My 2016 plans are looking like:-

Decide to ride the Tour Divide
Decide not to ride the Tour Divide
Decide to ride the Tour Divide
Decide not to ride the Tour Divide
...

I knew buying the Cordillera was a mistake it's just sent me into a spiral of inspiration vs indecision.

After two failed HT550 attempts I'm going back to events that I know suit my strengths..... so lots of riding, some good technical descents and as a little 'hike a bike as possible' (Uphill hikes are OK, but long traverses and pushing a loaded bike downhill for me = major problems).

Lined up so far are
*Transandalus - Early April
*Manx 100 - fantastic event, long climbs and technical descents. Nothing like the Kielder 100.
*Cycling back to Manchester from Portugal in the summer (probably on my CX bike to leave my options open)
*The OMM Bike Events (used to be the Polaris)
*Longer MTBO Score events such as the 5hr one at Ingleton.

All supplemented with some local xc, tt and crit racing.

January : Strathpuffer
May : HT550 itt.
August : Tour Divide

The above with Tom

October : Relentless 24hr champs on my own

Aiming for a minimum of 20 centuries too. - http://bluedotriders.com/ycc/

Hey Rich,

That 20 x Century Challenge is a great idea. Think I'll try that too.

The Tour Divide with Tom should be a great fun and hopefully you'll get good weather too. (I did an August TD ride in 2010 and only had 1 x day of rain and a few showers). Best bike adventure ever and looks well impressive on a map.

I think you're both mad going back to the HT550! But mainly because it's broken me down twice with last year's one causing some long term nerve damage.

My main goals;

Highland Trail
Everest something (I have something in mind, but keeping quiet for now)
Torino Nice
Cambrian Trail ITT (not the Trans Canbrian Way; details soon..)

Various other "fillers" Alba the way.

Next year's plans revolve around the CAT700 in June, entries open in a month. 400+ miles covering the length of Catalunya with a time limit of 5 days should be a tester. We've also found a mtb marathon series locally with 6 events of around 50km in April and May which should be good training. Joined the local club doing regular Sunday rides on dry dusty trails which are surprisingly slippy. It's quite funny riding a hub geared 29er with frame bag, I've been asked several times is it an electric bike.

summittoppler wrote:Nothing major for me. 2015 didn't materialise into what I wanted to be doing on the bike, I'll put the blame on my 3 pesky kids!!

2016 plans are:
Some sort of Scottish bothy to bothy trip on the fatbike, hopefully easter hols.
Biking around Glen Coe in may
Forth fat gathering may
And hopefully get to test a few more fat bikes

Jeff, would love another of your bivi trips on Anglesey.

barney wrote: Jeff, would love another of your bivi trips on Anglesey.

And there's no doubt they'll be a few trips back there in 2016...........

atk wrote:Might try and learn to wheelie...

Snap......

A year of just getting out and enjoying some nice trips. Going to attempt to limit my trips to those without any major time pressures.

I was at one point thinking of the colorado trail race but I dont think my head will in the game for that.

Jameso's turin - nice is the most organised event I am planning on attending. That is mainly because it looks like a very relaxed affair.

I plan to ride the cairngorm loop, but hopefully as a ride with a couple of mates rather than an ITT.

I also plan to ride the HT550 or HT430 (or whatever it was). I'll plan to do it solo, get some space around me and enjoy some long days on the bike. I'll time myself in as much as I'll know when I set off and when I get back. But thats all. I will be booking more than enough time off to complete it.

Who knows, I may not even record the track on any of them

JohnClimber wrote:

atk wrote:Might try and learn to wheelie...

Snap......

Related, one of my 2016 aims is a 18" bunnyhop. No particular reason for the number, but it seems like a decent target to try and achieve.

Lots of riding...more than this year at the very least. Save for TD 2017.

Greetz

S.

D Faff Master wrote: *Manx 100 - fantastic event, long climbs and technical descents. Nothing like the Kielder 100.

Have been considering kielder 101. As it is reasonably close. What's wrong with it, or what should I expect?

Thanks

Chris

I did the last kielder 100 , although it was a experience it was a boring one ,
98 miles of it all looked the same

Justchris wrote:Have been considering kielder 101. As it is reasonably close. What's wrong with it, or what should I expect?

Thanks

Chris

I did the Kielder 101 in September this year probably does the best bits of the Kielder and Newcastleton red routes but apart from that it's lots of riding through trees. Not sure I'd do it again, it was very much a last minute decision this year, I was one of the last entries.

