Well its, Christmas Eve, the presents are wrapped, tomorrows dinner is all but cooked, I’ve peeled the sprouts which I hate, until bubble and squeak, the Turkey and Spuds are prepped, the cabinet is full of drink and the friends are primed and ready for a day of feasting. But only after we’ve had our morning swim/surf, stood by a roaring fire with friends, drunk mulled cider, rum and eaten shortcake and got in the festive laughs. I love Christmas at home here in Cornwall. This sounds pretty cheesy when I write it, but this is what it is, if the weather plays ball. 
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I finished work yesterday, and as a builder, a much needed rest is overdue. I’ve spent the past month pulling the pews, stairs and pulpit out of a dry rot ridden Methodist Chapel in Mousehole, the idyllic little fishing village, famous for Christmas lights and Star Gazy pie (fish pie).  It’s been hard yacker, heavy work and a lot of lifting awkward shaped loads, digging out pointing and shoveling much away. Let’s just say that I’m glad I know have time off to recover, but also weirdly looking forward to putting things back in the traditional way. 
Hold that thought….

I have two weeks off to surfer, ride my bikes, walk the dog, and I hope this period to get in the woods, light the Kelly Kettle, whittle a few sticks and makes some fresh bread and bannock cake, drizzled in syrup and caked in butter,  something I’ve not done for ages, so keep an eye for this one over the holidays and I’ll put some photos up here. 

For now, I just wanted to thank the people who have checked in to read my ramblings, thanks for your kind words, as it’s given me a real boost to keep writing in the year ahead. I’ve got a lot planned from a Mountain Bike event in the summer that will focus on mental wellbeing, a decent surf trip and I’m most excited about finally getting out there and doing some bike packing adventures within my radius, and finally getting round to a few interviews.  

I was going to put a photo of a Christmas tree but instead, I thought this would be more enjoyable so I’m going to share it here as my Christmas present to you.

Beau Miles is by far my favourite YouTuber, He’s a classic Aussie, always smiling and funny as hell. He’s an inspiring adventurer, and one day I’d love to meet him. If you’ve not seen him just watch this one and then go back through his catalogue of films, but also make sure you watch the second video below which was the purpose of his entire trip. This isn’t a Christmas film, just a honest bloke, a bike and a place to get to. Enjoy, I guarantee you’ll watch him again and again. 

Have a great Christmas, enjoy with the family, don’t argue to much, and enjoy those festive activities.

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A week or so ago I was up in Sussex visiting my family and got a message from Mark Noble at DMR inviting me to join the staff to watch ‘Down for Life’, the film celebrating thirty years since DMR began. I’ve previously written about my tenuous link to their humble beginnings, but I’ll say briefly, they began in the back office of our little BMX shop in Sussex, where after a couple of years, we (being myself and best mate Dan Beamish) moved on, and well, they went global! However, after a 15 years hiatus, I really got back into my bikes again, starting with BMX Racing and then MTB back in 2016 and since then I’ve always ran DMR parts on my bikes, and watching this film with founder Damian Mason, (Matt was on holiday) I was so stoked to see how far  they have come,  and excited about where their heading, thanks to Matt Gray, their graphic designer and creative genius, who always loves to show me what’s in the bag for the coming months. ‘Down for Life’ is an epic journey of hard work, commitment and passion, that continues through their sponsored athletes, and is a must watch if you love bikes.  I for one love my bikes and I’m ‘Down for Life’. Thanks DMR. 

Proving that point, on that same day, the weather cleared, the super moon appeared, and with floodlights on our side; on a cold December evening, a session at the recently new Velosolutions Pumptrack in Brighton, well, ‘Hove Actually’, was well and truly on. When former Marketing Director at DMR/Upgrade, Rory Hitchens invites you to park at his house, as ‘it’s a stones throw’ from the track, you do that to avoid the endless parking meters and resident permit bays, because you never know what time the traffic wardens clock off, and more importantly, it actually is that close.  Even after a long day in London, Rory kindly graced us with his infectious stoke and warm winter man hugs telling us of the plans for events at the Pumptrack next year and I shall be heading up for sure.  I’d arranged to meet Tom Catton, full shredder and former digital creator at DMR, who rocked up on his Cargo Bike with jump bike in tow, with all manner of visually creative equipment in his panniers, and you can just tell by his mode of transport,  Tom is a full on, 100% bonafide bike lover.  Add to the mix a couple of teenage rippers, stoked on riding, and a twenty something  called Ben, who recently won the Brighton round of the UK Pumptrack series, and who can also lay down some of the sweetest berm to berm tables I’ve ever seen, this session was going to be pretty epic.  

