Bigfoot MBC

Members

Up to 75 members signed up and still rising, top job all for accommodating the new riders into the fold.  Also any person who have lapsed on their membership, please re-join ASAP if you want to continue riding with the club.

Remember to collect your free joining gift if you joined before the end of April 2012…we now have them and they have been distributed around key riders.

­Dealing with CTC for the 3^rd party insurance for each club rider seems to be going ok now that’s to Janet.

Cash

£1025 give or take a bit which is growing due to the growing member subscriptions.

It was agreed that the club will subsidise people taking part in events due to the cost of them, along the format of one subsidy a year for an individual at £5. So to claim yours (post event) just email and let us know the event and we will be happy to help out.

Also a new flag is being sourced, the bigger the better, by Paul W.  The “Easy Up” did it get destroyed in the Plymouth storms, if yes we need to replace.  Also the next club kit ordered will be subsided £5 per item by the club.

Club kit

The repeat order is on the forum and closing date is Sunday 5^th Aug http://www.bigfootmbc.co.uk/forum/yeti-chat/club-kit-re-order/#p5203 so please say what style of kit you would like.  The forum post also has the costs but to confirm:

If you miss this one, there will not be another until next year!

Club Sponsors

We have reviewed and updated Our Partners tab on the web site http://www.bigfootmbc.co.uk/links/. Please ensure you wave your card and ask for your discount when you go in. If you support them, they will continue to support us and they are always open to discussions on prices so always give them a try first off. They’re also a good source of knowledge.

Bigfoot Summer Fun Day

Date is confirmed for Saturday 1^st September, just at the end of kids summer holidays so get your names down and all welcome including kids, partners, husbands, wives, mistresses… http://www.bigfootmbc.co.uk/2011/12/event-bigfoot-bbq-and-fun-day/.  It will follow a similar format to last year so:

Venue…
….same place as last year so we must have behaved well, see link for http://binged.it/PBOoe0 which is a Caravan park on the edge of Cranham Woods.  Thanks to Paul W again for sorting this.

Activities…

…. Shopper Challenge race to win the awesome shopper bike (Ed make sure you bring this please) and great runner up prizes.  Need a chair and operator to draft a little course please?

…. Mini Shopper Challenge race from the grommets (that’s kids in slang).  Need a chair and operator to draft a little course please?

…. Pre ride XC and road rides – like last year we can have a 2 hour ride beforehand, these will need leaders please?

…. Cake baking and thus eating chaired and operated by Susanne and Janet

…. Sports actives like volley ball, cricket, etc. chaired and operated by the Leisure King himself, Tim Knibbs.

…. BBQ Goddess chaired and operated by Mike “The Grill” Bryce

Helpers always appreciated team so please let me know if you can assist as I am away unfortunately away this weekend…. And don’t bl00dy cheer you lot

More ride leaders.

Thank you all who came forward to lead rides.  If we can keep this going, even if it is just once ride a month you can commit, that really helps all.  We still need someone to lead a dedicated GREEN ride on Tuesday if someone is keen to lead the flock.

Skillz Sessions ”SMILES NOT MILES”.

When the weather (at some point this year) dries up we will pick this up again, it has not been forgotten, its just been a dreadful summer…..so specific rides where riders are looking to hone their bike handling skills be it jumping, steeper runs, drops or generally improving their riding techniques …learning from the more experience riders….”SMILES NOT MILES”. We will continue with these sessions at Lecky, Standish, Stinchcombe, North Nibley, Leigh Woods, FOD and Redhill…all local with plenty of fun stuff to practice on repeatedly allowing riders to progressive their skills.

In tandem Susanne has had a good dig around and found that MBSwindon operate skills courses and has booked in a session for Bigfoot for Saturday 25^th August.  If want to go please post in the ride guide http://www.bigfootmbc.co.uk/2012/07/training-trail-riding-skills/ . The details of what is offered and the price is in this link http://www.mbswindon.co.uk/training/trail-skills/ or in other words £25 and covers:
Led by a qualified mountain bike instructor, all the intermediate skills required to maximise your enjoyment of trail riding are covered, including:

• Pre-ride bike safety checks
• Better bike setup
• Advanced riding position
• Front wheel lifts
• Rear wheel lifts
• Bunny hops
• Drop-offs
• Berms
• Q&A and Advice

Open to all aged 18 or over (unless accompanied), the course will be held at our own Croft Trail and last around 5-6 hours (10am – 3/4pm). All you need is a well-maintained mountain bike, a helmet and a few basics. You don’t need to be super fit, been riding for years or even have done our Core Skills course first. However you should be a regular rider happy with the sort of things outlined in our Core Skills course (if not, we strongly recommend doing that one first).

