At afternoon tea-break during some hard packing, for other camps!
Later round the campfire.
A nice fire.
Saturday, 12 June 2010
Mark Twain Staff at Haddenham Stores
Later round the campfire.
Wednesday, 2 June 2010
Other Special Kit
Covering other kit needs for the camp
Letting Us Know
It's very important for the wellbeing of the camp that you let us know once you've read this page to confirm you have understood any actions you may need to take. Please note that this is a guide to what we expect. If any of this causes you concern, please, please talk to us to see what we can do. Email links are at the bottom of the page.
Special Kit Needs
Other than having a properly kitted out bike, a few more inexpensive items are important to make the camp run smoothly. These are highlighted in the sections below on the following.
Additionally, there are recommendations on kit considered for cycling and the FSC style of camping. Please note that there are links to more expensive kit. None of this is necessary, just if you feel it's the time for it.
Whilst looking through some of this, please have in mind the standard camping equipment list FSC recommends for campers. This is on pages 34-37 of the current FSC programme and repeated here on this webpage. This is the basis for our kit as we will be doing standing camp activities, along with a few adjustments needed for our cycling.
Water Carrying
A good plastic bottle, that won't leak and will be carried in a pannier is also important. Bidons that fit onto a bike frame are likely to get very dirty making it awkward to drink from.
If you have a hydration sack, please do bring it along. Again, this is not necessary. If you think this is a good time to buy one, the Platypus range does come with an extensive warranty support. Alternatively a bladder that fits into a current rucksack will save some money.
Plastic Food Boxes
This is one of the important things needed. The idea is that we will all carry our own lunch in a plastic food box. We are expecting to eat salad style lunches mainly, although not all the time. With that in mind the klip-lock plastic boxes are needed, of a size that will hold a reasonable amount of food. Klip-lock is required as others will open in the bag. and 1.2 to 2 litres is a good size, unless very hungry!
Rainwear
Please review the standard FSC notes here. We will take normal raingear to camp. Of course, the lighter the better, as it'll make it easier to use on bikes should that be needed.
Footwear
Please review the standard FSC notes here. Boots are required, but also some lighter shoes for when on the bike. They should still be tough. Strong trainers would be effective. Expensive specialist cycling shoes are not worth bringing as they will likely be ruined by our other daily camp activity.
Clothes
Other that the standard clothes listed in the programme here, a couple more tee-shirts are advised. These are for cycling in and can be any type, preferably hard wearing. If you have the wherewithall a wicking top, for example from the Peter Storm, Patagonia, North Face, or Helly Hensen ranges. This is not necessary, but useful.
An extra pair of durable shorts are worthwhile bringing. Padded or lycra shorts are not necessary as we won't be doing very long journeys, but if you already have these and can risk the wear and tear, do feel free to bring them along. Again, this is not necessary.
If you have gloves, cycling or any other type (preferably not too thick), please bring them along. If you don't have any gloves, please pack an pair of worn out socks in which we can cut thumb holes. Sometimes it's worthwhile covering very cold hands when needing to ride.
Carrying Bags
Please review the standard FSC notes on rucksacks here. Bear in mind that a rucksack is not necessary for our camp, as whilst out on hike everything is expected to fit in pannier bags and on the bike pannier rack as discussed in the bike kit needs. However, to get kit to camp is likely to take a some more space, and a rucksack or similar size holdall bag will be necessary. Do feel free to bring an extra bag and maybe align this with smaller bag designed for hydration sacks as discussed above.
If your child is travelling all or part of the journey alone (for example train to escort) it is essential that they are able to handle their bike and carry their bags without assistance.
Plastic Bags
Strong clear plastic bags (bin bag size) make useful storage for clothes in tents and in rucksacks and panniers. Never assume your main bags are waterproof. Additionally, standard supermarket bags make useful temporary waterproofing for feet. This saves on buying expensive waterproof socks for cycling in rainy conditions.
