Great Ayton Quarry Trails

[nickbrick10]

THESE PICS ARE GREAT PAUL, OR IS IT GRAY, LIKE THE OLD DAYS. CHECK OUT ME AND ADAM ON OUR STINGRAYS, MAM BOUGHT THEM ON CHUCKY FROM "UPTONS", JUST ROUND THE CORNER FROM ARMSTRONGS. ONE OF THE CHEAPEST BIKES AROUND THEN FOR £69, CHRIST, WHAT WOULD THAT BE NOW!. MIGHT BE WRONG BUT THINK NUMBER 4 WAS BENNET, ONE OF HIS FEW TRIPS UP THERE.
CANT REMEMBER TOMMY HAVING TUFFS, IF ANYONE COULD BREAK THEM HE COULD, SORRY TOMMY BUT YOU PUT ACS OUT OF BUISSNESS.
LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT INSTALLMENT, NICK FOSTER

[paulgray]

Top pics Paul, thanks for posting.
Hows things going, long time no see?
Tommy!!!!!FFS, everybody is coming out of the woodwork for this quarry "revival"
Will look forward to a walk up there when I am home.
Adam 

Hey Adam, I hear you've gone travelling, sick of the British weather eh? It's been a strange couple of weeks here, meeting Nige and your Nick up the quarry and digging jumps again, and then Tommy appeared  , felt like I was a kid again  .

THESE PICS ARE GREAT PAUL, OR IS IT GRAY, LIKE THE OLD DAYS. CHECK OUT ME AND ADAM ON OUR STINGRAYS, MAM BOUGHT THEM ON CHUCKY FROM "UPTONS", JUST ROUND THE CORNER FROM ARMSTRONGS. ONE OF THE CHEAPEST BIKES AROUND THEN FOR £69, CHRIST, WHAT WOULD THAT BE NOW!. MIGHT BE WRONG BUT THINK NUMBER 4 WAS BENNET, ONE OF HIS FEW TRIPS UP THERE.
CANT REMEMBER TOMMY HAVING TUFFS, IF ANYONE COULD BREAK THEM HE COULD, SORRY TOMMY BUT YOU PUT ACS OUT OF BUISSNESS.
LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT INSTALLMENT, NICK FOSTER

Yea great pics, thanks to Keith for looking after them all these years. I remember my first BMX was a Huffy Pro Thunder from Westbrooks Cycles in Stokesley. Tommy had the Puch Murray and Grahams was a Pirhana which must have been the worlds heaviest BMX. I remember when Tommy got his red Redline, I wanted one so bad  Where was Bennet from, having a hard time remembering that far back  and who was the lad from Stokesley with the KHS Duster? Tony....

[paulgray]

Nicks pics

[paulgray]

I have loved seeing all the pics from this place recently, its been a shining light on an otherwise dull spell on here and in general really, so thanks to all contributers, when I am riding again, I will be making the journey up, hopefully with my young-uns and very likely Bof and Dubber would join us too, so I will look forward to a visit soon, maybe we'll see you there and thanks again for posting, cos its pics/threads like these that really wake up the memories

Hey glad you like the pics, we were so lucky to grow up with this place. Hope you are riding again soon, are you injured? If dark DIGgling has anything to do with a shovel then your more than welcome to come visit 

[keiththompson]

The number 4.... Bennion or Brennan was the name that sprang to mind tuther day

[paulgray]

BigPlinky


Dave Young

[paulgray]

Check out some of the jumps on this thread 

http://www.bikeguide.org/forums/showthread.php's=cad31d613a7c89b9360dc8a50e756934&t=151036

[Bigplinky]

A few more from the 92 / 93 sessions

Bigplink sketchy over the side jump



DY lookin' down



DY looking to rid the world of another TA (forks don't look very good on that one either)



God knows what this was supposed to be



And my weapon of choice in 93. 1985 Haro Sport with Pitch forks, Araya Aero's and an ESP stem (Dave Morton in the background)

