GNAR bike park, cumbria....

Hi Folks,
A little bit late to the party here but, as you can imagine, it's a fairly hectic time at the moment. I just wanted to jump in and give a "from the horses mouth" view point on a couple of things...
1) GNAR Bike Park. True, it will never win any awards for coolest venue name.
Go North And Ride Privately Owned Progressive Mountain Bike Training Facility would have been a much more descriptive name but, alas, it's a bit long.
2) Again, I'm unlikely to be remembered as a graphic artist. However, the trail map is accurate. All of the lines have been walked, marked out and checked. I've started work on the first ones now. The planning is a done deal and yes, it was challenging.
3) The issue of comparison - I could right a book on this subject so I'll keep it as short as poss. Firstly, I'm extremely grateful for what The Forestry Commission have done over the years to provide an absolute wealth of MTB trails throughout the UK. If Whinlatter, Grizedale and The 7stanes are your riding places of choice and you enjoy them, then, this is great news! You're very lucky to be catered for so well. I'm flattered that GNAR would be mentioned in the same sentence as a £1.6m European funded, Forestry Commission owned (I presume it's FC owned land?)giant that is BPW. But, again, the comparisons are unfair to BPW and somewhat misplaced. Whilst I concede that "Enter The Dragon" at BPW is 900m in length and therefore (for the subject of trail length) is directly comparable to the average length of GNAR's trails, that is as far as like for like goes. The only real fair comparison for GNAR Bike Park would be a place called Coast Gravity Park over in B.C. (as that's a park I'm greatly influenced by).

I'll tell you the story of a secret test day I did a couple of weeks ago that I originally had no intentions of telling anyone about. Rightly or wrongly, I almost feel as though I'm being asked by some to justify my existence. So, here goes....

Two weeks ago I put together a "test bike" to go for a sneaky ride out to Whinlatter. It's on my doorstep, I hadn't ridden there for over almost two years so, it seemed like a good idea. The purpose of my test was to investigate how the advances in bike technology and riding destinations had changed over the last 25yrs. I built up a seven speed, rigid framed, rigid forked, V-brake equipped bike that could best as possible match my old Specialized Hard Rock Comp I rode in 1990. Whilst pulling it from the boot in the car park, I had to endure the most uncomfortable situation I've ever found myself in whilst participating in cycling. The guys in the car park around me were openingly laughing and making whispered comments to each other about my bike. I felt myself repeating "It's ok Ben, they don't know that you have a nice bike at home". I'm not messing around when I say that I really considered just getting back in the car and coming home. Those boys were riding beautiful , modern bikes but, frankly, they were behaving like complete Dicks!
There were further lessons to be gained from that day too. It is my opinion (and I stress, my opinion alone. I do not say this to state a matter of fact that encompases all riders) that, my 1990 spec bike was more than ample for the South loop at Whinlatter. Once I'd bunny hopped rocks, roots and logs and landed on the smooth downslope transition of the jumps, the rest of my time was spend with tyres on "smooth", hard packed UK trail centre surfacing. At no time did I long for any assistance from modern suspension other than some forks would have been more comfortable for my wrists.

And, if you require it from, that is my justification for the existence of GNAR. I firmly believe that there are riders who want to challenge themselves and their machines. Riders who want to increase the progress of their skill sets. Riders who would like to start off with the very smallest of rollers and berms and watch themselves grow to the point of tackling features that cannot be found anywhere else in the UK.

Some of you are focused on comparisons. Some of you think the name is "a bit crap". Some of you are completely happy with the trail network we already have. If you'd like to visit GNAR when we open, you'll all be warmly welcomed. However, those of you who do insist on comparing everything, please, please do not bring that to GNAR's car park.

Very best wishes to you all and huge thanks to those of you who have donated to the cause.

Ben Eggleston