Berkhamsted Motorcycle Club - Nash Mills. No56k

[Grizz]

Well, get ready for a mega download of pics.

Tom made it past 450 pics today.

Jon, Pete and Tom and I went to Nash Mills trials grounds today.

The trip is 90 minutes, but I must say it could be one of my best days ever.

Berkhamsted Club charges £27/year for membership.

For this you get FREE family membership for under 18's.

Access through a secure coded gate into a pallisade fenced property.

You can ride from 8am-8pm Mon-Saturday and 10am-6pm on Sundays.

The rules are quite strict and follows the ACU code, so perfect.

There is nowhere else I know of where you get such a varied site of obstacles for the money. Based on the cost of where we usually ride, your yearly rate would be exhausted in two visits. So massive bargain.

The obstacles are varied, terrain varies and it seems they regularly bring in the machines to change the layouts and obstacles.
I hope the pics give some idea of what we had to play with.

Three horsemen of the Appocalypse.

Pete had an awesome day as always. Straight out and playing.

Today I seemed to feel quite confident too, and did a few things that were new, and had me worried before starting out.

I did manage to stack it spectacularly early on in the first hour, with the bike front ending me off, and going straight over the handle bars.
Left me with a bruised knee and two fingers that should be stiff in the morning.
It also kind of warned me not to be too cocky.
Interestingly, we all managed to come off decently today, Jon ran out of power and lost it inches from the top of a spot. Pete managed to come off going uphill, leaving him draped over the handle bars like laundry in the wind. And lastly, Tom managed to flip the bike after a wheelie between some stones, he had the bike up and himself next to it before I could help...... he may have no children though (just joking)

Pete making it look easy.

Next up ---- Log Jamming.

This has to be gotten just right, I battled, but made it a few times.

Jon "Lebowski" getting on with it.

A whole flight of stairs, some wet grass, mud still about..... guess Pete will have to do it then.

As always, the camera is very deceptive on these routes, often not reflecting the true size of obstacles, or the bits that throw you off course.

Here Jon was getting on with a set..... note the expression in the 3rd pic.

One of those obstacles even I was shocked and impressed by myself for making it. (a few times)

Once again, floating like a butterfly.

 

[Grizz]

Next up, this diagonal camber attack with a little flip at the top. Nice.

I so desperately wanted to do this, and had planned to do it at the end of the day.....

Anyone remember "Kickstart" ?? If not, go check Youtube for a history lesson, and some nostalgia.

Pete has always dreamed of riding a bike over a car, today was the day he could get the oportunity.

So it was with trepidation he approached the Beetle, planning, inspecting etc.

I tried to stabilize a bit of the bonnet thats been torn to shreds over time.

Of course Tom was snapping away all morning, something he has really gotten the knack of now.

If you look at the photos posted here, most are pretty darn good.

Thanks Tom !!

Jon and I spotted for him, probably not necessary...... BUT.

JOY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOOOHOOOO !!!!

Or was it relief ? He went on to do it loads more times, just to make sure he was not dreaming.

Our intrepid Photographer was relieved of the camera for a few minutes at this time.

 

[Grizz]

For a change I can say I was the first to try and succeed at an obstacle.

Another obstacle I wanted to get to through the day, this log, but rain put paid to that plan.

A bit later Pete did the ramp too. Nice one.

More madness and pushing himself from Pete.

Cable drums.

Jon was charging after Pete, but the man was on a "roll"

....... and gone !!

 

[Grizz]

Next up it was Tom's turn on the Scorpa, as my trailer only has space for one bike.

I took over the camera which he had operated so well all day up that point.

I am looking for a 2/3 bike trailer to buy at a sensible price at the moment, as it seems that Tom will be out more regularly with us in future.

After a few level passes and loads of figure 8's around the grounds with us in tow, he popped over a single railway sleeper, after which Pete upped the ante with a few together.

After this, Pete, ever the tutor and coach staggered the sleepers in a fan like pattern for him to do.
This was the boy's first ever "air" which made me feel pretty chuffed.

This could be one of my favourite pics of the day, Tom after about 30 minutes wobbling about, knackered, but happy.
Have I mentioned that I am really proud of him ?
Coming from a life of just X-Box and online games, he is fast becoming a young adult who I am enjoying helping to get toward his first road legal motorbike, via this route of basic bike skills and some challenges.

Then it was back on, and he was wobbling all over the grounds making more progress today than in the first hour he has spent on a bike, so with a total of about 2 hours ever riding a bike, he was at a point where I think the scales have tipped...... the boy wants toride some more.

At this point it started to rain, and seemed set to soak everything.

Riding was becoming silly and we decided to call it a day, packing up and decamping for Starbucks at the South Mimms Service area.

WET WET WET...... but fully Chuffed.

Tom had had enough excitement and exercise for the day, and I could not resist taking a pic when we stopped. (sorry Tom) He is also very lucky that he can just zone out anywhere and sleep, probably would sleep on a washing line.

Best of all, another first, and I was both pleased and thankfull that he offered..... Back home, he washed the bike for me, all I had to do was our boots.

As always it seems another great day out on the bikes.

Thanks to all involved, I cannot wait for the next time.

Hope you enjoyed the picture show and that your PC did not crash.

 

[Buster510]

Looks like you had fun that is where a few of us try to go once a week. We only live ten miles away so it's easy for us. Cracking value and always seems to be empty. Maybe one day might bump into you. Cheers Buster

 

[Wreford Miles]

It's just a few miles from me... I use to go with my son and daughter and we'd share the same bike, often on a weekday evening as we had the whole get set and go down to a tee

. Great family days, till some gut nicked the bike!

This is my son, he's now 18.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7K6QQSX6bA&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[Smug]

Well done. Looks like you had a fun day. Did trials there when BMC first aquired the land. Didn't realise it was still going. Looks like it's changed a lot since those days.

The best trials local trials riding in those days was at Bleak Hall in Milton Keynes.

 

[Doogle]

Bleak Hall has gone now. Although Milton Buzzard do have a new bit of ground in MK. Nash Mills is good, although I haven't ridden there for a couple of years. There is a trial there this Sunday actually which I might enter. Horrendously claggy in the wet though.

 

[Smug]

Have a good ride Doogle.

Used to be a good place over at Harefield when I used to ride many years back. As you say though very claggy. Not like riding up north.

 

[DollyRocket]

Looks fantatic fun. Just got to learn how to ride my sherco so I dont look like a tit.

 

[Rockoz]

Bleak Hall has gone now. Although Milton Buzzard do have a new bit of ground in MK. Nash Mills is good, although I haven't ridden there for a couple of years. There is a trial there this Sunday actually which I might enter. Horrendously claggy in the wet though.

I used to ride Youth D at Bleak hall on my Yamaha TY80 a few years ago now before Alex Wigg became quite so good, infact my Dad was a chairman IIRC.
Their new ground isn't quite so good but needs people to use it before it will get any better!