Not many mentions of the Welsh Ride Thing in May...?

Don't think I can make it as I'm away the 2 weekends before that, can't have 3 away in a row - gutted

voodoo_simon wrote:

benp1 wrote:I have young kids so getting away is a thing in itself!

Managed 6 this year, that's the most I've done since having kids

Snap! Only two trips away this year, although one was Finland so no complaints

Whilst I'm at it, I also thought of cycling the River Findhorn in the Autumn, thought it would look pretty

That's quite a trip! My overall riding plan, now I think about it properly, is to
1 - keep my commuting mileage up so my legs stay ok
2 - continue cycling with the dog round the park, but regularly take the longer more fun option
3 - fit in a handful of trips in the outdoors
4 - try to meet a mate regularly for a local off road potter (which have been happening once a week for the last few weeks)

Kielder 100 - The old 100 mile version was more or less a 100 mile ride on Fire Tracks.

The Manx 100 feels epic, looks epic and is a great mountain bike ride. Going back for the third time this summer.

So... with ~6 weeks or so to go until the end of the year I've not even tried to "pop" a wheelie, let alone manage it successfully...

How'd everyone else get on with their plans? Any mad-dashes in December to cross the last few things off the list?

atk wrote:So... with ~6 weeks or so to go until the end of the year I've not even tried to "pop" a wheelie, let alone manage it successfully...

How'd everyone else get on with their plans? Any mad-dashes in December to cross the last few things off the list?

This was my list:

Considering either an Icelandic trip or one to the States - depends on how much time off my wife can get.
Tick! Had a nine day trip to Iceland

Various ITTs:
Cairngorms Loop
Nope The group start got cancelled due to weather, didn't manage it as an ITT
YD200 (might do this year's route as well as next year's)
Tick! Did the 2015 route as an ITT and this year's route as part of the group start.
YD300
Tick! About four hours quicker than last year
BB200 (had a prior appointment this year)
Tick!

So four out of five ain't bad!

ianfitz wrote:My main plan for next year is the HT550 group start.

So far this and a recce trip in early april are on the calendar. As I marshaled the three peaks CX this year I have a guaranteed entry for next year. Gulp..

Would love to ride the CL300 at some point. maybe the group start next year, not sure yet.

Also three weeks in the alps/pyrenees in school summer holidays

Pyrenees was great. 3 peaks was a horrid cramp-fest! Riding HT550 was unbelievably fantastic and went quite well . OK, better than I had even dared to dream.

Didn't ride the Cairngorm loop but will try to next September I think...

is there a 2017 thread yet?

danielgroves wrote:Currently:
- Six weeks causing through europe on a touring bike
- New job (because of the above)
- More adventures somewhere else (might as well make the most of a summer unemployed...)

Six week tour in europe went rather well, I'm writing that up at the moment.
New job was't necessary in the end. My boss really wanted me to stay, and made it worth my while.
I added two weeks in Scotland, a week in Cumbria over easter and a second week in Cumbria over the summer in.

I reckon that's pretty spot on

voodoo_simon wrote:2016 isn't that far away, so what's on your 2016 'bucket list' (did I just say that )

Have the option of one of the following and all sound good to me
-Some form of Icelandic trip for a week
-Some form of Norwegian trip for a week
-North Coast 500 (or at least the majority of it)
-Ireland southern coastal trip on the fatbike

The top two will more than likely be dream trips, so will more than likely be one of the bottom two

No Iceland trip but as it's a dream destination, then it will require careful planning

Off to Norway next week but no bike but without my daughter

No NC500

No Irish trip

But I did booked Finland for a week in 207, so no complaints my end

Other than Strathpuffer, not the year I'd envisaged, but a good one nonetheless.

The highlight for me was our 2000 mile trip round France.

Oh and Tom did his first 200 mile ride.

atk wrote:How'd everyone else get on with their plans?

Not too bad...got to cycle in 5 different countries...and if folks quit putting nice stuff on the classifieds, I may even hit my target savings to make it to Banff again. Rode my bike a fair bit, but not as much as I probably should've. TNR was a particular highlight though. Still some fun and frivolity to be had in Dec.

Greetz

S.

Ian wrote:My main goals;

Highland Trail
Everest something (I have something in mind, but keeping quiet for now)
Torino Nice
Cambrian Trail ITT (not the Trans Canbrian Way; details soon..)

Various other "fillers" Alba the way.

Highland Trail - tick
Everesting - two very big ticks
Torino Nice - scuppered by a family wedding
Cambrian Trail ITT - the years not over yet