[nickbrick10]

Hi again, the guy from Stokesley was Tony Prest, but there was Antony or Tony Huggil, aka Yogi from Busby. Sure the number 4 was Bennett from Guisbro as I raced against him..sort of ,as I was crap. Good to see some shots of Blenky, those lads were committed doing the ride from Stokesley as well.
Was talking to Jack Galloway today, says he has some photos he will dig out for us, also is going to tell Dan about site, sure he will love it to.
Keep up the good work, never looked forward to logging on a website so much, thanks for everything. Nick 
      P.S my bike was a Peugeot, I know what your thinking but after I changed the cranks and the forks and the pedals and the bars and the post and the seat and the grips and the stem..........it wasnt such a bad bike

[paulgray]

Thanks for posting them pics Andy  . You are jumping our old monster doubles, alas the side jump was already dead by then. Good news, a new jump was born today, the first one for a few years 

A few more from the 92 / 93 sessions

Bigplink sketchy over the side jump

[keiththompson]

Hi again, the guy from Stokesley was Tony Prest, but there was Antony or Tony Huggil, aka Yogi from Busby. Sure the number 4 was Bennett from Guisbro as I raced against him..sort of ,as I was crap. Good to see some shots of Blenky, those lads were committed doing the ride from Stokesley as well.
Was talking to Jack Galloway today, says he has some photos he will dig out for us, also is going to tell Dan about site, sure he will love it to.
Keep up the good work, never looked forward to logging on a website so much, thanks for everything. Nick 
      P.S my bike was a Peugeot, I know what your thinking but after I changed the cranks and the forks and the pedals and the bars and the post and the seat and the grips and the stem..........it wasnt such a bad bike

You are prob right with the name Bennett. Brennan was just my guess .... Pretty good guess mind   "B".
The Frame and forks on your pug lasted me out when I bought it (Paul has my pics from when I sprayed it white). Cant think what I did with it tho or if I sold it

[keiththompson]

Top pics Paul, thanks for posting.
Hows things going, long time no see?
Tommy!!!!!FFS, everybody is coming out of the woodwork for this quarry "revival"
Will look forward to a walk up there when I am home.
Adam 

It was just chance that I decided to walk my dog up there and Nick came up to me (after I must have walked past him without recognising him), and Paul was standing further up the quarry cutting back wind bushes. So we had a good chat and they told me about this site. I cant see me starting up again.... well unless my son asks for a BMX for xmas ( one strong enough for a middle aged, over-weight, recieding gadgey going through a mid-life-crisis can borrow  ).

[keiththompson]

Paul... I still have the video I took of the quarry (mid 90's ish) somewhere. If you can find a way of converting VHS video onto the net you are welcome to borrow it.

[aditup 2234]

Now then Tommy, how's going?
Don't be making excuses about not being able to find a bike strong enough for you, they are built to last now, not the "good old school" paper mache things we used to ride. You would be surprised, ride an old school, then jump on a new school, the transition is unbeleivable. The OS feels decidedly "bendy"
Get yourself one, you will love it!
Nice to see you are still "about"
Take care Keith.
Adam 

[keiththompson]

If you are interested, a few YOU-TUBE vids here

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Phzvvpy65G4&NR=1
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-oSojkaypcM&NR=1
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=NsGD2u_Lg1E&NR=1
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Pjn5o4QFcV0
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=pxckxBJejvk

Theres more if you look, but some aint very clear.

[paulgray]

New jump pictures.

Day 1, made a start.


Day 2.


Day 3


Day 4


Day 5


Day 5, side view


Day 6


Nige and charlie finishing off



Veteran radster Nick landing back-flip, if only i'd been a bit quicker on the camera 


Nick again showing the young'uns how it's done.


