Devon TRF Group Forum

doug9270 · Powermonger!!

Camping on the back of the National TRF

fubar · Novice

He even promotes this on Facebook that it's an official TRF ride out. He's doing about 8 weekend rideouts for about £300 per person, absolutely scandalous!!

jt · Powermonger!!

More than that going on...... hmm

katyotter · Novice

fubar wrote:
He even promotes this on Facebook that it's an official TRF ride out. He's doing about 8 weekend rideouts for about £300 per person, absolutely scandalous!!

So how does he get away with that? Don't mind what he charges - that's between him and his clients - but I object to the 'official TRF ride out' bit! disbelief

Blueray · Clubman A

This question has been just asked on the national forum as well but as yet know answer

Pete · Devon's Best

Perhaps he is making a donation to the TRF from his profits. You can dream can't you.

Wouldn't be the first private enterprise claiming to support the TRF but taking money away instead.

Certainly looks like a clash of interest to me.

Devon Coast to Coast anyone instead of a TRF fundraiser?

TTR · Powermonger!!

Pete wrote:
Devon Coast to Coast anyone instead of a TRF fundraiser?

Funny you should suggest that Pete coz that's my way of thinking. Trail riding "happenings" that takes us back to our roots (routes?) wink

It was interesting that Devon TRF members paid to take part in this year's A2E.......

Brian

wackyracer · Powermonger!!

Yes excellent idea we could go up to see jocko wink biggrin

If ya time it right should be able to join up with the Scottish six days smile

how many pasties would we need to carry wink

Tigerman · Expert

TTR wrote:
Pete wrote:
Devon Coast to Coast anyone instead of a TRF fundraiser?
Funny you should suggest that Pete coz that's my way of thinking. Trail riding "happenings" that takes us back to our roots (routes?)
It was interesting that Devon TRF members paid to take part in this year's A2E.......
Brian

Top idea, I think we would get a lot of interest in a coast to Coast weekend fundraiser. smile

wackyracer · Powermonger!!

i've done a coat to coast twice now, others have too, some have more recently wink biggrin biggrin

Something that i'm sure someone will volunteer to organise

Camping for the men

B+B for the seniors

hotels for the girls

Boys will slump in a hedge after the pub wink

Jocko AKA Simmo · Clubman B

wackyracer wrote:
Yes excellent idea we could go up to see jocko

If you break down I'll recover you. If you need somewhere to stay I can sort that too. I don't do sexual gratification but there are plenty of easy going foreign types. I'll point you in the right direction.

Pete · Devon's Best

Tigerman wrote:
TTR wrote:
Pete wrote:
Devon Coast to Coast anyone instead of a TRF fundraiser?
Funny you should suggest that Pete coz that's my way of thinking. Trail riding "happenings" that takes us back to our roots (routes?)
It was interesting that Devon TRF members paid to take part in this year's A2E.......
Brian
Top idea, I think we would get a lot of interest in a coast to Coast weekend fundraiser.

The point being that since someone has already organised a Devon Coast to Coast at £275 per rider with apparently only 10 places left it seems unlikely there would be enough interest to make a Devon TRF C2C event worthwhile. Unless of course we undercut the price charged by Mark Kinnard trading as www.adventuretrailriding.co.uk and pinch his customers, but since his event is only a few weeks away we have missed the boat there. I wonder if he has anyone local to do the guiding or if he is just relying on using the DTRFG overlays as a basis to cobble together a route for sat navs?

Absolutely astonished that any locals would pay to ride in the A2E when they could be guided around the same lanes for free on virtually any other weekend.

There do seem to be far more people prepared to pay to ride than organise for nothing. While I am happy to lead I have grave misgivings about taking money for it, and indeed my insurance would be invalidated.

gaschef · Devon's Best

Pete wrote:
Tigerman wrote:
TTR wrote:
Pete wrote:
Devon Coast to Coast anyone instead of a TRF fundraiser?
Funny you should suggest that Pete coz that's my way of thinking. Trail riding "happenings" that takes us back to our roots (routes?)
It was interesting that Devon TRF members paid to take part in this year's A2E.......
Brian
Top idea, I think we would get a lot of interest in a coast to Coast weekend fundraiser.
The point being that since someone has already organised a Devon Coast to Coast at £275 per rider with apparently only 10 places left it seems unlikely there would be enough interest to make a Devon TRF C2C event worthwhile. Unless of course we undercut the price charged by Mark Kinnard trading as www.adventuretrailriding.co.uk and pinch his customers, but since his event is only a few weeks away we have missed the boat there. I wonder if he has anyone local to do the guiding or if he is just relying on using the DTRFG overlays as a basis to cobble together a route for sat navs?
Absolutely astonished that any locals would pay to ride in the A2E when they could be guided around the same lanes for free on virtually any other weekend.
There do seem to be far more people prepared to pay to ride than organise for nothing. While I am happy to lead I have grave misgivings about taking money for it, and indeed my insurance would be invalidated.

Could always try and find out the route and put a few decoy riders in place to help show them the way to get split up and lost.

Padowan · Clubman B

People often believe that they are getting a better service or experience when they are paying for it than when it comes for free as the outfir providing the service must be more professional. It's usually not the case, but there's a perception of quality and a sence that something paid for is somehow more official than a freebie.

Pete · Devon's Best

The behaviour of paying punters can be that of people who are not expecting to return and behave accordingly. I have seen an arrogant disregard for local sensitivities and sensibilities displayed which can replect very poorly on the TRF and trail riding generally. Indiscreet wheelies and the like may just be 'a bit of fun' but do us no favours.

John Deacon's trail riding tours antagonised quite a few people around the Saltash area and when the venture moved to Wheeldon the local lanes suffered from over use leading to muddy sections developing which had never before been a problem.

Monty · Clubman B

Small poiint, Pete, but Wheeldons planning permission for the whole business contains a clause preventing them from riding any green lanes within 5km of the farm. The idea was to lessen the impact to locals, and reduce the usage on the lanes in the AONB. They dont take out big groups - max 6 customers at a time, and I believe try to vary the routes they ride to prevent themselves being accused of causing over use. The green laning is a small part of their busuness, and certainly doesnt happen every weekend. Theres alot of lanes fround this area, as you well know, but there are alot of people, TRF, non TRF, as well as Wheeldon customers, using them aswell.

Pete · Devon's Best

The clause denying Wheeldon the right to hold trail riding events during the easter period caused problems for the T2T last time meaning we had to start elsewhere. If they were welcomed by the locals this would not have been an issue. Never heard about the 5km clause. Wishful thinking really with the lane running through their yard.

It may well be coincidence that the lanes near them have developed berms where there were previously none, and I have only been riding around here for a couple of decades so I may be jumping to conclusions.

To be fair I have not encountered any of their groups which does surprise me. I met John Deacon and a corporate outing on large GS's once and entertained them by falling off in the ford outside the pub at Ashprington where they were having lunch.

They do an excellent job hosting the Ten Tors special test in their indoor motx track, and Section 4 onto and off the trailer and over the boulders and pipes is a hoot, not sure whether they charge the Totnes Motor club or regard it as good targeted advertising.

Wheeldon are as you say not concentrating on guided trail riding, just as well probably.
I considered offering my services as a guide but do not want to mix business and pleasure.

Monty · Clubman B

They are not allowed to use the lower part of the lane, only the surfaced bit that leads up the hill from the farm. To reach their outdoor track, on their road legal machines, they have had to make a separate track across the private land adjoining the lane.