Much Anticipated Video: Hiking and Mountain Biking in and around Zion National Park

You already saw *some* of the photos from this trip (here, here, here, and here), but now, I finally sat down to work on the video... enjoy! Oh, and more pics are coming soon...

NEPW B&W Photo Workshop

Sorry for the extra click, but use this link to head on over to my photography page to see the fruits of my labor from the weekend's B&W photo workshop with these guys: http://www.nephotoworkshops.com/

The Helmet

It’s true, I’m probably the only flatland rider that chooses to wear a helmet.

Dorky? Maybe, but I’ll tell you one thing, I’m a 44yr old man riding a small bike in circles; a helmet is not the only thing that will push me over the edge from cool dude to dork. Read more.

Interbike 2013

Ah, Interbike... the US' biggest bicycle trade show… To the average cyclist, this is nirvana... a chance to see MOST of the bike industry's latest and greatest stuff (I say "most" because some bike companies: Trek, Cannondale, and others have found it more cost effective to hold their own events). To those in the industry, it's a chance to maybe see some old friends, but it's really about work. You're selling your products to dealers, discussing new innovations to the media, and standing on your feet for 9hrs, while spending WAAAAAAAAY too much on convention food. Dealer margins, pre-season orders, sales spreadsheets and credit terms are co-mingled with discussions about the most recent ride, or upcoming trips. It's about bikes, and bikes are fun, but this is a business convention. Read More...

Kingdom Trails

If you need the link to view on an iPhone/iPad, go here.



I had just enough time for a quick trip... here are some pics. I've got some video coming too... stay tuned...

Zion--Day 4

Angel's Landing from the valley floor.

On our fourth day in Zion National Park, Jean and I went on one of our favorite hikes--up to the top of Angel's Landing. This hike is one of the hikes that first had us fall in love with Zion NP. It's relatively short, but is essentially straight up. At one point, you're just walking up a giant zig-zag to ascend quickly up these man-made switch-backs, and then at another point, you're clinging to chains embedded in the rock to prevent you from being flung off of the 1500ft cliff wall. It's awesome. Read more...

Zion--Day 3

Day Three started with some breakfast--always a good way to start the day, followed by a short hike up to Canyon Overlook. Canyon Overlook trail overlooks the canyon. Crazy, huh? We looked over the canyon and then took the bikes out for a spin… See more...

Zion--Day 2

After we got settled in to Springdale, it was time to start planning the assault. Mike and Jo were visiting from Arizona too, so we had decided on hiking up Hidden Canyon and then after lunch, heading over to the other side of the park to check out Kolob Canyon.

Here are some pics from the day...

Zion--Day 1

Way back in May, Jean and I went on vacation to one of our favorite spots--Zion National Park in Springdale, Utah. It seems so long ago, and, I guess, it was kind of. I'm usually a little bit better about going through my photos, but when I got back from this trip I was working, working, working, and if I wasn't working, I was working on lecture and presentation material for a summer class. Read More...

Some Stuff I'm Working On

Is BMX broken?

A friend of mine recently wrote an editorial discussing some of the problems facing BMX as an industry. Sales are down, and the sport needs to work harder to get more kids on bikes. But how? I have some thoughts on this…

These are the opinions of an old guy and may or may not be relevant. But, I've been riding BMX bikes since the 80's, and while I unfortunately took more than 10yrs off, I absolutely love the sport. Flatland is my drug of choice, but I can watch dirt, street, park or vert with just as much enthusiasm, and I still get pumped when I see kids getting their first thrill at hopping a curb or even riding with no hands…

Wisdom to the Youth: 2013

And in the "better late than never" category, here are my pics from June 8th's Wisdom to the Youth BMX contest. I had a great day, but my summer has been CRAZY and, yes, I am just now getting a chance to go through some of my pics. I didn't get everyone, but here's what I've got.