Katie’s Charity Ride

Thank you for all your support for the recent charity ride on behalf of Katie.  The turnout was fantastic and the money raised by club members, their families, friends and work colleagues was quick frankly astonishing.  I remember having a chat with Tim beforehand and saying if we got a tenner from most people we would be more that pleased, but I think Tim’s recent forum post has put the money received so far well in excess on £1000 with still some more money to come.  That is truly exceptional…so thank you all again for you support.  I am sure Tim will post up the final tally soon and let us know how Katie is http://www.bigfootmbc.co.uk/forum/yeti-chat/katie-fund-total-thanks/

Events

Full listings can be found at http://www.bigfootmbc.co.uk/events/ but some of the bigger listings:

Oktoberfest Fest, Ashton Court – nice to see a flurry of activity and a load of Bigfoot teams in many categories represented….but you can never have enough riders so if you are keen to be in a team follow the forum thread http://www.bigfootmbc.co.uk/forum/yeti-chat/bigfoot-storm-has-registered-for-the-octoberfest/ .  The beauty about Bristol is that it is a short course, hard packed and the even is a relay so great for new people looking to try their hand at a race event but are a bit unsure.  To coincide with the Bristol event, we have a trip to Ashton Court “Recon Ride” in the ride guide for Saturday 11^th August starting 09:30 http://www.bigfootmbc.co.uk/2012/07/ashton-court-and-leigh-woods-oktoberfest-reconnaissance-mission-all-colours-of-the-rainbow-ride-grade/ so if you want to come out and play and also see what the course is about, I would recommend you come along.  Also this ride is suitable for all abilities in the club.

Forest of Dean Enduro Saturday 23^rd September http://www.bigfootmbc.co.uk/?m=20120923&cat=5.  Local event starting at the Pedalabikeaway and offers up to for 4 laps of the FOD “Enduro” trail, so not the Vederers, proper single track with roots and stuff.  Great for all club riders as you can do either 1, 2 or 4 laps so let’s see a big club presence.

Newport Velodrome Track Sessions – Open to novices as well as the more experienced track riders. The rides are on the ride guide so if you are interested please get your name down. The dates I have booked are:
7th October 10am – 1pm – 3 hours
4th November 9am – 12pm – 3 hours
25th November 4pm – 6pm – 2 hours
16th December 10am – 1pm – 3 hours
13th January 2013 10am – 1pm – 3 hours

Trips Away – Days, Weekends and Longer

Wales Easy Riders Weekender 17-19 August with possibley some caving again, see link for full details http://www.bigfootmbc.co.uk/2012/07/easy-riders-wales-weekend/

Club away day to Rhyader, Sunday 12^th August…I hard Wales Red ride 4 hours plus and a ton of climbing…but weather dependant http://www.bigfootmbc.co.uk/2012/07/away-day-ride-at-rhayader-red/

Easy Riders away day to North Wiltshire, Sunday 12^th August http://www.bigfootmbc.co.uk/2012/07/easy-riders-north-wilts-epic-grade-red/

Ashton Court Recon Ride, Saturday 11^th August http://www.bigfootmbc.co.uk/2012/07/ashton-court-and-leigh-woods-oktoberfest-reconnaissance-mission-all-colours-of-the-rainbow-ride-grade/

Alps off road week 8th-15th September – Ed and Mike P are going to Les Arcs to do a Trail Addiction backcountry week 8 to 15 September. If you are interested in going please see this link for more detail and to register your interest http://www.bigfootmbc.co.uk/forum/yeti-chat/bigfoot-holiday-abroad-2012-ideas/page-2/ 

AOB

Posters for shops – we could do with a new A4 design to put in local shops on their notice boards i.e. Slam 69, Leisure Lakes, etc. so anyone fancy taking the lead on this?  Steve W name was mentioned before.

Some web site pages need a refresh, on-going.

Paul Wherton – you may have heard through the grape vine and our web site that Paul had a crash on Katie’s ride which culminated in a trip to Gloucester A&E and the diagnosis of cracked and broken ribs, collar bone, wrist and neck.  He has been making superb progress in recovering from his catalogue of injuries (in part no small part due to his fitness, healthy regime and positive attitude) and he has posted a little note on the web site http://www.bigfootmbc.co.uk/2012/07/pauls-crash-big-thankyou-to-all-who-helped-in-my-hour-of-need/ .  He is still mainly house bound so always keen to see Bigfoot riders, so if you want a mean cuppa (Michelle is pretty good I may say) drop him a text or email and pop in and say hi.  Paul all our best wishes go out to you buddy and hopefully see you out on a bike in the very near future…and as we said before make sure is a carbon machine dedicated for the road….