Its probably the deepest darkest time of the year at the moment, the time of year when just managing to get down the trails is considered an achievement let along manage to wield a spade and do something constructive.  So somewhere after countless muddy car seats and freezing cold fingers Matt has been able to get down a fair bit between xmas and new year to get stuff done.  Sadly I haven’t been down to help much, a point which Matt is always ready and able to remind me of.  The flood lights have made a real difference, allowing muck to be shifted on a week night as well as a week; both our wives are made up about this!

The main new developments have been on the hip line, we decided it didn’t work as well as it could and made it bigger.  This should open up some decent transfer options although there are still a number of other issues at the top of the hip set that need working out.  Here are a few overview pics taken by Matt so that you can get a feel for it

Matt also started sorting some of the smaller stuff out, although it is starting to look like the Some and progress is slow.  He has explained his vision here, I need to work it out in my own head, although he did draw me a plan to help (see below)

To balance all the negative winter blues here’s a pic Matt took in summer of the new burm complete with sunshine, not long now people!

So lots to be getting on with.  We will be down this coming Sunday for to shift some muck around and bicker, if anyone wants to join in search us out on FB.

Finally as a footnote, we lost another loyal solider to New Zealand earlier this month.  Well I say loyal, he probably said he would turn up and dig a lot more than he actually did.  I hope the trails banter didn’t bully him off to the southern hemisphere, although I think he brought it on himself with his cool box and undersized estate.  I will say see you soon Yoof but you ain’t coming back, and if you do its a life time ban for neglecting your duties.

As a tribute here is the least flattering picture I could find of you on the internet (I really was spoilt for choice)

Eddy

Winters comin…

Water…

Mud…

A summers worth of riding takes it’s toll…

New landing taking shape in the background…

Evening comes…

Tree…

Starting the lip…digging by night!

The end.

Some of these might have been posted before, dunno.

I had forgot I was trying to run a blog about the trails and the goings on of the locals.  I would like to say it was because we had been too busy riding, but as ever this wasn’t the real reason.  A lot happened in 2011 down the trails and a lot of new faces turned up, a few which could even stomach the rest of us and stuck around to help dig.

To those guys (Scott, Chris, Harry and anyone else who has shifted muck in ’11)cheers and hopefully see you down there soon!

To the other 80 members of the FB group, a lot of spare hands make light work and all that.

Anyways, enough of my waffle, here’s 2011 summed up in a few photographs, enjoy!

Starting in January, we dug up the 4th, mostly because the stupid thing never really “worked”

Yoof in spade using shocker…..

Then he stood in the middle and wet himself at the scale of the creation, later in the year his front wheel would get to know the landing on a very close level

We also made a massive burm, well I say we, it was mostly Matt, but he is too modest to admit it.  Sick burm though

I mock Yoof too much, in putting this together I noticed he has been digging a fair bit Somewhere down the line, well April just as the trails dried up, I broke my wrist.  Perfect timing really,

The weather in 2011 performed as to be expected

As the trails got more popular we had to set a few things in stone

I started the trails with Liam in 2007, he buggered off to New Zealand this May and, although he hadn’t been riding much trails recently, he is still missed.  He made mine and Matts arguments about jump size sound like childs play!

To celebrate Liams departure we headed south were it stays dry for more than 3 hrs and the trails are actually well maintained.  

Jimmy Pratt at his own trails in London, anyone who wants to know the craft of trails should meet this guy and see his spot, they are epic

Another from Jimmys, sick guy

We stopped off at Swansea to and hit up Moos Trails, another boss trails spot.  If you havent already search them out on FB under “Save Moos Trails” and help Dan and boys secure the future of these trails

James came along on the trip, he is in Whistler now the lucky &£*”!.  Did he mention he can backflip?

OK, maybe not landing them all the time

Eventually I made it back on the horse, although trails never really go going again.  Pila is well good, you should go there!

Rode a few BMX tracks along the way also, Matt and Me at Bolehills

We even managed to squeeze a ride or two out down ours, next year come hell or highwater we will be having a proper Jam, watch this space

And so we go full circle, with a 900w set of site lights and a shonky generator Yoof found (you can stick dark nights up your arse mother nature!)

Here’s t0 2012, the road trips, the rain, the dead sailors, the beef and the shonky landings!  Eddy