‘All Terrain Boarding’

Had the camera to hand today and was just cutting across the top of the Hill not having managed to capture a single shot during the whole time I had been out walking.

At the viewpoint there still didn’t seem to be the elusive image I had been hoping for and instead just three boy racers all of whom were precision parked; reversed up together with their driver and passenger door windows wide open each comparing their engine capacities, their thumping sound systems and the deep notes from their throaty exhaust sysyems. Alas, not really the photo opportunity I had been hoping for at all!

Then up ahead I noticed two young guys carrying a large wooden frame which from a distance looked like they were about to drag off into the trees nearby and possibly ‘fly tip?’ However, as I got nearer to them I saw that this was in fact a purpose built ramp and watched with interest as they assembled the structure with another gent there to assist.

Having pegged the ramp into place the two lads then made there way up a slope close by and one at a time they climbed up onto a wooden block.

Then donning safety helmets and clipping their feet firmly into the strapping of these all terrain boards, they leapt off and sped down the slope onto the recently positioned ramp where they took off demonstrating some really clever acrobatic jumps and turns.

I snapped off a couple of images and then spoke with the chap who was previously assisting the lads. Turns out the lads were his son and grandson and he was kind enough to explain briefly what it was they were doing.

So let me introduce you to Richard and Bailey Evans (Father and Son) Two nicer guys you couldn’t hope to meet.

I just hope that you guys like the little series of images you all helped me produce today and having spent some time in your company, it sounds very much like I may be revisiting you all for another photo shoot in the future?

Their father informed me that they were off to Italy soon for a holiday and that Snowdon was a challenge which they were both hoping to conquer using their rather expensive but very cool looking boards. Both lads very sensibly were ‘armoured up’ and both very safety aware.

I learned a lot today guys and shall look forward to the next time or paths cross again.
Maybe I can get my own son and his boy to come and meet you all?

Till then though, thanks for your time today and for introducing me to a sport I knew very little about.

It looked lke great fun and as Richard himself is a school teacher, I should imagine he is extremely popular with his pupils.

In contrast whilst this was all going on…one of the three boy racers sounded like he had managed to blow something in his exhaust or engine apart: and God knows what else?

Positive versus negative pursuits for young people eh?

Engine repair probably going to set him back a few hundred quid?

Who knows; he might need to ditch the motor altogether now and go to work on an all terrain board instead?

Might be a lot safer in the long term.