adventure time

These pics are from a couple hours of adventuring around Kalamazoo while my van was being serviced last week.  Kzoo has a great variety of stuff to ride and is just sketchy enough to be interesting....

The Bar Bag performed flawlessly.  Available from Dans!

This Honda Trail 70 has been in this window for years.   I had one just like it, same graphics and everything, when I was 11.  I rode the shit outta that thing!  It literally burst into flames while I was riding it one time.  I had to bail and let it ghost ride into a firey heap.  I was running all over the house, looking for a fire extinguisher, yelling at my sleeping sister to help me.  It was chaos.   I later sold it to my friend Fat Ben and the engine actually fell out.  His mom was bummed.

These jersey barriers have a nice run-up and a slanted sidewalk tranny.  I discovered them a couple  years ago during a visit and they are good for a few minutes each time through.

Empty 40 of King Cobra.  No, I didn't drink it.  Maybe I will though.  Shit will make you want to fight your friends.   This was near some dirt jumps that have been around for a long time.  They are still there, but not really rideable.

    I've been on the road all week.  I did get to ride a little bit.  The cement park in Toledo offered some action.  That park is chock full of teen parents, hood rats, angry skaters and dirty kids doing laps on 20 inch Pacific mountain bikes.  The highlight was a 60 year old Mailman, in full blue postal uniform, on an old shitty, mountain bike with a soup bowl strapped to the rack on the back, deciding to take a run through the park.  I saw him sitting there for awhile, then watched in disbelief as he rolled up to the worst-design-ever skatepark obstacle, which is a standard bank pyramid that goes up, flat and over for the hips and part of the center, but on one side just drops right off. It used to have steps and someone I brought there jumped to land backside into the steps.  Rugged.  Anyway, the mailman slowly approached this pyramid and amazingly, the locals tried to save him, yelling "Stop, look out" etc.  He put his feet down and did the top-tube tango right off the drop and straight to over the bars, landing in a full bear-trap (Solan term).  It was a mess.   He was okay, thankfully.  I saw him a bit later and and inquired as to his status.  He said "I should have studied the course better".  Indeed.

       I rode the public park in Coldwater last night for fifteen minutes.  That was all the second-hand teen smoke I could take, but the little hip set up there is fun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First Tracks
Now Playing: Limbeck: I saw you laughing

"First tracks" is a snowboard/ski term for making the first tracks in fresh snow.  For me, today, it meant making the first real tracks all the way up an over some dirt jumps.   In my post below I talked about apprehension toward painting a helmet.  Jumping doubles for the first time is a very real, very imminent situation that is a true test of confidence and ability.   Flashback to this time in '05 and the story of my first time over a big set of trails is an ugly tale indeed. 

    

   I am happy to report that I made it nicely over this new set the first time through.   I did case the shit out of it the second run, for some reason, but it was smooth sailing after that.   Bigger is definitely better with jumps like these.  Some of the jumps I built last year are just too small to get good pump out of or even to stretch out in the air on.   The Spox is working out well.  I've added a ton of dirt to the landing, but it still needs more.  Dammit, I said I wasn't going to bore  you with trail construction talk!   At least I'm really riding them now.  You should come over and check them out sometime.

       Dan's Comp has the latest Deliverance tees available for purchase.  Much thanks to them for their support over the years! 

 

 

pin-striped
Now Playing: This Bike is Pine Cone: A hundred dollars
I've been trying to paint for years and I'm just not very good at it. I try to draw with my paint brushes and I might as well use Sharpies.   The cool-custom art of pin-striping is a whole nother story.  I have tried (not enough, I suppose) and it is really difficult to keep the paint flowing, straight lines, etc.  I've been working on a design on my Biltwell MC helmet and when it came down to the finishing touches, the only thing that could make it work was going to be pin-striping.  I was so apprehensive that I even considered taking it to Curtis at Albes to do the final work for me.  I'd already botched a couple trial runs and had to paint over it.  Now that the mountain of masking tape was off, all bets were off.  I took a couple runs on my skate helmet and a skateboard, then went for it.     I'm pretty happy with how it came out.

It's  not  "pro" by any means, but  the results are fairly close to what  I envisioned and that is my only measure of success.

   On Saturday, Noah, my bro-in-law Chris and I made the trek to Detroit to watch the Supercross. 

