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Friday, 11 July 2008
purple hearts
Now Playing: Fletcher

Inspired by the awesome Crandall post on the FBM site today, I give you all photos...

Dr. Suess knows it... 

I love wheels...

White grips, purple paint, hearts?  ??? ?   BLACK HEARTS!

me at 9:45pm Wednesday evening.  Photo by Sean Grenader Newton

Action pan shot of Sean by his girl Keri a little bit earlier...

Birdland overview.  Keri Slater photo.

Come and ride Birdland Sunday afternoon!  Yeah, you....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Posted by Deliverance Dude at 12:15 PM EDT
Updated: Friday, 11 July 2008 12:24 PM EDT
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Tuesday, 8 July 2008
poetry in motion
Now Playing: No Age: Teen Creeps

I was in kind of hurry yesterday when I posted and forgot to mention how awesome Buc-E, Hanaan and Ali from Veteran BMX are.   They were already awesome but they went way beyond the call a couple weeks ago and helped me out at our old house (we still have our house in Detroit).  Buc-E saved me hours of work and potentially blowing the house up with some gas line work and for that I am forever grateful.  Good peoples.

       I've been working hard on the trails.  Here's a new set, in the works, that I'm calling "Cousin It".  If  you've never seen the Addams Family, you can google it....

I also did a lot of work on the berm in the background.  Working on berms sucks!   so much dirt, so much work. 

   My bike is purple, nurple.

Benny Baker is a shredder and a poet.  He's getting backside on the family box jump!

  In other news, Tyler Deshaine is avoiding me...

 

 

 

 


Posted by Deliverance Dude at 2:26 PM EDT
Updated: Tuesday, 8 July 2008 2:34 PM EDT
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Monday, 7 July 2008
uh, um, yeah
Now Playing: Son Volt: Drown

    We got hit by some super gnarly storms last week.  We didn't have power for three days.  so lame.  I bought a generator but we still didn't have running water.  That's a tough gig, especially with little kids.

    We got so much rain in such a short time, Birdland was hit hard by the storms (our basement flooded a bit as well).  All the lips (that we had just dialed in the night before) got washed away and there were giant puddles everywhere.  I've been working hard on them, when I have a chance, but it's slow going.  V2, the second stage of the trails, is well underway too. 

Sick!!!   I've been in full custom mode lately.   Can't get enough of websites like these: 4Q, Nostalgia on Wheels and White Knights...  Fuel for the convoluted mind.   I painted my trail bike three different colors yesterday and still am not satisfied.   Flat red?  Purple?  Navy?  Who cares?

    I'm working on some new Deliverance tees, but in the mean time my friends over at Biltwell used one I drew up for them (threw up for  them?).  You can see it here. 

The Bird flipper is Mark Lewman, who is my old homie from Kzoo and was the editor of Freestylin' Magazine in the late 80s.  I'm super excited to see this.  I'll write more about it when I have it in my grubby hands.  The above photo was taken after a race at Plainwell BMX (I'd say 1980).  A friend sent the clip below to me recently...

   

   Crazy.  That was a really long time ago.   I just heard from Billy (far right) the other day.  The dude second from the left (suspiciously not mentioned in the caption) is a notorious local who I've seen around town a couple times since we moved back to this area.  I literally hide my face so he doesn't see me.

   MOre later...
 

 


 

 

 

 


Posted by Deliverance Dude at 10:47 AM EDT
Updated: Monday, 7 July 2008 2:16 PM EDT
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Tuesday, 24 June 2008
the man on the moon
Now Playing: Lou Reed: I'm So Free

Yeah man.

 


 

      So much means so little.   Hot trips and cold drips.   I took Noah to a "Go Skateboarding Day" event in Kentucky over the weekend.  We had a good time.  He likes it when skaters eat shit "He fell down!!!" he yells when they bail.  I'm not sure they appreciate his commentary but I think it's pretty funny.   We found this full-pipe but there was no way to get inside.

