Sunday 5 February 2012

Offroad motorcycling

Yesterday, for the first time, I spent the day riding an offroad motorbike on green lanes, farm tracks and single track roads between Basingstoke and Alton in the company of three experts and another three novices (all experienced road bikers)

Riding offroad is a completely different experience to riding on the road.  Almost no other traffic (the weather, well below freezing, helped) meant that we were free to concentrate on negotiating the challenging surfaces - solid sheets of ice, frozen ruts, tree roots and learn how to fall off without (mostly) hurting ourselves.

Lunch of delicious home-made pork pie was enjoyed sitting outside (yes, us bikers really are that tough) The Star Inn at Bentworth.

So what harm occurred as a result of our day spent helping global warming?  Some of us novices have bruises from throwing ourselves at the frozen ground, the experts improved their understanding of what routes might be "challenging" for novices.  We covered about 30 miles all told, never faster than 40mph on the road and a lot slower offroad.  No vegetation was harmed apart from the odd shrub acting as a cushion.

We met three horseriders, brave souls considering the weather, and perhaps six walkers (apart from the two dozen walkers dining in The Star Inn)

Even in February we are lucky to live in such fine English countryside.

1 comment:

  1. Welcome to my world Bob.
    When you say "offroad" I guess you mean Trail Riding, that is a road legal bike on legal byways. If that's right and you intend doing it again , have you considered joining the TRF? Have a look at http://www.surreytrf.org.uk/
    Other groups may be more local to you but this one allows access to the forum so you can see what goes on. I realise it's not everyones cup of tea, but I think the TRF have been instrumental in keeping a lot of Byways open so deserve our support.

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