Thursday 26 November 2009

Spot homage - Whitley Bay's 'Black Park'





Before Whitley Bay skatepark was built the spots down here on the coast were few and far between and most of them were shite to say the least. One spot that did get sessioned is the park near Rockliffe School in Whitley Bay. It has a large concrete hump/flatbank thing in the middle which you can hip or jump like a jumpbox or whatever. It also has a pretty decent curved wallride in the corner too.
With it being a kids play park there swings and a whole lot of other crap to avoid/use with the latest addition being a climbing frame and some large rocks which can be used for abubaccas if your still into that sort of thing. Legend has it that there used to be another hump where the see-saw used to beback in the day and Tom Dorneys brother did a 360 over it..
I think i started riding here about 13 or so years ago and still ride there now and again to this day. I first learnt barspins there and probably how to fakie. The spot is a good session spot as long as there are not a load of familys in there and there are plenty of lines to be had if you are being creative. Its situated on the seafront inbetween Whitley Bay town centre and Cullercoats, check it out if your in the area.

Wednesday 11 November 2009

Xtremeties

For the second year running North Tyneside council has laid on an 'extreme' event imaginatively named Xperience. It was held on the last weekend in October to coincide with the annual Surf competition in Tynemouth, not a great time of year for the weather usually and not surprising it pissed down just like last year. The BMX side of things was taken care of Team Extreme and this year they brought their vert ramp and questionable 'street' course along for everyone to have a crack at and to do a few demos. Sure the course was a bit shit but it was OK for something different to ride for half an hour but it soon got pretty busy and the course was over run. If BMX wasn't your thing you could have watched the snowboarding big air or even some Mountain Boarders jumping a van when it wasn't pissing down. I think there was a circus tent or some shit and for some reason a beat boxing showcase. Down with the kids man. The best thing about it all is that I've won a session for 2 to go paddle boarding in a random competition, cant wait to take wor lass down to the sea and watch her try her hand at the zimmer frame of the water sports world.