Across the pond by Nick

So I decided to take up Lu’s offer to go ride the cable in Milan, Keibolonli

During the NeverRide tour at the beginning of this season the Team riders had chatted about going to session each other’s local cables. It’s a pretty sweet deal, Rod G and I are from London, Geert from Holland, Lu from Switzerland, but her local cable is in Italy, Dom from Germany and Helena also. Basically there are a lot of options to travel and ride with friends and team riders all over Europe, so a big shout to Patrick for setting NeverRide up!

Anyway, I booked the flights over the bank holiday weekend at the end of August, that gave me about four days of riding a cable that promised to be amazing. You see Lu had sent me a little video of her at the cable, I couldn’t wait!

I got a late flight from Heathrow, landed in Milan Lineate at midnight; Lu kindly picked me up, sweet!

We headed to a little spot to set up the camper, a pimp ride if ever I have seen one!

Its crazy in Milan, the cable is a mere 10 minutes from the airport, same as the parking for the camper. The lifestyle is great as well, so chilled, all about eating good food, drinking good wine, chatting with friends and just relaxing… It was set up to be a sweet weekend! Just what I needed in the run up to the 21^st of September, the international day of peace. It’s a non-profit organisation I work for, set up by my wake boarder friend, Jeremy Gilley. Please show your support and have a look www.peaceoneday.org.

So we move on, Lu picked me up, we drove round the outside of Milan to the parking spot, set up, quick bite to eat, lovely food, Lu is a good cook, trust me! A little too much to drink, but hay we were both kinda on mini holidays and then bed, in the luxury of the camper!

Next morning we headed off to a little coffee house, strolling through a sleepy neighbourhood. Back to the camper, a short drive through an increasingly warm Milan, a dodgy traffic light scenario, always a worry when three sets of lights are green at the cross roads… Then before you know it we were there, wow what a set up!

There is actually about a 7 min stroll from the car park to the cable, we lucked out as Diana & Simone who run the cable drove us the rest of the way, YEPPA!

If you come to the cable here in Milan or have been before you already know its an amazing set up, beautiful surroundings (except the airport right behind…) fresh and green, flat water and some incredible kind, generous and funny people who work there.

The cable operators were great fun and make the time to chat to you, oh, and they’re pretty good riders too… Hay Muzzi and Steve hope to see you guys soon!

Round one, I get flung a handle, chuck the shifty in the lake, feet on the skate, and boom I'm away. Check my two cents on the shifty here, www.neverride.com/posts/the-shifty.html

The obstacles are sweet in Milan, you have left and right kickers, flat bar, big rail, wall ride and then my favourite the fun box. Check out the pictures, I think we covered most of them!

The first day was a little windy, but super fun in the morning. Lu and me rode for a few hours, then kicked back and chilled in the afternoon. It was so good to ride somewhere really hot with a good friend, Yeppa!

The second day was really one of the best days riding I have had in a long while, Lu was killing it, she’s a shredder for sure, hitting up every obstacle, wall ride, fun box, big rail, the lot! It’s probably worth mentioning that every, and I mean EVERY obstacle, she hits switch! She’s also got this cool trick, she goes up the transition on the fun box, kinda a switch backside 90 shuv off the top, which she catches turning a body varial the opposite way, slams down on the top of the fun box and comes out reguler. Shit, I cant do that…

That evening we drove to her home in Switzerland, another beautiful, quite house half way up a mountain overlooking the lake, this place is amazing, if you are lucky enough to see it you will know what I mean! Again she cooks and amazing Thai green curry, we drink a very nice bottle of wine Sassi Grossi, a fantastic Merlot from 1997, then another bottle from the local region, chuck in a couple of beers and we were in for a little session, we stayed up till 3am chatting laughing having too much fun! We must have spent at least an hour looking at you tube video from a festival called Carnevale di Bellinzona, RABADAN. I tell you what, that is the coolest festival I have every seen, not your run of the mill Glastonbury, soaking wet, covered in mud in a damp tent, oh no, this is cool. You have these groups called Guggen. They are local folk who learn songs, from bands like the Offspring, Bon Jovie, etc, all sorts of crazy shit, but in ‘big band’ style. Its fuc@&*g mental, hah, I tell you here and now I'm there in fancy dress next year!!! Check it out here,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXPb3TNr1cg&feature=related

Next day was a little bit of a slow start, as you can imagine… I come down to a traditional Switzerland breakfast Bichermuesli. It sets you up good for the day, its actually become a regular for me now in the UK. And then the view from Lu’s balcony, I mean “Oh my god!” Its so beautiful, night or day, I see why Lu loves this place so much, its hard to describe, so I wont, all ill say is its breath taking!

That morning was the first time I met Lu’s cool cat, Drug or Друг in Russian, it means friend, Lu calls him Druggie. He’s so funny, a real attention seeker, if you don’t give him your full attention all the time he finds some other strange but amusing way to get your attention, whether its ‘batting’ butterflies or rolling over your feet so you cant move, once you give him a little attention he craves more, no wonder Lu is so fond of him. A little shout out to you druggie, keep up Patra matey!

It’s great really, we just hung out and chilled all day, called the cable at 11, they said it’s windy, so we stayed another night at her place. As much as I love riding, sometimes you just need to chill, beer in hand in a beautiful little village. Good cos your amped to go ride again the next day… Yep, yep, yeppa! Oh yer, Lu took me for a traditional lunch in Grotto Ticinese; after we hung out on the rocks by the river. Good food, great company, a glass of wine and a lot of laughs, I mean what more can you ask for!

We drove back to the cable the next day, it was still a little windy, but hay, you cant have everything! And any way, we had fun J

Sadly, at the end of Tuesday I had to go home, kinda sucked as we had both had sooooooooo much fun! Any way, we were knackered and we both had real jobs to go to; important, as we need a little cash to pay for such amazing times!

You know what, I went back to Italy to ride with Lu the weekend after. It was so fun the first time I figured, “What the hell, why not”. But that, ladies and gents is a story for another day!

Until next time, stay safe kids ;)

Peace

Nick & Lu

NeverRide Team riders