Tuesday, 21 June 2011
Monday, 30 May 2011
etiqutte....
While I have been searching for info on these elusive trails in Toronto I saw this post re trails etiquette in a thread on vitalbmx....word to those who know the deal...inc Hickey138 from Asheville, USA!
10 DIRT JUMP COMMANDMENTS !!!
Some basic guidelines for public dirt jumps / local trails. Maybe you'll find these helpful. Maybe you won't. Very few people know any of this. Remind your fellow rider so next time he can't say he didn't know. Feel free to cut/paste/adjust/repost... SPREAD THE WORD !!!
1. If you enjoy riding your local dirt jumps, then CONTRIBUTE. Give something back. Don't just show up, tear it up, and split. Repairing your own damage is MANDATORY. If you mess it up, FIX it. If you take a chunk out of a landing, FIX it. (If you don't know how, ask).
2. DON'T LITTER !!! This is only one of many ways dirt jumps get torn down. Don't bury it. Use a trash can. Trash looks horrible.
3. DIGGING means to dig new dirt and maintain the trails. It does not mean "re-shaping" things you don't like or "don't flow" for you. Lip shapes and transitions are the privilege of the builders. If the builders like steep lips/landings, that's how it is.
4. If you show up to a spot while people are digging, then you dig BEFORE riding. This applies to everyone. If you show up and the Diggers aren't there, then you can water the jumps before riding, that's it. DO NOT CHANGE ANYTHING.
5. MAINTENANCE is watering, sweeping, picking up trash, raking, packing, etc. (Sweeping dust off dry jumps is not as good as actually watering it, which will settle the dust and re-pack it when ridden).
6. Riding is done AFTER you have demonstrated appropriate willingness to contribute to the trails.
7. DON'T ride when it's muddy. It tears the jumps up, and pointless anyway. Be patient. DON'T create more work for everybody.
8. ABSOLUTELY NO motorized vehicles of any kind. No 50's mini bikes, quads, dirt-bikes, RC cars, etc.
9. Dirt Jumps are NOT a playground, and little kids should NOT be running up and down lips/landings like they're at a McDonald's Play Palace.
10. BE RESPECTFUL-Can't be said enough. Be respectful to the builders, neighbors, other riders, and the Earth. If you're respectful, you won't get disrespected. Period. Don't be a loud, littering, selfish guy with an attitude. Thanks.
10 DIRT JUMP COMMANDMENTS !!!
Some basic guidelines for public dirt jumps / local trails. Maybe you'll find these helpful. Maybe you won't. Very few people know any of this. Remind your fellow rider so next time he can't say he didn't know. Feel free to cut/paste/adjust/repost... SPREAD THE WORD !!!
1. If you enjoy riding your local dirt jumps, then CONTRIBUTE. Give something back. Don't just show up, tear it up, and split. Repairing your own damage is MANDATORY. If you mess it up, FIX it. If you take a chunk out of a landing, FIX it. (If you don't know how, ask).
2. DON'T LITTER !!! This is only one of many ways dirt jumps get torn down. Don't bury it. Use a trash can. Trash looks horrible.
3. DIGGING means to dig new dirt and maintain the trails. It does not mean "re-shaping" things you don't like or "don't flow" for you. Lip shapes and transitions are the privilege of the builders. If the builders like steep lips/landings, that's how it is.
4. If you show up to a spot while people are digging, then you dig BEFORE riding. This applies to everyone. If you show up and the Diggers aren't there, then you can water the jumps before riding, that's it. DO NOT CHANGE ANYTHING.
5. MAINTENANCE is watering, sweeping, picking up trash, raking, packing, etc. (Sweeping dust off dry jumps is not as good as actually watering it, which will settle the dust and re-pack it when ridden).
6. Riding is done AFTER you have demonstrated appropriate willingness to contribute to the trails.
7. DON'T ride when it's muddy. It tears the jumps up, and pointless anyway. Be patient. DON'T create more work for everybody.
8. ABSOLUTELY NO motorized vehicles of any kind. No 50's mini bikes, quads, dirt-bikes, RC cars, etc.
9. Dirt Jumps are NOT a playground, and little kids should NOT be running up and down lips/landings like they're at a McDonald's Play Palace.
10. BE RESPECTFUL-Can't be said enough. Be respectful to the builders, neighbors, other riders, and the Earth. If you're respectful, you won't get disrespected. Period. Don't be a loud, littering, selfish guy with an attitude. Thanks.
Sunday, 29 May 2011
trails hunt mission
Ok, so after a fair bit of mooching around on the net, there are maybe some trails north of the city, and sine others about am hours drive west. I ain't got a car (yet) so going to venture out to the end of the subway, then half hour on a bus. The last posts I've found on the net are from 2009 and all I know is the name of the area and that they ate in one of many parks uptown somewhere.....fingers crossed as it looks like a real spot from the 2 photos I found :)
Let the trails hunting begin!