And the Rest
Don't forget the sun cream (preferably protection factor 20 or above), insect repellent, and torch. Please make sure that your camper knows all of his or her own equipment, best done by packing with them. Please make sure that equipment is securely packed and, if it won't fit in one rucksack/holdall, bring another bag rather than tying on items which inevitably become detached and lost. A few hints or reminders on equipment.
Summary Check List
Here is a check list of all that is written above.
Other Kit Queries
If there are any more questions, please feel free to email us at Rushall2010Chiefs@FensReunited.org.
Please confirm that you have read and understood this webpage by emailing us at Rushall2010Chiefs@FensReunited.org.
Blue Sky
Rad and Craig
Rushall2010Chiefs@FensReunited.org
Letting Us Know
It's very important for the wellbeing of the camp that you let us know once you've read this page to confirm you have understood any actions you may need to take. Please note that this is a guide to what we expect. If any of this causes you concern, please, please talk to us to see what we can do. Email links are at the bottom of the page.
Special Kit Needs
Other than having a properly kitted out bike, a few more inexpensive items are important to make the camp run smoothly. These are highlighted in the sections below on the following.
- Water Carrying
- Plastic Food Boxes
Additionally, there are recommendations on kit considered for cycling and the FSC style of camping. Please note that there are links to more expensive kit. None of this is necessary, just if you feel it's the time for it.
- Rainwear
- Footwear
- Clothes
- Carrying Bags
- Plastic Bags
Whilst looking through some of this, please have in mind the standard camping equipment list FSC recommends for campers. This is on pages 34-37 of the current FSC programme and repeated here on this webpage. This is the basis for our kit as we will be doing standing camp activities, along with a few adjustments needed for our cycling.
Water Carrying
A good plastic bottle, that won't leak and will be carried in a pannier is also important. Bidons that fit onto a bike frame are likely to get very dirty making it awkward to drink from.
If you have a hydration sack, please do bring it along. Again, this is not necessary. If you think this is a good time to buy one, the Platypus range does come with an extensive warranty support. Alternatively a bladder that fits into a current rucksack will save some money.
Plastic Food Boxes
This is one of the important things needed. The idea is that we will all carry our own lunch in a plastic food box. We are expecting to eat salad style lunches mainly, although not all the time. With that in mind the klip-lock plastic boxes are needed, of a size that will hold a reasonable amount of food. Klip-lock is required as others will open in the bag. and 1.2 to 2 litres is a good size, unless very hungry!
Rainwear
Please review the standard FSC notes here. We will take normal raingear to camp. Of course, the lighter the better, as it'll make it easier to use on bikes should that be needed.
Footwear
Please review the standard FSC notes here. Boots are required, but also some lighter shoes for when on the bike. They should still be tough. Strong trainers would be effective. Expensive specialist cycling shoes are not worth bringing as they will likely be ruined by our other daily camp activity.
Clothes
Other that the standard clothes listed in the programme here, a couple more tee-shirts are advised. These are for cycling in and can be any type, preferably hard wearing. If you have the wherewithall a wicking top, for example from the Peter Storm, Patagonia, North Face, or Helly Hensen ranges. This is not necessary, but useful.
An extra pair of durable shorts are worthwhile bringing. Padded or lycra shorts are not necessary as we won't be doing very long journeys, but if you already have these and can risk the wear and tear, do feel free to bring them along. Again, this is not necessary.
If you have gloves, cycling or any other type (preferably not too thick), please bring them along. If you don't have any gloves, please pack an pair of worn out socks in which we can cut thumb holes. Sometimes it's worthwhile covering very cold hands when needing to ride.
Carrying Bags
Please review the standard FSC notes on rucksacks here. Bear in mind that a rucksack is not necessary for our camp, as whilst out on hike everything is expected to fit in pannier bags and on the bike pannier rack as discussed in the bike kit needs. However, to get kit to camp is likely to take a some more space, and a rucksack or similar size holdall bag will be necessary. Do feel free to bring an extra bag and maybe align this with smaller bag designed for hydration sacks as discussed above.