And, if you need the link to view on an iPad/iPhone, go here: https://picasaweb.google.com/106830954281038650735/WisdomToTheYouth2013?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Flatland Fracas Thank You

Fracas Thank You from David Alden on Vimeo.

I ended up getting second place in July's Flatland Fracas--I was pretty pumped. This is my "Thank You" to all of the sponsors--thanks for supporting New England Flatland. I am completely re-addicted.

Flatland Fracas 2013

Here is the link to the album if you're viewing on an iPhone or iPad or other device that does so many cool things but won't work with Flash... https://picasaweb.google.com/106830954281038650735/FlatlandFracas2013?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Flatland Fracas Hype

Voodoo Hype Video

Old School BMX Beach Cruise

An Old school BMX Beach Cruise rolled through Hampton Beach followed by a swap meet at Rye Airfield this past Saturday, May 18th. Organized by Chris Hunt, the event was a great chance to see some great collector's bikes, and a chance to score some parts at the same time...


(Use this link to view the pics on an iPhone or iPad... https://picasaweb.google.com/106830954281038650735/BMXBeachCruise?authuser=0&feat=directlink)

OSBMXR 2013

I'm back from Woodward West and the Old School BMX Reunion, and I'm finally getting some time to go through the pics...

This first slideshow below is mostly flatland pics. I added some pics of me in there towards the end, just to prove that I brought a bike with me. Thanks to Tony Donaldson and Jorge Luzuriaga for those shots! There was some great riding from everyone. James McGraw and Todd Carter were tearing it up, but Eric Stefano, Jorge Luzuriaga, Gabe Weed, Dave Nourie, Rick Allison, Martin Aparijo, Yellow, and more were rippin' too. I wish I had gotten pics of everyone, but I didn't...(If you're reading on an iPhone/iPad, here's the link to the photos as the slideshow uses Flash) Read More>>>

Tortola--The "Good" Pics...

Yeah, I've already posted PLENTY of pics up here from my trip to Tortola, but I've saved some "good" ones for now. One or two may have been already posted, but the rest are fresh out of the digital darkroom.

Tortola (BVI) Vacation: Day Ten--the long ride home...

As I mentioned previously, the schedule for the inter-island ferry seemed to be more of an approximation than something to depend on. As predicted, the 7am ferry from Tortola to St. Thomas didn't happen. The 10am ferry would get me to St. Thomas by about 11, then I'd have to get to the airport, which wasn't too far away, and I'd presumably be at the airport the pre-requisite 2hrs early for international flights. Ah, if only...

Tortola (BVI) Vacation, Day Nine

As the last day of MY vacation, I had quite a bit to do. Jean and I still wanted to have some fun, but of course I had some packing to do--especially the bikes.

We got up early and had an early breakfast. Jean and I packed everyone (ourselves and her parents) into the rental car--along with our bikes, and headed out to the eastern side of the island. The plan was that we would drop the parents off at Trellis Bay--as there were nice beaches and some shops out there, and Jean and I would head out on the bikes from there to do a little more exploring on that side of the island.

Scuff What?

So far, the initial hops when I get in to this are unavoidable... I have to reposition my foot on the seat tube to take the pressure off the rear brake cable... I think I had started learning something like this back when the rear brakes were on the chain stays, then when they moved to the seat stays, I abandoned the trick. For some reason, I thought about it the other day, and whammo, here it is.

There's No We in Team

I just don't get it. I don't get the "we" whenever people talk about local teams. "We won!" "We lost." Who is this "we?" Our local professional teams are really just a bunch of people who where hired from all over the country, and many who still technically live all over the country, and are paid to join a "team," to do a job. You are not part of the team, no matter how many jerseys you own. You have no impact on the outcome of a game, and the outcome of a game, really should have no impact on you.

Tortola (BVI) Vacation: Day Eight

With our vacation winding down, we were still looking to explore as much of the island as possible. So, after a breakfast of home-made waffles with strawberries, we grabbed the bikes and hit the road.