The "longest day of the year" (most sunlight) was the other day and I celebrated by working on my trails until ten at night while still being able to see what I was doing.  Luke "White Lotus" McGarry now lives up the street (even closer than Sean Newton), which is pretty random (if you saw how out in the country we all are here) but is also very cool.  He came over and rode Birdland last night.  Got through it all in a minute, with the exception of the berms, but provided some new perspectives for design.  270 berm version five (no exaggeration) coming up!.   

      I put in some Kalamazoo street time today and it was fun.  

I love cruising around and hitting little jibs.  Speaking of that, this video is awesome.  Kevin Porter is one of my favorite riders and the fact that he filmed this himself is even better.  Etnies rules, in case yo forgot (I didn't)

     Kevin also has a part in the very good Vinyl BMX DVD which I got from Dans Comp just today.   Speaking of Dans, they have more Deliverance Bar Bags on the way.   Nice segue, eh?

      I rode the Kzoo park tonight with Luke and Dave Moon and it was a treat.  Talk about feeling like a sub-standard rider!  Both those dudes are soooo frickin' good.

In other news, Dane Wild still rides bikes and  has been been doing shows with  Ron Thomas.  Here's a nice tabe taken at a spot in rural PA. 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Posted by Deliverance Dude at 10:45 PM EDT
Updated: Tuesday, 24 June 2008 11:08 PM EDT
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Monday, 16 June 2008
birds in the belfry
Now Playing: The Replacements: Alex Chilton

I've been around the block since that last post...

Traveling is gnarly these days.   Plane tickets are outrageous, flights are packed and oversold and the delays are ridiculous.  It took me over 15 hours to get to California and 13 hours to get back.  I don't really sit around at home (or ever) so I get a little nuts in the airport after four hours with nothing to do.  A definite highlight of many of my trips to the gold coast are visits with Dave Davenport.  He always picks me up, with a dialed bike ready for me to ride and takes me to session whatever we can fit into our schedule.  This time is was a lone session at UC Irvine, but it was super fun as always.  Here's a really terrible phone pic of Dave doing a skinny, up/down manual.

Dave rules and I can't thank him enough for providing me with an escape from a long week of meetings and shoe talk (which I actually enjoy--it's just nice to break out).   I got home to find Birdland ravaged by the weather.   I'm not going to complain about my trails getting torn up from the rain with all the flooding and disaster going on in nearby states, but I can't believe how worked the jumps got.  I'll take this as an opportunity to build them up and dial them in.   I started tonight.  The first set is taller and the landing is a little longer.  I rebuilt the 270 berm (again!) and I think it's getting closer.   My buddy PJ came over on Saturday and took a digger on the spox.  He was riding it really well, but a front wheel wash out resulted in a face impact.  He's okay.

      My wife and I took Noah to the Kalamazoo  Speedway on Saturday night.  It was the "Night Of Destruction" and they had all kind of hillbilly shit going on.   School bus races, blind fold races, burn-out contests and this last-man-standing thing that was basically a demolition derby in a circle.  It was awesome.

Noah loves the school bus races.

   Davey Coop recently scored a new ride...

Nice.  Vintage MCs are pretty sweet.

    Buc-E and  Hanan from Veteran BMX held a jam and cook out at the Charlotte park this weekend.  I imagine there will be photos on their site soon.  Sounds like it was fun, with the exception of Hanan accidently giving her bike away....

   I know it seems like I am blowing these guys up excessively, but there are some really cool trails videos on the Deluxe site.  I dig their scene.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Posted by Deliverance Dude at 11:35 PM EDT
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Thursday, 5 June 2008
picture page

sometimes life is really hard (just in general).  I know that's a cryptic statement but I don't want to get into it right now.  As always, my bike provides an escape like no other...

Elizebethtown, Kentucky. 

cute dog in a truck next to the Louisville park.  Believe it or not, I only skated while there.  I did ride the Florence park on Saturday morning and it was great.  One of my favorites.

I was on the road with the Etnies skate team last week.  All of the dudes were super cool and skated well at each stop.   This is Jose at the Bowling Green, Kentucky park.  I skated a ton here, but no bikes this day...

