Operation: Convert a Snowboarder

Here's the scenario.  For the past couple of years we've had pretty good snow here in the Midlands and with fingers crossed, we'll get some more this winter.  Each time it snows, Allestree Park gets a reasonable number of snowboarders, a popular destination due to its reasonably long and steep slope (fairway) and its close proximity to Derby city centre.  Weather conditions last November were especially bad and so venturing out further into the peaks was particularly sketchy.

The plan this time round is very similar to last years - to chat to as many snowboarders as possible and explain that we ride these hills and the surrounding area all year round, and ultimately to try and convert some of them to the dirt-side.  This time however, I'll be a little more organised and will be arming myself with a few ATBA flyers with the facebook derby details scribbled on the back.  Maybe it'll be worth laminating them so they don't get wrecked in the snow.......

Its worth keeping some flyers to hand generally for those occasions when you get chatting to the dog walkers and a selection of promotional material can be downloaded from the ATBA-UK website.
So, fingers crossed we get some reasonable snow some time this winter, and perhaps we'll get some new riders in the area.  Watch this space.....

Allestree Park - Not a Write Up!!!!

Not a write-up, because I'm sure others are doing a similar thing, plus I'd be biassed, plus I disappeared at 5pm so can't report on the shenanigans taking place later on.  Plus I forgot to take any actual photos, so not in the best position to do the day justice really!

But really good session, even despite me breaking my face, then my brake during the warm-up riding; Scott breaking his top-hanger on the tree-stump jump, Andy doing exactly the same, only an hour after telling me how he'd never broken a single item of kit ever, and then Simon getting a stick in the forehead, despite wearing a full face!

We tackled a lot that Allestree had to offer as well as kick back and have a really good catch-up with a few old faces.  It was great just to see people tackling stuff for the first time that I was so familiar with.  With the good weather on top of things, you couldn't ask for more.  Some sick riding all through with everyone giving it all - all very impressive!

So, a big thanks then really to everyone that turned up, listed below in the order I met them!

Organisers Mark and Jenna,
Chris and Fillipo, all the way from Preston and Peterborough,
Scott, representing the 'Dirt Doesn't Melt' blog.
Simon and Lisa all the way from Plymouth representing PUATB,
Dan, Roger, Smilie in the Remolition fun bus
Surfing Dirt mod Jasper and mate Jay,
Good mate and soon to be married, Phill,
Andy all the way from Newcastle.
And local lad Jeff (Geoff?) who came with his Scrub Quasar to see what we were all up to.

Apologies if I forgot anyone but there were just so many!  Further media has been promised by various news outlets so I'll link them to here soon.

Cheers all, hope to see you on the slopes again soon!x

Edit: Media

http://dirtdoesntmelt.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/videos-from-the-weekend/

http://www.puatb.pixeldistort.co.uk/

http://www.remolition.com/features/field-reports/303-allestree-april-11-photo-diary.html

Allestree Park - this Saturday (9th April)

An event that was planned a long, long time ago, seems to have suddenly come around - Allestree Park this Saturday!

In case you haven't seen the Facebook events page, the plan is to be there 12ish onwards. I will/can be there earlier either in case anyone wants an early session, and also to clear the main tracks. Early starters - let me know!

If the weather is bad/tracks are running slow/people want a change of scenery, then the back-up plan is Hemlock stone. Maps to both places are on the FB link above.

The site is a big old wood on top of a hill with a golf course below. The golf course is public ground so is rideable as long as we stay off the greens and don't take the piss. However, my gut feeling is that most people will be in the woods.

The woods runs are typically couple of hundred metres in length, but vary hugely depending on which features you want to hit. Quite a few lines are well defined, but there's plenty of variation and alternate bits.

Think I've covered everything. My understanding is that the Plymouth Uni crew are up all weekend, so don't worry about us all buggering off too early if you have a longish journey! ;-D

Brother Rob should be down to shoot some footage. No cable cam, but should be HD!

Right, videos....


Derby 10-10 from Simon Neck on Vimeo.



