Stephen Morris Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 I like Spring, I like Summer, I like Autumn and I like Winter. They've all got their advantages, and I've always been able to find time to ride throughout all of them. However in the past few months University has been getting reall full on, and I find myself waiting for the Easter holidays, and then the Summer holidays to come along so i can have a guilt free break from work knowing that I don't have any work to be getting on with. As it happens I usually prefer the Winter. I like the dark, and once you're out riding, the cold isn't really a problem. It gets dark at 4pm throughout the Winter, so you can have night rides galore. I was aiming to make a night riding video, but I've only been out riding about twice since the end of October. What point am I trying to make... hold on it's coming, but first take a look at this photo.... It's me riding in Sandbanks (Poole/Bournemouth) a couple of years ago. It was really warm then, and I could ride wherever I wanted. You see in the Winter I only ride locally, because if it gets rained off then you're not too disappointed. So, this Summer make sure you go somewhere, somewhere far far away where there's new stuff to ride. Plan it in advance and make sure you get out and do it, because come October, the clocks will go back, it will be cold again and there'll be a little voice in your head going crazy because you only rode locally. If you don't have much money, then maybe now is the time to save up. The train isn't going to cost more than £25 to get wherever you want to go. I've been lucky enough to ride a fair few places across the South, so I thought I'd list a few along with how good they are... London - A truly brilliant location to ride, even when you've ridden there 100 times before. You can't see everything in a day because there's so much stuff spread out all over the place. The atmosphere in the Summer is second to none, there are so many tourists around and they'll all stop to take photos, applaud and ask silly questions. Poole - There's has lots of stuff to ride, the harbour and the walls outside the Dolphin centre are pretty easy to find, but there's also a lot more stuff hidden down side roads. The harbour is a mixture of benches, rails and round circular pillars all spaces out to give you endless lines. There are gaps over the harbour, some small, some big and once you get bored, you can move further down towards all the rocks. Bournemouth - This place is really good for trials, but there are so many people about during the summer that almost every wall has a fat old lady eating an ice cream on it. It's best to ride Bournemouth in the evening, with a few of the locals as it's fairly tricky to find your way around. A 30 minute ride down the coast is Sandbanks where there are lots of rocks and drops to the sand, and 10 minutes from Sandbanks is Poole (above). Milton Keynes - Once people found out that Ed Tongue and Kris Leeson rode here regularly, Milton Keynes got a bit of a good reputation. I'm not quite sure why. It's very quiet, and very bland, and there's not very much to do. Saying that, if you go with a few of the locals then you'll be satisfied for a day. so long as you weren't expecting a brilliant location. You'd be better off riding London than Milton Keynes, even if you've been to London before. Southampton - When I rode here, I didn't go with any of the local riders, so it was a matter of finding stuff out for myself. I'm sure we missed lots of places, but what we found was very impressive. Outside Southampton Central train station is a place with what seems like endless lines across bollards, walls of varying heights and a few benches thrown in for good measure. Provided you meet up with a few others from the area then you'll have a great day. Portland - is a bit of land that jutts off the coast just past Weymouth. It has nothing but rocks, but the sheer amont of them could keep anybody happy. Kris Leeson rode here in a recent MBUK article. There are quarries miles wide filled with nothing but rocks, plus there's Portland bill, by the sea where there are, that's right, more rocks. Don't come here if you don't like rocks or if you're a beginner because you're going to struggle big time. Reading I know I keep saying this, but go with the locals for Reading as it's hard to find everything otherwise. There's plenty to do here as most of you will have seen from videos, but it can be a bit disappointing in the rain - but where isn't. They're the main locations I've been to, and this Summer I'm going to make sure I visit even more. Bristol, Porthcawl, Portsmouth, Reading (again), Brighton/Worthing and maybe even somewhere oop north - Nottingham, Leeds possibly. This post has been a bit random, but I've decided that now is the time to start doing your research. Look for videos on trials forum of places you'd be interested in going to. Pick the best places and go there. It doesn't matter if you're not very good, you'll meet loads of new people and probably find some small walls different to the ones back home. Where are you lot going this Summer, and where have