Moto baby!

Well a mixed weekend this one, i travelled over to Liverpool to buy a van on Saturday, a van which sounded to be an absolute pearler, it turned out to be a 3 hour train journey to a pile of shit, and a real shady car salesman. I was so dissapointed, I was really sold on it, I spoke to the guy so much during the week, he sounded legit and the van sounded an absolute steal. Maybe too much of a steal! I was so mad at him for lying to me, and so let down. I'd planned to pick my van up drive over to Preston and do gates and see my friends in the North, then pootle back to Sheffield to show of my new van, instead, i had to purchase another single ticket for my journey home, and return empty handed.

I'm glad i walked away from it, and i'm glad i gave the rogue salesman a piece of my mind!

Saturday night i just chilled out, had an hour at the Bolehills which was good fun, and helped me to relax.

Sunday, was a complete contrast to Saturday, i had such an awesome day! Warren picked me up nice and early and we headed out to Worksop to ride motocross! It was freakin' amazing! I have never ridden a motorbike before, so i had a lot to get to grips with, and on my 3rd go i pulled away and rode round this large field with the biggest grin on my face. The power you have to hand is frightening! The acceleration is incredible and the feeling of flying along on the bike is like nothing i've ever experienced before!



I did some basic stuff like pulling off, changing gears, cornering and getting my foot out and accelerating out of turns, it was such an awesome feeling and i was so stoked Warren gave me the opportunity to get out there and do it. Amazing!

By the end of the day i was having it wide open in 3rd gear, and it was so fast. They say you should scare yourself at least once a day. I think i got a years worth down today!

The rest of the afternoon was amazing too, it involved an iced coffee, a lamb lunch, lots of laughing, a salad and more laughing and 2 hours at Bolehills. Dreamy.

Bournemouth national is next weekend, I ain't skeered! I'll be more on it i think. I know where i went wrong at Cheddar, so i shan't be making those mistakes again.



See you there!

Mind over matter.

Well checking the results from Cheddar in 19+ i'm currently sitting at a dismal 18th place. There were 39 riders registered in the class so i'm in the top 50% but I should be much higher, and for the effort I put in over the winter, the amount of riding I did, and the effort I put into sorting my gates at the indoor, I should be making the mains and finishing much higher. I know I am capable of it, i just need to remian focussed, relaxed, positive and aim high!

This past weekend was quite cool Lauren has moved into her new place in Derby and she had a small leaving do on the Friday night, she had about 30 odd people round her house, with a big marquee and a BBQ i supplied some big beats, there was plenty of food and beers, i didn't spend a penny, and Warren and I got slightly mash up. But we were on our best behaviour.

Was a cool night, and I think Lauren was stoked to have loads of friends amongst her and it was a good send off out of Peterborough for her.

Warren and I headed back to my Parents house on saturday morning I had to hook them up with the iBook and get their internet working, I say I had to, what I mean is I palmed it off onto Warren. But he got fed and watered well, so he best not complain! ;) They are well stoked on it though!

I went to check out a van and its looking promising for this week, so the Essy is hitting the scrap heap this week, bye bye baby, baby bye bye. And all being well I'll have my new ride for this weekend!

Saturday night we headed back to Sheffield, I think Warren enjoyed his short visit, and I was glad to have my life coach on board for an insightful journey there and back. We have good talks and he always makes me see the positive things in life.

We are big in self development! haha.

We had a race at Bolehills yesterday and despite the weather I had a lot of fun, the club made some money, the track rode well and i had some good battles with Tuffy, couple of moto wins and a 2nd, straight final pretty much and i got 2nd to Tuffy, he was maching, but I was all over him like a rash! haha.

Bolehills did good out of it, and we are on target for the change up, we have the money, the plan, the permission has been granted, the weather is wet, and its all perfect right about now - Let's get it done!

A fun, varied weekend I'll upload some shots if any come through.

Cheddar Nationals Rounds 1 & 2

Well the past weekend saw the National series return and a trip to Cheddar in Somerset for rounds 1 & 2. In the last 3 years i must've been to this track 15 times, it's pretty played out, but it is super fast and does make for incredibly tight, exciting racing.

19+ was unreal. 39 riders registered for the Sunday and 35 registered for the Monday. So we had quarters both days, last year we didn't have quarters at one national! Riders have come up from junior men, Lee Bromfield, Jonathon Roberts and Nathan Routeledge. From Masters we got Shaun Andrews and from Elite, Flemdog and Graham Strickland. And lets not forget younger sibling Callum Strickland. Awesome talent, cool kid, flat pedals. Way to go!