Other videos that may or may not work depending on FB settings:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video....85322&comments

http://www.facebook.com/video/video....subj=692625321

http://www.facebook.com/video/video....subj=692625321

So... hope to see you there. Any more questions, please shout!

If you've no place to go....

...let it snow, let it snow, let it snow (and go snowboarding!)

Sorry for the lack of updates recently, but I really have been out having too much fun.  Turns out that buying snowboard kit in August was a very good move indeed and that being snowed in has plenty of advantages.

However, all play and no work makes for a very rubbish blog, so please make do in the meantime with a few words and lots of pictures, plus a bonus video from Rob who sacrificed his camera in the process.  I think he thinks it was worth it..... 

PUATB Tear Up Allestree...

Follow up from here...


Derby 10-10 from Simon Neck on Vimeo.

Nicely done lads!

Plymouth University ATB in the Midlands

http://www.puatb.pixeldistort.co.uk/

I'm a big supporter to going out and riding with other people at other people's spots.  It's good for riding new terrain, broadening your horizons and meeting new people (obviously!).
It's also great when new people come and session your local spot.  It's very easy to get stuck into riding similar lines over and over and sometimes looking at what you already have with fresh eyes can really add new life to a location.

So it was this weekend when I heard that Mark, Morgan and Simon from PUATB were in the area and could I suggest some local spots.  Hmmm, always tricky when you don't know peoples skill level, expectations or riding styles  - "one mans awesome is another mans lame" and all that.

Allestree Park was suggested.  It is local, easy to get to; has a couple of ramps and drop off's for those who like a bit of air; it has the golf fairways for beginners or those that like big carving sessions with a few bunkers thrown in; and for everyone else, it has the woods.
Now, I like the woods.  It has a distinct lack of golfers, and has lots of lines for you to shake a stick at.  Fortunately, the Plymouth lads liked the woods too and watching the three of them riding three different lines down was a joy to behold.  I was less impressed with the three bikers straight-lining it from top to bottom, brakes screeching all the way.  Gah!  Though what they made of us speed-checking and interlacing through the trees without brakes, I don't know.

It's a shame I couldn't stay out longer than an hour or so.  Not only was the mother-in-law over (yes a good excuse to stay out, but it looks suspicious if she turns up and I immediately go out boarding), but I'd only padded up lightly assuming incorrectly that the lads would do what the majority of the locals do and stick to the golf course.  Daft really as I can't resist a bit of freeride and bashed my knee in the process.  Idiot!!
Hey ho, nice little session, great to meet the lads, and I understand their plan of action was to carry on up into the peak district for a bit of riding / camping / riding. Hope this all worked out well!

We had a bit of filming in the woods that may or may not turn up in the future.  In the meantime, if you want to check out some of PUATB's recent exploits, then I suggest you check out their website:
http://www.puatb.pixeldistort.co.uk/
which has plenty of videos to be getting on with.

Allestree Photos

Couple of photos linked to from:
http://www.atbsports.co.uk/msgboard/viewtopic.php?p=76818#p76818

If you go down to the (Allestree) woods today....take a saw

Good session Sunday morning. Really quite slippery - the kind where when walking back up the track you can see the exact point where tyre marks turn into arse marks, but not surprising given the recent wet weather.  Top of the hill ran the quickest due to better drainage and with the predicted bad weekend weather there weren't too many dog walkers.  Unfortunately, recent winds seem to have blown over a few trees here and there including one across one of the main woodlands downhill tracks.

Fortunately, it was the upper end of the tree but it will still take cutting through around three 9 inch trunks and a load of shifting to clear, or at the very least a whole load of smaller branches to chop back so as to not get snagged on when bunny hopping the larger parts.  I'm hopeful that with a load of recent ranger development in the area that one of them will cut it down into manageable parts sometime soon, but since there has been signs going up around the top discouraging people from leaving the main paths, perhaps they will leave it alone.....Hence the need for a saw!

An upshot of all this was the new requirement to take a couple of slower, but more technical lines around the edge, which with the amount of woodland foliage led to some lovely deep drifting carves and as an alternative was arguably is more fun to that of the (would be quick but actually slow this time of year) line straight through the centre.

