post ride pint courtesy of our resident brewer...spencer

nice to see you all. the journey down was well worth the effort and easy to find.
yorkshire and lancashire put away their muskets as me and mr lee combined transport resources to attend and had a good natter all the way. car share/chip-in is a recommended form of travel.

thanks to the gang for my prize of 4 titanium bolts for my not but look- alike ti team marin '95.

the occasional climb was well worth the twisty drop that lay ahead

we enjoyed plenty of rest and natter time to keep the train in good order.

gaffer and the mob.

proud owner of a diamond back, with automatic gears! (you had to be there).

who's that?

carbohydrate was courtesy of BIKEFOOD. nice bike mate!

Looks like a good 'un gang with some special bikes on show.

For me yesterday was a day of enlightenment, I learnt that not only does Demi Moore have a hairy bush, she also has a hairy back. I also learned from DSP of the Boondogging craze that is sweeping the North West, where folk travel around the country in camper vans, and engage in sordid sex acts in car parks , however I may have been confused or misheard on both of the above occasions.

FOD was also a revelation as a top mtb venue, arrived at the car park to see literally hundreds of mtbers and thought it was gonna be another Cannock, yet out on the trails we hardly saw another soul other than the asbo kids on peds. Miles and miles of absolutely fantastic, varied and technical single track in stunningly beautiful sun dappled forest, amazing bikes, banter and again that retrobike vibe with no egos, attitudes or a cross word spoken all day.

Only managed to take a few pics though

A big thanks to all who played a part in putting this together, It has to be my favourite national series ride this year to date

Perhaps thought could be given to making this a 2 day weekend event, as there seemed to be a good few camping, loads of campsites and im sure we only rode a tiny tiny bit of what FOD has to offer

Charlieboy