Having been part of the team that built the new trails at Lee Quarry it was great to finally start running skills days on those new sections. My first day on the new stuff was spent training the Rangers and Volunteer Rangers who will be around the quarry to help people out and keep an eye on things. To recognise the contribution that these guys make they are getting three days training with me. They are also going to get mountain bike clothing and accessories from various leading brands, all sorted out by the good people at Singletrack Magazine.

We started out with a warm up on the pump track and spent time riding the drop off line (rolling the steps, then dropping them). Moving on to the new berm line we did lots of cornering practice and looked at line choice, body position and carried on working on pumping technique.

Moving down the hill we got some flow going on the red xc trail and got the blood flowing with a couple of climbs. All in all it was a great way to start working again at Lee Quarry. Thanks to the Rangers for all their work, they are a good bunch and thoroughly deserve getting something back for the time that they put in.

Thanks to Ranger Bill for the photos.

I ran a skills and guiding day for a private  group yesterday. The guys were on a stag weekend and they wanted a taste of the riding that Hebden Bridge has to offer. As well as getting in some big views, we rode the famous ‘Blue Pig’ trail and has a good session on a great set of steps. There were climbs, singletrack as well as steep and rocky descents. We had lunch in Mooch, the best cafe in town, and beers in the Hole in t’Wall to finish.

“Just send it – but don’t over send it” (Freeride Kev)

*Update: Details in the ‘Alps Holiday’ tab above*

Following on from our successful collaboration in February, plans are coming together for a Nigel Page / Great Rock skills and riding holiday in St Jean d’Aulps, just outside Morzine, within the massive Portes du Soleil area. Full details soon, but it will be 12th – 19th July 2010.

Tips, tricks and thrills with a weeks riding and accommodation, including great food. Nigel and Ed will be on hand every day for skills training and leading lift assisted riding in this awesome location.

The riding will suit riders with bikes and riding inclinations in the All Mountain and Downhill range.

You can click on the Facebook icon over there, down a bit, on the right hand side of this page, to go to the Great Rock FB page. There you can become a fan and get the latest updates, as well as seeing photos and videos from skills courses. If you’re more of a Twitter person you can follow Great Rock there by clicking on the Twitter widget.

If you can’t be arsed looking for widgets, and who can blame you, here are the links:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Great-Rock/310587552770?ref=nf

http://twitter.com/GreatRock

It’s all good, clean social media fun. Most of the time 🙂