Can be found here

Whilst at Dalby Forest last weekend, I met one of the Rangers – Matt Fitzgerald. He’s doing a research project as part of a MSc Public Right of Way and Countryside Access. His research needs input from mountain bikers using trails centres and public rights of way, and whilst centres like Dalby give him access to the former, the latter is harder. So if you have a few minutes to complete his survey, he would be very grateful. This is what he said:

If you’re a keen mountain biker, I need your help to learn about your experience and opinions of mountain bike access to the countryside in England and Wales.

• What are your riding preferences?
• Do you want more places to ride your mountain bike?
• What are your experiences of mountain biking at trail centres and on public rights of way?

If you’re passionate about mountain biking and can spare a few minutes to help with my research project please visit:

https://www.survey.leeds.ac.uk/mtbsurvey

All of the fliers for the 2012 League events are now posted on the events page. You can also download and print the 2012 Poster for your local bike shop, just click the image .

2012 NYMBO League Poster

The full results for Gilling can be found here (including full splits for course D)

You can read Steph Fountain’s own race report here

We’ve received this email which we thought we should share – please take care if you’re using Hamsterley

To:  All Members of Hamsterley Trailblazers

 
Forestry Commission officers have advised us that an extremely serious and dangerous health and safety incident took place last weekend at Hamsterley Forest when a rope was deliberately tied between two trees at cycle wheel height, across one of the Descend Downhill cycle tracks causing a cyclist to crash off his bike.  Fortunately the cyclist was wearing full body armour and was not seriously hurt – but he could have been very seriously injured or even killed by this action.  The police are involved in investigating the matter.  Click here to see the webcam the cyclist was running at the time 
 
I have been asked to block email all members to draw attention to the incident and to ask you to be extremely vigilant in the forest and look out for anything like this or other trail vandalism.  If you do come across incidents of trail sabotage, please do your best to make the trail immediately safe for other users – eg remove any obstacles, rope etc.   Please then report the incident to the police and if possible, see one of the Forest rangers or other Forestry Commission staff, letting them know where it has happened and the time you found it.  If you can take a photograph of the sabotage area before touching it, that would also be very useful.  Please also let me know of any incidents so that as a club we have an idea of what we are facing.
 
Some of you will remember that when we first built the Grove Link trail we experienced a series of serious trail sabotage incidents – at that time we worked with the police and forest staff to catch the person involved (several members camped out overnight and caught the person red-handed.)  I hope we can be as equally successful in catching this person or people.
 
Whilst we are keen to catch the culprit, we are also keen not to scare people from visiting the lovely woodlands, so the Forestry Commission have asked that we consider the impact of wider scaremongering by accident.  Please do consider the message when telling people, the woods are safe, sadly there has been one incident in Hamsterley and we all hope that it is just a one off.
  
Many thanks
Vicky Chilcott
Secretary, Hamsterley Trailblazers

A message from Steve, who’s in France at the moment:

“Happy New Year! Hope you had a good break and are looking forward to getting back on your bikes. If you have entered this Saturday’s event at Thorganby there is a map reserved for you. I haven’t acknowledged receipt because I am still in the Alps. If you haven’t entered then please go on line or send an email. Don’t forget to join BMBO first free of charge on line. Hope to see you at the Jefferson Arms. Steve”

At least the weather forecast suggests it be a little warmer by the weekend!

Happy New Year!

A quick reminder that the next event is next Saturday, the 21st, at Thorganby near York. Details are on the Events page, where you’ll also find details of the Gilling MBO event on Sunday 19th February.

You can find the full calendar on the All Events Calendar page, and if you would like to be on the mailing list (or even update your details if you’re on it already).

As part of improving the website, we’re also trying to improve how you get our updates by email. This should provide anyone who wants to get email updates from with an easy way to subscribe and for existing people to manage their details.

We sent out an email on Sunday 20th November to everyone, so if you didn’t get that email, this post explains what to do. It also says a little more about how we’ll manage the list, if you’re interested.

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