Posts Tagged ‘Leeds’

Two a breast

Last weekend the Aversion trails trip got well and truly splendid. On the Monday myself, Ollie Gun and his buddy Tom decided to split off and take up Dan’s offer of a shindig up Brighouse. These photos are an accumulation of evidence of this statement.

Barlow driving, Dan second carriage

These photo’s didn’t come out to great. I forgot my flash equipment, which meant ISO 400 and high apertures getting rinsed out fully. Stayed at Dan’s house Sunday night with some Northern monkeys from Newcastle. I’m rubbish with names, so we shall call them PJ and Duncan. Both PJ and Duncan were full on awesome chaps.

Choo choo

The jumps were riding amazing, so I found it hard to tear myself from my bike. The day consisted of lots of trains, which are always fun, especially on mint jumps with awesome people.

Ollie Gun wafting

Brighouse has the best chilling area ever, including a dialled BBQ. We hit up some sweet food, and it turned to quite a session, with a busy BBQ all day and lots of people eating, drinking, riding jumps and being merry. This hip is the jump before last in the most ridden line, the back line, and is really fun. Some guy on an FBM was boosting the shiznit out of it.

Kent wafting

Last weekend was the first time I’d ever met Clarke and Kent, and we saw them all three days of the trip. Kent was adamant you wouldn’t catch him spinning jumps, but definitely boosts everything in his way.
Mike Hill and Kent rode the big line all the way through that day too. The last jump is huge, about 24’ x 7’ with a massive flat bottom before. First time Mike sent it, he was pumping the roots on that flat ground, nose dived the shit out of it and came in perfect. Amazing whilst really scary.

Unknown brakeless moto

It’s really good to visit northern jumps, because different rules seem to apply. You rarely see straightened hair, there’s less kickouts and there’s definitely not a version of Timmy laying in the woods in Will Hermann’s sleeping bag, looking like Worzel Gummage…

Ollie boosting

Ollie loves these jumps as much as I did, they’re too fun. I like the lighting on this picture of him tucking, although flash would have helped on the rider. Forgetful never got anyone anywhere, or something. The lighting looks like dawn. I’m really pleased with the saturation of tucks, bar tweaks and just straight jumps in this update. For me, that is the essence of riding jumps that I’ve loved since day one.

Rich Barlow coasting through

This is from the lighter area at the start of the lines, and gives a little view of a small number of the sets on offer. The hip in this picture is one of my favourite jumps of all time, so much fun and amazing for tables, really steep lip and lander. The lip shows just how smooth the jumps are, that jump is like glass. Honestly the smoothest surfaces in an English woods. Plus I’ve always been a great fan of greenery all over the jumps.
Many thanks to Dan for putting us up Sunday night, his amazing power shower, the wonderful day on Monday and for building some of the best jumps in the world. I have photos from different places to update with so expect a few over the next week or so. If that’s an offer you can refuse then you’re quite plainly bonkers. Good day to you sir’s and madam’s.

It?s been a little while since my last update, but I think I?ve got a few gems for you. Last weekend Ollie and I went up to Bristol for a party in student halls, Turns out it was ?80?s vs. new rave? themed, and ended up being pretty funny. Everyone was pretty mediocre, just sitting about; we got wild, drank a bunch of wine and danced the night away. Met some weirdo girl who was doing psychology or summit, and kept analysing everyone?s behaviour, pretty weird if you ask me. On the way to Ollie?s house we saw this sign, which Jesus will get stoked on. He loves Pimms, and would drink nothing but it, if he could.

Saw some amazing views on the way into Bath on the Friday, but didn?t have the camera out. We took a different route home, where the views weren?t so spectacular, but were pretty photogenic none the less.

This weekend Jesus, Ollie and I headed up to Leeds to stay with some rad guys. They have mud lumps in private woods, locked up and very professionally kept. Maybe the best jumps I?ve ever had the opportunity to see and ride. Here?s a small snippet of the masses of jumps on offer.

Dan is the guy we stayed with, and is one of the most hospitable hosts ever. He put us up at his house, let us ride his jumps and took us to a Shameless-esque party. He builds the majority of stuff in the woods himself with help from a small crew of other people. He said to me that if you want a place like that, you have to get off your ass, take charge and do it yourself, which is very true. Dan has these woods really dialled in, has some real good stunts with it, and is one of the nicest guys I?ve ever met. Here he performs the timeless act of the tabletop over the fifth in the line that we mainly rode that day.

Paul Chapman a.k.a. Chappers is one sickhead. You might remember a picture of him turndowning out of Kings Park over the back rails real high. Dan?s jumps are his local place, and boy does it show. Going many feet higher than anyone else, with a dialled style, and enough cranked tricks. His turndowns are crazy, his body goes into place real quickly, and then he sits there whilst the bars go round real far. The boys got skills.

This jumps was amazing, only straight one in the line I think, and pretty much a giant box jump. Chappers sent some twists over it, which he claimed were ?stiff?. I think not. A few of the locals and me also rode their big line, and the last one riding in the line was a twenty footer. I was pretty scared just jumping it, and Chappers twisted it. I didn?t have the camera to hand, but it was pretty insane.

Pete has the best sideburns in BMX, if not the world. Fact. He raced since he was 7, and has skills. Racers most of the jumps, but flows so smooth its unreal. This is far from the best picture I?ve ever taken, but it?s the only one I had of Pete.

This is another shabby photo of Chappers lookbacking the hip in the line everyone was riding. I only had the camera out for about twenty minutes, and should have spent some more time shooting really. The problem was the jumps were so good I couldn?t stop myself riding all day.

We barbequed all day in the woods, on the home made BBQ, with hot plate and everything. They even have an in the ground safe with sauces, bog roll, etc in, and a dialled seating area to chill, with benches and home made slate seating. We went to a garden party for some guy going to the army on Saturday evening. The guy?s dad force fed us even more BBQ food, which most people reluctantly force fed themselves. The army guy and his brother got into a tussle over the music being played, and as they started tussling Jitterbug came on. One of them came back over to us afterwards and said ?anyone want a fucking copy of this??. One of those moments that you had to be there for, but was absolutely priceless.

Chappers also does some of the best one foot inverts ever, and is more than happy to perform for the camera. His little brother Sam also rides, and is just 14 years old. He?s more stocky than me, and has a deeper voice, and is one day going to be a savage. He also shreds on a bike, and by the time he even leaves school will be unreal. He?s quite quiet, but a funny kid. He told us how they give out ?yellow cards? for bad behaviour at school, and that he had gotten loads, one for sending the girl on the next computer to him an e-mail saying get your tits out. He was also quoted saying ?I?m riding shit. I hate my fucking life? on Saturday! The last photo I took on the day was one of him doing a dialled double can, which he held for ages. If you know Sam Chapman, show him this picture.
Thanks a lot to the Northern guys for having us this weekend, especially Dan for everything. Raddest weekend in a long while, I had so much fun. Until next time, here?s young Sam.