Elliot Burgess blog

A toy for me

admin — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 15:48:00 +0100

After a long first year at Uni I decided to treat my self to a new toy. I made use of the time off over the xmas period and went in search for some good trails.

Ive notched up a few off road mile and the weathers been pretty dam wet! Needless to say I haven’t had the chance to put me or the bike through it paces and on reflection the waist line isn’t helping much. I’ve been really surprised how well the Meta 3 soaks up the bumps and terrain.

I have managed over 40 or so miles on it so far and I look forward to some dry riding time. My plan over the next month is to get over to Swinley, Lordswood and Queen Elizabeth Park and try and get a little braver over some of the bigger Jumps.

Jowles

admin — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 13:41:39 +0200

Couldnt resist it!

To veiw the movie click here!

Famouse!!! Finally! :0)

NEC Bicycle show 2011

admin — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 11:36:06 +0200

After an early start we set off for the 2 hr journy to the NEC in Birmingham. Both me and Rich have been to many Motorcycle shows but the Bicycle show was a first!

Not knowing what to expect the aim of the day was to get a few rides on some of the 2012 demo bikes that we have be watching on the net. My interest was with the Trek range & my personal favourite the Commencal Met 3! Needless to say neither factory attended the show! Very dissapionting!

The BMX Show as was a supprise! the tricks these guys can do are very very cool! and some of the air the riders are capable of is amazing! or narly as they would say! I think!?

A very rare bambo bike based on the Scott Aspect geomtry! weights the same as the carbon Scott Scale!!! interesting!

I did get a chance to ride the new Pivot Mach 429 one of the new range of 29ers that is becomeing a very popular choice of wheel size.

Above the Pivot 429 with carbon wheels

The 429 over the rock section of the demo track was a real supprize! the bike peddled really well almost with any effect from the 9"-12" bolders sunk into the soil. The demo track it self was quite tight and had that pump track feel to it with some gental burms. The 429 felt really smooth and didnt flinch on the rocks. Rich tried out a full suspension carbon fibre Felt edict and due to its more race like feel rich didnt feel to happy with it! maybe next year we will try out more of the down hill type of bikes!

On our way out of the Halls we walked past the Pivot cycles stand as I have to say I really think these bikes ar now a strong favourite of mine! the only manafacturur who bothereed to turn up to the show and in my view a technicaly brilliant selection of bikes that really look the part!

ABOVE: Somthing you done see every day! well not in the UK! Studded snow tyres by Schwalbe

The Design of the frames of all there bikes are really clever and I can see already i would like one of these on my Christmas list! Dear Santa can i have a Pivot Mach 5.7 in carbon please? oh yes and a pony!

Im really pleased we went but very dissapionted that the big manfacturers wernt there! very strange!

Pivot were a 2nd favourite of mine and now ive sen them up close i know what my plans are for the future!

What show next! Hmmmmm

Click here for more photos NEC Bicycle show 2011

Pictured left sporting his fine lid he thought was a perfect design for the sky bike thats being built!

On the wrong way fella!!

NEC Bicycle show here we come!

admin — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 14:53:31 +0200

So after working too many hrs over the past months me and a freind have booked tickets to the Bicycle Show at the NEC.

There will be a demo track in use and it will give us a chance to ride a few bikes out and have a bit of fun.

The track picture below shows the full course starting from on eof the main halls lweading out into a wooded grass area especially designed for the task!

Photos comeing soon!!

Bicycle Show

Well what are you waiting for? The Outdoor Mountain Bike Demo Track, a joint venture with the NEC, gives you the unique opportunity to enjoy this and more during the Cycle Show.

The brand new outdoor track will give riders the chance to check out the very latest mountain bike brands.

The 1KM track is designed to offer the best environment to demonstrate your skills. The 13-sector track includes features such as table top jumps, flowing rock drops, low riders, bermed corners and a rolling/pump feature as well as a combination of fast flowing sectors and technical sectors.

I will be looking out for the Santacruz stand and Commencal! very pretty bikes!