Anyway Sunday wasn't the best day i've ever had, in fact it was pretty god damned awful with a 3 4 6 placing in the motos i got through to the quarter, but a bad gate, the big "19+ squeeze" and a hella stacked race saw me finish 5th and out for the day, i was so mad at myself. I've been feeling good of late, riding well, feeling strong and the one thing that was holding me back last year I had improved considerably, that was my gates, now i let my head get in the way of things. Damnit!

So Sunday was pretty lame for me, but i was impressed by so many, Tuffy, Callum, Chloe and Sam Taylor from Sheffield, Dad David was flying also. Lauren rode really well to get pushed out by lamo Ria G. Lauren is by far the most skilled in that class, she manuals and jumps more than the lot of them, but lady luck seems to always strike her down.

Other riders that impressed were Gareth Bates in Elite, looking fast man! Andy Shaw, Flemdog, Mike Pardon, Aaron Shrosbree, Jason Jessop in masters - power! Steve Williams looking uber smooth, but taking on the Jessop?! You must weight half the man!

I enjoyed hanging out with Terry, man, he makes me laugh. Good to catch up with Gunner and Marco and Dave Ives, hope the hand is alright mate, you would have been top 3 both days if you hadn't have gotten injured.

Mondays racing went a little better with a 3 2 2 in motos (although many hadn't showed so we were playing about a bit as we all were to transfer to the quarters, pumping races at a national - ha ha.) Quarter finals came round though and it was time to get serious, i got an easier quarter from the day before (thank God!) and managed to get a 2nd so a clear run into the semi final and a good lane pick.

Semis came about and true to form, nerves got the better of me, plus it was stacked, flemdog, Tuffy, Andy Little, Daniel Hodge, Marco, Richardson and G Strickland.. It could have been an A main. Just my luck eh?!

I chose lane 4 right between Flem and Hodge i think, mint. I got a good gate this time but in comparison to Flem it was like i was stood still, rather than be aggressive and battle through I hardly pedaled and found myself in a mass of bodies in the first turn, we came out and I got a clear line for the triple, i pedaled my heart out, landed flat bottom, lost my pump and pretty much was out of contention I managed to pick off a couple down the 3rd and 4th straights but finished in 6th behind a fuming Graham Strickland.

I made the B final and it was a good race, i managed to ride to a 4th, Graham won it.

Lauren didn't have much luck again either when Emily James turned diagonally down the 1st straight and wiped out her and another girl - Nice one! She even managed to lead the race for about 1/2 a straight until Ria pumped past her. Sort it out!

Flem took the 19+ A main by storm both days the guy still has it.

I was quite dissapointed, but I knew I didn't have the aggression in me, no idea why, I backed off a bit going into the 1st turn, if I'd have gone for it I may have taken a slam but then again i may have made the main, you can't odds it, guess I walked away with no injuries and I'm fit for the next one, but still I know I should have committed more, hopefully the feeling of frustration I had after this weekends racing will spur me on at Bournemouth, give me the aggression required to make it out of the semi and into the main.

We shall see.

No results yet, to be honest I'm afraid to look a them!

In the Confrontation..

Warren, my life coach and self-development mentor sends me stuff ocassionally that I normally find a way to rip into and take it apart, I'm a big believer in self-development, but I normally find the books and audio tapes people use to develop themselves, condescending and so stunningly obvious I can't understand how anyone could re-organise their lives through them. But, as Warren keeps telling me, we all know these things but sometimes we need someone to remind us of them.

I guess it's to do with the comfort zone we always read so much about. You know what I mean, we are comfortable, so therefore we don't change, sometimes change is good, sometimes change is exactly what a person needs to re-motivate and better themselves.

Anyway, Warren sent me a quote today that i actually couldn't find anything to take the piss out of him for, and i actually quite like it.

"In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins - not through strength but by perseverance."


H. Jackson Brown

Thanks brother, I know you got my back!

I'm feeling good for Cheddar, quite excited actually, Lauren and I are heading down on Saturday morning, hopefully get a clear run through, the west-country on a bank holiday weekend though.. I know its going to be hell!

Gates tonight at Bolehills, nothing too strenuous, just spin my legs, rode trails and checked out the new Rotherham on Tuesday, looking great! last straight is tech, but a few runs few it was dialled in! And blair witch is a bunch of fun!

I'm in Focus Mode!