Stoked on Trent

Having recently started a new job and being able to finally sort out car insurance, early in the week I offered out my driving services for a little road trip for the upcoming weekend. Oddly, little discussion revolved around where we should go and everyone was happy with my first proposed destination of Stoke skate plaza. The plaza has been around for about 6 years and features in almost every UK road trip video and it just seemed rad.

While at the pub on Friday night with Andy, Ben and Josh I was trying to arrange who was coming and when we were setting off the following morning via Facebook messages. Saturday morning rolls around and first thing I have to do is go to the Renault garage to get the car stereo fixed (fuck driving 5+ hours in silence), it all gets sorted and I pick Sash up from the train station. Sash is an ex Bath local, now residing in Bristol but who none of us have seen in almost 3 years so was rad seeing him again. We head back to my house to wait for Dully who was picking up John on his way, they eventually turn up, John being hungover, already baked as hell and having just left a random girl in his bed! We load the bikes up, everyone helps themselves to coffee and toast, Sash and John get a little too acquainted with my sister and then we eventually hit the road by about 10am.

With some rather shitty traffic, far too many average speed checks and a Burger King stop, 3 and a bit hours later we arrive. The park is fucking amazing, ledges of all kinds, banks and hips and all arranged in some really unique setups rather than your average straight out of the box style skateparks. It's a bit busy, loads of local BMXers and as you'd expect a load of scooter kids. But after a couple of hours some "pro" scooter rider turns up and starts sessioning the bowl and all the scooter kids flock over and squeeze on to the deck to watch him stunt, leaving the rest of the park completely deserted for us to shred.

Everyone rode hard, it was the longest days riding any of us had had in ages and we eventually left at about half 7. Unfortunately on the way back I missed the M5 turning and ended up on the M1, my bad guys, but cheers for a sick day! For anyone out there complaining about their local spots, just get in the car and go somewhere new, I definitely recommend checking Stoke out for sure. Peep some photos from the day below, didn't get too many though cos we were all just having far too much fun riding to get behind the camera.

 Josh laying a table on what we all agreed was the most fun wedge hip we'd ever ridden

 Sash - sub box tyre tap

 John with a table over a hip into a real steep and harsh landing

 John - ledge manny

 I was pretty stoked on this ice, and I've been running pegs for years. Dully's been running pegs for about a week and iced it like it was nothing.

 Me with a smith

 This was the tightest tranny ever, I could't ride it at all. Sash with a ride up to fakie.

 And John with a ridiculous carve. You can't understand how awesome this is until you try and ride it.