More Baker family coverage.  This is Clint, bombing into a lake a week ago.  He just fractured his arm on a trampoline and has to wear a cast for a couple weeks.  Get well soon, Clint!

The over/under at Baker's Acres is much more substantial than the one at Birdland!  Kelly over Clint. 

Kelly sends me some great photos but this one is just fucking amazing.  You saw it here first!

Jason Burton sent me a pic of a 270 berm that he found on the Tree Bicycle Co. website.  The Tree guys always have great ideas that people steal so I figured I might as well join the club.  I switched the 270 berm so you jump into it and roll out of it.  Duh.  I made it around first try, no problem.   The berm/jump in the top right (between the first set)  is the first jump for Birdland Stage 2.

Mike O'Bryan had an article in Dig a couple years ago about how to take a riding self-portrait.   Timing this one took a few tries and a little bit of luck, but I was really just taking runs and hitting the button on the camera before taking off was mostly incidental.  I actually captured two shots in the air, both minus my fat head. 

A scene like this in your own back yard makes the hard times a little easier....

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Posted by Deliverance Dude at 10:44 PM EDT
Updated: Thursday, 5 June 2008 11:13 PM EDT
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Saturday, 31 May 2008
Section 8 housing at the Super 8

kElly bAker with a man-sized transfer.   Man-hands with little people fingers.   Hammer time.  Committed to excellence.  Less is more.  This is my room with a view....

 


 

Dear Mom and Dad

  I hope this letter finds you well.  this may be the trip that puts me over the edge.  The miles are wearing me down and the endless banter is bantering endlessly.  Too much time in the company of one's self is not healthy.  I have white line fever.

The End.


 


Posted by Deliverance Dude at 12:27 AM EDT
Updated: Saturday, 31 May 2008 1:23 AM EDT
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Tuesday, 27 May 2008
TRLS in vivid black and white
Now Playing: Juno soundtrack
Trails!   People actually came over and rode!  Stunning. 

Jason Burton (left) made the trek from the Eastside and was here first, followed shortly by Sean Newton.  We worked out some kinks (like getting rid of the stupid little rollers I had built the day before) and started making it happen.   Sean took a few for the team (a couple were pretty scary) but also made the most progress throughout the day.  He left just in time for me to not take any photos of him.  The tent provided some shade, which was nice.  Tyler D is kicking back and Nick is helping Noah with the music selection.

Kyle Kling takes on the Spox.  I was most happy about how motivated Kyle was to get his (awesome) trails running after this session.

The dubs into the first turn were the first thing I built last year.  Don't ask why I would build a weird jump/turn combo for the very first thing.  It took everyone a bit to get used to but after they got it dialed, it was on.  Here, J. Burton shows how it's done (no brakes even!).

Tyler Deshaine was the last one to arrive but wasted no time making it through everything with his Austin-honed skills. 

I was tired and sore before we even rode (I worked on these things all week) but I was worked the day after.  It was great.  Photo by Jason.

Jason always provides for at least one shot reminiscent of Bicycle Motocross Action magazine.  This is my favorite pic of the day.

Noah watches as Tyler goes down in flames during a 360 attempt over the spox. 

At the end of the day, Tyler and J. manicured all the jumps to near-perfection.  Note use of the "World's Best Shovel" by Jason.  I'll explain when you come over....

The 270 berm took out everyone (including the "creator") who attempted to take it on.  Eventually, Jason and I did successfully navigate the loop a couple times and some collective brainstorming has me excited for Birdland V2. 

These guys came by on Sunday to check out the jumps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Posted by Deliverance Dude at 10:27 AM EDT
Updated: Tuesday, 27 May 2008 10:58 AM EDT
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Friday, 23 May 2008
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.


Posted by Deliverance Dude at 10:24 AM EDT
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Wednesday, 21 May 2008
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?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Posted by Deliverance Dude at 10:44 AM EDT
Updated: Wednesday, 21 May 2008 11:14 AM EDT
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