The Digitised Goodness..

Its always satisfying when you get the chance to develop a sock load of film, 6 rolls to be precise. 

Some rolls have been residing in this sock for nearly 5 months, and its been niggling in the back of my mind to get them done. 

However.. E-6 is going to have to wait, which is a real shame because i cant wait. and the Black and White is looking to be done in the next 2 weeks when i get my hands on load of darkroom paraphernalia.

So what we have here, is the last roll i shot on my Olympus OM2'N, Probably the nicest camera i've used ever... and the first camera I ever put a roll through. 

So please Enjoy..

The makings of something great..

On the many journeys that have been made recently, the majority have taken me through Rayleigh and each time i catch a glimpse of the park, and the congregation of concrete skate furniture that is currently in production.

Each time i whizz past it seems a little bit has been added to the skatepark, mainly another 7 foot high fence to prevent anxious premature testing of the facilities. And they work. i was anxious to get a closer look-in but i had to suffice with a wander round the perimeter.

And this is how its looking so far.

Remember .. Websters Way Rayleigh...

ROLL ON APRIL!!!!

Weapons of mass Construction..

During the Chit Chat, nattering and general photo discussions that went down at ROM, it seems that i was papped whilst at work by Clint, and he was kind enough to send through some of the evidence of me in my element.

So thanks to clint for documenting me and my weapons of mass construction...

A sign of things to come..

What a week!! Lets be honest the weather has been the polar opposite of last years blizzard.

Thats right! we had snow in march only 352 days ago (approx) and look at it now, blue sky, sunburn, and ray bans.

Good times.

With all these factors culminating in perfect riding weather one would expect every park, field and beach to  be rammed with everyone fighting to lap up as much vitamin D as possible..

But.... Seems that everyone forgot to take advantage of the generous rays being offered to our pasty white birthday suits, birthday suits in dire need of some action after hibernating under fleeces, coats, and thermals for 4 months.

The quiet 'session' that took place was little more than a mild natter, some camera talk and little banter, which in hindsight was slightly more relaxing than frantically running around trying, to film, shoot and get the names of 30 guys riding at one spot.

It was an opportunity to say hello to some old faces and at the same time poke a barrage of lenses in the same direction to.

Ive been making the effort to shoot as much as film as possible in the last few weeks and today was no exception, there will be a few rolls meandering their way through an Asda processor in the next few days, and the rest will have to be inverted, shaken, developed and dried by myself; all to be scanned and buzzed through a scanner to for your viewing pleasure.

For now here are the digital 'soul stealing' shots from the day.

Knowledge is the greatest gift..

After the first spontaneous outing to the 'bowels' of tunbridge wells it seemed fitting to arrange a planned trip to the beautiful, secluded mecca of climbing that is Bowles Rocks.

With over 100 routes on an ancient outcrop protruding from a long sloping field nearly 250m above sea level, (according to one mans watch) the views and atmosphere are one to experience rather than explain.

On escaping the buzz and chaos of a bustling town centre, the oasis just minutes away contrasts dramatically against the artificial structures that loom above the streets and pedestrians.

On arriving slightly later than anticipated we still got alot done and made the most of what was on offer.

With all but maybe 8 routes in use there was a great deal out our fingertips and Harry had planned a few treats for us. Some 5a's and a couple of 5b's, a fairly good challenge it must be said.

As with most sports there are always going to be countless opportunities to make friends and share a bit of banter, today was no exception; it seems everyone is always in high spirits, i guess from the satisfaction of conquering the epic sandstone cliffs in such a beautiful location.

Sharing information, tips and tools is a the great aspect of a sport where experience counts for alot.

as was mentioned knowledge is the greatest gift, and photos are second best.

.....so here they are.....

Bowles Rocks.. Tunbridge Wells..

With a great deal going on over the weekend, the details of the climbing trip must have been lost in translation.

Under the assumption that we were going indoors... 5 minutes down the road i was prepped and ready to go, minus the right head gear mind you. So after you a few minutes deliberating i thought a beanie was suitable. Functional, Fashionable and Free (it was a gift).

Walking to my drive i instantly realised that a beanie was the right choice, all other members of the expedition team were sporting a vibrant range of wintery head gear and it seemed that the plan was coming together quite smoothly. Hannibal would be proud.

Making the brief trip to Rochford to pick up Sperm or Mr Schubert to you and me, we ventured on.

But then..... then it hit me. A question floated in the air for a while.
A small collection of words compiled together to trigger a response often initiating debate thus resulting in a logical answer

The question i hear you ask?...

"we going 127 or A13?"

This question surely sounds mandatory... what road do we take.. left? or right? it has to be done. Optimise the route, make the journey that little bit easier and so on.

BUT.. i know for a fact that Clements Hall 'indoor climbing centre' is not near any arterial, quite the opposite infact. It sits secluded in amongst the B roads and bridleways that criss-cross through Hockley and  Hawkwell.

So i enquire "Surely its easier to go the back roads......."

An empty silence fills the car for a brief moment and then it becomes apparent.

"Mike. We're not going Clements Hall"

"So where are we going then....?"

"Kent"

A Brucey Bonus as it were.. The sun was out , the sky was blue, the perfect day for natural climbing.

But Alex and Lynne, were arriving at mine within the hour and i had requested their presence at Clements Hall after their arrival. Quite the conundrum seeing that within with the hour we would be in another county and over 50 miles away. At first it all seemed quite disastrous and only solvable with the cancellation of my trip to sunny Kent, but after great deliberation and realising it was a unique opportunity. It seemed logical to keep on trucking.

Onward!!

... A127 it is then.. the pulsing artery fuelling Southend with bustling traffic from London and its "Greater" regions. We push forward and away from the heart of South East Essex venturing into the Green, Hilly Depths of Kent, onwards to Tunbridge Wells.

And the rest they say is history...
but this history has been documented.