Late 90's Trails

[evamedia]

My friend pretty much single handedly built Grove Trails in Rayleigh Essex in the mid to late 90's, for his birthday I posted some pics up on my site

http://20negative.com/posts/show/31-Retro-Ian-Bannister

[teamsano]

do you remember tom nunn?

[evamedia]

Yes, remember being jealous of his fisheye at the time. Never saw any of his pics from down there though.

[nomad]

i remember going to Grove Trails a couple times, when it was mid built. IIRC it had some doubles, a 6 or 8 pack, big old tabletop? I broke something there that meant I could ride back to Canvey, got my dad to collect me lol. Was my only real taste of dirt riding really, they still there?

[nomad]

is your friend Ian Bannister? I recognise the name for some reason?

[TwoBobRob]

Ian 'hair Bear' Bannister.

What a lovely bloke 

Now working in a MTB and MX shop not so far from those trails, has been therre many years now.  I believe he's riding crossers but hasn't been riding bmx for some time now. As I recall, he took a massive slam at those trails and hung up his spurs after that.

If anyone's in touch with him, send him my regards 


Anyone who rode there will remember Matt Roach.  I bumped into him at a racetrack a few years ago, I was watching some supermoto racing and he was there competing in a minicross event.  He was a live wire for sure 

[evamedia]

I'm in contact with Ian every week, and Roach every couple of months.

Not sure it was big slam that stopped Ian to be honest, he had very few, think it was just the MX calling. He was a very good MX Trials rider in the 80's , and now rides MX for fun with his stepson. I've been trying hard to get him back on a BMX, but the boys not for turning.

Matt has been pretty sick for the last few years, and was retired out of the post office. He now does racing cars up for a living, I've been trying to get him down Charlton for a roll around, and he has promised to get another bike. I just need to keep the pressure up.

When the trails finished there was an 8 pack into a berm, then a choice of either a 6 pack or 8 pack back, another section with a six pack into the woods, then berm and a hip back into the main line, and a few other nibbly bits.

I don't think it's currently running,  a few people have dug their since Ian stopped in '99 but not at the moment. It's a shame, the council still have it down as a BMX track, a quick word with the parky and it could be dug again, and with little hassle.  Apart from the kids on a Sunday morning running up the jumps in football boots.

Will pass on your regards Rob. (oh, and Geoff the elbow's coming to the Creation novice night)

Nomad what's your name then?

[nomad]

I remember Matt Roach too! He ended up sponsered for a bit I think? Sure I saw him in a ad in Ride after I stopped riding myself. I remember him more from Leigh thou, only went Rayleigh a couple times before I packed in. I more knew of Matt than knew him thou, he wont remember me, fairly certain I wouldnt recognise him now 12 years on! My real name is David Yanetski thou, used to ride Leigh most weekends with a bloke called George mainly. I didn't ride with Matt thou, he was far far better than me. Shame the trails aint really in use, now I am getting back into it I would love to "ride" them again. Did Ian have massive curly hair?

[evamedia]

Massive curly hair, sounds like me, lol.

Matt was sponsered for a bit by Eastern, and some clothing company that I forget. There was a great pic of him doing a fufanu on the back fence of a big quarter at Vertical (nr. BlueWater) taken by Paul Roberts, full page in Ride. I've got video of him getting it badly wrong.

Matt's the main star of the crash section of my video http://video.mpora.com/watch/M71jof5nM/ though that crash isn't in it.

[nomad]

now you say eastern i think i remember the ad in Ride, Matt sat on a bike next to some trails, quite probably Grove?

Think I am going to pop down there and have a look in a couple weeks, see what state they are in! Anyone got directions? I aint gonna remember it now!

[evamedia]

Wouldn't normally put trails directions, but it's down as a BMX track in a public park, it's no secret

http://20negative.com/spots/show/21-Grove-Trails

If you click the satelite button and zoom in, you can sort of see some jumps

[nomad]

cool cheers, gonna go and check it week after next i think. Cool site btw.

[teamsano]

orwarded your pm to nunna, evamedia.. 

[evamedia]

more pics and some video of Grove

http://20negative.com/posts/show/35-Retro-Lloyd-Williams

[bmxbert]

i used to ride with matt roach and matt jenkins at leigh quite alot.
last i heard of roach he was doing mini stock car racing. dunno about jenkins!!!
they both were great riders though. jenkins techy lip tricks were amazing

[bmxbert]

oh and the bike ians riding in that pic is a standard trail boss i know because one of my friends ended up owning it.and the shop up the road tht ian worked at was grips

[evamedia]

Ian still works at Grips, they do MX stuff as well now

Roach fixes racing cars for a living

Jenkins is a graphic designer, still rides, had a section in "nang" fairly recently

[bmxbert]

cool do you see jenkins much. id like to catch up with him and go for a ride.
i havent seen him since the old park at leigh shut down.
if you do see him tell him albert sais hello

[evamedia]

only see Jenkins occasionally, he's on facebook