pssst pass it on, if you want it, you got'a let'em know

I spotted this on the MBS Europe blog plus I'm thinking it has already gone out on some kind of facebook poke or something. Just incase like me you don't facebook or spend much time reading the mbs euro' site. Then here it is:

The ATBA need to know interest levels for the UK Downhill Championships and also the European Downhill Tour competition to be held at Cheddar. Please contact them asap to let them know if you are interested. Contact the ATBA by emailing info@atbauk.org.

The ATBA-UK Downhill Championship and British leg of The European Downhill Tour is being held in Cheddar, Somerset on the 12th and 13th June.

The competition will include a practice day and then one-man timed descents with the fastest rider in each category winning. The campsite has a swimming pool, adventure playground…, skatepark, BMX track, restaurant and bar.

We need to get an idea of how many people are interested in coming to this event to ensure we have adequate facilities available. Please reply to this message to let us know if you’re planning to come.

Alternatively If you want to see a downhill event but don't want to send an email you could always stick a post saying you are thinking of going in our comments and we will no doubt pass them.

Cornflakes and Country Tracks

Another lazy sunday morning wake up make breakfast and stick telly on instead the normal dross of either watching celebrities cook stuff or avoiding the religious programs by endlessly channel surfing 'This bright digital future is going to bring more choice', I doubt that somehow and why doesn't the extreme sports channel show extreme sports anymore?!

Luckly in some weird twist of TV programming CountryFile does or as it is now Country Tracks since CountryFile went prime time. Sundays theme being the Welsh boarder, so amongst the tales of the Saxon's digging ditches and fighting to keep the welsh out, actresses taking walk's in the countryside and artist's turning hearses into glow in the dark churches. At about 25 minutes in they dug out the 2006 footage of Ben Fogle visiting Court Farm.

While on the subject of Court Farm Raph would like us to point out taking over Court Farm would not be possible without the support Lorna and his daughter Rachel. After all they are all up-ing sticks from Norwich and moving across the country to Herefordshire which can't be easy and we wish them all luck. It's also worth mentioning something or someone who often gets forgotten when the praise is being handed out when someone is involved in the ATBA-UK committee. Is that person's partner who probably didn't volunteer for any committee work or all the stress which goes along with it. But will no doubt be there be there helping pack down at the end of the event, to listen when things aren't going very well and offer words of encouragement. So I would like to say a huge Remolishus THANK YOU to all those unsung people who stand in the back ground but still play a vital role in keeping the ATBA-UK going.

Just in case like me, you don't get it.

I probably should subscribe to the MBS e-news letter given my mountainboarding journalistic tendencies but I don't. Never mind if I want to look at then it's always there on their website. This month Remolitions own Wilz has made it in and not only that he has further boasted his poster boy credentials by making on to the front page of the MBS website. With this shot taken last year by the Dirt Monkeys in our first visit to the Fuel Dump. Got to be happy with that. If you want to see more photo's from the day check this there are also a few words about a day spent in the Monkey Enclosure here.

yup it's it's defiantly spring even if it keeps snowing

It seam's like the first shoots of plants pushing threw the soil. Mountainboard centres all over the country are publishing the dates when they going to let riders back on the slopes. Today in my inbox and judging by the mailing list quite few others got an email from Kim at Knockhill. Saying they are re-opening on the 27th of March, offering us the chance to become a member and they have revamped their website. It would seam these days a another job to add to the list for any centre owner is to make sure not only the centre looking good but also you have got a good looking website to go with it. Luckily as we know from the interview we did with Roger last year he likes his mowing and would explain why Knockhill always looks so well trimmed when ever we have been there. I wonder if they have started building on the other hill yet?

There also is another interesting bit of news in the email for the third year they will be holding Cream Tea's and Jam. If last two years are anything to go by. Then we are going to be in for another jibbery treat served up on the rails, box's and quarters of knockhill.

In other news if anyone is wondering why all the freeride tales have disappeared. Well for the last few weeks we have been out riding not just at the weekend but also bunking and grabbing a week day in the woods. Also the sort days haven't stopped us either and we have hit wendover twice now with head touches. It's just when ever I have been out riding there has been at least one other blogger in the group. Which is no bad thing the more people blogging about mountainboarding the better. Hopefulies anyone without a 4x4 wheelie board habit will read at least one mountainboard based blog and think that looks cool I wouldn't mind giving that ago.

So while they have been posting about all the different hook up's and sessions I thought would write some other things.

So here they are from last to first:

Ade's post on the The Dirt Box about returning to The Chase.

Spud's post on Day Off about Bradenham woods and the Golden Ball.

There will also be a sort of combined field report soonish on Rem with some more photos and ramblings from Wilz and myself.

And last but not least Spud again posting about taking a Day Off and hitting Wendover with evilC.

Maybe soon there will be a post about the joys of riding at night.

And a day later this appeared on Spuds blog.

News from the Hill

It seams it's not just Ironside Court Farm MBC have been busy building them selves a new web site Ride the Hill have updated theirs as well.

