Phoenix Trails
a year before I whip out the knobblies and hit the rough stuff. When I do, I love it, but on my own it can take me nearly a full day to actually get in the groove and feel good. But not today.
Justin’s quick, concise tutorials and gentle suggestions had me up to speed in no time. He told me to slow down and pick my line more carefully, showing me that I shouldn’t just follow the tracks left by whatever’s been here before. Instead, I should consider finding my own line, where there might be more grip, better forward vision and less chance of tearing up the ground.
Suitably skilled up, it was time to make a move and have an explore. Now, I’ve never really been to this neck of the woods before, but I’ve heard lots about it… It’s the home of the infamous Salisbury Plain, a whopping 300 square mile area that the MoD owns half of. For as long as I’ve been riding trails, I’ve wanted to ride here. It’s a proper playground, with endless trails spanning through its heart, round its edges, and beyond.
The Codford base is the perfect starting point; after a couple of minutes on the road, we soon found ourselves winding our way through a short wooded section, before bursting out on to a narrow track between cornfields, with the Plains off in the distance and a section of deep ruts fast approaching. Time for lesson number one.
And that’s the way it worked all day. Justin would lead us on a brisk, but sensible, run, allowing us time to get a good feel for the bike and cover some distance. But then he’d spy something a bit challenging and make a beeline for it, but not before stopping us beforehand, talking us through how to approach it, and then showing us how it was done. It’s a brilliant way to do it, and my riding had improved noticeably by the end of the day. I was buzzing.
There are four different levels of training to choose from across the four centres. You can opt for a 2.5-hour ‘Taster Session’, which’ll see you tackling ruts, steps, inclines and declines in a closed environment, to build a solid foundation of skills ready for you to take to the trails.
The beginner ‘Level 1’ course covers all the same stuff as the ‘Taster Session’, but also includes a chance to hit up the local Green Lanes so you can practice all your newly-acquired skills in real world conditions.
The intermediate ‘Level 2’ day takes things a step further. In an ideal world you’ll have completed either a ‘Taster Session’ or ‘Level 1’ course, but there’s a bit of flexibility if you are a decent rider and feel confident in your abilities. It’s better to be honest with yourself though, and if you’re not sure you’ll be able to cope with a full day on the trails, you’d be better off opting for one of the more beginner-focused sessions. It involves a briefing to go over key skills, and a chance to practice on a private training area, before you get the chance to venture out for an extended ride on the local lanes.
The extended ‘Level 3’ follows a similar format to ‘Level 2’, starting with a quick briefing before getting straight out on to the lanes. It’s a long day on the bike, covering big miles – with fitness and endurance just as important as technical ability.
Prices range from £99 for the ‘Taster Session’, up to £270 for a full day of Level 1, 2 or 3 training. For your cash you’ll also be able to borrow all the kit you need: helmets, boots, gloves, jackets, trousers, and even motocross-style body armour is available. You’re welcome to wear your own approved riding gear, too, though you’ll need to make sure you’ve got some high-leg adventurestyle boots (at the very least). And lunch is included, too.
If you fancy something a bit more intensive, Phoenix also work together with Trailworld.co.uk, offering three or four day trips to the Andalusian mountains in southern Spain. If you want to know more, the best thing to do is give them a shout direct. For more information, visit: www.phoenixmotorcycletraining.co.uk