Every now and then we get to experience the finest example of shared energy. When the ages range from 13 to 56, but the common bond is not age, but bikes. A machine, based on two triangles, two wheels, one gear, one brake and some components to suit, you have recipe for a simple thing that pleases simple minds, and this simplicity equals a huge amount of fun. 

Combine this with a perfect Pumptrack and you have the world’s finest gym and no need for a monthly membership. You’ll find a facility that will undeniably develop your bike handling skills, physical fitness and mental wellness. If you don’t believe me, do a lap and tell me if your heart rate isn’t maxed out. Ride two laps and tell me you don’t feel a little nauseous, legs like jelly and lungs extruding from the chest. Ride all evening and you’ll find yourself getting faster, leaning into turns, looking for your exits and your smile getting bigger while you’ll be thinking of nothing else but riding your bike. But look around you and there’s a community at this track, as there is at all pumptracks, that is so welcoming, and it’s obvious from this, and my previous visit to Brighton, that this track is also welcomed by the riders, they just seem really thankful, and pretty darn excited about things to come, and when a new rider turn up, they knew them and were stoked to watch them ride and share a few laps. 

My Thursday night session only ended when my legs, arms, and lungs would not work anymore, so half an hour before lights out, I called time before I hurt myself. Until that point, I’d ridden so many laps and got up to good speed for an ol’ bugger, but the highlight was watching a small group of locals ride. Taking multiple lines, seeking out transfers, the local crew are stoked on finding out what more this pumptrack has to offer. The endless possibilities of one line leading to another, gap after gap, and how much speed can they generate out of a turn and carry through rhythm sections. Pump tracks should be mandatory in every community as far as I’m concerned, and down here in Cornwall we are seriously left wanting. 

This trip, actually this one day was pretty epic. Bikes really do bring people together and the shared energy is infectious.  Thanks to everyone at DMR for inviting me to watch the film, and the locals the Brighton and Hove Pumptrack for making me feel so welcome. Thanks also to Tom Catton for filming and getting all these sick shots, and I’ll see you in the spring and look forward to the comp in 2026. 

Oh, and one thing is for sure if I forgot to mention it, I’m ‘Down for Life’.

This is not becoming a video sharing platform, but there are some really good films that I feel the need to share lately whilst I pen a few more written blogs. This is an absolutely beautiful film starring Sennen’s very own Izzy Henshall. I was lucky enough to get a sneak preview of this a couple of months back so now it’s live I’m stoked to share this. We’re so lucky as we’ve watched Izzy surf from such a young age, (she even had a short stint on a mountain bike) and become a seriously fantastic talent to watch. Now living in Noosa, Australia she has such as a graceful surfer and inspiring to others. Izzy also has great surfing genes as her Mum Brioney, and Dad Jonty both surf, her cousin Lola and Dad Sam, are both Champions and Grandad Alan ‘Fuzz’ Bleakley one of the OG sixties surfers in the UK.  So, I ask you to make a cup of tea, sit back and enjoy how surfing a longboard is all about minimal movement and finding that perfect flow. 

I’m always so stoked to think that we were there right a the beginning. Matt and Damian set up DMR in the back room of our little BMX shop up in here in Sussex. If it wasn’t for those two, we wouldn’t have had the shop. They had the contacts and knew the industry. My self and best mate Dan Beamish were two blokes who grew up riding bikes, and in 1995 and we were both lucky enough to watch a global brand be  born. Sadly for me it was short lived, we closed the shop and I took the opportunity to go travelling and work abroad, trying to use my four years of college education. A after two years I came home and saw DMR in a huge industrial unit, (which happened to be the old barn that myself and Dan would built big wooden jumps inside when we were about 13/14.  I bought a DMR Trailstar frame and began riding again, jumping at the trails that had been build in my absence, by the young riders, like Tom Lang, Ian Harris and Scott Funnel,  who would come to our shop and ride, it was amazing to see what great riders they had become in two short years.

Today I went up to DMR Bikes and watched ‘Down for Life’. A 30 year history of a brand I absolutely love, and have huge respect for. Nowadays when I come back to Sussex to visit family, I always try to drop in, say hi to Matt and Damo, and get shown by Matt Gray what’s in the pipeline, chat with Brian in the warehouse, hopefully get Nathan to service my forks, and generally hangout for a bit, and it’s always so cool. 30 years on DMR is still so cool.  So please enjoy 50 minutes of history, then  go and ride your bike for a couple of hours.