Also if you are a sponsored rider who's up for joining them at their demo's in Reigate, Basildon, Wheels and Boardmasters. You should drop Andy (andy@ridethehill.com) a email with your details. They will also be at NASS again this year. No rider places are left for the demo but if you are there then you should at least drop by. No doubt there will be something going on most the time and if you have got mates who for some reason don't mountainboard then I'm sure they will be running have a go sessions.

One last piece of RTH news is their Vert Jam is back again on Sunday 18th April. The plan is; a 4 hour jam session on their 14ft Quarterpipe, Vert Wall, Wallride, Rails and Boxes. The event will hosted by the BFC and is rider judged at the end of the session. There is at least a £50 cash prize up for the winner! Prizes will also be awarded for most progression, best trick, best unsponsored rider etc. Anyone can enter, no experience needed. Entry is £5 plus normal centre entry. Last year saw over 30 riders turn out for the jam. That's not they will double the cash prize to at least £100 if we get more than 50 riders turn out!

There you go if you want to be in with a chance of winning some cash for a couple of hours jibbing then that's one definitely for the diary.

Oh yeah there's a few pics of went down last year on their facebook page.

It's only February but it looks like spring has sprung

We are only just started the second month of the year and it looks likes the UK's centres which have been hibernating over the winter are starting to wake up. Today Surf the Turf opens it's doors for the new season (see previous post) but also Court Farm mbc has re-named it's self launched a new website.

For those who hadn't seen the posts of facebook there has been a change of management and mountainboarding legend and ATBA-UK chairman Raphael La Rouche is now running the show. With such a dedicated boarder running the place it's going to be good. No doubt there will be a round of the ATBA-UK series there which will be one to look forward to.

Also while on ATBA-UK news the promo vid has re-appeared on vimeo and looks like there will be a new ATBjunkies DVD coming out sometime in 2010.

While cruising facebook walls I also spotted this and it looks like they have been busy over the winter at Hales Superbole.

An early start to the season

If you at a lose end in the lakes or fancy a change from walking and riding then Surf the Turf is opening for the 2010 season this weekend.

It's a wicked little centre run by one of the safest guys in mountainboarding. There is a good range of features from small jiby rails to one of the most unique BX's in mountainboarding. At the end of last year I was lucky? enough to send a damp weekend there with some Scots and Deb's and Paul Crilley riding the centre and some Markus's favourite spots in the hills around his home town of Bowness. There aren't many people I can think of which have so much quality riding just minutes walk from their front door. For more about what happen check this blog or the article on Remolition. Wow a weekend in the lakes really did get the creative juices flowing. Shouldn't be a surprise because the place a inspired writers from Wordsworth to the creator of Postman Pat after all.

Anyway back to mountainboarding, Markus has lots of plans for future developments for the centre from finishing the start gates and boarderX track to building a beginner/intermediate track. As well as putting in a foam pit, adding a skate park and more to the freestyle area. Unfortunately all this takes time and money so it can't happen without your support. So if you want to see this centre grow and flourish and become the hub of mountainboarding in the lakes. Then you should go pay them a visit and I'm sure if ask nicely you might even be aloud to camp. They are also open everyday over the February half term.

Thank you open the open Sorcerer's

I just thought it worth a quick post to thank all the members of the Joomla community for the counted help and advice. After getting back to Clive's post on one of the help forums so quickly with a fix. Cheers.

If only our server's help desk was so sorted!

I would also like to amend an earlier post were I congratulated the ATBA-UK for sorting out a vid' (just incase no one ever did well done for atbjunkies for putting it together) for a spot of sponsor fishing. It seams to have disappeared? Which is a shame because us blogger's were starting to link to it (that's us and ade over at The Dirt Box) to help it climb the rankings and stand more chance of appearing on the raider. Still lets hope it's gone away to be re-voiced and maybe sorted a bit and while they are there it might be worth while removing the long black pause's at the begging and at the end. If it does re-appear then I'm sure we will no doubt link to it again. Doin' our bit for the cause 'n' all that.

evilC tested, evilC approved

From the keyboard of Rem's own web wizard and copied from a post on ATBsports

"Oh.my.god, What a ride!
VerTigos + springless kit + MBS orange eggs = the most responsive, progressive, wobble-free ride I ever had.
Losing the springs and going to softer eggs is just what I was after. I can actually make quick small turns now rather than that ugly constant hopping the front around that I had to do before. Thanks Leon!

Just don't look down at the eggs whilst in a tight turn, it will freak you out. Mine look like zits about to burst when under heavy compression!"

Clive as also been out ragging his board round the woods, down tracks and last time I saw him he was chasing spud down the the road. Seeing if he could get any wobbles on a fast tarmac run. With the trucks based on his 'bomber' Leon pro he also recon's this is one of the lightest setup's he has ever ridden and could go lighter if he wanted to swap to plastic wheels.

This last pic is from Kez's board but you can see the full 'zit-ey compressive effect.