If your child is travelling all or part of the journey alone (for example train to escort) it is essential that they are able to handle their bike and carry their bags without assistance.
Plastic Bags
Strong clear plastic bags (bin bag size) make useful storage for clothes in tents and in rucksacks and panniers. Never assume your main bags are waterproof. Additionally, standard supermarket bags make useful temporary waterproofing for feet. This saves on buying expensive waterproof socks for cycling in rainy conditions.
And the Rest
Don't forget the sun cream (preferably protection factor 20 or above), insect repellent, and torch. Please make sure that your camper knows all of his or her own equipment, best done by packing with them. Please make sure that equipment is securely packed and, if it won't fit in one rucksack/holdall, bring another bag rather than tying on items which inevitably become detached and lost. A few hints or reminders on equipment.
- If bringing a tent, please check it before leaving to make sure that there are enough pegs, poles and other bits. If it's new, please try to put it up in the dry at home before having to put it up in a storm on the first afternoon! Spare guy-ropes and string often come in handy with a tent.
- Torch batteries mysteriously go flat when no one is looking. It is sensible to pack your torch without the battery in it, and to bring spare batteries. Do consider newer LED lights.
- Please make sure all clothing and equipment is labelled. With something upward of 2000 items of clothing on a camp, it is not enough to assume something is ‘personal’ enough to be easily identifiable by a camper or their staff.
- We intend to have as much fun on the run as we would on a normal camp. If you can, please bring musical instruments and ‘dressing up’ clothes. We do want to see a rider wearing a pink tutu, safely of course!
Summary Check List
Here is a check list of all that is written above.
- Check the standard FSC kit list
- Light shoes for cycling
- Extra tee shirts and shorts
- Something to carry water in
- Locking plastic box to carry food in
- Clear plastic bags for tent and lining bags
- Check and label your equipment
- Fun things/clothes as well
- Let us know you understand all of this!
Other Kit Queries
If there are any more questions, please feel free to email us at Rushall2010Chiefs@FensReunited.org.
Please confirm that you have read and understood this webpage by emailing us at Rushall2010Chiefs@FensReunited.org.
Blue Sky
Rad and Craig
Rushall2010Chiefs@FensReunited.org
Bike Kit List
Covering bike kit needs for the camp
Letting Us Know
It's very important for the wellbeing of the camp that you let us know once you've read this page to confirm you have understood any actions you may need to take. Please note that this is a guide to what we expect. If any of this causes you concern, please, please talk to us to see what we can do. Email links are at the bottom of the page.
The Camp
The idea of this camp is to spend it doing the things that normally happen on a standing camp. Things like rally, clan, a nightgame, merrymoot, woodcraft, and even hair braiding! The quirk is to spend a little time each day travelling away from site along some fantastic and marvellous rolling tracks that spread out from our campsite. This may mean we will only cycle 4 miles on one day and maybe 15 the next.
Hike will be just like standing camp as well. We will go off-site in groups for 3 to 4 days taking all our kit with us.
Online Shops
There are plenty of online bike shops around. We do recommend finding and supporting your local shop. Please support them as much as you can. They can be a bit more expensive but they offer a helpful expert opinion for that extra money.
For this post about kit items, I'll be using the Wiggle site to show options and pictures. There are other shops such as Chain Reaction Cycles, Evans Cycles, and even Halfords amongst many others. Please note that we're not recommending any particular items or giving a price guide, unless specifically mentioned. Also remember that places like eBay can offer some amazing deals both first and secondhand. Here are searches for panniers and pumps. Do take care over secondhand purchases.
The Bike
We will be off road as much as we can be on camp, although we expect that at times we will have to be on roads. The local area has a large amount of tracks that vary in surface from very smooth to fairly rough. As a result, a 26-inch wheel mountain bike, with a minimum of 15 gears, is recommended as follows (note this is an example only, I'm not recommending this bike particularly).
