Birdland
Now Playing: Joy Division: Ceremony

I've dubbed the trails "Birdland" because, A. it sounds lame referring to them as "my trails" and B. there are tons of birds out there. you can spot the lips of the take-offs and landing because there is white bird poop on them.   A couple people are supposed to actually join me at Birdland saturday afternoon.  give me a call or e mail if you're in the area.  

         My friend Lurch sent me this link.  DISCLAIMER: if you are under 30, you may not appreciate it.  There are some truly amazing photographs in here.   This is what it's all about to me.  In fact, there is a drawing of a track on here that inspired me to draw the birdland diagram.  I used always draw dream tracks as a kid.   

        This was bound to surface eventually.  I'll leave it up to you figure out the truly incriminating part.

garden of eatin

I've been meaning to post for a few days but real life has been standing in the way of innernet  tomfoolery.

    Davey Coop and I went to the Have Fun @ Ray's event on saturday.  Didn't seem so much like an "event" as a really fun session at Rays.  It was awesome to ride there during the day with some natural light coming in through the windows.  This is going to sound corny (big stretch, huh?), but after one especially good run through the big box loop, I was so stoked that tears actually welled up in my eyes.  Like I said, corny.   I met an older dude named Jeff from Albany and we were BSing outside.  He told me that he had quit riding and started again a bunch of times.  He said he couldn't find anything to replace BMX in his life.  Preaching to the choir on that one.

        It was good to see old friends and make new ones.   Kerry Sayre closed up shop at Rise Above but is stepping right back into the game at Chenga 57.   Catfish was there and in high spirits as always.  I love that kid, for reals though.  I'll call him "kid" because all the DK dudes he's in charge of call him "Grandpa".  Ha ha.   Speaking of old dudes, I met "Old Man Brian" and his kid from Chi-town.  Brian has a few years on me even and was shredding.  I was inspired.  In a weird coincidence, my friend Jeff V was asking me just a few days earlier if I knew a guy named "OMD or OMB or Old Man something" that had just been spotted in Indiana.  I didn't then, but I do now.  Weird, small world stuff.  Am I rambling?

    I was having too much fun riding to get my camera out, but here's a photo of Davey that Mike O'Bryan took a couple years ago in Lansing.

I happened to be there that day and Davey didn't quite make it all the way down, but that is one long ass rail.  I think it was the same day that I saw him man-handle a big, steep rail (in the middle of a casual, cruising street session).  Good on ya mate.

           The Lightning Bolts show that I linked to the other week happened in Beijing on May 9.    My submission is on page 9.  Here's a shot of it that I took before shipping it out.

I'm guessing you probably didn't make it to the show (I didn't even know what day it was--ha ha), so here's the little bio that I sent with it.

LIGHTNING BOLTS & ME  

    I started racing BMX in 1977.  My parents split up around the same time and riding bikes became my escape from the reality of a troubled home life.   I became completely obsessed with BMX bikes, riders, magazines and anything related to the activity.  Bicycle Motocross Action magazine was brand new at the time and was my bible.  Shortly into the second year of the magazine, Bob Haro's work began to appear in the form of custom number plates and numbers on the bikes of the factory riders.  Everything changed right then.  Number plates were no longer just a space to display your number for scoring reference.  Number plates were now an art form.  When Bob's "freestyle" riding started becoming more regular in the magazine, it had similar effect on the way BMX riding was perceived.  It too, had become a new art form and means of expression.   BMX was no longer just racing around a track as fast as you could.  Sure, jumping and doing tricks had always been a big part of BMX, but Haro made it legitimate.  Haro made trick riding important.     

      I first saw Bob Haro ride in person in 1981.   It was a life changing experience.  His style, grace and technique were like nothing I had ever seen (even to this day). 

     I am still obsessed with BMX and Bob Haro is still impacting my obsession

      I guess it's always been the same for me. Ha ha.   Currently, I'm dealing with the stresses of every day life by digging in the dirt.  I've vowed to not unveil photos of my trails until I feel they are fully operational, but we'll just say that my wife's dream of having a backyard garden is helping to fuel a dream/nightmare that I'm incorporating into the trails.  I put my dirt tires back on for real moto action.

   I set up lights for the graveyard shift the last few nights and it's interesting to go out there the next day to actually see what I built.  Come over and ride sometime, why don't ya?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

it's not stealing it's borrowing
I loved this photo so much that I took it right off the Terrible One site...

Joe Rich is one of my favorites, ever.  Look at how sick that is!

    Also, this is kind of cool...
 

 

the children are the futre
Now Playing: whitney houston?
Here is a rad shot of FOD Tyler Britchard on his motorbike:

And here's one of Benny Baker, nosin' it in on home turf.

