bushwhacking...

[2manyoranges]

...anyone else do this?

I just got fed up with the brambles scouring my arms and the twigs and branches trying to take my eyes out - all the way on the 'bike superhighway' (sic) from our village, 10 miles into Cambridge. Every day a new scar on my face or arms. So out early Saturday with a load of tools to do a hell of a lot of hacking. A very bad section saw me and other riders having to duck massively to avoid thorn-laden branches at one point. So after doing 300m near Lode, I tackled the big hawthorns and elder.

What was a bit surprising was the reaction of passing cyclists. The majority response was .... nothing. Embarrassment when I said 'good morning' - a reddening of their faces and a slight quickening of pace. At the worst extreme, genuine anger from some roadies who hated having to slow down and go round some debris on the path - grief it was just me and I had to cut and clear, cut and clear - there's no way I could do it alone without blocking the path for a short while at times. At the other end of the scale, genuine niceness...thanks and a good chat from one nice bloke.

Well I did about 2 miles of it all - a lot of hacking, sawing and clipping. Next weekend I'll have another long sesh to make it all good...

 

[Imlach]

...anyone else do this?

I just got fed up with the brambles scouring my arms and the twigs and branches trying to take my eyes out - all the way on the 'bike superhighway' (sic) from our village, 10 miles into Cambridge. Every day a new scar on my face or arms. So out early Saturday with a load of tools to do a hell of a lot of hacking. A very bad section saw me and other riders having to duck massive to avoid thorn-laden branches at one point. So after doing 300m near Lode, I tackle the big hawthorns and elder.

What was a bit surprising was the reaction of passing cyclists. The majority response was .... nothing. Embarrassment when I said 'good morning' - a reddening of their faces and a slight quickening of pace. At the worst extreme, genuine anger from some roadies who hated having to slow down and go round some debris on the path - grief it was just me and I had to cut and clear, cut and clear - there's no way I could do it alone without blocking the path for a short while at times. At the other end of the scale, genuine niceness...thanks and a good chat from one nice bloke.

Well I did about 2 miles of it all - a lot of hacking, sawing and clipping. Next weekend I'll have another long sesh to make it all good...

I find that most other riders I encounter are generally bloated with toxicity at any possible slow-down or obstruction of their path. We've got a fair bit of woods near me which is owned by a count, who thankfully leaves it mostly to do its own thing (good for the biodiversity), but some of the paths - including the ones us gravel and MTB'ers use - can be rather overgrown. Sometimes there's stinging nettles and branches reaching so far in unto the path that even walking there, you'd burn and cut yourself. I have myself considered taking a set of garden shears or my petrol whacker down to the woods and go to town around the paths. I'd just bring some worn chainrings to belt after the folks that don't appreciate the hard work.

 

[Mickeyspinn]

...anyone else do this?

I just got fed up with the brambles scouring my arms and the twigs and branches trying to take my eyes out - all the way on the 'bike superhighway' (sic) from our village, 10 miles into Cambridge. Every day a new scar on my face or arms. So out early Saturday with a load of tools to do a hell of a lot of hacking. A very bad section saw me and other riders having to duck massively to avoid thorn-laden branches at one point. So after doing 300m near Lode, I tackled the big hawthorns and elder.

What was a bit surprising was the reaction of passing cyclists. The majority response was .... nothing. Embarrassment when I said 'good morning' - a reddening of their faces and a slight quickening of pace. At the worst extreme, genuine anger from some roadies who hated having to slow down and go round some debris on the path - grief it was just me and I had to cut and clear, cut and clear - there's no way I could do it alone without blocking the path for a short while at times. At the other end of the scale, genuine niceness...thanks and a good chat from one nice bloke.

Well I did about 2 miles of it all - a lot of hacking, sawing and clipping. Next weekend I'll have another long sesh to make it all good...

Good work sir! Send your local council an invoice.