Time well spent

[teamsano]

rode the quarry a couple of times in the mid/late 90s with yoda and big dave , the other locals i recall were mike hill and steve(presely?).

the jumps were really knarly and you really didnt want to fall on that rough surface, especially the way the wind whipped into the quarry.

i had no idea the jumps had been around so long, surely the uk's longest standing dirt spot? fantastic pictures paul 

[keiththompson]

Now then Tommy, how's going?
Don't be making excuses about not being able to find a bike strong enough for you, they are built to last now, not the "good old school" paper mache things we used to ride. You would be surprised, ride an old school, then jump on a new school, the transition is unbeleivable. The OS feels decidedly "bendy"
Get yourself one, you will love it!
Nice to see you are still "about"
Take care Keith.
Adam 

Hello Ad, Im cushty ta. A little dicky-bird told me you are peed off with this quarry revival and been away. Well you missed it all today Paul, Nick, Nige and myself all made it today for the 1st time together in yonks. It was just like the old days with all 4 of us showing the young-uns how it should be done. Paul started it off landing a massive double tail-whip. Nick finally got the nerve up at did his first back-flip (see pics) Nige landed a cushty flair out on the bottom jump and I landed a forward flip / tailwhip/Hannah/barspin...
Believe that and you'll believe out...

No t'was good to see everyone today. Hope to see you soon.

Ps.... good news... Dan (my son) got home and instantly went on the net looking at bikes ...... Followed by Helmet/jerseys/gloves/bottoms etc etc etc costing ££££££££.             Kids nowadays, Whats wrong with starting with a Puch Murray and a stripey jumper and jeans

[keiththompson]

Like the new jump pics and ive just decided.... this shovel pushing needs a supervisor

[paulgray]

Like the new jump pics and ive just decided.... this shovel pushing needs a supervisor

Sorry but too slow mate, you'll have to start at the bottom and work your way up cos me and Nige have bagsed the supervisor jobs.  Saturday mornin eight o'clock sharp if you want to impress 

[paulgray]

rode the quarry a couple of times in the mid/late 90s with yoda and big dave , the other locals i recall were mike hill and steve(presely?).

the jumps were really knarly and you really didnt want to fall on that rough surface, especially the way the wind whipped into the quarry.

i had no idea the jumps had been around so long, surely the uk's longest standing dirt spot? fantastic pictures paul 

Must have been around the time of BigPlinky's pictures then. The surface has deteriorated over the years, it used to be superb BITD,  there is some erosion now but still good to ride and we are working on drainage and resurfacing where we can. If the wind is in the wrong direction and strong it can effect the lower riding area but the top part, where the new jump is, is nicely sheltered  It just needs a bit of effort to build and improve the jumps, we're recruiting an army of young'uns to pass on the jump building skills and keep it going for another 25 years. 

[paulgray]

Ps.... good news... Dan (my son) got home and instantly went on the net looking at bikes ...... Followed by Helmet/jerseys/gloves/bottoms etc etc etc costing ££££££££.             Kids nowadays, Whats wrong with starting with a Puch Murray and a stripey jumper and jeans

Top, the lads a chip off the old block eh!?

I don't know about the stripey jumper and jeans but I bet a Puch Murray would cost you an arm and a leg these days. 

[paulgray]

Boulder Hill resurrection, is progressing.

For those who don't know boulder hill is behind the old second berm and was part of the original riding area, in recent years it has been overrun by the gorse 

Boulder Hill is on the far right behind Big Hip.


This is the tangle of gorse and brambles that I am removing to reclaim the hill.


It's a slow and prickly job, these pics show before and after some clearance work




Once the bushes are gone I see a step up behind the Big Hip. The slope down from the boulder is steep and good for 20mph+ so lots of jump possibilities 

[teamsano]

a gallon of unleaded would sort that a treat.

[paulgray]

a gallon of unleaded would sort that a treat.

That's very true, but I don't think it would please those nice people at the National Trust 

Anyway have you tried clearing burnt gorse, charcoal city, filthy job, you end up blacker than a miner