Out on the bike and more repairs :0/

admin — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 22:51:58 +0200

So after a break for about 6 weeks, Summers gone the nights are drawing in. Me and a couple of friends decided to make use of the last warm day of the year at Queen Elizabeth park.

After fixing a multitude of punctures & loose wheels we set off to the slopes to show off our amazing talents of down hill!

I broke a wheel on my first gentle decent rich stripped a nut! and mean on the bike not a physical injury! we ended up taking more of a gentle ride! young max was obviously the star of the day and we met up with some nice chaps from our home town of Alresford. We had a chance to get some pics and video and a crash of the day!

still allot of fun but the track is getting really hard to ride! lots of wet chalk and exposed roots are making the rides really hard. We have been told there are some new trails and am looking forward to trying them out.

GP Comes to Alresford

admin — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 10:38:02 +0200

Hardcore fans have of course had their tickets booked for months, but there's no need to miss out on this major spectacle – you can still rock-up and feast yourself on MXGP for the only time this year in Britain.

Organiser Steve Dixon has been working flat-out for months on the event and the course should be in prime condition ready to receive the Grand Prix regulars – plus the British wildcards!

This is your chance to thrill at the speed of Antonio Cairoli, Ken Roczen, Jeff Herlings and co while yelling yourself hoarse for the Brits. And there's plenty to yell for. Newly-crowned Maxxis British champion, Brad Anderson, joins MX1 regulars Shaun Simpson and Tom Church – the latter making his final British Grand Prix appearance – and if there's one rider who can stir-up the home fans it's 'Ando'! And don't forget the return of flying Scot Billy MacKenzie who has been based in Australia recently!

Tommy Searle and Max Anstie are the big draws in MX2, both regularly running at the front of the pack and they will be joined by British wild-cards Elliott Banks Browne and Mel Pockock.

In total there are around 20 British or British-based riders entered so there's plenty to get excited about Matterley Basin is to be found at Matterley Farm, A31 Alresford Road, near Winchester, Hampshire (Postcode: S021 1HW).

If you are approaching from the motorway network just follow the A31 Alresford and pick up the MXGP signage.

Winchester

More widely known for its historical associations, Winchester takes on a very different character in August as it proudly hosts round 13 of the World Motocross Championship. We are sure you will enjoy the skill, thrills and spectacle at Matterley Basin, and we welcome you warmly to England's ancient capital city.

Do take time during your stay to explore the surrounding area, where you'll find plenty of attractions to keep the whole family amused. Close by is INTECH, Winchester's hands-on centre for science and discovery, where you can create your own tornado or play with a giant Newton's Cradle. Just a few miles down the A31 in Alresford is the much loved Mid Hants Railway, where traditional steam trains run to Alton and back through the scenic Hampshire countryside. A visit to Winchester is not complete without a veiwing of the Famous Winchester Cathederal and it's grounds. A walk along the water medows and up the high street to one on Winchesters old Ale houses.

A few miles away is one of the south's most popular zoological parks at Marwell, where there is plenty of animal action every day of the week, and then there is the exciting Fort Nelson in nearby Gosport with its collection of guns, historical re-enactments and daily firings (with free admission, too).

Both Portsmouth and Southampton offer fantastic days out with both ports having great nautical history, be sure to visit the old Mary Rose and the wooden warship "The Victory" plus there is plenty to do in Southampton.

A day out in the New Forest and and afternoon on the beach at Bournmouth? there is just so much to do within 40 minutes of the track.

You shouldn't head home before you've enjoyed a relaxed wander through Winchester's shopping streets. Escape from the heat with a walk round the large, shady cathedral where many kings of England are buried. Try on some armour in the Westgate Museum or spot the names of Arthur's knights on the famous round table in the Great Hall.

If you would like more information about things to do and see in this area, either for the weekend (20th and 21st of August) or for a future visit, call the tourist information centre on 01962 840 500, drop into the office in the centre of town by King Alfred's statue, or on Visit Winchester.

