Not so mountain bike street day.

Yes, I know that the first post isn't so mountain bike, but I assure you the writer/camera man himself was riding a mountain bike, so all is not lost.

The start of our street shred day saw us waking up at stupidly early hours so that we could have a quiet skate park sesh in the morning, before all the kids could rock up and pack out the park. Stuart had a working bike, but mine needed a new sprocket, so we rolled, and ran where we couldn’t roll to Northcote skatepark, in an attempt to meet Mori and Nathan there at 9. Surprisingly, it took us less time than we expected, and we spent the next 15 minutes chilling by the skatepark, and trying to wake up.

Mori, smith grind

Mori, Aaron and Nathan promptly turned up at nine, and immediately started riding. Young people these days. Stuart and I needed something to wake us up, so we bought supplies for the day’s riding. We came back with Monsters for the three young ones, and ginger beers for Stuart and I. As if they needed more energy.

By this time, almost the entire riding group had turned up, and it was time to leave. But as we all know, bmxicans can never stick to a set time, so we ended up being half an hour late to get on the train.

It is at this point where I have to point out how lazy and corrupt our ticket inspectors have become. As usual, the ticket machine died after I got my tickets, so Corey ended up getting on the train without a ticket. What happened next was a little on the questionable side. Anyway, we get off at Flinders street, a bit apprehensive about what was going to happen to Corey. As we walk off the platform, and out on to the street, Corey gets nabbed for not having a ticket by the guy at the gate. The next thing we hear is, “Nah, you’re right mate. Get a two hour ticket on the way home.”

The plan was to meet Loki, Tom and Austen at Riverslide, but we first had to pick a few things up at Strictly. This was where Max joined us with “I’m very disappointed in you guys,” as I walked out of the shop, because Max is clearly an Anchor man.

After buying all his stuff, Nathan decided to swap his drive train over to the left side, so he could chuck on a hub guard. It ended up taking a good two hours, because it was harder than it looked. That is the last time we stop to do some major works at a bike shop on a ride day. Gosh, it was tedious.

After we had spent lots of cash, and went off to the local two-dollar shop to buy a three-dollar screwdriver, because none of us were prepared, we eventually rolled off to Docklands to ride the street spots.

The first spot we hit was Tom’s last. First go, pinch flat, and an epic dint in this white Spank rims. As we go to head off, Corey with his street skills starts riding a wallride, thus alerting Max and I, and also Mr. Security guard. Austin gets his camera set up while the three of us go higher and higher on the grippy wooden wall. By the time the security guard came and gave us the “fuck off,” we had got the balls up to get to the top of the two and a half metre wall, with Corey even hitting the vert part that high. Man that kid has skills. The security guard had just tamed the photographer inside me, with me being unable to get the camera out and set up, so I was pretty pissed off. I think we’ll go back with the camera already set up, and do a quick 10-minute photo shoot sometime, then bail when the security guard comes racing out.

The next spot we hit was the popular orange wall rides by the water, right beside Etihad Stadium. As we were setting up our gear, Max promptly hit the wallride over the chair. It must be best to hit it while no one is looking, just to get it over and done with, then. Luckily I don’t use a tripod, and was quick enough to get a few shots in while everyone was still setting up.

The most professional set-up we've done?

The next hour saw the bmx kids grinding things they shouldn’t, and the mountain bikers getting lost looking for new tubes. The highlight of the grinding sesh was Tom hopping up on to the ledge, and threeing off so smoothly, he looked like he belonged on a bmx., but it was not to be, as he has recently sold his bmx.

It was two thirty, and Stuart and I already being late decided to head off home, being followed by Aaron. Noticing yet another case of slackness on the side of ticket inspectors had us talking on the way home. A quick stop off to Coles on the way home to pick up some more ginger beer, which I’m drinking now, ends our story. Until next time, go out and ride!

Time to go?