So, my mate Tom & I went up to the peak district for a spot of off road training with ABW. The weather held for us for what would make a great weekend of training & trail riding with ABW's leader & all round top bloke Gary Pitchford (Skygod), ably assisted by another top chap, Mick (MickDB1).
Our digs for the weekend were very pleasant indeed, staying in a delightful village called Ashford in the Water:
Please note...we didn't stay in the church cos the heating had been turned off.....
The training on the Saturday was first class, with the morning session covering:-
> Slow speed manoeuvres & balancing
> Getting to know the bike
> Moving around the bike without side stand
> Ascents & descent
> Dealing with ruts
> Emergency stops on loose surfaces
> Understanding what the bike is capable of
> The importance of observation
This session was held in a very quiet car park, and then on a quiet part of one of the trails:
The bikes we used were in fine working order - CRF 250's, and Richo's TTR 250 was a fine purchase by Gaz IMHO
After a hearty lunch, we then headed off to play on a variety of trails:
We had a couple of group shots on the blowy tops (well for Gaz's hair @ least):
And then headed back onto the trails again.
Here's a couple of video links to a couple of the trails:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQGJmWW4v4k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nzyi76eTP8g
I took video of most of the trails which I'll upload eventually.
Whether you're a total beginner, or an intermediate/expert, Gaz will tailor the training to your specific needs and this was very evident, as our group had a mix of both complete beginners & someone with a year of off road riding under their belt.
The pace of the day is great, and there is zero pressure or intimidation...so I'd highly recommend it.
So, a few thanks:-
> Gaz, for the excellent tuition and a very different kind of Saturday night out, in a Peak District styli Also, for letting me have spank on his KTM 625 ( that's a bike, not a euphemism)
> Mick, for his support & making me laugh throughout the day
> Tom, for popping his off road cherry & doing bloody well on the day
Our digs for the weekend were very pleasant indeed, staying in a delightful village called Ashford in the Water:
Please note...we didn't stay in the church cos the heating had been turned off.....
The training on the Saturday was first class, with the morning session covering:-
> Slow speed manoeuvres & balancing
> Getting to know the bike
> Moving around the bike without side stand
> Ascents & descent
> Dealing with ruts
> Emergency stops on loose surfaces
> Understanding what the bike is capable of
> The importance of observation
This session was held in a very quiet car park, and then on a quiet part of one of the trails:
The bikes we used were in fine working order - CRF 250's, and Richo's TTR 250 was a fine purchase by Gaz IMHO
After a hearty lunch, we then headed off to play on a variety of trails:
We had a couple of group shots on the blowy tops (well for Gaz's hair @ least):
And then headed back onto the trails again.
Here's a couple of video links to a couple of the trails:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQGJmWW4v4k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nzyi76eTP8g
I took video of most of the trails which I'll upload eventually.
Whether you're a total beginner, or an intermediate/expert, Gaz will tailor the training to your specific needs and this was very evident, as our group had a mix of both complete beginners & someone with a year of off road riding under their belt.
The pace of the day is great, and there is zero pressure or intimidation...so I'd highly recommend it.
So, a few thanks:-
> Gaz, for the excellent tuition and a very different kind of Saturday night out, in a Peak District styli
Also, for letting me have spank on his KTM 625 ( that's a bike, not a euphemism)> Mick, for his support & making me laugh throughout the day
> Tom, for popping his off road cherry & doing bloody well on the day
