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So there I was, enjoying a brew and a piece of bread pudding outside the Nimmings Cafe at the top of the Col Du Clent this afternoon (I know! I'm amazed that the snows have not blocked access) reflecting on the ride so far (reading strava to see how slow I was going), when a Gentleman wanders over and starts talking about my bike.
(As best as I can remember the conversation went like this) He seemed a nice chap, and knew a little about bikes, he asked the usual; how much does it's cost/weigh etc and asked me if I rode over the Lickey Hills and if I knew if there were any bike washes there. "Alas I don't", "ah" he responded, "I follow a blog online of a biker who rides over there, rocketdog", "oh I know him" I replied but wish I hadn't said owt. "I work in forestry and there's been a nasty case of larch disease over there, I've been studying it and tracking it. Amazing how it's spread from areas around Wales and England to a small localised spot here" he went on with his implications, "nasty, a load of trees had to be felled, I saw a picture on his blog that his bike was resting on some felled larch" he then pointed at the trees behind us "if that disease spreads here then all this will have to be felled".
By this time it was obvious what he was trying to imply (especially so when he mentioned some place in Wales with a trail centre who've had the disease there) so I suggested to him that if it was that bad then the authorities should be putting notices out and provided washes etc out in a similar light to foot and mouth a few years back. I also suggested that walkers with muddy boots, children climbing over logs, dogs and other animals could have caused the spread too.
Not wanting to cause an argument (as I had no idea about the disease being in Lickey) I said I'd let RD know. This chap mentioned he follows blogs and websites so will no doubt see this. So RD, can you state if you've been riding in parts of the country where this disease is or not as there's someone out there *implying* that mountain bikers/you are spreading it around!
Now I know RD is to blame for a few things (crimes against facial hair for a start) but I don't see how one man and his blog can be blamed for this
Apart from that, it was a lovely day to be out in the mud