History Of The Event

In 2006, Matterley was built for two of the biggest events in motocross for the British people. Not only did it host the British round of the World Championship, but in the same year Matterley Basin represented Britain as one of the best venues for the Motocross Of Nations, pulling in the biggest crowd ever to the event, and still holding the title. With over 80,000 people over the weekend it was seen as a motocross phenomenon. The track has become an icon and since 2006 riders worldwide have been itching to get back on it. World class riders like Stefan Everts, James Stewart and Ricky Carmichael once roamed this track as thousands of fans cheered and united in favour of the great sport that is motocross.

South Africa Trip Day 4

admin — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 12:14:49 +0200

Day 4 was a pleasant surprise as this wasn’t planned!

FAMILY AND FRIENDS CAN DOWNLOAD IMAGES HERE South Africa Day

I had a note on my door that again the boat was leaving at 6.30 and had a slot if I wanted it! After having a day on the water already and knowing that I could keep the sickness at bay I new I had to make the most of the opportunity.

The weather today was much better! Although very choppy the swell was much much calmer. My aim for the day was not to concentrate too much on taking loads of shots but getting the opportunity to get in the water and at least get close to a great white.

We arrived at Seal Island and saw a hand full of attacks and for about 20 minutes it was fairly hectic just trying to keep up with all that was going on. I did see a seal being dragged down by a great white! Not I nice sight but still amazing to watch! We were at sea for about another hr and the seals seemed to be scares and not allot was happening. Chris Fellows was on board for the day and decided to get the decoy out for a try.

Again this didn’t disappoint! We did two tows and with in 5 minutes had a great breach! A 3.5 meter White jumped clear of the water. The shark was really aggressive and kept going back for the decoy thrashing about for a further 30 seconds or so until he lost interest!

We set of to a clear stretch of water and started to set the bait and chum to attract the sharks to the boat. Chris Explained that the sharks may or may not be attracted to the boat and it can be a bit of a waiting game. I got suited up and prepared my self to go in to the cage. The minute I got my hood on we had a shout from the crew SHARK!!! And it’s a big one! Needless to say I wasn’t really ready but jumped straight in the cage! No snorkel and camera in hand I saw the dorsal fin held my breath and duct under the service, hooked my feet under the bottom bar of the cage to support my self and looked up just as this monster of a fish swam past! Twice!

I cant print what I said! It was such a big fish! Its shame the water was so dirty as that was the last sighting of an shark we had for the rest of the day. I stayed in the cage for a further 10 minutes to see if he came back but he didn’t.

Back on the boat the waters were so much calmer and we were all able to just chill out and chat. I have to say Chris and Monique are an amazing and an enthusiastic couple and very passionate about the job and interest in the sharks, I had a unbelievable time. The boat journey back was still an amazing aspect as we saw a Southern Wright whale that was seemingly not too well swimming across our path back to the port. We had an opportunity to take some shots but Chris felt it was a good idea to leave the whale in peace and headed back to Simons Town Harbour.

This trip has been one the best things I have ever done! I am definitely coming back and next time I want to bring my mate Rich! So start saving dude!! :0)

I also would like to say Hi to my new friends Pia & Clause its been a pleasure getting to knwo you both! cant wait for future diving trips with you guys. A pleasure!

I have a sellection of Pictures in this folder link here theres planty if shots of the seals and veiws...South Africa Day 4

FAMILY AND FRIENDS CAN DOWNLOAD IMAGES HERE South Africa Day 4

South Africa Trip Day 3

admin — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 19:20:59 +0200

INFO COMING SOON

GOT SOME SEA SICKNESS TABS! THEY WORKED A TREAT SO HAPPY

FAMILY AND FRIENDS CAN DOWNLOAD IMAGES HERE South Africa Day 3

South Africa Shark trip day 2

admin — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 16:58:10 +0200

South Africa Trip Day 2

Well up early and im set to go. I got to the doc for dead on 6.30 to meet Chris Fellows, The Crew and the other guests. We had our introduction & safety briefing and then we were off.

The boat ride to seal island takes about 25 to 30 minutes on a good day! And today was not a good day. The sea was fairly choppy with a 4 meter swell and the temperature was around 10c, so not to warm either.

