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Hi all
I'm planning a trip to QECP tomorrow. Anyone know what the conditions are like currently?
Cheers
Andy
Snowy and icy yesterday, with a bit of mud. I'd imagine it will be quite muddy now the temperature has dropped a bit.
ThisSnowy and icy
Bit muddy but its very windy and most of the snow has either melted or been blown away.
Its also very sunny at the mo, that and provided the wind stays blowy it should dry it out a bit.
I'm off there Thurs..
Report back wontchas.
Cheers guys. I'll let you know how it is later tomorrow.
One of my friends rode it at the weekend & said it was hideous (as usual) and that was before the snow & ice.
i'd either get there early before it defrosts OR do the hardpack route i described here:
http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/qe-park-appalling-conditions/page/2#post-4719686
you basically miss out A3 and Lumberjack which are the two problem bits and still get plenty of action if you go round twice 🙂
(A3 aka Hard Shoulder is due to get a new higher line at some point).
cheers!
edit: ah here's a trail map so you know wtf i'm talking about:
[img]
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Thanks for that Smiff. I'll give it a go. 🙂
Update: conditions were terrible today. It was almost unrideable all the way round to snakebites. Tyres immediately clogged and didn't clear at all. Very little traction. I have to say it was one of my worst ever rides. So much so we left after one lap (and a baguette!) and drove home to do my local loop at more than double the average speed we managed at QECP. I would leave it alone until much drier. Spoke to a couple of local riders who said they don't even bother with the west side of the trail when it's like this. Snakebites and the final descent were great fun. I can see the potential in the dry but as it is - avoid.
Righty ho, I posted this on the QEPark " appalling conditions thread " earlier and as andymc06 has already noted its a bit yuk, not yuk enough not to ride, but yuk it is..
So, my interpretation:
I've just come back from a hack around and have to say its damp and a bit boggy in the undergrowth. There's a few sections where the sun and wind are on it and its drying out nicely, but these are South Facing sections only. In the top of the woods ( parallel to the A3 on the Red Route ) it's horrible. It's very damps and boggy and some sections are better left alone at the mo, or walk past them. Roots are exposed and slippy, burm bottoms are claggy and gloop.
Once up on the top of the hill it's actually quite pleasant, dry and a bit tacky.
The route to the Gnarr Downhilly bit is peaty bog until you hit the South Facing side where it drys up a bit. Over the top of the other hill towards the long speedy decent it's ok, ok until you hit the burm bottoms and then it's claggy and gloopyest.
But, but the good thing is its drying out nicely, give it a couple of days and it'll be back to how it was last week I recon.
Have fun, say hi as you wiz past.
Nice to see 5 folks out today
Next Dig weekend 23rd & 24th March 😉
meeting at halls hill carpark at 10.30 both days
http://binged.it/WJ6jJE