Skatefurther Ben

This is all the videos from my John O’Groats to Lands End record attempt…. Watching this has really forced the pain of failing back into my mind, but i think seeing the videos has given me a bit of peace. The trip was amazing, and besides…there is always next summer!

SkateFurther John O’Groats from Ben Hall on Vimeo.

I’ve got myself a new deck!!! The hallowed Demonseed 06. Love it!!!!!!!! (Crap photos i know…my camera is being repaired as we speak…oooh, and ive ordered a fisheye!)

I did also have this little beauty set up for a while, but it snapped………The deck was the remains of an old Lush Globe 38, which promptly snapped when i jumped hard on it. If a deck cant take being jumped on then it is no good!

I know everyone was moaning about the snow we had a couple of weeks ago, but i loved it. I spent the time riding the KBike around…very hard on snow!!!

I just had a really cool couple of hours on a board that i hardly ever ride…but when i do ride it, it’s always special… My custom Brodie Boards Dancer.

I had it built a couple of years ago, because i wanted something with the 4 symbols on it. This is waht me and Brodie came up with. I only have a coupleof pictures of it and this is the only one with the graphic. Ive got it set up with lime big zigs and Holey Trucks (Best all round truck on the market!)

I love this board, it has a lot of flex and is the absolute ultimate mid speed carver. Every now and then you tap into that perfect carve frequency where the deck works in perfect time with your feet. I just Looovvveee IT!

So anyway i spent an hour or so working on different cross steps and spins and things, had some good tunes in my ears, got some new moves dialled and just had a good ride. Nothing too different but on the zeppelin board every second is fun!

After my skate i decided to pop into the library to check out some maps and start plotting for the summer…

I dragged the massive atlas off to a table and spent an hour going from page to page, Bristol-Calais, Calais- Prague, Prague-who knows where… The possibilities are endless!! It is going to be a great year!

Route 6 looks good!!!

It’s the new must have board. Supposedly it represents a step forward in distance board design…but havn’t we been here before? Carbon skateboards for Long distance isnt a new concept…numerous records were set on the Carbon/Kevlar RollsRolls before we realised that a return to traditional wood boards was a good idea. So when i stepped onto a Deelite for the first time you can imagine my dissapointment, when i didnt get that warm fuzzy feeling that happens when a board flexes under my weight, it felt rigid and unwelcoming.

This is what the Rayne site says about it. “The Dee-Lite boards are all built to be light and durable. We’ve made a superior board - it has 21 carbon stringers for a stiffer more reliable ride. It accelerates faster, it’s easier to push and handles like a dream.”  I dont think stiffer is better.

Dont get me wrong though, if somebody gave me one i wouldnt give it back….it would be a great board for racing shorter distances on smooth roads, and i bet it is fast as hell downhill! But when it comes to skating hundreds of miles on unfamiliar roads..i’d a save myself £100 and buy the regular demonseed. That is a very good deck!

Personally, i love the feel of wood, with maybe a little carbon and Fibreglass. But the wood has to be the bit that gives the deck its personalaity.

I know the demonseed isnt full carbon but this what Rob Thompson (distance record holder) had to say about carbon boards.

“For me, full carbon decks are not suitable for long distance loaded longboard touring. I was foolish in buying into the ‘carbon is better’ idea when researching decks for my around the world journey. I splashed out and paid big bucks for a carbon/kevlar Rollsrolls deck, which I was, for the most part, very happy with”

“In my humble opinion, carbon decks are are a thing of the past. Too expensive, too uncomfortable, too much hype.”

Not everyone agrees though. There are already a couple of carbon seeds in the UK and i know the owners love them. As does Rayne rider and ultraskate record holder Paul Kent, and hes done more than a few miles on his! http://www.longtreksonskatedecks.moonfruit.com/#/gear-list/4532520176

For me, there is only one wheel that does the job for a distance pusher…The Seismic Speed Vent 85mm 79a

The criteria for a good distance wheel is quite particular. Most of us agree that 85mm is just the right size but there is a lot more too think about.

You need grip, but you dont want a sticky, soft wheel because they tend to slow you down….However, you dont want it to be too hard, a hard wheel is very very uncomfortble and causes the dreaded ‘White foot’ (An excruciating pain that comes from the vibrations pulsing through your board foot). The magic duro seems to be either 79a on Seismic wheels or 80a on Abec wheels. A bit of predictable slide is nice too, for safety’s sake.

The Seismic seems to have the right shape too, and i like the feel of the square edges.

The new Seismic Black Ops thane feels really responsive too….

Basically i love these wheels and i thought i’d share them.

No mention of Distance Skating on the Seismic page..but oh well.

