Going to Penmachno on Sunday 11th if anyone fancies it?
Going to Penmachno on Sunday 11th if anyone fancies it?
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WildCards

Original Poster:

4,061 posts

240 months

Tuesday 6th May 2008
quotequote all
A bunch of us are off to Penmachno on Sunday to do both loops if anyone fancies joining us. Everyone welcome, the more the merrier.

We ride at a moderate pace and always wait to regroup at the top of hills and the bottom of trails.

snotrag

15,478 posts

234 months

Tuesday 6th May 2008
quotequote all
You know what, I fancy a bit of that.

I've been meaning to get over to Wales since last autumn and still not managed it.

So bugger it. Yes, I'll come.

WildCards

Original Poster:

4,061 posts

240 months

Tuesday 6th May 2008
quotequote all
Cool, i'll keep you in the loop then as to times etc. Where in the country will you bver coming from?

SirJonny and ShinySideUp are coming too, and the other chaps are mates from another car forum, so we can talk cars and bikes allllll day.

snotrag

15,478 posts

234 months

Tuesday 6th May 2008
quotequote all
Ii'll be coming from Sheffield - round bottom of Manchester, Chester, Ruthin type way I guess.

Possibly take a couple of scenic diversions along the way!

Be good just to have someone to ride with, I have been riding solo almost all the time this year so far.

Whats the loop like, you been before? I trust we're doing the 'Blackest' !?

WildCards

Original Poster:

4,061 posts

240 months

Tuesday 6th May 2008
quotequote all
I've done loop 1 twice now, and IMO it's brilliant. Better than the other nearby trails of Marin and Llandegla by a long way, I haven't done loop 2 which adds to the first. Both together make up 30 miles i'm told, so bring plenty of grubbins, we'll be 4 hours or so I imagine.

Although it is man made it doesn't have a trail centre and is alot more like a natural trail than alot of the other waymarked stuff in Wales. Climbing isn't too horrific and it's not all fireroad, in a similiar vain to Cwm Carn alot of the pedalling and ascending is on singletrack. The horseshoe is evil, in a brilliant way for instance.

WC Blows Goats

2 posts

214 months

Tuesday 6th May 2008
quotequote all
Kilometers.... 30 kilometers

WildCards

Original Poster:

4,061 posts

240 months

Wednesday 7th May 2008
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WC Blows Goats said:
Kilometers.... 30 kilometers
Not if you do it twice! (AdE)

Edited by WildCards on Wednesday 7th May 14:09

WildCards

Original Poster:

4,061 posts

240 months

Thursday 8th May 2008
quotequote all
Snotrag, we're meeting for 11am on Sunday if that's ok with you.

Look for a silver Peugeot 306 Estate, a silver old shape Golf and a silver Mitsubishi Galant.

It look like there will be 5 of us riding.

snotrag

15,478 posts

234 months

Thursday 8th May 2008
quotequote all
WildCards said:
Snotrag, we're meeting for 11am on Sunday if that's ok with you.

Look for a silver Peugeot 306 Estate, a silver old shape Golf and a silver Mitsubishi Galant.

It look like there will be 5 of us riding.
Thats perfect.

I hope this weather holds out, although a couple of degrees cooler wouldnt go amiss. I've been inside staring at a computer screen all week and I've not seen a jot of this 'sunshine'!

11am is great, I'll just trundle down. I'll be in a red 306Gti6 aswell.

Still contemplating whether to ride flats or clipped in... if I bring the SPDs you may have to pick me up at some point hehe

Just so I know how to pack my lunch - is it

ride for 2 hours, back to car then ride again,

Or one long loop with a break halfway round?

WildCards

Original Poster:

4,061 posts

240 months

Thursday 8th May 2008
quotequote all
snotrag said:
WildCards said:
Snotrag, we're meeting for 11am on Sunday if that's ok with you.

Look for a silver Peugeot 306 Estate, a silver old shape Golf and a silver Mitsubishi Galant.

It look like there will be 5 of us riding.
Thats perfect.

I hope this weather holds out, although a couple of degrees cooler wouldnt go amiss. I've been inside staring at a computer screen all week and I've not seen a jot of this 'sunshine'!

11am is great, I'll just trundle down. I'll be in a red 306Gti6 aswell.

Still contemplating whether to ride flats or clipped in... if I bring the SPDs you may have to pick me up at some point hehe

Just so I know how to pack my lunch - is it

ride for 2 hours, back to car then ride again,

Or one long loop with a break halfway round?
We all ride SPD's, so we're well versed in digging people out from under their bike tongue out
More like one loop with food stops, although depending on finishing time and energy levels we could always do loop 1 a second time.

snotrag

15,478 posts

234 months

Thursday 8th May 2008
quotequote all
I'll bring the big pack then.

I've been riding clipped in for ages on the road/hack bikes. However I've recently been toying with it on the MTB, mainly on pretty tame rides thus far. Im undecided whether the efficiency benefits are worth the lack of control.

If not, its the 'special school' 5:10's!

snotrag

15,478 posts

234 months

Friday 9th May 2008
quotequote all
Wildcards -

I have the rough location, but seeing as there is no trail centre, could you post a link to exactly where we're meeting?

WildCards

Original Poster:

4,061 posts

240 months

Friday 9th May 2008
quotequote all
Pinched this from another site.

>
Directions:

1. From the North/South drive along the A470 towards Betws.

2. North: Dont turn over the bridge in Betws, go straight down A470 until you get to Conwy Falls Restaurant and Hotel. Turn Right. Follow road until second pub in Penmachno, turn left. Car Park is about 600 yds down road on right hand side.

3. South: Come up A470, turn left at Conwy Falls Hotel. Follow road until second pub in Penmachno, turn left. Car Park is about 600 yds down road on right hand side.
>

I'll know it when I see it, which unfortuately won't help you. But basically, drive through Penmachno village and as your driving out you'll see a car park on the right aith a bridge shortly after. It really is very simple and you'd have to be female to miss it.

By 11am I'd imagine you'll see a small number of other cars with riders getting ready, although i've never found the place to be busy, so don't expect masses of cars and riders milling about the place.

WC Blows Goats

2 posts

214 months

Friday 9th May 2008
quotequote all
From the A5 take the B4406 - there is a cafe there with some gay name.... after a couple of miles you hit the Village of Penmachno, follow the road over the bridge to the Eagles Hotel, follow the road round to the left, the road straightens, boot it till you hit 90, the car park will be on the right (about 1/2 mile from the village) up a forestry track up the hill - there is little in the way of signs!

The car park is tiny, with a small overflow near the road.. I think it will be a case of park where you can!!

WildCards

Original Poster:

4,061 posts

240 months

Monday 12th May 2008
quotequote all
Was good to have you with us yesterday Simon, hope you got back alright, we'll have to do it again sometime, hopefully we can get a few more PHers out too.

snotrag

15,478 posts

234 months

Monday 12th May 2008
quotequote all
Ay yeah, a good day. I think it highlighted that I need to prepare for 'big ride day' a little better, as opposed to filling myself full of lager and burnt sausages and passing out in the garden with sunstroke!

It took bloody ages to get home. On the twisties I was stuck behind a load of bikes, the rain was washing mud all over the road and they were tiptoeing along. And then the A55 was flooded and people were driving like pricks in the rain, so I stopped at Chester services for a while for some grub, saw all those 350Z's again. They were just like Nova owners but with more money hehe