Perfect Birthday Weekend!

Well Thursday was my last day at work last week, so i was looking forward to a few shandies on Thursday night with my brears! We hit up the student union which is always good for a laugh in attendance were Warren, Will, Alec, Ally, Oliver Cooper, Matt & Max.. After getting warmed up on cheap watered down beer and witnessing many students paraletic by 10pm, we were ready to walk down to the Plug. The plug on a Thursday is a bit indie, bit cheesey, and a bit of a pit, but nonetheless we were on form, throwing some big shapes on the dance floor and wooing the crowds with our unparallelled dance off skills..

A few gin and tonics would have you believe anything..

It was a funny night and it was cool to really catch up with Will its been too long bruv! I owed him a massive amount as he hoooked me up 27% off my new iMac which, i must add is amazing! Boo yar!

Friday rolled around and after a little lie in til about 10am i got up, freshened up, and got to grips with my iMac, i had some problems with it at first but they're sorted now, and i'd like to forget about them and MOVE ON! haha

Anyway its up and running and i'll be installing windoze on it later so i can run Autodesk product. Sorry Mac.

Lauren came round Friday night and we just chilled out, grabbed an Indian and had some wine. Saurday morning RB.com was in the area so i travelled up to get rad for him at the Bolehills for some pictures, he always takes incredible pictures and these were no exception. Check out his website www.richardbaybutt.com. Fresh skills.



After a couple of hours Lauren and I rushed home, got our stuff together and headed out to go-ape. I've never been before and it was wicked fun, its basically a tree top assault course, with big old zip lines, balancing wires, tarzan swings and stuff like that, you are always harnessed in, so its very safe, you'd have to be incredibly stupid or utterly negligent to fall off. The tarzan swing here had a 5 foot freefall which was pretty scary as you were jumpng off a platform 40 feet up in the trees, with nothing grabbing you for a second, its pretty nuts!

After go-ape Lauren and I were booked into Holmefield Guest House near Bakewell, it was real nice, the lady that owned it was very welcoming, she booked us into a nice Italian in Bakewell and it was very relaxing. In the height of passion i managed to destroy a pot-pourri pot, but i told her and she was alright, she probably picked it up for 50p down the flea market! It was a modernists worst nightmare!

Awesome breakfast on Sunday morning too! Then Lauren rushed off to play football but i had to go to the apple store in meadowhall (after-sales at Apple are incredible) and then rode to Bolehills and had an hour got the triple on the 3rd straight laid out - YES! All in all a wicked weekend, nice and varied, trying some new stuff, saw plenty of my brothers from other mothers and spent some good quality time with Lauren, it seems ages ago that we had any time to ourselves.



Thanks to everyone that i saw.. This weeks plan, eat healthy, get pysched, Cheddar is on!

Suffering Crumpets Man, I'm 25!

Well, this is it, the 2-5. Quarter of a century. Halfway to 50. To be honest with you, the older I get, the happier I get, I feel as though i haven't even gotten near the peak of what i can do. Age is something a lot of people let get in the way of things, but I'm still without any real ties, no children and no mortgage, no serious debt, i'm at an age where the world is still my oyster and is more accessible, and I can't wait to explore more of it.

So, 25 years old, and I don't feel old at all, in fact, completely the opposite.

Tonight will consist of gates at the Bolehills, a few drinks with my friends, then a day off tomorrow to ride my bike, and chill out, then a wicked weekend planned with Lauren, should be a treat! Go-Ape!

MK Super Regional!

Well another weekend, another race - this time it was super-regional, between the South and East Anglia.. Being from the Midlands region i was the odd one out, (among a few others..) So i was taken under the wing of The Peterborough Club as an honourary member for the day! Almost 300 riders on the day and aghain combined 19+ and Elite class meant there was almost 50 riders to contend with! That meant quarters! Busier than most of the nationals last year!



The track is pretty boring, but it always makes for fast, tight racing, the corners are flat, the jumps are small, but the speed is high, this can only lead to the eventuality of a great deal of crashing, and spectating at MK will always give you a crash here and there - guaranteed!