The very fastest wheel in the world - used by Joel King of England to set a Guinness World Record of 114.7 mph on a jet-powered luge! The 85mm Speed Vent is molded around our proprietary weight-saving Energy Conversion Core – possibly the raciest, sexiest core on the market. The 85mm diameter gives it the roll speed of a downhill wheel, while the weight-saving core adds the quickness and agility of a smaller wheel, as well as enhanced rebound. Combined with lips designed for pure grip, the 85mm Speed Vent is utterly unique among high-end wheels. Breakthrough performance for longboarding, downhill, GS, and even Hybrid slalom.

http://www.seismicskate.com/

I dont care how many boards i have, there will always be another deck on the horizon, calling to me. At the moment its the Rayne demonseed im after, specifically the 06 model.

It is the best all round board that money can buy!! You can do everything on a demonseed! It eats up hills, rolls nice on the flat and there is plenty of space on the deck to play around. It isnt the board i’d use for a long trip, but i’d love one for crusing around and day trips.

Im planning a trip to the Highlands next summer and the seed would be right at home on the Scottish mountain roads.

We’d all been watching the weather out of the corner of out eyes for the last couple of weeks, but i reckon in the end, we’d resigned to the rain. It was going to come and it was going to come hard……

The whole point of BriBaBri was to say goodbye to one of the guys who started Skatefurther, and who has become its driving force over the last couple of years, Nat Halliday. He is emigrating to New Zealand at the end of the year. Nat will be sorely missed, but i think we gave a damn good send off!

(For anyone interested, Nat’s blog is here, give it a read. http://wafflesole.skatefurther.net/)

Typically, the day started outside a pub. The weather actually looked ok, so Keith, Vic and I waited for people to arrive, chatting about the Kbike and things. After a while, numbers increased and we hit the (very familiar http://www.bristolbathrailwaypath.org.uk/home.shtml) trail. The first part of the way to Bath, the weather stayed on our side, the pace was good and we spent the catching up and meeting new folks. After the first pub stop the rain really came down, and lets just say i was happy i had the kickbike, it had the luxury of mudguards.

(Photo Stolen from Tom)

Skateboarding aside, i feel it is important to mention a good beer when you have one, if you havnt tried this stuff, DO SO!!!! http://www.otterbrewery.com/otter_ale.php

Just after the pubstop, Further team member Tom Lewis had a bail which messed up his bad knee, so i gallantly (Code for reluctantly) gave up my dry kickbike, for his 06 model demonseed, which despite the fact that it soaked me to the bones, was a damn good ride. It was set up with the new truck of choice, Sabres.

I wasnt to sure about them at first..but once i got rolling and started cross stepping (badly) and playing around i began to see attraction. If they are as stable on the hills as they are consistently turny, then that is a very good truck!

Everyone got to Bath safely and split up to find food. Keith and I joined Stewart, Alex and the guys from down by the seaside for lunch in the Slug and Lettuce. Alex, it was good to see you again dude, and it was good to meet the rest ofyou guys!

Well fed, we all met up at Bath Station and said our goodbyes to Nat and the other folks who (quite sensibly) didnt fance the return leg in the pouring rain. About 8 of us were left to push back to Bristol in the grey fading light. The ride back was epic! Very Very fast and Very Very wet!!

A few pints and a plate of Nacho’s afterwards and i was totally exhasuted!! Train back Bath…SLLEEEEEP

It was great to see everyone and i’m so so stoked for next summer, 20100 (Deliberate extra 0, you’l soon see) is going to be mental!!

(Photo stolen from Tom P’s Facebook)

Im looking for 3 other Kickbikers to ride next years Mountain Mayhem event with me. It’s a 24hr mountain Bike race held over the weekend of the 18th-20th June. 

It will be a huge challenge..but a kickbike team has entered before, with amazing results, finishing 63rd  out over 200 hundred MTB teams.

Entry aint cheap…I think last years charge was £200 per team, and the same price for a solo participent…

Who fancies it?? This goes out to skaters too, if you think it might be something you are interested in…drop me a line and i’l sort out a ride on a Kbike for you. I live half an hour from from some great trails, so if you are serious, come check them out.

More info here,

http://www.osmountainmayhem.co.uk/index.html

http://www.facebook.com/SkatefurtherBen?ref=name#/group.php?v=wall&ref=search&gid=5885544060

(Sorry to whoever i stole these pics from, if you want me to remove them i will, no problem. If not…thanks)

Just having a quick chat with Tomo Chisnall, who’s currently skating the length of New Zealand in aid of the fight against cancer.

He’s 4 days into his trip and i reckon he’s starting to get into the groove..Sounds like the hills are a bitch though!! Keep pushing dude, there are a lot of very jealous people following your trip!!!!

NZ looks incredible!!

Check him out at http://freedomskate.co.nz/

Donate here http://www.fundraisingonline.co.nz/FreedomSkate/