you been in the past? I'd be interested to know what other places are good to ride, that I haven't been to yet. Oh yeah, one thing I forgot to mention... comps! Comps in the Summer are much better than in the Winter, I'm hoping to do all the Summer comps at Essex and Hampshire - can't wait! Sorry for the essay, but I'm getting excited, Stephen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george_seamons Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Bristol will most deffinatly be ridden by myself in the summer. When we went up a couple of weeks ago, there just appeared to be so much to ride. Unfortunatly the rain ruined the ride for a lot of people, including me. By the time I think I only did a sidehop and a backwheel, although we were only there for about half an hour before we went to Newport. I also hope to ride London again. When we went up last year, it seemed really good. Loads to do, basically everywhere you look is a potential riding spot. The crowds you get in London also push you to ride at your best. When we were riding at Southbank, there must have been at least 100 people crowded round watching us. We only visited three places (Southbank, Shell Centre and Tate) but it was still a really good day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bionic Balls Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 hey stephen...i don't think many people like wet comps much- but everybody is in the same situation and it just turns out like any other comp except colder and muddier! Come to Ockendon and compare it to your first comp last year! Wahooo! adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pork Pie Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Bloody hell Stephen, you've got me all excited now :blink: Furthest place I've been to is probably Shipley Glen, which was one of the best rides I've ever been on. So much to ride, and the atmosphere was cool, even for a big group ride. I'd love to go to London and Bristol. Is Bristol so good that it justifies coming down and finding a B+B/Travelodge type thing? It's too far away to make a day out of it :( Nottingham and Leeds would be nice, and I'm sure plenty of peeps would be up for a natty/street sesh around the Notts area too, Bracken, Dudwood etc. combined with Notts itself. That'd be awesome! I think more people should come right up North though, around the lake district, I'm sure if we look hard, there'll be plenty of natural, and there already is some nice street. And of course, Llanberis and Ogwen, what a dream, transport issues spoil it though :S Don't really know what to say now, just that you've made me excited :) Dave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thechink Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 (edited) stephen i shall follow yo on your quest to ride in the sun of goodness. and hopefully sexy chai and matt might get there body's out. i shall faint. cant wait to ride with top off. i bin working hard to try and get abbs of steal thechink Edited January 18, 2005 by thechink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george_seamons Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 I'd love to go to London and Bristol. Is Bristol so good that it justifies coming down and finding a B+B/Travelodge type thing? It's too far away to make a day out of it :( ← Well...we travelled from the most easterly point in Britain to it...and I'd say it was worth while. Well...it wasn't went we went, but it deffinatly had potential on a nice day :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich4130 Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Great idea for a thread, gonna give MK a go I reckon, what about Northhamption/Oxford? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mavic Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 YAY summer i love summer ROAD TRIPS :(" !!!!!! Nass :blink: rides rides rides!!!!!!!!!. sick sick sick vids vids vids :S ecodan. ( p.s im the local from reading if you dont know). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haydon_peter Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 YAY summer i love summer ROAD TRIPS :(" !!!!!! ← Roadtrips without a car? :S You go on railtrips :blink: Summer is where its at, in the winter I basically hibernate. I still try to go out riding every weekend, but I lack motivation in the winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george_seamons Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Roadtrips without a car? :S You go on railtrips :blink: Summer is where its at, in the winter I basically hibernate. I still try to go out riding every weekend, but I lack motivation in the winter. ← That's because hobbits aren't adapted very well for the cold weather. They prefer to stay in their little cave houses and cook marshmellows over a warm fire and sing songs to each other. That's right, isn't it Tic :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Morris Posted January 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Only thing about Poole Steve is the twat of a dad you get being a knob to us, remember. ← Oh yeah, some scouse twat and his son in Liverpool shirts, who laughed his head off at Matt Staples because he didn't quite make a huge switch on a rail. It hardly makes me want to go to Liverpool, he was a lousy ambassedor for his home town! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delusional Posted January 19, 2005 Report Share Posted January 19, 2005 Oh yes. I'm rather looking forward to the summer for a whole host of reasons. Not least because I'll hopefully be doing a job that leaves me a lot more time for riding than I currently get - well that is unless one of my multitude of time eating projects I'm currently planning phazes into reality. In that case I may end up with even less time :o/ I shall definitely be riding Bristol quite a lot, mostly because I shall almost certainly be living there by June :) Also intend to finally get my driving license so I can head off to lots of different locations without having to rely on public transport and carrying everything I need on my back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Williams! Posted January 19, 2005 Report Share Posted January 19, 2005 stephen i shall follow yo on your quest to ride in the sun of goodness. and hopefully sexy chai and matt might get there body's out. i shall faint. cant wait to ride with top off. i bin working hard to try and get abbs of steal thechink ← haha quality its like 2004 all over again roadtrip was class but seriously too much of a suasage fest as the americans would say, but yer tis a good idea to plan in advance an visit those places you've always wanted to go i for one will be visting somewhere not sure yet but should be cool :P :S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Staples Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 Hehe, Steve you legend. Portland / Poole / Bristol was defo my favourite few days of the summer. Even though I wankered my leg / foot and required masking tape, and first aid from Stephens wonderful Girlfriend. (N) Owe...I'm too excited now, like the disneyland advert. ''Mummy says its just magical'' :- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTM Posted January 22, 2005 Report Share Posted January 22, 2005 Mate, you will get that all the time in liverpool! But the places we ride in liverpool arnt really IN liverpool. We ride the docks mostly which are great and theres hardly a sole about. I agree though, summer is amazing. Especialyl when your about 14/15 because nothing matters at all. No job. School doesnt matter. No serious commitemnts at all. Can ride all day with the sun on your back and not have a care in the world, ahhh good times (N) Its amazing when you dont have to say "IF the weather is good at the weekend...." You can just assume :- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royaltrials Posted January 22, 2005 Report Share Posted January 22, 2005 I agree though, summer is amazing. Especialyl when your about 14/15 because nothing matters at all. No job. School doesnt matter. No serious commitemnts at all. Can ride all day with the sun on your back and not have a care in the world, ahhh good times >_< Its amazing when you dont have to say "IF the weather is good at the weekend...." You can just assume B) ← "When's the weekend?" Martyn Ashton, back in the day. Summer 2003 was rad, spent most of the long hot months at Reading Uni running away from ferocious security guards. First time at NASS, riding Henley, Windsor and Reading with all the locals, going further afield to places like Bristol and Swindon. Good times. I can't wait for summer again this year, not too sure how much the old trials bike will get involved... but yeah, roll on summer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuntsbyjon Posted January 22, 2005 Report Share Posted January 22, 2005 Hey dude, you should come along and try Portsmouth too. >_< I understand what you're saying about university too! I am in my second year here, and it's all getting tough all of a sudden! Last year was a doddle, now it has all crept up on me! Still I get a lot of time off over the summer break to ride without feeling guilty, as you say. What are you studying? Maybe when my road trip gets underway we can meet up with all you riders and start seeing the country from a different point of view. It's gonna be a good year for riding! (When I have sorted out my Hope and my rib cage B)" ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spunkey_monkey_boy Posted January 22, 2005 Report Share Posted January 22, 2005 "When's the weekend?" Martyn Ashton, back in the day. ← life was soooo amazingly cool when i really did like a life of 'whens the weekend' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dai the Socket Posted January 23, 2005 Report Share Posted January 23, 2005 It better be good weather this summer, last summer was abit iffy! Yeh I feel like giving up in winter but i think the bike might have a rest for a couple of months until it gets warmer n more time to ride and stuff. Got Gcse's in the Summer though, really long summer though. Will b biking alot and road tripping for definate (Y) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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