I had some pretty tough motos by the looks of things and was feeling pretty tired after a big road ride on Saturday, i had one of those days on the bike where it felt as though i didn't have chain on (In the Words of Lance Armstrong) there was no effort and i felt i could go forever. I clocked up more miles than i really should have and come Sundays first few practise laps they were reminding me of the previous days expo!

Anyway racing got underway eventually and i made it through the motos with ease getting 2 2 & 2. Quarter finals rolled round and i pulled an okay one, a few big guns in there in the form of Routeledge, Alan Hill, Richardson, & Mills off the top of my head. I managed a 2 spot and a clear way into the semi final - stoked!

Semi final came about and i was rewarded lane 6 for my efforts, on the outside of me i had Ben Forwood and on the inside in lane 5 i had Chris "mecca bingo" Mapp. I got an okay gate as i had been getting all day but Ben was pulling hard and he had to get across needless to say i got cut-off, i was midpack and struggling for a chance at that important 4th spot, i thought i saw my chance in the final turn went high to rail to try and pass Routeledge, but i got pushed up, that was me done i rolled from there on in and a spot in the B final.

I arrived at MK for 10:30am I was setting up on the gate for my final at 6:30pm.. I was pooped! I got lane 8 too - thanks! I tried down the first straight and then i just jogged it on! II normally don't ever give in, but i really had had enough! So i rolled in for a 7th spot! Still, 15th out of almost 50 was pretty good still.

Thanks to Steve Bodey for the pics - Sick as always!

And a great weekend seeing my peeps, my folks and my girl. Big love!




Also ordered my new 20" iMac.. Awesome! :)

Its a BMX extravaganza!

Been riding loads recently and its been awesome, getting on the recovery road rides with my blogspot brother Warren, although i do tend to get carried away and steam up the hills.. I'll always wait for though brother! Last night a few sessioned Mansfield and we had gates, Tuffy and Hibbert my arch rival were in attendance, to be honest, he was looking a little weak, he had me on most gates, but not by much, come Cheddar i think he'll be lagging.. Sorry John, the truth stinks right? Tuffy was pulling hard and jumping with his usual effortless steezo. Milly was pulling for an old git, my TM Rich Camm was there 4Xing it up and looking good, and getting back on it from an injury at Chicksands, blingest man in BMX Mark DingoBMX was in the place and getting the old school snaps down to a tea. Was a good session and i felt 80% of my gates were decent. I actually enjoy gates now, i used to hate them as i was always crappy getting an initial snap.



^^^^Bubba has an awesome gate, awesome rider.

Tonight i hit up Chessy and sessioned with my house mate Ally and Tuffy again, who was attempting to double in from the first roller on the 1st straight into the double and double out to the 4th roller.. no shit, this line is huge and Tuffy is on point right now, he ain't skeeeeeered!! Good session again tonight, legs feel tired but i'm happy!

Tomorrow night gates and sessions at the Bolehills, be there! Support grass roots BMX!

MK this weekend, i'm hoping for good weather as the Hayes vibe was sick, the EA crew always throw down a good race, so it should be good.

Time for bed now, ciao for now!

Galápagos Islands.

My Mum and Dad just returned from a trip of a lifetme to the Galápagos islands just off of South America, near Ecuador. My Dad was 51 this year and my Mum 49. I hope when I reach their age I am able to visit amazing places like this, and see what they have over the last couple of weeks. They have worked damn hard for us whilst we were all growing up, and now we aren't dependant on them financially (well, not that much anyway, eh Lauren?!) they can have these incredible experiences. They are both awesome! Some pictures from the trip.. Amazing!

Bolehills Sessions Underway!

Ning Ning ning!


The first official session at Bolehills went down yesterday and it was awesome!

All the locals yoots were in attendance, plus the Sheffield-wide famous Oliver Cooper.. You may know of him? Warren dusted the cob-webs off his Aitken to come and session and looked as though he has never been away. Alec was back in town ad looked stylish through the 1st straight, Ally was nailing the 1st straight with new found confidence, the German was their showing off his shiny new Commencal, the flash git. He looked as though he had more room than on his Orange, and he looked like he was having fun!