Rad sons of rad fathers.  The fruit doesn't fall far from the tree. 

Here's another FOD, but he's a grown ass man.  Mike Hammond in the Pacific NW, hitting some big ones on a Diamond Back prototype.  Makes my trails look like a R/C car track! 

 

 

 

core conditioning
Now Playing: shout out louds: Very Loud

Another crazy week of travel and madness.  Met up with the Gypsy Caravan crew, just for the night, in Athens, Ohio.   Between frequent rainstorms and an extended visit to the ER with FOD Joel Barnett (he is one tough mofo--it was so gnarly watching him get his lip sewn back together), not much riding got done and it was a fairly uneventful meeting for me.  The FBM guys have a different tale to tell, but to be honest, I'm sure I'm better off having escaped their debauchery, although there is no doubt in my mind that it was a kick ass time.  The rain sucked for my entire drive  home and cancelled two skatepark stops I had pencilled in.  However, upon my return the soil was wet and ready for digging.  I know it's boring to talk about my trails all the time, but they are really taking shape.  I've been working really hard on them.  It is a lot of work but I can feel myself getting stronger (and maybe a little less fat) and I ain't mad about that.   I rode them tonight and the first few runs were pretty rough.   When you rebuild lips and make everything bigger, you just don't know what to expect.   Still no visitors, which is my own fault, I suppose.  I heard that one time Kzoo local/employee Andy Dowdy has been back on his bike and even checks this site.  Andy, send me an e mail!

      Here's an amazing photo of super local Tyler Deshaine, taken by super photog Sean McNewton. 

That is just plain nutty... 

       This was supposed to be top secret, but since there is an article about it on BMX Online, I guess I can mention it now.   I'll post a pic of my submission later on, after the show.... 

 

kicking ass or kissing ass?

I logged some miles last week, I tell you.  I got lots of work done, met up with some gypsies, hung out with Ernesto from Dans and  his wife, talked to Jimmy Levan for awhile and even got to ride my bike (and skateboard).  Besides being away from my family (which sucks) these are the kind of things that make my crazy job worth it...

Cameron Wood and James Levan at the Shitluck anniversary party.  Jimmy is doing really well and almost fully recovered from his terrible accident a few months back.  Cam gave me a copy of the 50-50 video, That's It.  It is friggin' awesome.  The Metal video, Dead Bang is great too.  I keep meaning to write about it.  The amount of bloodshed is unsettling, but it's a great watch otherwise.

Ernesto and a sharply dressed Ryan Metro at the Shitluck gig.  Metro is a funny dude.

Clancy Baker?

Following Ernesto's Subaru into Louisville for a fun session at the Louisville Extreme Park (that's really what it's called).   It was early Saturday morning and Darrel Nau from Blacken was already going strong after a long night.  Darrel is a true individual and it was super fun to ride with him.

Bad photo of a rad kid.  Mickey Marshall is so good.   This was a backyard ramp session in Ft Wayne, Indiana.  Better pics later somewhere?

   I met a bunch of new people on this trip.  One of them was the subject of one of my favorite photos of the last few years (Keith Terra took it for Dig)...

John "Superfly" Skvarla is super cool.  It's always weird/awkward to meet someone that you only know about from BMX magazines and videos.  In fact, Superfly's Super BMX video, Live For Today is one I got a few months ago (based on an Afro Pat recommendation) and it is a really good mix of trails, trips and good times.  Anyway, Superfly is right on and oddly enough, I got the new Ride BMX mag today and he has a two-page spread in there.  Kick ass.  Did I kiss enough ass in this post?  

Fro sent me a link to a nice video taken at the crazy pool that he, Hatfield and Dan Closser found in late '06.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

my apologies to Mr. Honda

Am I a kook for taking this photo?

How about for posting it on the internet?   My apologies to Mr. Honda for butchering his creation.  Is that dirt on those tires?  If I ask questions in this blog would they be considered hypothetical?  Or just retarded?

     The trails are running pretty well.  The spox is super fun.  I can't wait for someone to hit it who can do some tricks.  It's ready for it.   Maybe Davey Coop or Solan?  I heard from both of those dudes today and I'm stoked.   I've definitely been flying solo on the BMX front around these parts of late.  It's okay, I like riding by myself.  I'm hitting the road in the morning and hopefully I'll get to ride Louisville and maybe a couple other spots.  Skate some stuff too.  I've really been into skateboarding lately.

       I got this coffee cup the other day.  The Gonz is one of my biggest inspirations.  Surprised?

 

 

art is where you see it
I found this website through the Mel Bend site.  If the "Black Bomber" isn't a work of art than nothing is. 

 

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!