Trans Euro Trail: UK Part - Set Up

Two of us have decided to embark on the UK TET route over a two week period in April, this will be roughly 1800 miles of riding and for us it'll be a north to south route as we are both going to be up north anyway at the start.

JP & myself will be taking out two KTM enduros, loading them up with kit and getting on the trails to ride the route and potentially add extra bits where we know the area well. After all, there are just too many things to see and experience around the trail as there are on the trail.

As part of the process I've started to catalogue what I'm taking and the prep I'm doing for the trip with my 2012 KTM 350 EXC-f. I've ridden this bike a lot over the last four years, something like 9000 miles of trail riding, both in Europe and here in the UK. During that time, it's had a new top end rebuild, who knows how many sets of bearings, tyres, chains and sprocket sets and of course oil and filter changes. It has proven itself to be very reliable, very durable and has showed me how little riding skill I actually possess when it comes to the real rough stuff!

Today the bike has just had it's latest MOT, for this I've replaced the wheel bearings, both sets of brake pads and put a clean air filter on/ That's it and it passed no worries.

I've started looking at tools and spares etc with a view as to what to take with me. I have managed to pair things down to a good set of basics but I am a couple of things missing that I would like, mainly a spare rear wheel nut and a spare front sprocket bolt and washer. Having had these disappear on trips before they are a show stopper if you lose them.

The other thing I'm thinking of changing is my clutch, it's started to slip and as the bike is going to be doing a large amount of miles for one trip as well as carrying luggage, I think the £150 from KTM is a necessary expense unfortunately.

Below are the images of my spares and tools, most of it is self explanatory, for some of the more oddball things I've written a list below too...

Spares for the UK TET

Spares
These consist of a selection of nuts, bolts, washers, electrical bits,oil / air filter, brake pads, front/rear bearings, spark plug, front sprocket, spare chain link, replacement levers, metal repair putty, thread lock, spare batteries, cable ties, electrical tape, repair kit for camping bits. I need to replace a few things like the front bearings and the above mentioned rear wheel bolt and front sprocket nut. There is no spare tubes and puncture repair kit as we're gonna use other things, again this is solely because we know most of the terrain and it's easy to sort replacements on the whole.

Tool kit: Carried all the time.

Tool Kit
I tend to carry the same tool kit whenever I'm out, I know everything in that Kriega tool roll fits to my KTM and has been used on the trails at some point. I don't like kit that is heavy or has moving parts, so I've stopped carrying a socket wrench, opting instead for a T bar with multiple attachments. I carry a tow rope which is just blue poly prop with a couple of loops tied in the ends, there is a length of 1mm household electrical cable with a couple of crocodile clips on it for flat batteries, there is a hand chain saw for nibbling bits of fallen tree, spare lights, which to be honest are less of an issue of this bike as the rear lights have been excellent. The front KTM EXC-f lights are nicknamed KTM candles, so anything to support them for those odd later night rides is a bonus! I've never weighed all this lot, so I will do and add it to this.

Something that happened on a previous trip was that the cam chain tensioner failed on this bike. It was around the time I was considering doing the top end rebuild anyway so just forced the issue. Since the new one and a new cam chain have been installed though, there has been a slight cam chain rattle to the engine. I don't like hearing it so one thing I was going to install was the Dirt Tricks Cam Chain Tensioner that Adventure Spec supply in the UK which I'm assured does a much better job that the original. It's on order so once I get it and install it I'll feed back.

I've ordered a set of the Motoz Tractionator Enduro tyres as a bundle from Adventure Spec. Lucy really likes the Hybrids she has on her bike, so I thought I'd give them a go and see how they get on.

On past trips I've put a larger tank on the bike, I haven't decided as yet whether to for this UK trip as petrol is generally easy to find and the bike has a standard range of 120 ish miles, by which time I often want to stop anyway because the saddle is awful.

Navigation Stuff
We'll both be using Garmin Montana's with a 12v cradle to keep them powered all day. the TET is a GPX route anyway, so once it's loaded onto the GPS that should be it. I've already made a few changes to the normal route so now just remains making sure JP & I have the same route. I'll also print out and laminate some map images with fuel stops / cafes etc marked on them for a bit of extra info if we need to come off the route at any point. Final thing to sort is some couch surfing with various mates. Wild camping will be the preference and the odd B+B or hotel if the weather is truly epic, so to break things up with a good gossip and some beer is always a good option!

Camping and other bits...
I'm taking my standard set up for the trip as I know it works well and so far has proven to be pretty solid. The bag carrying most of the kit will be the Giant Loop Coyote bag. This is the first generation one with a zip. So far I've never had any wet kit and it has taken some abuse. the zip can be a faff to do up, especially with cold hands, and it takes a bit of practise to get the loading right. But once you've worked it out, it is really good on an enduro bike. At some point I'd like to try the roll top version, which I think JP has now, much better from a potential failure point of view I think as zips do have a tendency to fail at poor times! I've listed the contents below with some weights to give an idea.