The track was super technical and even took out current points leader Chad Reed during practice.  I saw his crash on TV the next day and it was super, super, scary.   He ended up racing, which is amazing, but couldn't really ride at full capacity.  I had my money on Kevin Wyndham but he ended up third.  Davey Milsaps won it.  Noah loved the vroom vroom action but wasn't too into all the sitting around between races.  Who would be?

     I've been working on the trails and riding the spox.  It's awesome, in my humble opinion.  I have some other stuff in the works but I won't bore you with more trail construction details until I have some visuals to accompany them.

 

 

 

 

Sod Houses
Now Playing: Black Flag: I've got to run
A friend of mine was telling me about the Straw Bale house construction he's been studying.   Interesting, but I'm more into sod home building technique:

Let me introduce you to the "spox" (spine/box).   It rained last night so I got some good work done on it today, but I tried to ride it yesterday and almost go worked.  It went like this:

Attempt one:   Sank in and didn't make it to the top.  Tried to step off  and did the loose dirt disco dance.

Attempt two:  Made it over the top, more or less, but got bucked at the lip and nearly went OTB in full Flying W configuration (ask someone who raced motorcycle MX in the 70s).

 Attempts three, four and five:  Still sketchy, but getting progressively better.  I cleared the deck on the final attemp and rolled away kinda stoked/mostly relieved.

     I'm super excited to hit it  when it dries out after the fill-in/patch work with wet dirt and tons of packing.  Todd Packer.  

Everyone loves to hear about trail construction.  Sorry.

    Kzoo outdoor is in full effect and I've snuck in three short, almost dark sessions.  I love it.  The "pizza hut" hip in the post below is my favorite thing on earth to ride.  So nice.   

   Sod homes and rolling stones.  This NY house on wheels will be ready for action soon.

 

 

 

  
 

 

Loopy
Now Playing: voices in my head

Hell yes, a weekend of wonderment and BMX development.   I worked so hard on the trails this weekend that at one point I told myself "uh, maybe you should take it easy for a bit".   The spox is well underway.  A wooden frame that doubles as a tunnel for Noah makes up the deck and lots of dirt is the take off and will be the landing as well.  It went from muddy to dry in a few short days but I think it's going to balance out.  I jumped an undialed double last thing tonight before calling it a day and can't wait to make some laps on this Euro-moto course.  And when I say laps I mean it is a figure "8" course that you could hypothetically do continuous laps on if you contained the gusto.  I've always been intrigued by the 360 berm concept and am currently in the planning tages thereof.  

       I tried to ride Kzoo on Friday but there was standing water on the decks and at ground zero .  Sean Newton somehow took photos of himself a day or so earlier and was stoked on riding while I was not stoked on corregated cardboard boxes of hundreds of shoes.

I'm stoked to ride that shit, and shit.   I went to Modern in GR with Ferg from Kzoo to skate "Fossil night" (old guys only).

Here, he is about to drop into the huge vert ramp.   It was really fun.  I love skating the bowl....

Here's Greg Fadell.  He's rad.....

His brother was one of the main developers of the Ipod.  For real.

       I just want to reiterate that my April Fools post was such bullshit and I am embarrassed to even suggest such actions.   I go to sleep thinking of 1), my family and 2) BMX bicycles.   I love this shit. 

 

 

 

 

 

Diggin' in
Now Playing: Fifteen: Lookin' for Trouble
I know, I know, my April Fool's post was totally lame, predictable, etc.  Sorry.  I really wanted to do a real post and just didn't have time.   Sadly, a lot of the points about my faux "retirement" are true (achy joints, scared while riding), but I've been going at it regardless.   I rode Kzoo last night with Sean, Tyler Deshaine (who is back in town from Austin), Chris Noble and Josh, who was rocking this number plate...

I don't even know what it was about, but I found it amusing.   Not ironically, it really was fun, even though it was a full house of skaters and BMXicans.  I'm excited to ride the outdoor elements of Kzoo soon as well.

      I've been working hard on my trails. 

The weather is perfect for construction and I've been going out there every chance I get.  Early mornings, a building session with Noah and a pre-darkness shift tonight shows a good start.   This is the first set.  I look forward to riding them but I have no realistic ETR (estimated time of rideability).

