Kate's Ride:

The inaugural SHABI’s Tour d’Bordonia The TdB start & finish venue; “The Shed” was the mid-January meeting point for the madness that is deep winter night riding.

The victims, 10 of us in total departed, heading for a brief encounter with the Bordon Inclosure en-route to the much-requested BMX track at Jubilee Park.

A couple of pumped warm-up circuits complete and we found ourselves on the newest path of “the Loop”; continuing this trail along the Deadwater Valley (luckily the tide was out), up & around the boundary of Whitehill’s Iron Age Fort.

The next woodland trail took us into the South Downs National Park weaving our way playfully to the Longmoor Range Perimeter Track, so-far-so good with no-one gaining any points even at the ditch crossing. Oops spoke too soon and within 100m Dobby’s desire to earn points overcame his survival instinct and he served away from the welcoming hollow into the fence – the fence, however, not understanding the role it was expected to play decided to repel Dobby in a manner not dissimilar to LBDs pushing technique and Dobby found himself (less some skin) in the embrace of the hollow below – a point well earned!

Hogmoor Inclosure hosted our next pedalling efforts carrying us through & out to Slab common for a straight pylon track jaunt, road crossing and arrival at BOSC. “Martinique” has some lovely trails threading through the land (previously used by Southern XC for events as well as the military-types yomping grounds) and it was on one of these great trails where Tarmac’s steed delivered a refusal to ascend any further up the steep bank and spat Tarmac backwards into the arms of Tonka.

We had to look away for a brief period while their encounter was consummated and another point was claimed! Steeds all now tamed and mounted the Wall as the second photo op of the evening with LBD behind the lens.

Broxhead called after the A325 crossing where a couple of secluded and seductive stairsets were addressed, followed by a sneakily tricky climb to provide the access to the gully avenue dash placing us onto the Shipwrights Way & Bordon Inclosure for the return link to the Shed in time for Burritos, Burgers & Beers. TdB route complete: 14-miles

Scores on the Doors:

Not too shabi for the first RM by new SHABI Kate: