MALLORCA REPORT 4 - OUR SPANISH ADVENTURE

When I saw Ashton and Hawyes’ sections for the first time in Chainspotting I knew what direction I wanted to go with my biking. I was awe struck by the skill and proficiency of what I saw. I watched that video everyday before school for six months. It got to the point where I didn’t even need to look up from my cereal anymore to know what trick was being pulled, I could just visualise the moves from listening to the music.
I still revisit Chainspotting from time to time for a bit of nostalgic inspiration even though my copy is a bit grainy and fuzzy from years of being overplayed. So when on a wet and windy October evening we were boarding the night flight from Gatwick to Mallorca and I remembered Martyn’s quote, “You get to go to great places, the best places…it’s the best job in the world!” I couldn’t help but smile to myself and agree. 

The M.A.D. van parked outside our apartment in Saint Jordi

We landed in Palma at 3am and it was warm and dry with that beautiful Majorcan atmosphere that whispers reminders of long sunny days and great times. Justin, a Hollywood stunt shows employee and great friend of M.A.D. picked us up from the airport and drove us to our apartment in Saint Jordi that would be home for the next few days.

Sain Jordi Street Session
Arrangements were made for the placement of our rig, the PA system, the lighting, additional barriers and translation to Spanish for our demos. The organisation was so good we were left with a free afternoon, so after sitting down for a drink and planning the routine of the demos we headed back to the apartment to get our bikes built up for a much anticipated Saint Jordi street session.

The demos were fantastic. Riding your bike in front of hundreds of people is always fun and I get excited before each and every demo no matter where it is. However this time we were in Majorca, in the sunshine, and the crowds were the loudest and most enthusiastic I have demoed in front of.

Fifteen minutes into the demo and romance of performing in the blistering Majorcan sunshine was replaced by the harsh reality; I was atop the wobbly six foot platform with so much sweat dripping into my eyes I could hardly see. Giles and JILL?, the translator, worked up the crowd into a frenzy announcing I was about to do a smooth six foot drop off. I thought, “Yeah, I would do if I could even see.” The salt was making my eyes water so much that my contact lenses had washed out of position and from my eye level on the bike Giles and JILL??, were just blurred shapes, 10 feet below. I put all my concentration into not hitting either of them or going off the stage and thankfully got down smoothly.

Si and I performed two day time demos and one evening demo and each one was really well received. We performed various flatland tricks for warm up and used the ladder up to the van and a few gaps jumps to work the crowd up a bit. Everyone loved the side hop competition and spurred on by their overwhelming enthusiasm I cleared a new personal best. Needless to say Si won all three competitions, clearing a massive personal best of 40” on the new 2005 M.A.D. bike.
Building up to the top platforms we pulled flatside 360’s and rockwalks from the 4 foot platform and I finished on me a six foot drop off with no front wheel and Si finished with a stunning 360 spin from six feet.

It was such an incredibly tiring but rewarding day. It’s always a good time when we sit down together at the end of a successful day of demos and relax. Justin took us out to eat to a gorgeous Greek restaurant and we all ate enough to see us through the next few weeks (I’m a student, I never know where my next meal is coming from!). None of us managed to finish dessert and we all vowed that we wouldn’t eat breakfast or lunch the following day.
However only a matter of hours later Giles was back at the Saint Jordi local with a plate of chicken wings in front of him!