Let the trails hunting begin!
Saturday, 28 May 2011
joyride150
Haha...found out there is a place called joyride one50 a little way out of Toronto...which is basically a place that looks like its an attempt at something like Rays park in the US.
Sweet, its pretty expensive and a good hour and half away on public t'port but they have $15 Tuesdays so will be heading up there for a look next week
http://www.joyride150.com/
gotta find some way to treat the woods withdrawal, being as one set of jumps were demolished the week I got here, I found the only others but they were sketchy mountain bike things, still pretty wet but being ridden! I will get the odd skatepark session in but it just ain't quite like being at the trails....
Sweet, its pretty expensive and a good hour and half away on public t'port but they have $15 Tuesdays so will be heading up there for a look next week
http://www.joyride150.com/
gotta find some way to treat the woods withdrawal, being as one set of jumps were demolished the week I got here, I found the only others but they were sketchy mountain bike things, still pretty wet but being ridden! I will get the odd skatepark session in but it just ain't quite like being at the trails....
Friday, 27 May 2011
Dean Manson
Met Dean in NZ, he absolutely ripped Gorge Rd trails apart, and The Farm Jam for that matter....goes proper high and got style for miles, probably one of the most impressive riders I've met, and a proper sound fella....
Thanks to Jimmy at TRUBMX for posting this up....sweet, cheers dudes, until next time
Natural Disaster tour continues
Yes, finish as you begun, I started as I meant to go on, and things are still holding together
When I had 3 nights in Japan in February at the start of my trip, i got delayed a day leaving Tokyo for New Zealand due to a Japanese volcano's ash had screwed up the planes rudder system...
...then after avoiding the tragic earthquake and its epicenter, by as little as a few days in Christchuch, I then got to Wellington at the start of March, only to experience their biggest earthquake for some time on my first and singular night there...
now I have just spent $$$'s moving my flight forward a few days to arrange an earlier homecoming, but with an extra night in Reykjavik, Iceland, only for a day or two later for Iceland's volcano to erupt, putting me in more than one mind whether or not to def the Iceland leg altogether and just come straight home from Toronto.....hopefully I will get a refund or credit from Iceland air which will mean I can still plan to go there sometime in future
Looking forward to seeing family, friends, class with Sifu and the woods, maybe as soon as 10 days time
It's been a mega trip, and I won't let it end....gotta just keep on tripping.....酸
When I had 3 nights in Japan in February at the start of my trip, i got delayed a day leaving Tokyo for New Zealand due to a Japanese volcano's ash had screwed up the planes rudder system...
...then after avoiding the tragic earthquake and its epicenter, by as little as a few days in Christchuch, I then got to Wellington at the start of March, only to experience their biggest earthquake for some time on my first and singular night there...
now I have just spent $$$'s moving my flight forward a few days to arrange an earlier homecoming, but with an extra night in Reykjavik, Iceland, only for a day or two later for Iceland's volcano to erupt, putting me in more than one mind whether or not to def the Iceland leg altogether and just come straight home from Toronto.....hopefully I will get a refund or credit from Iceland air which will mean I can still plan to go there sometime in future
Looking forward to seeing family, friends, class with Sifu and the woods, maybe as soon as 10 days time
It's been a mega trip, and I won't let it end....gotta just keep on tripping.....酸
Thursday, 19 May 2011
its a long way
my time in Vancouver and then Alberta for the first too weeks of stay in Canada were pretty good, although the temperature and general weather conditions sure made me feel I was a long way from northern New Zealand
My following 10 days on Vancouver Island with my dear Qigong sister Lee was, well, a long way from what life in a modern society usually feels like....it has to be said it was a very welcome long way, and something quite special....and although it's a long way from home a return visit there is certain, and of greater duration hopefully
Flying to Calgary from Vancouver Island felt a bit of a cheat when looking at the journey ahead, but having already done that part of the route by bus it was a realistic compromise to not leave the Island so soon after arriving there. I left it as late as possible and no sooner than I landed in Calgary I was picked up and we got on the road.
The following 5 days was the longest drive I have ever shared, which ended slightly earlier than my desired destination of Toronto, but go me close. Over 3500km, some less inspiring landscape at times, some skys that went on forever, a bath in the worlds largest fresh water, and at this time of year cold water lake; Superior, meant we were now across our third time zone change, and well and truly in Ontario. Ontario is a very long way from end to end, but is thankfully mostly beautiful with more trees and lakes than you can imagine...
Thanks for the free ride Vitek, hope you liked my driving, which, judging by the amount you were happy for me to do it must been ok...apart from when I nearly fell asleep I guess!!