Kit List
Giant Loop Coyote saddle bag (2.4kg 39 litres)
Enduristan Sandstorm 4x Tankbag
Tent: Macpac Micro - 1 man single hoop 4 season tent. (1.4kg)
Sleeping bag: PHD Minimus (465g)
Thermarest Prolite Plus (570g)
MSR XGK Multi Fuel Stove (374g)
Petzl Tikka headtorch (86g)
Sigg 0.7 litre fuel bottle (empty 108g)

Clothing
I'm really lucky to have been asked to test some more kit for Adventure Spec on this trip, so I'm awaiting a delivery of 'goodies' to play with and comment upon. If it's as good as my 3 year old 'Linesman Jacket', it'll be superb and may well follow that to become my 'go to' kit for trail riding and adventures.

Until that kit comes, I'm not sure about the rest so it will all have to wait a bit for any final decisions I think.

I will be taking my Gaerne SG12's for the protection and warmth they offer, but I have to say, they are heavy and they do seem to make gear changes really awkward sometimes. They also take ages to dry out once soaked so along with 3 pairs of riding socks there will also be my goretex military long booties to try to keep my feet dryish.

That's about it for the time being, I'll add more as we get closer to the kick off time... happy trails!

Coast & Moors Trip

It's been quite awhile since I've posted anything about trail riding, a mix of work and life commitments that seem to have taken me in other directions for a bit, that and riding local stuff that has already been written about multiple times!

So I found myself with a block of spare time, Lucy had gone away, all my usual jobs, people etc all seem to be busy, so I thought it time to get another multi day trip set up and get out.

The plan, go to places I've not been before, explore those esoteric lanes near to those places and catch up with some mates along the way if the timings fitted. Thus I set off on a cloudy but bright fresh morning with a route in the GPX totalling 500 miles, skirting the edges of the Lakes National Park, The Forest of Bowland, Nidderland Area of Outstanding Beauty and the Dales before returning back home. There was a lot of surfaced road in sections of this route, but as the plan was to explore rather than just be a dedicated trail riding trip, that didn't bother me, I just had to check my tyres a bit more often!

Day 1.
First lanes were all local, with a stop off to see a mate who was building a camper van for some summer fun, then lots of tarmac to get down along the south west coast of Cumbria, Seascale, Ravenglass, Barrow etc.

I came across several tidal fords, which at high tide were not passable.

On the map, Seascale had a possible route along the coast to Ravenglass, but it turned out to be a footpath and a causeway, so I had to find a bypass. I'd never been to Ravenglass, which is the home of the Laal Ratty steam train. This goes up into the Eskdale valley and is an enjoyable trip with a good pub and cafe at the end. The village itself is a popular tourist spot and as such has a few cafes and amenities.

Hugging the coastline for the morning saw a variety of views, including the big nuclear plant at Sellafield, which has had significant impact on this area both in positive and negative ways. The West Coast railway runs nearby and I had to cross it several times, sometimes with a person working on the crossing and other times ringing a telephone to make sure the tracks were clear before I did my 3 journeys across opening and closing gates. Some really helpful and friendly folk these people were.

I turned inland briefly to climb on of the fell roads, where I stopped in the stiff breeze to enjoy the atmospheric day and views. Once fed I moved on to a new lane for me with an imperious ruin dominating the skyline. That would be a fab place to buy and restore!

As I dropped back to valley bottom I came across a lane with a tree down, I had a great little hand chain saw blade for such an occasion and managed to cut off the lower branch which tilted the main trunk back to just the right angle so I could pop over it. This chewed up some time, but was fun to do!

Tea and bacon butty was found at a great little burger van on the A595. Once refreshed I set off again just meandering down the coast stopping off in random places where the views were good. All of the roads in this part of the County are small and winding so very good for a little trail bike ride! At one point I found a beach with a beautiful wooden house perched on the bank, lovely views and an interesting sense of art in the garden!

I wanted to look at the byway that crosses Morcambe Bay, so I went down to Canal Foot near Ulverston. It is one of the few tidal fords left and you really need someone who knows the area to guide you across. It also needs to be low tide and you need to completely wash your bike down after... For me it wasn't going to happen today, but hey the historic info about the canal and industry there was fascinating for me.

 

By now, I was losing the daylight, so had to make a decision about where to stay. I opted for a mates in Lancaster and so off I went to get to his place so we could drink beer/wine and gossip for the night

Day 2.
The next dawned wet and windy, plenty of rain forecast for Lancashire, so as my mate had to be off for 8am and I didn't need to repack my pannier I was away nice and early. Riding through Lancaster is always a game of dodgems, but on a wet February morning in the rain it was even more scary than normal. I was glad to get out of a built up area and back into the countryside.

The first lane had a deepish ford which I'd never done before, there was a memorial on a tree nearby. After this I wound my way on the B roads heading eventually for a lovely long fell lane which was having some work done on it recently. There are very few lanes in Lancashire, something which dates back to a previous Lord who removed them all I'm told, not sure if this is just gossip or fact but the result is the same.