This bike has front suspension, which is useful but not essential, and no rear suspension. Avoid rear suspension, it is very hard to ride over longer distances. Saddle post suspension is possible, although not required.
Hybrid bikes, that have thinner wheels and a frame designed for both on- and off-road use are possible on this camp. There may be a need to adjust them slightly for riding, especially tight fitting mudguards and having non-slick tyres. Greater consideration should be made over hybrids as they may suffer more than bikes designed for being completely off-road.
Road/racing bikes and single gear BMXs are not suitable..
The price to pay is really up to you. You do get what you pay for, and we are going to be doing some rough riding. Any very cheap bikes (retailing at less than £100) have a much larger chance of falling apart. Unfortunately, repairs on camp are not something that we can cover financially. We will have some spare parts but expect campers to cover any major repairs at a local bike shop.
Carrying Equipment
Because we are running this like a "normal" standing camp, we will go on hike for 3 to 4 days starting in the first week. Each camper will need to be able to carry their kit for those days, including clothes, wet weather gear, sleeping bag, part of a tent or shelter, daily food, and cooking kit. To do so, everyone needs to have rear panniers and a pannier rack of sufficient size.
Between the panniers, there should be a total capacity of at least 25 litres. This should be sufficient for hike taking absolutely minimal personal kit. The panniers detailed have a total capacity of 38 litres which gives a bit more space for an extra tee-shirt or so. Some panniers, at higher prices, have a lot more space. There is no need to specifically pay for waterproofing unless desired. We will be packing in plastic bags as well.
A rear pannier rack needs to be back axle mounted.
Seat post mounted racks are not recommended as they cannot take enough weight and are likely to swing.
Again, these vary in price. I do draw note of the Blackburn racks though, as they include a no-quibble lifetime warranty.
Safety Equipment
We require that each camper uses a correctly-fitted cycle helmet. No helmet means no cycling. There are a variety of helmets available. Any standard helmet will be adequate.
Additionally, although we do not intend to do any night cycling, we require that all bikes are fitted with rear and front facing lights. Again, there are a variety of lights available. All lights need to allow legal riding at night (again, we do not plan to do this). The CTC site explains what the legal requirements of lights are. Please note that LED lights have much better battery life.
Repairs
We do expect to have to repair breakages. Mostly we expect this will be just punctures. As such we need all campers to bring a puncture repair kit and at least one spare inner tube which fits your bike wheels . It is preferable to "slime" the inner tubes as that adds considerable puncture protection. It is possible to buy pre-slimed inner tubes.
Additionally, a pump that works and fits your inner tube nozzle. Please check that this works before camp as it's not good to find it doesn't when trying to pump up a tube. There are a lot of pumps available.
Useful Extras
It's worth bringing some bungees, so that items can be attached to the pannier rack above the panniers.
A lock that is commensurate with the value of the bike. These again vary accordingly with simple cable locks at the cheaper end (and sometimes not including the locking bit!) and thick chain locks higher up. D-locks are useful in towns but sometimes their inflexibility makes them awkward when elsewhere.
Servicing
It is really important if camp is going to run smoothly that bikes are in a good state of repair. For this the following should all be checked/adjusted. If you or a friend/relative can't do this (to a reasonable quality standard) then local bike shops should provide a check and set up for around £25.
If you are not sure, tell the bike shop what you are doing and they should work out what you need. It’s also worth checking that your saddle is comfortable as you’ll be on rough surfaces for quite a time over the fortnight.
Whilst checking this, it is worthwhile checking all your kit. Make sure your pump fits your tyre and will pump the wheel up. Make sure your inner tube will fit on your bike. And so on.
Summary Check List
Here is a check list of all that is written above.
If there are any more questions, please feel free to email us at Rushall2010Chiefs@FensReunited.org.
Please confirm that you have read and understood this webpage by emailing us at Rushall2010Chiefs@FensReunited.org.
