For a while it was looking like not only was there going to be quality, but also quantity as many and varied names appeared on the list, and plenty of jostling for car spaces took place, but, cometh the hour, the throng melted away, and we were left with Hoops (obviously), the mighty Tony and my good self to wend our way up the M1 in blazing sunshine.

The plan was for Tony and I to go direct to Chicksands, with Hoops joining us later. There was a slight chill in the air on arrival, but (at long last) the sky was blue, and despite hysterical ramblings on the forum about needing mud spikes, the ground was dry and lush. The steeds were readied – myself on my trusty Ellsworth Joker and Tony on his Mythic Rampant and we headed off for a few warm up runs on the 4X track.

Joker at Chicksands

Tony's Mythic

We spent a while on the track, but I find it difficult to master and prefer the dual course, so soon headed over there to start sending it properly. Off the start ramp and into the first double (containing the one area of dampness we encountered all day) then on into the first berm and drop we headed, side by side, succumbing to the competitive urge and adrenaline rush…

Tony dual

Daddy dual

We rode the course over and over, gaining confidence and speed, jumping bigger, further and faster, and after a while a familiar character in a SMTB shirt joined us at the top of the hill. Hoops was straight into it and wanting to try out his helmet cam, so we continued to fly down the track and push back up, enjoying the fantastic conditions…

Hoops railing berm

Tony on start ramp

After a top session on the dual track, playing with the helmet cam, racing each other and generally looning, we decided to move to the freeride area. At this point I was happy to play with my dad’s SLR camera as my hand is still not properly fixed from my road crash and riding drops was not a great idea!

Hoops went straight for the big run – a large cut away drop into steep descent, straight into a very large double jump, completing it with ease, adding more speed and height. Very impressive.

Hoops drop in

Hoops high time

Meanwhile, Tony was sessioning a different line and building up his confidence to get airbourne – both riders in their zone and egging eachother on to bigger and better things. Tony went for a drop in, riding sooo smooth…

Tony drop in

Then Tony and Hoops were both eyeing a double with a difficult bermed entry and trying to work out the speed needed to clear it. After a couple of aborted run ins, all of a sudden Hoops came in, railing that berm and set for take off – clearing it with some style…

Hoops double

We were doing really well, the standard of riding was top notch and things were going great. There was one thing though. Hoops had something on his mind. Something that he couldn’t let go of. He kept going to the bottom of the big run and looking at the monster double that has been on his mind for a very long time. Last time I was here with him it was the same. Looking. Thinking. Looking. A few mumbled words – speed. Trajectory. Speed. I can do it.

All of a sudden the covert visualisation technique seemed to win out. There was light in his eyes. He had belief. After all, what was the worst that could happen? Actually, best not contemplate that – don’t want blood in a new motor…

Before I knew it, he was at the top of the drop in with fire in his eyes and I was lying on my belly, camera set up thinking that I’d left my phone and first aid kit in the car… He set off, tonking into the drop, carrying massive speed down the bank into the first jump, which he cleared easily. He carried his speed down the second slope and into the final berm, pedalling hard. He set himself, full commitment now – no time for backing out – and hit the take off….

Hoops big double

Hoops big double 2

KIN HELL!!!! That was awesome! He hit it perfect and nailed the landing on the downslope as if he’d done it a hundred times. Much respect to that man for that jump…. There was plenty of whooping and yelling from Tony and myself, and then the muffled and understated words from inside the full face lid… , “what a rush…”. Even the steady Hooper hands had a little shake going on!

He repeated the jump a second time, capturing it on helmet cam, and a third – at which point came the “I think it’s time to stop’ words from inside the lid as he dropped the nose big time on landing, using the full 180mm of travel, and now needing a new pair of pants.

Hoops double 3

After some collective gathering of breath, we headed back to the dual track for some final looning about, filming with the headcam whilst all 3 of us raced down, fighting for the same landing space, and generally having a ball.

We packed it in around 4 and headed our separate ways, it seeming fitting that the first thing hoops does with a new car is fill it with stinking bike gear and bung a bike on the roof. Nice one.

Now, there was a deal that whatever happened on the trip stayed on the trip, so all I can say about the journey home for Tony and I is…

How’d we miss that????

Big Daddy