We arrived at Seal Island just as the sun was emerging and the view of the island inhabited by thousands of seals was amazing! Chris made us aware that we should be looking out for groups of guls flying in groups above water. We also needed to look for still areas on the water serface! It turns outthe gulls are the perfect shark spotter as when a strike is made and or kill ,the gulls make a bee line for the area to pick up any scraps.

The Gauntlet

The seals run a gauntlet between the Island and the open water were they feed. The sharks swim around the area of the island a few hundred feet away from the Islands sure, ready to attack when the right lone seal or seal pup visible at the surface. We saw a few medium sized breaches and we witnessed the aftermath of a kill. Chris explained that the smell of a dead seal is pretty obvious after pass through the area, it’s a strange smell a bit like cut grass! (but slightly more meaty!) We went around the Island for about an hr when it was suggested that the Decoy seal pup was worth a go! I’ve seen this on the Discovery channel and I didn’t think I was going to be the one of the lucky ones with regards to a Predation sighting and a breech!

The tow did not disappoint! Even though I was starting to feel very very sick at the time! On our second tow a 3.5m Great White Male shark hit the decoy at full force no more than 15-20 meters away and left clean out of the water! Needless to say I got the shot and I think I will be getting this sequence frames on a canvas on the wall! (yes that mean you Adam! at Add Signs!)

I was so chuffed and amazed I then throw up! And 20 minutes later I throw up again! I don’t think I have my sea legs yet!

At the beginning of the trip we were told we would probably only be doing a predation trip and wouldn’t be Diving! It turned out we did have the opportunity to get the cage into the water! The bait was set wet suits on and before I even had time to get in to the water 3 meter Great White started taking the bait! Me and another chap from the UK jumped in to the freezing water and waited!I was in the water for about 8-10 minutes and visibility wasn’t good and my sickness was worse! I started being sick whilst in the water! This is not good when your trying to breath through a snorkel! In the end it got the better of me. Cold, throwing up and unable to breath I got back on the boat, to throw up some more! God I felt ill! Needless to say the next guests got a shark right up to the cage!

After the cage diving we got packed up and set back to port! Were I throw up again! This is not fun! Sharks great! Sea bad! :0(

How ever not all lost turns out we have another confirmed trip tomorrow morning but now im armed with sea sickness pills called Stugeron! Ive been told they work really well so I have to give this a go! God I felt sooooo Bad!!

Roll on tomorrow! I am soo chuffed with the shots! Just want to touch a Great white now and I will be a happy man…

FAMILY AND FRIENDS CAN DOWNLOAD IMAGES HERE South Africa Day 2

South Africa Trip Day 1

admin — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 15:42:18 +0200

Arrived!

After nearly 20 hrs travelling I was collected by a nice chap Alistair from Apex Sharks. We said our hellos and not long after we set off in the car to the Hotel he had a phone call from the buys back at the port with bad news! It turned out we had a storm heading our way and the 3 days I had booked for diving had just been cancelled!

Needless to say I was pretty gutted and to think storm was going to be around for the 3 days I had booked was a little hard to swallow! It’s a long way to come to sit on the side lines! Once I settled my self in at the Hotel I made plans to extend my stay if the weather didn’t improve. I sent an email to my very kind, generous, understanding boss to ask for an extra few days off and was met with a yes. So all its was down to now was to move my flights. This proved a little more difficult and I was left a little in the dark if someone from the travel company was going to be able to help me.

I settled my self in to a little fish and chip shop on the docs had my tea and set of back to hotel stopping of at the Apex Sharks shop to say hi. Im glad I did as Chris had called in to say that the weather was moving away from our area and this was going to possibly give us a window in the morning. I was told to keep my phone on and see what would transpire throughout the evening. About 9 pm I got the call! Be at the doc for 6.30 am!

Were on!

The rest of the evening I set about getting camera gear ready and my ruck sack for clothes etc…

I didn’t sleep too well as I was so excited! Its been a long time coming this trip.