     In other news, this crappy blog made BMXboard.com last week.  I wanted to post somethng offensive in case any more dipshits looked over here, but decided I was above it.  It was no big deal, really, and some of the replies were flattering, but holy shit, some of those dorks need to get a life.   Sorry I still use Angelfire for my blog, dude.  I don't need anyone to tell me that it sucks, I already know, but it works and I can maintain it.  

     The main reason I didn't post in response to it is because I always get really defensive.  Ha ha.

  Sometimes the mail is just awesome.  Yesterday I got the new Props and the RideUK.  So stoked.   The first segment in Props featured a rider with no chain or sprocket which I seriously cannot bear to watch.  However, after about two clips I started changing my mind.  This guy, Def Paul (who is severely hearing impaired, not a hip-hop dude) is so amazing.  He pumps like he's on a skateboard to get speed and does the craziest, techest shit--I couldn't believe it.  It's a very inspiring and progressive segment.   The rest of the DVD is no less impressive and just made me want to go out and ride (like a good video should).  In these times of web videos and Youtube it is refreshing to watch a legitimate production on a full-size TV.

      Ride UK is always kick ass and just keeps getting better, in my book.  I got to almost the back of the mag and low and behold, there's an ancient pic of yours truly, doing (what else?) a tabletop on a Dyno with a horrible, welded-on bashguard (they were hot in 1989).   It doesn't mention my name (the article is about Spike Jonze) and I'm kind of glad.  That photo has been used a couple different times and frankly, I'm tired of seeing it.

       I know there have been posts about it on the FBM and Fit sites, but I genuinely encourage you to watch all 16 episodes of the John Cardiel web-documentary.  It is really good and "Cards" is an inspiration on many levels.  I even have a Cardiel story.  Last year I was flying somewhere out west and during a lay-over in Phoenix, I was standing in front of the monitors looking for my flight information.  Automatically looking down at people's shoes is a quirky part of my job and I noticed a brand new pair of Vans standing almost right next to me.  I panned up and realized it was John Cardiel.   I was in awe.  First of all, the details of his injuries had been very vague and I was stoked to see him standing (you'll understand after  you watch the web docu).  I wanted to introduce myself and just say "hi", but as he walked away, I got freaked out and didn't say anything.  I'm still bummed that I didn't speak up.  A legend, right in front of me.   

    Anyway, please watch the video, you won't regret it at all, I guarantee.

   And if you haven't seen this, I'm pretty sure you won't regret it either....
 

   

 

 

The Time Has Come

I've been dreading this post, but it's been coming for a long time.   For years, I've wondered when I would be done with BMX.  I'm well past my prime, my joints ache, I'm scared when I ride and I'm just too busy to ride my bike anymore.  I have responsibilities and too much going on to goof around on little bikes.   I'll probably keep riding my mountain bike but the rest of my bikes will be on Craigslist by this weekend.  I'm heading into my busy season for work so I'm trying to wipe the slate clean while I still have the chance.   I'm still planning to skate since I work in that industry and I want maintain core credibility.   It's been cute, but it's over.  This is a real hard decision for me, but it's been a long time coming.

Here's a shot from better days, taken by Kelly Baker.  I guess he's going to be one of the oldest guys out there now....

 

 

 

Wheel deal
Now Playing: Arcwelder: The Hope

The wheels of a BMX bike are my favorite part.  It seems like I am always lacing wheels for something.  Last night I laced up this prototype Primo hub that I had lying around for my flatland bike.  I got the whole thing laced, then remembered that I had some issues with the axle nuts fitting on for some reason.  I fucked around with Primo jewels (one of the best inventions ever if they just weren't so damned heavy) and in the end, unlaced the wheel and cut the hub in half with an angle grinder to make sure I never made that same mistake again.

   Here are some pics of wheels from my "collection"

These are on a Webco monoshock bike from 1976 or so.  They are 2.125 rims and 105 gauge spokes, so they are burly.

Araya 7bs with hi-flange Campagnolo hubs.  Works of art.  1976.

 

Bendix "red stripe" coaster brake with gold Weinmann rims.  Smooth as silk.  1976.

Cast aluminum MX60 mags with a sealed bearing hub.  This is one of the first sealed bearing applications for BMX.  Circa 1977.

