Photos and words by Fred Murray
Spirits were high as Dan Banks and myself blasted down the M6, the main artery that goes between the north and the south of the UK. Service stations were stopped at, and overpriced tasteless sandwiches we devoured. This was the first real BMX trip I'd been on for over a year thanks to "you know what" and my excitement was mixed with a side of anxiety as if I was 16 again and traveling for the first time. The destination? Yorkshire.
Upon arrival we were greeted by Wethepeople and Leeds local Paul Robinson, at first eating a vegan fish and chips and then offering it to us after explaining his regret at not just buying a real fish. "Bit weird" he said as we poked at the fake Nemo and then admired the giant Wethepeople sticker he had attached to the brand new rental van. Soon after, the Welsh contingent (Lewis Griffiths, Jordan Godwin and Dennis Humphreys) appeared stuffed into Butch's VW Golf, buzzing with excitement. The apartment was set beside Hyde Park - somewhere most people would have ventured if they had been to Leeds before. A home for students, drug dealers and the odd weirdo - this place is definitely an experience to say the least. This evening was no different. You would have thought it was 420 with the plooms of smoke hovering over thousands of swarming humans relishing in their new freedom and 20c weather, and the police looking on with blank faces. This is where we would call home.
Six days later and in general our first trip back couldn't have gone much better - despite poor Butch knocking himself funny on the first day. Weather, food, company and spots were as good as it gets. Evening entertainment mostly consisted of bad TV game shows, drinking and Jordan trying to wind up Butch at all times. It was a BMX dream. It would be easy for me to recount each day here in words, but quite frankly i think the photos will do it better justice. FUCK YOU COVID - WE'RE BACK!
"Pegs up to bar over from Mudhut, straight to lashings of vegan duck and chips."
"Watching Jordan do his thing on rails is ridiculous. His levels of consistency and ability to keep a cool head is superhuman."
"Ice hard ain't hard for Jordan. Something that would take most people hours was completed in under a minute."
"Last day heat from Godders."