It’s been wet earlier in the week and unfortunately temperatures have not been anything to write home about, so despite Saturday looking like a good day to get some runs or miles in, don’t expect dust! Unfortunately it’s time to get the meatier treads out - maybe not spike conditions on Saturday, but Sunday could be a contender.

However, it should be good conditions for Rich’s quick n’dirty trail clearing session - keep an eye out for them if you’re an early riser!

XC or DH this weekend? Gotta be XC.

Suspension or hardtail? Depends - how real you wanna keep it?

Britney or Christina? Ha! Give me The Slits everytime (and may you RIP Ari).

In case you didn’t know, the Aston Hill Annual General Meeting (AGM) is taking place on the 11th November (not the 4th, as mistakingly put in the email) at 7.30pm at the Forestry Commission classroom on Icknield Way (post code HP22 5NF). If you’re a member of Aston Hill (you’ve paid a subscription to use the Hill for a year) then it’s your chance to have a say in the future of the Hill or stand for a place on the committee.

The following committee places are available:

• Chairman
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Race Organiser
• Social Organiser

To apply for for one you need to send an email to committee@rideastonhill.co.uk including why you feel that you are suited to the role, and be seconded by another member of Aston Hill. If there are other applicants for the position then it will go to a vote at the AGM. Be aware that being on the committee is an unpaid volunteer role that uses a lot of time and energy, but there is no better way to be a force in moving Aston Hill forward.

Got something to say but not a member? Then why not join?

After the success of the last one, Rich is going to be holding another rake and shovel trail clearing session from 9am until 12pm on Saturday 30th October, promising a bacon sarnie once again to anyone who helps out.

Drop Rich a line at rich@rideastonhill.co.uk if you fancy a good mornings graft in return for some hot grub!

Honestly?

If the forecast happens, it’s going to be wet - certainly for Saturday. Unless you can’t get over at any other time or specifically want to dial your wet weather skills, I’d leave Saturday morning well alone and let the morning deluge run off (it’s been fairly dry for the second half of the week, so hopefully the Hill will shrug the rain off fairly easily).

There is a good breeze blowing and freezing temperatures Saturday night, so Sunday will undoubtedly be the better day.

We’re heading toward mud tyre season now, and if you’re visiting for the first time or would regard yourself as a novice, take extra care - the chalk and roots of Aston Hill are particularly unforgiving in the wet.

To sign off, some wise words from The Cure. Have a good weekend!

If this had been written yesterday it would have predicted a dry weekend, if the weather forecast was anything to go by. As it is, this morning dawned more damp and misty than expected, and it looks set to continue for the day.

While this means that the Hill isn’t going to be very wet, it does mean that it’s going to be a little damper than previously anticipated. However, it’s been a dry week here and the trails mid-week were Autumn perfect, and even with the light rain last night the weekend is still looking pretty good. Autumn temps have arrived thanks to a northerly breeze (so wrap up warm while not riding) but the trails should still be fairly dry and very, very rideable (and there’s plenty of leaves to throw up while carving turns) - you don’t need the mud spikes just yet!

This weeks tune appeared when ‘Autumn’ was searched for on Youtube. Does anyone else think the lead vocals sound like Jenny Rush on a melodic synth-rock trip?

The new Aston Hill brochure is also now available to download.

It contains a trail map of the park - ideal if you’ve never visited before - and a guide to the trails, as well as details on how to become a member at Aston Hill.

Download it here!

• Inside page including map (3.7MB)
• Outside page including location and about Aston Hill (5.4MB)
  

Harry and Paul Molloy recently popped back to Tring Brewery to pick up Paul’s Supervet (50+) prize from Eastern and Central Champs sponsor Tring Brewery.

It seems to have been a mutually amicable prize-giving, judging by the write-up and smiles on Harry’s blog: http://blog.rezurgence.com/2010/10/dads-trip-to-tring-brewery-to-collect.html

Paul collects his prize from Aston Hill regular Ben of Tring Brewery.

Is this the final taste of summer?

Who knows. But after a wet first half to the week, followed by a dry and warm second half, the Hill should be running nicely this weekend. It’s unlikely to be super-dry, but the chances are that it will be tacky (in the best sense of the word), possibly with a few wet patches under tree cover.

But the sun is forecast to shine and the sky is forecast to be blue - get on out and enjoy what could be our last decent weekend of summertime healing for a while!

And one for the more rock loving among you…

A quick thanks to all those Hillbillies that showed up for a few hours hard graft clearing the backside of the XC loop; the entire switchback climb at the far end of the park is now clear of debris and looking schweet!

Want to get involved in the next maintenance morning? The next Hillbilly session is going to be on Sunday 7th November, which is going to include training on how to maintain sustainable trails. Drop an email to gardeningwithoutthevegetables@rideastonhill.co.uk if you’d like to come on over put something back into the Hill!

And don’t forget - if you want to be the first to hear about future dig days, put your name and email down on the digging email list so we can drop you a line about all future dig days.

Cheers!

After a torrential downpour for most of Wednesday and a very wet day today, the Hill is going to be wet (surprise surprise) - definitely time to put the mud tyres on.

Saturday is looking by far the better of the two days and should be tacky but rideable - the Hill is still relatively dry and it’s still pretty warm and windy, so is drying out OK once the rain stops - but on Sunday expect some Somme-esque conditions as 12.8mm of rain is predicted to fall in three hours.

However, this does mean that Rich has got great conditions for a spot of trail clearing! If you want to help out, drop Rich a line at rich@rideastonhill.co.uk and get on over to the Hill for 0930 hours tomorrow for some maintenance and a bacon sarnie.

Otherwise this weeks tune is a bit of a golden oldie and seems particularly appropriate: have you ever seen the rain? (check the Ramones‘s and Japanese band Hi Standard‘s versions as well).

Well, it was that or Wet Wet Wet…