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Robbo Interview
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I spent about 10 days with Robbo back in May travelling and riding the countryside of England. I connected with him immediately....plenty of good conversations and amazing sessions. Besides being a genuine dude, Robbo is probably one of most amazing trail riders I have ever witnessed shred the woods. Here is a conversation we had over the past couple weeks....
1.Loughborough seems to be in the cut. When we were heading to your house it seemed we had to take a ton of twisty roads out there....are you considered a country boy in the uk?
I actually don’t live in Loughborough. I live on the outskirts in a little village. I just say I live in Loughborough because I spend pretty much 90% of my time there. I don’t know whether I would call myself a country boy--probably when I was younger because all I used to do was play in the fields and woods or go fishing behind my house. Suppose I still do play in the woods by making trails and I still feel like a kid. So, yea, I would be considered a country boy its actually sweet...didn’t think any thing of it.
2.How many days a week do you spend in the woods at the trails? You guys dig through the winter, right?
I wish I took note on how many days and hours I spend at the trails. It’s kinda just a routine. I actually don’t know maybe like 4 or 5 days--the rest of the days I chill with my girl and work the odd days. Yea, we dig all through winter. It gets cold and real wet but it doesn’t effect digging at all. It’s pretty rad to be honest because we can stack new lines and change stuff without using water because its wet enough, but then it can get real wet and stuff starts falling down which sucks!!! But you know that’s trail building for ya, you’ve gotta do what you gotta do.
3.And it’s a half an hour pedal both ways from the trails to the house and back?
Yea, it takes about half an hour. It’s not a bad ride though. I do get alot of lifts of my friends which is amazing in the summer and in the winter when it gets too dark to ride home, I haven’t got any lights or any thing, well I have one but its pretty shitty. Most of the ride home there isn’t any street lights so its pretty much like riding with your eyes closed especially in the summer when the leafs on trees have fully grown they kinder make a canopy. Its rad. I should really get some lights though. It’s funny because I’ve probably had my worst crash riding to the trails--full speed hill bomb to have my front tire blow up on me. That really sucked…
3.1Knock yourself out on the fall? Was anyone there to help you out?
Nah, I didn’t knock myself out, And no one was there to help. I can say I didn’t know what was going on. If any cars were behind me I would of been a dead man. Straight over the bars to a hand landing in 0 degree tempertures. Falling off in the winter unexpected really does suck.
4.The scene from your house to the trails is pretty unbelieveable--Castles, bright yellow rapeseed fields, rolling hills...How does that effect your ride? Does it make the pedal a little more enjoyable?
Ha Ha, yea its pretty cool. Like I said before its like a routine riding to the trails so I don’t really take any notice. But its rad seeing how stuff changes from winter to spring to summer to autumn. I’ll say it does make it a bit more enjoyable though because there’s not much traffic, no dodging busses, cars, etc…You just bomb some hills, do a few mannys, get the I-pod busting some songs and its pretty chilled.
5.I know driving is a huge pain in the ass in the UK...is that something you have to submit to soon or are you just going to keep running it foot to pedal?
Yea, getting to drive in the UK is a pain in the ass. It costs so much money. I know how it works over in the states and its a joke compared to how it works here. I don’t know though, I’ve always spent my money on buying plane tickets out to PA. ever since I got a job when I was 16. That’s all I wanted to do was go to PA. instead of spending more money anyway on getting to drive. But driving would make my life alot easier--like getting to my girlfriends house, getting to places while its raining. My bike is pretty much my car. That’s why most of the time my bike is pure shit hahaha. I dunno, if im gonna submit into driving I’ve just gotta see what happens… I was thinking about fixing my sisters old mountain bike which is rotting in my parents garage. I think that would make life a little easier. So, I’ll be keeping it running foot to pedel for abit.
6.You mentioned coming out to the states pretty regularly? You make, what, two trips a year out here? Spend most of the time up in Pa. for trails?
Yea, I try to get out as much I can. It’s so good out there and the people are awesome. I haven’t been out to PA for about a year to two years which sucks really because I miss it alot. Its just hard getting the money together plane tickets are insane nowadays. I went out to Austin at the start of the year for the first time and that was awesome. The weather, food, spots, people--so rad. Hopefully gonna try and get out to PA for sure this summer. I miss my friends’ as well as the trails. All I can say the trails are mint and the people are too--why wouldn’t you go.
7.I meant to ask...When we were out in the UK you took us to Leicester for some street. You said you'd been doing a bunch of solo missions out there finding new stuff to ride. How often you pedal some street? Isn't Leicester pretty far from you?
It seems like every time I go into Leicester or the outskirts I find new spots. There’s alot of stuff to ride. I don’t really ride a set of stairs or anything like that because that stuff’s everywhere. I actually like to go on missions trying to find different stuff. I kinda get more of a buzz actually finding new spots then actually riding it. I’ve been on a few solo missions but now the weathers good I’ve been meeting up with a few of the locals and having a session. It’s a bit of a mission to get to Leicester because I don’t drive, I normally just get a train. It’s only a 10 min train ride but it’s an 8 mile ride from my house to the train station. Missions are sweet. I try and ride as much street as I can without getting that routine of going to the trails.
8.What's your favorite aspect of the US? And whats your favorite aspect of the UK?
I’ve never really thought about that to be honest. I dunno, I think people out in the US are more welcoming and more nice. I’ve met alot of awesome friends over there. I dunno, alot of people in the UK just seem to be up there selves or something… I’m not saying that’s bmxers in the UK, just people in general. People in Scotland are nice though. The weather’s definitely better out in the US. England’s weather is good but it has its moments. But having trails in the UK is good. The weather’s actually perfect--alot of rain, alot of sun during the summer. I was in England all summer last year for the first summer in like 3 years and it was awesome. The weather was rad,
but then in the US you don’t have to worry about not riding the next day. You know the trails are going to be running well if it thunder storms. A big thing I do like about living in the UK is just knowing everything about England--like getting a bus or knowing where the nearest supermarket is. I dunno, I could go on for days listing my aspects on both countries. They’re both awesome places.
9.So when are we going to see you in the states again?
I have no clue. I’m hoping to go out to PA this summer and ride some trails. Hang out with some good friends. I’ve just gott a save some pennies and get a plane ticket, then I’ll be set.
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Article id# 1061
| Added Jul 22, 2010 |
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