My Life In Pictures: May 2006

MY GRILL!!!

^ I had to lay on this GRILL - whilst being questioned on the business! ^

That's Enterprise code talk for completing my management trainee scheme. Once you have acquired sufficient knowledge about the business, you are put forward to be grilled on every aspect of it. It's a verbal discussion between yourself and two area managers - and they choose the format. If you pass the grilling, you are then eligable for promotion to assistant manager and get a share in the profits of the business. Before you are given any feedback, they ask you an Apprentice style question: "So why should we promote you to assistant manager - what qualities do you have that will add value to the business?" So I told them...... and passed!

Biking in Stortford

Andy reliably informed me that there used to be a castle on the top of the mount, unfortunately the gates were locked, so Andy had to forefit the challenge to ride down it!

^ Andy climbing a hedge near stortford mount ^

^ Skate Ramp in the park in the town centre - kind of hard on mountain bike ^

We rode down through the woods at Birchwood. There's a route sort of marked out that involves high speed slalom through trees and the odd jump. The whole course is on a slight downhill gradient - so you really gather momentum. You spend so much time on the brakes that you end up adjusting them when you get to the bottom to sharpen them up a tad. There are a few jumps which Andy has crashed and burned on so far. The one in the photo below is known as 'Devil's Dip' - potential for massive air!!

^ Andy standing on the lip of devel's dip ^

^ Troll bridge - one of many covered in chicken wire - so ya don't slip ^

Stortford is really good for biking - loads of variation - Urban - Rural - Climbs - Downhilling!!

070506 The Goat - Hertford Heath

Good turn out considering the clouds looming overhead. The day before, we spent a few (6) hours cleaning the Elise - inside, outside, engine bay....

^ Advan Neovas on all corners this coming week! ^

^ Classic Alfa - nut and bolt restoration ^

^ Alfa Engine Bay ^

^ Austin Healey ^

^ Possible the best car of the show - owner paid 6k from ze germans ^

^ sweet 911 turbo - auto?? ^

^ Had a lovely dice with this 308 on the way back - quite well matched ^

Ace Cafe - Jap performance night

Aight!!! Check out da rides blud! It was a phat night, wiv a wicked turnout from all my bruvers who chose to represent, innit.

^ "It's a rally car blud!" ^

^ The rare BMW pick up ^

^ ....bling ^

^ One for Butch - he says this is expensive ^

^ Mint stealthy RX7 - had dark red leather seats too ^

^ Inside the disco car ^

Handcrouching in Hertford

Matt, Butch and myself went to Hertford with Gib's friends and took Handcrouching to a whole new level....

^ Matt was a handcrouch virgin until now - 1st time he did the chair crouch! ^

Check out these videos - the 1st is a sort of hand crouch duel between Butch and I....

http://media.putfile.com/Handcrouch-duel

The 2nd literally took hand crouching to new heights - on a bar stool/chair over 1 meter high....

http://media.putfile.com/ultimate-handcrouch

The evening was concluded by singing football songs with Matt and Butch. Initially we were joining in legitimate footy chants - then we improvised and substituted certain lyrics for..... er..... animals - for example:

I would rather be a lizard than a frog

I would rather be a lizard

Rather be a lizard

Rather be a lizard than a frog....

(Risky freestyled....)

Because I would have a longer tongue than you,

I would have a longer tongue than you....

Anyway - the football crowds dispersed - I think they were too witty for them.

John's B'day / Stu's sending off

We rented a people carrier and drove up to London for John's and Stuart's Party. Butch was lucky enough to recieve an empty Aston Martin box from a passing Aston driver who kindly donated it to us when he pulled up alongside in traffic.

^ Congratulations, everyone remembers their 1st Aston - box! ^

^ Womble or Bear?? - answers on a postcard ^

^ At the beginning of the evening ^

^ Col and his lady friend - Naomi, hmmm ^

^ I gave John cheap Cigar for his B'day ^

^ "Awesome!!" ^

"Spen fell asleep in the bar - so we punished him ^

^ John got drunk courtesy of a rather messy pint ^

^ Unfortunately she was allergic to Mr Col and came out in this terrible rash! ^

^ John - Alex was very dissappointed in him ^

^ Claire rode Haywood ^

^ Stu also had a cheap Cigar to wish him luck in the army ^

^ Handcrouch?? - nose dive!! ^

^ Something tickled Katie ^

^ Goymour accessing his secret stash ^

^ Risky: "just relax Spen" ^

^ Nothing he isn't used to ^

^ "Cock Off!!" ^

^ Promised I wouldn't disclose who this belonged to ^

^ Ace Cafe Breakfast that I very very very nearly decorated passing cars with on the journey home ^