Safely in Toronto now, even after another Greyhound ride for the last few hours...which is good 'cause all those missing person posters in the terminals do make you wonder...a few weeks to chill and explore some places in the East...then will be back home in one month
My following 10 days on Vancouver Island with my dear Qigong sister Lee was, well, a long way from what life in a modern society usually feels like....it has to be said it was a very welcome long way, and something quite special....and although it's a long way from home a return visit there is certain, and of greater duration hopefully
Flying to Calgary from Vancouver Island felt a bit of a cheat when looking at the journey ahead, but having already done that part of the route by bus it was a realistic compromise to not leave the Island so soon after arriving there. I left it as late as possible and no sooner than I landed in Calgary I was picked up and we got on the road.
The following 5 days was the longest drive I have ever shared, which ended slightly earlier than my desired destination of Toronto, but go me close. Over 3500km, some less inspiring landscape at times, some skys that went on forever, a bath in the worlds largest fresh water, and at this time of year cold water lake; Superior, meant we were now across our third time zone change, and well and truly in Ontario. Ontario is a very long way from end to end, but is thankfully mostly beautiful with more trees and lakes than you can imagine...
Thanks for the free ride Vitek, hope you liked my driving, which, judging by the amount you were happy for me to do it must been ok...apart from when I nearly fell asleep I guess!!
Safely in Toronto now, even after another Greyhound ride for the last few hours...which is good 'cause all those missing person posters in the terminals do make you wonder...a few weeks to chill and explore some places in the East...then will be back home in one month
RIP some trails
I really hope this isn't the case, but I have regrettably been informed that some trails looked after by a now good friend Chris have reached the point of beyond repair....
I most definitely hope to be getting involved on return to England, if the weather is kind enough to aid repair, to at least help get a couple of lines riding this year. I am keen to see Chris have somewhere local to ride, as well as hoping to have the chance to have a roll there myself.
Fingers crossed, I know hoping for both riding and building weather when I return is asking for the impossible, but I do believe anything is possible
I most definitely hope to be getting involved on return to England, if the weather is kind enough to aid repair, to at least help get a couple of lines riding this year. I am keen to see Chris have somewhere local to ride, as well as hoping to have the chance to have a roll there myself.
Fingers crossed, I know hoping for both riding and building weather when I return is asking for the impossible, but I do believe anything is possible
getting fat
ate some right crap while traveling across Canada, so much driving to do and not much time for anything else other than some random stops Vitek wanted to take....to have a change from the incessant burger intake I had my first Taco Bell,...oh my goodness, I have never, ever, eaten anything quite so disgusting in all my life. Plastic, sweetened, bland, plasticy horribleness...
Apart from the odd coffee, my last few weeks in Canada will mostly now just be, water, bread, some rice and like things and vegetables....and lots of walking me thinks
oh and some riding my bike if the weather improves enough in Toronto...which it hopefully will.
Apart from the odd coffee, my last few weeks in Canada will mostly now just be, water, bread, some rice and like things and vegetables....and lots of walking me thinks
oh and some riding my bike if the weather improves enough in Toronto...which it hopefully will.
Thursday, 5 May 2011
Pretty Shady
Ha - ALV Woods blog got a visit from the man who runs Prettyshady.com - which is nice, I've been visiting ps.com for years now, and I know many other people do too. Hopefully ALV Woods will continue to stay underground though!
Peace
Been to busy and not near a real computer of late...too much of a pain in the ass posting on here on my phone...
Have now arrived on Vancouver Island, at my Qigong sisters house. It's so peaceful here, like a paradise - lots of practice, rest and hanging out with Lee, and the micro community that live here - it's just so nice! She has the place and life down, hope I can live somewhere like this one day
I'm not going to want to leave here, but my lift across Canada is likely to be leaving Vancouver at the weekend, which is a little earlier than I would prefer, but you can't have everything eh? - I will try and squeeze as long as possible in time out here, I know it won't be long enough, so guess that means I will probably be back again in the not too distant...
Have now arrived on Vancouver Island, at my Qigong sisters house. It's so peaceful here, like a paradise - lots of practice, rest and hanging out with Lee, and the micro community that live here - it's just so nice! She has the place and life down, hope I can live somewhere like this one day
I'm not going to want to leave here, but my lift across Canada is likely to be leaving Vancouver at the weekend, which is a little earlier than I would prefer, but you can't have everything eh? - I will try and squeeze as long as possible in time out here, I know it won't be long enough, so guess that means I will probably be back again in the not too distant...
Wednesday, 20 April 2011
420 day in Vancouver!
