Chris Birch Training Day.
Not an AMTRA ride but Johnny, Nath and myself attended this amazing training day today. We had booked in a few months ago and eagerly awaited the day to arrive.
I arrived at around 7.30 followed by Johnny and Nath not long after. As the 8.45 briefing arrived, it was looking like it was going to be just the 3 of us? How ever just after 9 the rest of the punters drag their arses in and got ready.
First lesson of the day was bike set up.
A change of lever heights that seemed very out there, had us all looking like gumbies as we headed out for some body position work. For seated cornering, standing cornering, transitional cornering.
Then on top clutch wheelies with a very different approach to body position than im used. Which I really struggled with, which came to the for as the log hopping started. Logs I could comfortably ride with my usual technique where proving a real challendge, how ever with some practice can see the huge benefits of new techniques.
Lunch and out to play on the hill and gullies of Wildwood. And I comfortable enough to say that I have attended the Wildwood extreme endure 3 or 4 times, and was dawnted by what was install?
Was a cool feeling having a go at these hills and gullies ive watched my heros ride in awe!!!!! A few of the hills got the better of me after a few cracks. And had an absolute ball through the creek bed and rock garden sections.
I managed to beet the last challenge hill of the day and ride around quite a few fellow riders. My rear tube decided that it had had enough torture for the day and was an interesting short squirt back to the cars at the end of the day.
Back at the cars for 4pm, totally and utterly stuffed!!!!!!

The day I would highly recommend to people who are willing to learn some better and different techniques.
The instruction is very personal and explained brilliantly.
10 riders in the course make the day flow, once people arrive.
Wildwood track are such a wide mix of terrains and obsticles.
Chris Birch is just a great down to earth guy, without an ego.

Downside to the day.
People who's life is so busy that everyone can wait for them.
The ride day at Wildwood been run on the same day as it made instructions a bit hard to hear as some throttle jockies needed to show off their load exhaust.

Think Bob may have some pics from the day and will try and sort some helmet cam footage to be brought to the meeting.
Al

Sounds interesting, Al.

In intrigued by this 'new' lever positioning! 

What Al said ... 
   I learnt a bucket load,, all I have to do now is unlearn a lot of habits and reprogram the brain with the new info,, probably easier said than done.
Bike set-up with the repositioning of the levers made for a real mind game with myself, especially practicing clutch monos or wheelies as Chris calls them- bloody kiwis they talk funny-  All in All a very valuable learning day and the heading out in the afternoon to practice my new skills, well that made for a fun time,, just by moving the clutch lever up by about a centimetre annoyed the bejesus out of me as it just didn't feel natural- practice practice practice-    
   A truely worth while experience and if anyone else was thinking about doing a training day - just do it .

Hey Serge.
Just running the levers not the way we most do to suit our standing or sitting style. Will take some time to get used to and feels awkward and not normal. But can see and feel the benefits when it becomes the norm after time. Takes a lot of the strain off your arm's in the harder effort riding, annoys the shit out of you in the lazy riding stuff.
Will show you next time i see you out on a bike.
Al

Did The Birch Training School last year i highly recommend is lots to be learnt