Blue Sky
Rad and Craig
Rushall2010Chiefs@FensReunited.org
Letting Us Know
It's very important for the wellbeing of the camp that you let us know once you've read this page to confirm you have understood any actions you may need to take. Please note that this is a guide to what we expect. If any of this causes you concern, please, please talk to us to see what we can do. Email links are at the bottom of the page.
The Camp
The idea of this camp is to spend it doing the things that normally happen on a standing camp. Things like rally, clan, a nightgame, merrymoot, woodcraft, and even hair braiding! The quirk is to spend a little time each day travelling away from site along some fantastic and marvellous rolling tracks that spread out from our campsite. This may mean we will only cycle 4 miles on one day and maybe 15 the next.
Hike will be just like standing camp as well. We will go off-site in groups for 3 to 4 days taking all our kit with us.
Online Shops
There are plenty of online bike shops around. We do recommend finding and supporting your local shop. Please support them as much as you can. They can be a bit more expensive but they offer a helpful expert opinion for that extra money.
For this post about kit items, I'll be using the Wiggle site to show options and pictures. There are other shops such as Chain Reaction Cycles, Evans Cycles, and even Halfords amongst many others. Please note that we're not recommending any particular items or giving a price guide, unless specifically mentioned. Also remember that places like eBay can offer some amazing deals both first and secondhand. Here are searches for panniers and pumps. Do take care over secondhand purchases.
The Bike
We will be off road as much as we can be on camp, although we expect that at times we will have to be on roads. The local area has a large amount of tracks that vary in surface from very smooth to fairly rough. As a result, a 26-inch wheel mountain bike, with a minimum of 15 gears, is recommended as follows (note this is an example only, I'm not recommending this bike particularly).
This bike has front suspension, which is useful but not essential, and no rear suspension. Avoid rear suspension, it is very hard to ride over longer distances. Saddle post suspension is possible, although not required.Hybrid bikes, that have thinner wheels and a frame designed for both on- and off-road use are possible on this camp. There may be a need to adjust them slightly for riding, especially tight fitting mudguards and having non-slick tyres. Greater consideration should be made over hybrids as they may suffer more than bikes designed for being completely off-road.
Road/racing bikes and single gear BMXs are not suitable..
The price to pay is really up to you. You do get what you pay for, and we are going to be doing some rough riding. Any very cheap bikes (retailing at less than £100) have a much larger chance of falling apart. Unfortunately, repairs on camp are not something that we can cover financially. We will have some spare parts but expect campers to cover any major repairs at a local bike shop.
Carrying Equipment
Because we are running this like a "normal" standing camp, we will go on hike for 3 to 4 days starting in the first week. Each camper will need to be able to carry their kit for those days, including clothes, wet weather gear, sleeping bag, part of a tent or shelter, daily food, and cooking kit. To do so, everyone needs to have rear panniers and a pannier rack of sufficient size.
Between the panniers, there should be a total capacity of at least 25 litres. This should be sufficient for hike taking absolutely minimal personal kit. The panniers detailed have a total capacity of 38 litres which gives a bit more space for an extra tee-shirt or so. Some panniers, at higher prices, have a lot more space. There is no need to specifically pay for waterproofing unless desired. We will be packing in plastic bags as well.A rear pannier rack needs to be back axle mounted.
Seat post mounted racks are not recommended as they cannot take enough weight and are likely to swing.Again, these vary in price. I do draw note of the Blackburn racks though, as they include a no-quibble lifetime warranty.
Safety Equipment
We require that each camper uses a correctly-fitted cycle helmet. No helmet means no cycling. There are a variety of helmets available. Any standard helmet will be adequate.Additionally, although we do not intend to do any night cycling, we require that all bikes are fitted with rear and front facing lights. Again, there are a variety of lights available. All lights need to allow legal riding at night (again, we do not plan to do this). The CTC site explains what the legal requirements of lights are. Please note that LED lights have much better battery life.Repairs
We do expect to have to repair breakages. Mostly we expect this will be just punctures. As such we need all campers to bring a puncture repair kit and at least one spare inner tube which fits your bike wheels . It is preferable to "slime" the inner tubes as that adds considerable puncture protection. It is possible to buy pre-slimed inner tubes.Additionally, a pump that works and fits your inner tube nozzle. Please check that this works before camp as it's not good to find it doesn't when trying to pump up a tube. There are a lot of pumps available.Useful Extras
It's worth bringing some bungees, so that items can be attached to the pannier rack above the panniers.