Another Araya 7b with a Campy Hub.  This one is on a Redline Proline, vintage 1978.

Super Pro rims, Shimano Freehub (the first cassette hub), Mathauser brake pads, Dia-Compe brakes, Cheng Shin tire, Two Wheelers Super Pro frame, 1978. 

These are Araya 7c rims and a Suntour hub from 1979.  There were polished to perfection by my good friend Jeff Venekamp and are bolted to an RRS frame and fork.   I really just wanted to show the shine.

Webco magnesium mag wheels on a Webco bike, 1977.   There were lots of "mag" wheels for BMX around this time, but Webco made the only true mags, made from magnesium. 

     Ted Van Orman is working on another issue of his print mag, Life? and has some super nice T shirts available.  Check it all out here.  

   Ted is recovering from knee surgery and has been making trips.  His most recent adventure took him and his girl up the coast of the pacific from  SoCal to Whistler BC.  Living it!  Ted sent these pics over.  One is Degryse and one is of the mystery trails with Ted's bud Brett shredding.  Thanks Ted.  Nice to hear from a legend....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

there are so many of you, used to be just one
Now Playing: Jawbreaker: Gutless

Man, I haven't "lost" a post in a long time.  Until just now, that is.  Dammit. 

    It was just my usual bitching about the weather and a photo of myself.   There is a foot of snow on the ground here and it is miserable.  The roads were chaos today and my wife got into a minor, multi-car traffic accident.   She said at least it was entertaining to watch one person after another fall on their asses while trying to walk around (that's how icey the roads were).  She's okay and that's all that matters.

     I did a piece, for lack of a better word, about Bicycle Motocross Action magazine, which you can check out here if you're so inclined.

    I  rode Kzoo last night with Sean Newton Photography, Luke McGarry and Jeff Degryse, who recently moved back to Kalamazoo.   Jeff and Luke are amazing to watch.   I haven't ridden with Jeff in while but he has only gotten better.  Rattiest bike ever, with skills that are  unparalleled.  Both those dudes are so good, yet so unique in their approach to riding.  Very refreshing.

     Here's a photo from warmer times.  Austin, Texas, 2004.  Nice.

 

 

Loosing it
Now Playing: Fletcher: You're a Tramp and I Own Half This Fucking Town

Tomorrow is the first day of spring and I couldn't be more excited about it.  It has been a long, brutal winter. 

      There is a website all about Kalamazoo bands from the 90s.  I guess there is a website for everything.  Anyway, they recently added free MP3s from one of my favorite bands, ever...Fletcher 

      The production is a little iffy but I love these songs.  So good.  

  I got a big box of  Snafu parts the other day and it allowed me to build up another bike.  I built a very patriotic front wheel with my nice new Snafu hub and I built an Odyssey freecoaster wheel up.  That freecoaster has so much play that it's hard to ride with, but I want to try it out and see what I can do.   I have a Poverty freecoaster on my flatland bike and it is awesome with very little play and very consistent engagement.   If you've tried out a freecoaster you know they can be tricky.  If they engage while you're rolling backward, you will eat shit so fast.  It's happened to me so many times.  

      It's crazy how obsessed with BMX I am.  I spend hours in the barn at night, tinkering with my bikes and riding the ramps or just doing roll-backs.   When I first built up the new freecoaster bike it didn't have brakes and riding that in a cluttered barn was a bad idea.  You should see what I went through to piece together these brakes.  If you have a couple hours and we can talk in person I'll explain it.  I'm already rambling deep into "Who Fucking Cares" territory with this post.

      I rode the Dowagiac cement park last friday for bit.  It was still a little wet but it was great to ride outdoors.   I ate shit really hard while skating but it was a good time.  I can't wait to ride Grand Haven, Charlotte and all the other parks while I'm out on the road.  Besides spending time with my family it's what I truly look forward to.

   The comment on the post below from Jeff Tabb about how is mother secretly threw away his Born to Lose tee shirt is awesome.   I got a lot of comments about that shirt from random people myself.  One time I was ordering food and this young dude who was taking my order said "No one is born to lose, you're not born to lose" like giving me this self-esteem pep talk.  I just laughed. I didn't even know what to say.  The best thing was this dude who bought a Born To Lose shirt from Albes for his pregnant wife.