Mooonbaay was in the place and his knee looked a lot better and he had the BMX smile back on his face.

Paddy was off buying a pram. Perhaps.

Bauer, Dad at 15 was looking fast as always, even went home for a little spritz between sprints. He learnt everything from me that lad.. Apart from young fatherhood at an early age of course.

Membership forms were flying out my bag like hot cakes, everyone wants a piece of Bolehills.. And so do you - Don't deny it!

Every Thursday from now until the gloom sets back in we will be there represnting. Come say hello, and have a little ride!

My ankle gave me some grief, but you can't keep a good man down!

France Roadtrip 2007

A little behind schedule here I think!

Please check out my write up for the France road trip - An awesome trip! It got published on a UK BMX race site, which i was quite pleased about!

http://www.bmx-race.co.uk/Reports.htm

Also if you check out the link to my Flickr on the front page there are a few more holiday snaps!

10 of my good friends, 21 riding spots, great weather, good food, living the BMX dream.

Just after one week in France you come back stronger, more confident and with a new found love for BMX, if things are going a bit stale, get away with your bike someplace new, ride every day with a few of your friends if you can. It will progress things in ways you've never known!

Viva la France!

Hayes!

Was a wicked long weekend just gone! Lauren came and stayed, we rode our bikes all day friday (after snapping my chain on thursday night at Mansfield gates i was happy again!). We then had the first BBQ of the year that evening. We had a load of our buddies round, the meat was cooking, the salad bowl was huge and the beer was flowing - was a treat!

Saturday we rode Mansfield with my new chain, was awesome, they even had the gate system up and running so i was snapping a bit too! Boosh!

We then travelled down to London to stop at the rents who are living it up in the Galapagos islands, the lucky buggers. Not a great deal happened Saturday night, Lauren and I had a awesome tea and an early night for the race on the Sunday.

Hayes was mint! Awesome weather and i love the vibe the guys in the South Region put on, this was also a super-regional, so there was almost 250 riders present - mint atmosphere! A big BBQ, banners everywhere, good music, sponsorship - Ace!

I felt good and was riding strong, but i had 2 incredibly tough motos and got banged about a bit, i needed a win in moto 3 to transfer to the semi - and i got it! I pulled a tough semi (the other wasn't much better) there was a deep talent pool present at the race, and what with the combined 19+ and elite class, it was stacked! I managed a 6th and out to the B-Final!

Boo hiss.

The B final was still pretty stacked, big riders like Jonnie Roberts, Matt Allen and the superfast for '07 Shaun Andrews. I pulled lane 5 which was nice, i got a mint snap and pulled down the 1st straight, the only one to jump the Himalayas on the 1st straight and the pump off the backsides of those badboys was incredible! I flew out in front and managed to win it. So out of 31 riders on the day i secured a decent enough 9th.

A great weekend, awesome weather, got to see loads of my buddies and got loads of riding done!

Can't wait for MK!!

Photo Credit - Steve Bodey! :)

Bolehills + Summer = Big Love!

Bolehills summer sessions begin tonight at 6:30pm and will run the entire length of these fabulous (I hope) summer months! Get with the programme! And get up there for BIG sessions.

Also, come see me if you'd like to contribute to the Bolehills dig fund. Every little helps - Thank you!

Braaap!

Welcome!

Inspired by Warren, and many other bloggers around the world I thought it was time for me to get on the bandwagon. I kept a diary for many years of my life, and then all of a sudden stopped writing into it.

Hopefully the simplicity of blogspot will enable me to keep an up to date e-diary that my friends and family can poke fun at. And more importantly, I can look back on, and see where it all went wrong!

The blog will be about my life, the experiences I have with my amazing friends and girlfriend. The riding, the racing, the occassional get loose session. Anything I feel is exciting enough to grace these pages!

Feel free to check www.51junctionroad.co.uk For absurd ramblings of the German, and the rest of my awesome housemates.