As I got to the end of the lane, I realised I'd not filled up in Lancaster and so used my GPS to try to find the nearest fuel, the info wasn't accurate and I wasted a few miles following directions to a none existent garage, where I then bit bullet and headed direct to Settle where I knew there was fuel. I got there with a thimble full in the tank. A hot pasty and some hot chocolate warmed me up as I was now pretty wet. The sun was starting to come out though in patches but where I was going was swathed in cloud.

The Dales is one of those National Parks that hasn't, (as yet), lost it quiet charm. Unlike the Lakes and the Peak which are desperately struggling under the pressure of millions of visitors each year and an infrastructure that wasn't built for the level of current use. As such you can find yourself in many places and not see a soul. Such was the case for the majority of the lanes I used, except for the one where I stalled in a ford, swearing as my feet got wet and cold. Only to find 3 cheery people pop up behind a hedge to check I was OK. Profuse apologies followed for my language and ten minutes of ribbing as I drained my now soaked boots!

I wound my way north to Reeth, when I got a phone call from a place I help out at now and then, asking if I could help them tomorrow as someone had a possible broken arm, so that was the end of my trip and the start of a very cold, dark and wet ride home. I passed through Kirby Stephen and Shap riding the odd few lanes in the dark cursing the KTM candle I had for a headlight. However when I got home, had a shower and warmed up I felt really relaxed and recharged from two days of trail riding.

Another brilliant little trip out, some magical places explored and passed through and some friends I've now caught up with again.

Mmm lets see when I can do the last bit now...

Three days around Rhayader in Mid Wales

After seeing how busy Devon was, I was craving some open space and the mountains, so drove upto Rhayader on Thursday night.

Gareth agreed to come out for the weekend, so I was tasked with planning the routes, I started with a day for myself whilst I waiting for Gareth to arrive Friday evening. My chosen route went north of Rhayader this time, with lots of lanes I hadn't visited before and even found a stretch alongside Offa's Dyke, which turned out to be a lovely part and I got to chat to a group who were all following the trail up through the English/Welsh border. A really happy bunch of people which is always nice...

Unfortunately for trail riders lots of this path has been closed off to motor vehicles, (something that is not uncommon in our current society!), so to find a bit that is both open to us and also pretty was well worth the journey!

Some of the trails I found were little used, some completely overgrown, I managed to always find a way through, albeit sometimes a little scratchy and frustrating, but it was good fun never the less and I think it is important to use some of these trails otherwise we will lose them.

The day was really relaxing with no drama's, I never saw a soul away from the Offa's Dyke area and it felt like I had the whole place to myself!

I got back to the van, my rear tyre was just about bald, so it was a good job Gareth was bringing his tyre changer and I had a nice new shiny one in the van! I camped again that night in a lovely place, with the wind blowing the van around and the odd squall coming through to make the night interesting. Drinking some nice red wine, reading a book and all tucked up warm, a great way to spend an evening!

Gareth & I met at the cafe at Crossgates, caught up on gossip over a big breakfast and then set off for a ride heading north east this time. Another day of mixed trails, some long and flowing, others short and a bit overgrown.

We seemed to spend a lot of the day helping various horse riding groups, (who were on a planned multi day ride), however their navigation wasn't the best so we had to set them back onto their tracks again each time we found, this is where a GPS does come into it's own.

We also found a lane that is having lots of repairs to it at the moment, at one end their is clear signage but at the end we started from there was none, no wonder the workmen didn't look too happy when we turned up! Lots of new fencing going in, some graded trail and lots of new drainage. This is something that needs to be done on many trails of the UK, maybe one day the government will wake up and change it's rather dogmatic policy and develop an 'inclusive' method of trail management instead of the current exclusive version they have. We can dream I suppose!

The day finished up at a pub in Rhayader, plans were made for the final day which included the long lane at Sennybridge, there was a no live firing day, so that was the plan for the next day with a couple of big river crossings to clean the bikes before heading home.

The day started with a lesson on using a Rabaconda tyre changer, ten minutes later I had a shiny new tyre, oooh want one!!

Just after lunch in Llanwrtyd Wells, my front sprocket bolt came out and disappeared, luckily we were still near town, so I went into a garage and found a spare washer and Gareth had a spare bolt, so we fitted this, but it had gone again by the end of the day! A visit to KTM needed...

Bike wash time came as the final lane of the day, the rain had soaked us most of the morning, but the afternoon had dried up nicely, the moorland throughout the day was sometimes a bit tricky and a bit boggy, Sennybridge was a little freaky, with all the bits of target stuff lying around and the potential threat of unexploded ordnance lying around, (we never saw any but you just never know!), so it was good to chill out and have a giggle in a plain old bit of river crossing, even if it was partially blocked by a tree and with some deep water!

Here ended the trip, time to go home, go back to boring and normal life and dream about the next big bike adventure!