Aptos, CA

Sounds like I missed the Indian Summer but I'm not too bummed as I've just had an amazing fortnight in California..
I checked out the Post Office jumps at Aptos, Santa Cruz but unfortunately it was a friday lunchtime and no one was riding, check out the new Anthill Films Strength in Numbers trailer to see them being filmed Matrix style....

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/news/article/video-anthill-films-strength-in-numbers-trailer-31302/

R.I.P GA and Cwncarn Hightlights

Ok, loads a happenin' but not much postin'....

First off, during a quick ride up to session GA the other day, Rich and I found it had been partially dismantled by landowners or wardens. Not irreparable but I don't think it would be worth making an attempt to fix for at least a few months, let the dust settle a bit and all.

Secondly I've punched out a very short video of our trip to Cwncarn, the length mainly driven by the short audio sequence I used, but also I'm starting to find long sequences of GoPro footage a chore for me to watch... god only knows what others must think.

It feels like an age since we've all been out for a proper ride, I've stuck some knarly winter tyres on my bike and looking forward to a good muddy hack... enjoy the video and see you out on the trails soon.

Mark2

The Nukeproof Mega

Date : 3rd September 2011
Riders : Grievous Andy, Bish
Location : Leith Hill


So.... after a few weeks of humming and harring over whether or not I really should get another bike and go All Mountain, I eventually tracked down a Nukeproof Mega Demo from our very own local bike store Nirvana Cycles in Westcott!!

Having emailed them on Thursday, got a response Friday, I phoned them up Friday morning to see if it was available Saturday. Thursday they'd just finished building it, Friday it was being taken out for it's first ride, but Saturday was free.... Wow... fantastic - I get to be the second rider on the Nukeproof, even before the shop owner got his hands on it!!

So Saturday morning I arrive at Nirvana ready and willing. Met Bish, and off we went..... WOW!!! To say I liked it would be an understatement... I want one! So much so, I've decided to sell the Stumpy to put funds toward it. Probably only cover the cost of the frame, but hey.... this is love!!

We had a good 4 hours of riding, taking in Leith Hill - wolverns lane, summer lightning, the bomb holes, donny darco, windy willlows, the quarry, personal hygiene, no cycles, regurgitator.... phew - longest piece of riding we'd done in a long time.

We shot some pics and some video - not as polished as Mark Gs produced masterpieces, but they do show me catching some phat air!!!

Only thing to decide now is the colour scheme. Black and yellow? or Black and red? Maybe I could put it to the vote?

Enjoy...... although probably not as much as I did on Saturday!!! :)

Flat Run

Another short video from house of TMT (Too Much Time). This one of a fast flat jump Rich found on the hill. Last of the nice dry conditions... enjoy.

Mark2

Hitler joins Friends of the Hurtwood

Not my doing but very funny...



Mark2

Comedy Central

Mark G’s Excellent Joke

Seeing Rich Hall next week at the Edinburgh Festival will be a real come-down after this topical piece of well crafted humour…..

Mark 2 - Oliver Stone and Andy Best are pleased now they have a Winehouse... Boom Boom...Too soon....?

Mark D - Explain the 'funny bit' of this - I must be missing it....

Mark 2 - I'll stick to my day job then, shall I.

Mark D - Who's Andy Best? And how does he know Oliver Stone? Are they in Hell or Heaven? Do they have lots of loose bottles of wine in need of organised storage? What the freck is this joke ABOUT????? Dude, you are so lucky you bombed on email and not face to face on this one....

Mark G - I'm really sorry I wasted 5 seconds of you're life on this light humoured joke at a slightly inappropriate time for the Winehouse family. Both Ollie and Andrew would of appreciated it and most importantly got it, God bless their souls.
Thanks for ruining my morning.

Bish (ref trailbuilding) – Dude - are you going to come along to this with me? - time-wise if it's a choice between this and riding I'd rather ride!

Mark G - Nah! I'm sulking all weekend after you and Mark didn't get the simple shit joke I sent you. Mark gave me a right rollicking about it and I think he wants to beat me up he's pissed off about it hahahaha

Bish - can you explain it? Don't sulk, it will only increase your gay rep :-)

Mark G - No, I've seen this trap before, you get me to explain it to you, which just gives you more ammo to rip the piss! F**k, sometimes you wish you never got out of bed in the morning!!

Bish - ok up to you if you won't explain, I guess I'll never know...

Mark 2 - OK, Ollie Stone and Andy Best dead actor and footballer, liked a drink or two, Amy Winehouse also now dead and liked a drink! Irrelevant. All on the other side. Ollie and Andy, a bit dry now happy a WineHouse (a place that serves wine maybe?) has appeared!!
Laters

Bish - OK - you mean Ollie Reed and George Best - no wonder I didn't f***in get it!!!!!

Mark G - Oh yeah, Oliver Stone is the director, and Andy Best is a guy I work with. I'm losing it!

Bish - you see now why it doesn't work?

Mark G - Yup, *hangs head in shame* Mark, sorry for my f**k up. I have no excuse. You can verbally abuse me next time we meet.

Mark D - Mate, this chain of mishap and ineptitude is even funnier than the joke would have been had you got it right first time…. The only person I am aware of to have so utterly stuffed a joke up is my mother…Excellent.

UFO update...

In the words of Kiss "I was made for lovin' you baby, Huuuahhh!"
Here it is weighing in at...errr..lots, slacker than a Kevin Smith movie convention and dripping with more attitude than a teenage gang on the corner of a council estate.

Coming to a downhill trail near you soon...

Forest of Dean Video

Aghhh typical, you wait a month for a new blog post, and then 3 come along all at once!

Well, here is a short video of our Forest of Dean trip, attended by Me, Mark, Richard and some top riders from "Head for the Hills" shop.

As Richard mentioned in his last post, an awesome day, and it certainly pushed my limits to the edge.

Enjoy the video.

Mark

Invasion!

Today, out of the haze, this landed in Richards’s driveway! Should we be worried? It hasn't tried to make contact yet! I will monitor the situation closely and report!

Nocolai UFO-ST

Going Downhill Faster

Yesterday, along with Mark's 1 & 2, we headed west on the hottest day of the year to the Forest of Dean to sample the delights of their FlyUp downhill tracks. We met Rog, Dunc and Sam there and a few other Surrey Hills riders were also along for the day.

The trails are superb: steep, fast, rooty, technical and with plenty of variation. Some bits are like our own trails, some much more like Cwm Carn and the "trail centre" has a really nice vibe, no doubt helped by the superb weather.

Plenty of crashes, plenty of mechanicals, plenty of laughs - I can't wait to go back. I'm sure Mark2 will be posting a YouTube highlights sensation soon enough but here's a couple of photos of Sam's spectacular crash to whet your appetite in the meantime....