Still got a couple of runs in mind that I think will be running great given a bit of time and sunny weather, but in the meantime you've got to make the best of what you've got, and thankfully it's all good stuff.

Making Tracks, Riding 9 inchers and Cycle Derby

Everyone seems to be getting sick of the snow round here, but I love it!  Not only does it completely alter the landscape in a way no other British weather can, riding at night torch-less with a full moon lighting up the snow lined tracks is great fun!

Thursday night / Friday morning brought down a dumping of snow; too much to play golf in, too little to sledge on, just right to ride on.  Slapped on the new Primos onto the MBS and off into the wilderness.
On the open fairways the going was good with no so much speed, but enough of the back end twitching to get the heart rate raised a little.  Further fun on the regular wooded runs where despite quite a lot of rain in the last week was drained sufficiently and running well enough to keep things interesting with only the worst boggy areas killing speed.  Found a couple of new lines that on their own don't amount to much, but when linked together (and in good, dry weather I'm sure they will) should amount to a nice varied run with a few ways to mix things up.

Was about to leave for the morning, happy with a good 3 hours in the woods when met a fella called Pete on his mountain bike doing an afternoons off-road ride with local kids on behalf of Cycle Derby, a group set up to encourage cycling around Derby (funnily enough).  Two bits of interesting information emerged; that he was keen to work with Derby City to possibly set aside an area of woodland specifically for a bit of biking (fingers crossed for downhill), and that his misses was a mountain boarder.  Left him my business card so hopefully if anything emerges from this, or if s/he knows any good downhill tracks, to let me know.  Watch this space.

In a last bit of good news, I'm in a bit of trouble with work for not taking enough holiday this year!  Will have to get my thinking cap on as to how best use this time and where.....I know I've got a list of destinations that need ticking off and they're all quite hilly!

Allestree Park

Work in progress......

Allestree Park, situated just off the A6 between Derby and Duffield is a nice location for free ride mountain boarding having everything to wide grassy slopes to off the path darting through the trees. Due to the size of the park it is not unknown for people to struggle to find other people who have turned up earlier or to find particular fun features.

It should be noted that while the majority of the wide open spots are associated with the golf club, the locals have a habit of walking where they like, and the public footpaths are a little ambiguious. So, mind the golf balls, and don't worry about the rangers - I've never had a run in with anyone. Just don't mess up the greens, right?!

Anyway, firstly parking can be one of three main parking spots:
Parking 1 - Off the A6 when signposted for the park. Follow the road along and either follow it left towards the big car park space, or park before it turns left by the tree and access the site on foot along the path. The parking spot of choice for those who like to climb first, ride downhill back. If you believe local legend, be careful of the doggers.
Parking 2 - Top of the hill with access straight into 'Big Wood'. Can get busy at weekends though is probably the best spot for getting to the fun the quickest. Is indicated on the 'sketch' below.
Parking 3 - Just another alternative. No specific parking; the dog walkers just park at the end of this lane before wandering onto the park. I also mention this spot as I believe that there is potential in the path directly west of this location, but that further investigation is required.

Lovingly stolen from the ATBSports forum is the following sketch showing several locations:
Its roughly correct and indicates Parking Location #2 above. Whilst it shows many of the features available, it is in no way exhaustive and many other areas should be explored depending on what type of riding is preferred. Hopefully a fuller map will be put together by myself before too long...
But for starters, several features can be found by following a rough line between the water tower (found by following the road from Parking Location 2 north) and the M of 'Main Slope', including a new I found at the weekend that drops off sharply to begin with and then runs for approximately 60 metres through the trees following the tree line to the east. Very nice to ride after a bit of wet weather as it makes the ground very forgiving and opens up more lines that might have been previously a bit beyond the abilities.
The main slope itself starts nicely dropping sharply away from the greens a couple of times but then is a little featureless and a little too shallow for anyone with a little experience unless you seek out the undulations here and there. May benefit from larger tyres??

There is plenty to go on here, so best thing is to give it a go and report back here or on the ATBSports forums. I'll try and update post when possible.