A lock that is commensurate with the value of the bike. These again vary accordingly with simple cable locks at the cheaper end (and sometimes not including the locking bit!) and thick chain locks higher up. D-locks are useful in towns but sometimes their inflexibility makes them awkward when elsewhere.Servicing
It is really important if camp is going to run smoothly that bikes are in a good state of repair. For this the following should all be checked/adjusted. If you or a friend/relative can't do this (to a reasonable quality standard) then local bike shops should provide a check and set up for around £25.
- brakes
- cables
- gears
- tyres (including pressure)
- bottom bracket (where the pedal shaft goes through the bike frame)
- chain
If you are not sure, tell the bike shop what you are doing and they should work out what you need. It’s also worth checking that your saddle is comfortable as you’ll be on rough surfaces for quite a time over the fortnight.
Whilst checking this, it is worthwhile checking all your kit. Make sure your pump fits your tyre and will pump the wheel up. Make sure your inner tube will fit on your bike. And so on.
Summary Check List
Here is a check list of all that is written above.
- 26-inch wheel mountain bike with a minimum of 15 gears
- A pair of panniers (at least 25-litre)
- A pannier rack
- A helmet
- Working lights
- Inner tube and working pump
- Servicing and comfort checks
If there are any more questions, please feel free to email us at Rushall2010Chiefs@FensReunited.org.
Please confirm that you have read and understood this webpage by emailing us at Rushall2010Chiefs@FensReunited.org.
Blue Sky
Rad and Craig
Rushall2010Chiefs@FensReunited.org
Friday, 1 January 2010
Some Pictures
A few pictures from the camp site and surrounds
An autumn camp at the site.
A local back road.
Camping there in the spring.
Nearby sheep during lambing.
a path through the site.
If you want more please feel free to email us at Rushall2010Chiefs@FensReunited.org.
Blue Sky
Rad and Craig
Rushall2010Chiefs@FensReunited.org
An autumn camp at the site.
A local back road.
Camping there in the spring.
Nearby sheep during lambing.
a path through the site.
If you want more please feel free to email us at Rushall2010Chiefs@FensReunited.org.
Blue Sky
Rad and Craig
Rushall2010Chiefs@FensReunited.org
Riding Videos
On the local tracks and roads
A few videos of local tracks and roads taken by helmet cam. They show a degree of what we'll be riding through. Most of these are very jumpy, which shows some route roughness, but also that it's hard to take these videos!
This video was taken just south of Compton going west then south.
And this one was just a few hundred yards south on Green Hams Lane.
On the other side of the Thames it is equally hilly going through Hammonds Wood.
Further north is the Ridgeway and associated tracks where roughly hewn ruts make riding easy and sometimes a lot harder.
If you want more please feel free to email us at Rushall2010Chiefs@FensReunited.org.
Blue Sky
Rad and Craig
Rushall2010Chiefs@FensReunited.org
A few videos of local tracks and roads taken by helmet cam. They show a degree of what we'll be riding through. Most of these are very jumpy, which shows some route roughness, but also that it's hard to take these videos!
This video was taken just south of Compton going west then south.
And this one was just a few hundred yards south on Green Hams Lane.
On the other side of the Thames it is equally hilly going through Hammonds Wood.
Further north is the Ridgeway and associated tracks where roughly hewn ruts make riding easy and sometimes a lot harder.
If you want more please feel free to email us at Rushall2010Chiefs@FensReunited.org.
Blue Sky
Rad and Craig
Rushall2010Chiefs@FensReunited.org
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