If so, did you think it was worth while?
Can you give a summary of how the day went, what you did etc?
Would be interested to hear people opinions also.
Yeah, I went early may. Really good TBH. Get there and have a brew, introductions and where you normally ride, etc. You have a quick hour or so to run through the day, the regular "toilets there, if theres a fire go there", sign this and you're off.
The morning was started on the basics; bike set up, tires, how to see what to check before you start (yes basic but its aways good to be reminded) then off into the woods to a secret-ish area. They (we had PJ too) ran through basic body position / braking / looking ahead etc and asked us to go up and down a fire road to see how we ride basically, with tasks going from braking heavily to getting put a length of northshore and rising the end higher and higher. Then we used the jump / tabletop to the side and went through pumping and timings, repeating it all the way, getting feedback and getting photo'd / video'd
Lunch, brew, then off onto the pump track for an hour / hour and a half to get pump timing and balance etc, then off to the skills track for another hour and a half, doing the drop offs (the bigger ones if you wanted) and the jumps (not the bigger ones for me though!).
All the time you get encouragement / feedback and the chance to pick donnys brain from anything from shock setup to gloves.
Then off to the center for cake and to review your / others footage, and a chance to ask questions. A few days later you get a DVD in the post with video and customised feedback.
Money very well spent TBH (though a few of us agreed it's like learning to drive again, not that you're doing stuff WRONG but there are better ways of doing things). TBH I felt like I'd levelled off skill-wise but learned a lot and feel like I've upped my skills and enjoyment. Yes you could go on youtube and save some cash but the interaction and question / answers was itself worth it
I was a bit nervous before I started but the guys couldn't be nicer / chilled. Turn up wearing / riding what you'd normally ride and if there are bits you'd really not do there's no pressure, and its really good to get close up to people (and someone as good as donny) and see the mistakes that you are inveriably doing too. The photos of yourself are really helpful as you can see what the instructors are talking about (e.g. you landed that much better as your heels were more down, etc)
Shout if you need more info 🙂
Sounds great. I've always liked the don as a rider. From what you have said, to learn from him would be brilliant