Well I met some good people in the hostel bar last night so didn't get up in time to head out for a day hike....so might as well just sort some stuff out then go check out 420 day! It'll prob just be a quiet gathering at the art gallery of 10000 people to celebrate!
One of the guys I met was from chk republic and he's offered me a lift the whole way across Canada, if I share the driving....which could be fun...but its a long long way!
One of the guys I met was from chk republic and he's offered me a lift the whole way across Canada, if I share the driving....which could be fun...but its a long long way!
Tuesday, 12 April 2011
walk, soak and jump
Everyday is still amazing
walked over 42km in 2 days around Mt Doom, had the best weather ever for the main day over Tongario crossing and climbed the Tongario summit...
Got to Taupo, found super hot spring - had a soak where it met the river and cooled down a bit to sooth the aching legs - bliss!!
Beautiful day here in Taupo, couldn't resist booking on a skydive for this afternoon, leave in just over half an hour - 15000ft, over 60 seconds of freefall looking over Lake Taupo and the Volcanos to the south - should be fun....
Hopefully see ya soon but you only die once x
walked over 42km in 2 days around Mt Doom, had the best weather ever for the main day over Tongario crossing and climbed the Tongario summit...
Got to Taupo, found super hot spring - had a soak where it met the river and cooled down a bit to sooth the aching legs - bliss!!
Beautiful day here in Taupo, couldn't resist booking on a skydive for this afternoon, leave in just over half an hour - 15000ft, over 60 seconds of freefall looking over Lake Taupo and the Volcanos to the south - should be fun....
Hopefully see ya soon but you only die once x
Wednesday, 6 April 2011
Mt Armstrong & Mt Brewster
That's it for a few days now, heading North on North Isle to Tongariro national park to hopefully do the Tongario Northern Circuit 3 day walk, up Mt Doom, hot springs and other things on the way. Fingers crossed for good weather and quiet Volcano's as one of them has been raised to a level 1 alert!!
Cya soon XO
Monday, 4 April 2011
So long South Isle
What can I say, best time ever on the South Island is over for this time....but will there be more to come....A huge thanks to Lol, Jimmy, Chris, Nath and Trubmx xo
Check Trubmx for an Autumn Gorge update plus a few more Mt Brewster mission pics from Chris...here's a taster from one of the most amazing days ever
Check Trubmx for an Autumn Gorge update plus a few more Mt Brewster mission pics from Chris...here's a taster from one of the most amazing days ever
Tuesday, 22 March 2011
Views...
of the Remarkables mountain range on the flight into Queenstown
and from the Skyline Gondala hill
Looking back at Queenstown from the Remarkables at sunset
Weird halo effect from the sun 2300 meters up...
and from the Skyline Gondala hill
Looking back at Queenstown from the Remarkables at sunset
Weird halo effect from the sun 2300 meters up...
Wednesday, 16 March 2011
Return
Had an ace flight in from Christchurch, prop plane, sun rise, amazing views of the mountains poking up above the clouds, and couldn't land straight away due to fog at the airport so had to circle around aboce Lake Wakatipu a couple of times which was a treat - you can pay $$$'s for a flight with views like that and my whole flight only cost 60 bucks!!
Went rode the Gorge trails with Lol and Chris showed up too - I wasn't exactly feeling relaxed and overshot the first on the left line a couple of times which wasn't nice (argh thumbs!!) - so called it a day - will get some sleep tonight and hopefully get that line done before I leave Queenstown.
Chris and Lol were roasting it as usual though, and none of Lol's bike snapped which is always a bonus (he's killed a Profile crank arm and a fly rim since I left 2 weeks ago)
Good to see the crew here again....
Tuesday, 15 March 2011
Wednesday, 2 March 2011
On the move
I left the fun-town of Q-town yesterday, to head to Wellington by air, via Christchurch. Thankfully I managed to find a flight with only a half hour stop in Christchurch so I wasn't on the ground for long.
Got to Wellington, met two of my qigong friends, went out for dinner and then had the pleasure of a 4.3 earthquake when we got back to the house...which is made of wood, on a very windy hill, and has structural issues in the basement that need earthquake proofing....mega!!!
Got up at 3.45am to get flight to Brisbane, here now and although it's pretty much Autumn for them now it's been 34 degrees today....
There is a Gecko in my bedroom, pythons in the garden, a turkey nest and loads of other mad shit... :)
Got to Wellington, met two of my qigong friends, went out for dinner and then had the pleasure of a 4.3 earthquake when we got back to the house...which is made of wood, on a very windy hill, and has structural issues in the basement that need earthquake proofing....mega!!!
Got up at 3.45am to get flight to Brisbane, here now and although it's pretty much Autumn for them now it's been 34 degrees today....
There is a Gecko in my bedroom, pythons in the garden, a turkey nest and loads of other mad shit... :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)