Monday 25 March 2013

FORTH FAT; 4 Weeks to go...



Countdown has begun to the Forth UK Fat Bike Gathering on April 27th  28th April 2013...

Stickers are done, free to those that make it, T Shirts and Hoodies now available on the UK Fatbike Website, we just need to hope the weather is good to show our County in its glory...

The 4th UK Fat Bike Gathering comes here to my home town, The Victorian Seaside Town of North Berwick in East Lothian.
Situated just down the road from the City of Edinburgh East Lothian is often missed by motorists as they buzz up the East coast on the A1 to the bustling Capital.
Often referred to as `The Gem of Scotland` or `Garden of Scotland`  our little County is Home to the Birth place of the Saltire Flag,
Scotland's first Local Nature Reserve at Aberlady,
Scenic Victorian fishing harbours,
The Bass Rock Island - Guardian of the Firth of Forth Estuary,
Home to the oldest Golf Course in the world and many famous Links Golf Courses
Fidra Island - Inspiration for author Robert Lewis Stevenson's famous book `Treasure Island`
Victorian Seaside Towns with stunning Architecture
The Worlds smallest Commercial Harbour,
Just some of the stuff that can be seen from our coastline of stunning scenery and every type of coastal terrain you can get in approx 32 Miles of coastline,


East Lothian has kind of become known as the birth of Fat Bike beach riding here in the UK.
From Scotland's 1st Fat Bike riding the coastline here over 5 years ago to now approx 30 owners  from here in the County and some more around Edinburgh who are out and about sharing the love and fun to be had on these fantastic bikes originally designed for the frozen wastes of the  American northern State Minnesota and Alaska and  also Canada.

The bikes have without doubt far exceeded their original expectation's. Riders all around the World have adapted and used  their Fat Bikes to explore their own back yards and take epic adventures far from the terrain a bicycle would ever be expected to be ridden...

At Forth Fat we hope to show you all who can make it some of the most scenic and varied riding our coast has to offer for Fat bikes, and have 2 days riding to suit everyone who turns up.

Saturday;
We will visit those tiny little midget Submarines out at Aberlady so often featured in our films and pictures,  Ride down the famous `Murder Hill` Dune at Gullane,
Pass by many relics of WW2 Coastal defences that stand today as memorials to those who went to war,
Visit the area that was inspiration to Author Robert Lewis Stevenson,
Ride all types of coastal terrain from hard sand to dunes, shingle, rocks, sandy single track,
All along a coastline below famous Links Courses overlooked by Victorian Houses overlooking the 4 Islands offshore out in the Forth...

A Saturday evening to suit those who drink or do not at a Fish & Chips cafe with a Pub next door for those who wish refreshments...

Sunday;
Sunday we will cycle to the famous Ruins of Tantallon Castle and descend onto the coast and cycle out to the Worlds smallest Harbour at Seacliff, we will ride east along the coast over rocks on different routes for all ability's but still as a group to stop and have a spot of Dune Surfing at Tyninghame for those who want a go...
Then the famous `Secret trail` and more woodland trails for lunch at Whitekirk Golf Course Public Restaurant with a late afternoon finish for those who have far to travel home...

Estimated numbers?, well anywhere between 40 to 60 fatbikes and owners on either day!

Oh we have some VIPs coming too from the USA -:)

It has been confirmed and the flights booked, Eric Sovern and another employee from SURLY Bikes are coming over to the UK for a week and coming to Forth Fat, then riding Charlie BikeMongers Singlespeed event the following weekend after.
For two of the guys who brought us the concept of a production fatbike - The SURLY Pugsley nearly 10 years ago, to come here to Scotland and ride with us all on our coast, share our passions and to show them along with everyone else our backyard and share a beer or two with i am very excited about!,
I plan to try give everyone a weekend to remember...


All details are on the UK FatBike Website here; Forth Fat Gathering



6 comments:

  1. Sweet!

    REALLY looking forward to it. Don't worry about trying to please everyone. It will be AWESOME!

    Cheers

    Sanny

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  2. Be great to see you again Sanny!, -:)

    cheers, Bruce

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  3. Wow! SURLY are coming to East Lothian. Bet you can't wait Bruce!

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  4. Great Bruce. every one needs to know the effort you have put into this whole event!!!

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  5. That sounds like a wicked good time and it's cool to hear that some of the guys from Surly are making it out. I talked to my wife and we just can't swing the trip out this go around, but I hope to someday make one of these rides.

    Kaetwo

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  6. I am indeed del made up that the SURLY guys are coming, along with everyone else!,
    Its not to hard to set up the weekend Hendo, it Kinda organises itself once the basic stuff was sorted, which of course does not include the weather! which we just have to hope for is good on the weekend...
    Kaetwo the coast will always be here, always slightly changing but still the same coast, come visit anytime -:)

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