As mentioned, the island is fairly hilly, and a road runs across the central ridge, unimaginatively named, "Ridge Road."

Flatland at Winter Jam 2, Mill Street Brews, Southbridge, MA

If you can't view the slideshow above (damn you iPhone and iPad browsers), follow this link to the Picasa Web album...

Thanks to Southbridge Bicycles, Mill St. Brews, BMX NJ, S&M Bikes, East Coast Threads and all of the bands that made my ears rings for rest of the weekend! Thanks Winter Jam!

Tortola (BVI) Vacation, Day Seven

Friday morning we got up, grabbed breakfast and go set to, once again, explore the island by bike. We rode from our villa, all along the souther coast of Tortola, to East End, and across the small bridge to Beef Island.

It was really a great ride, and MOSTLY flat. Well, not really, but it did start out fairly flat.

Tortola (BVI) Vacation, Day Six

Thursday morning was rung in with a great breakfast--home made mango pancakes. Of course, the only reason I remembered what we had (remember, I have food amnesia) was that I took a photo. MMmmmm.

Anyway, after breakfast, Jean and I did a short hike up on Sage Mountain--highest point in all of the British Virgin Islands. When I say the hike is short, I mean it was REALLY short... about a mile. Interestingly, for the vast majority of the hike, we were in tree cover, so we only had a good view at a couple of vantage points where little platforms were erected. It was fun, but a far cry from what we had a couple of months ago in Yosemite.

Tortola (BVI) Vacation, Day Five

Wednesday morning, another sunrise, another good breakfast, and then out for another bike ride.

We started off on the same loop as before, out by Smuggler's Cove, and up and over Zion Hill, and then I wanted to try to find another little loop.

As is so often the case, routes that I like to "try" translate into lots and lots of climbing, this time, ultimately with some bike pushing.

Tortola (BVI) Vacation, Day Four

Tuesday's big adventure was going to be a day on a boat. The plan was to charter a catamaran, the Kuralu, from Soper's Hole to take us around to some other islands, do some swimming and snorkeling, and then head back. Admittedly, I'm not a "let's spend all day on a boat" kind of guy, but it was a nice change of pace. We also got to chat with some other people on the boat.

As a side note, one of the things that I like about traveling is the chance to go all over the world and to talk with people who have different views and experiences. For example, the other people on the boat were all the way from Boxford, so their perspective, being about 10 miles from our home, was amazingly different. Not. In all, we met people from all over New England during this trip…

Tortola (BVI) Vacation, Day Three

Monday morning gave us another beautiful sunrise (yawn), and another great breakfast.

After a somewhat lazy morning, it was time to have the rubber hit the road and do some exploring by bike.

Tortola (BVI) Vacation, Day Two

Day Two, started off for me, in the same clothes as Day One. To make a long story short though, my bag made it to the local customs office later that morning, and by lunch, I was in fresh clothes and squeaky clean.

We were staying, again with Jean's parents, Nancy & Del, at Frenchman's Resort, on Frenchman's Cay, on Tortola. It's a beautiful beachside resort with nicely appointed individual villa's. Our was at the top of the aforementioned hill, which afforded us an amazing view. Walking down to the beach and we were rewarded with a quiet little lagoon, rocky outcroppings and persistently incredible vistas. In fact, I quickly developed Beautiful Vista Fatigue (BVF) and had to force myself to take yet another landscape photo.

Tortola(BVI) Vacation, Day One (getting there)...

Yes, that IS champagne...

I swear, every trip I take starts off with an ordeal of some type (see more in the "About Me" section for my disclaimer about my bitching). This trip was for a 10-day jaunt to the Island of Tortola, in the British Virgin Islands. It was to celebrate my in-laws 50th wedding anniversary, and technically, their trip. Jean and I were invited to chaperone and to ensure that no international incidents occurred. John Kerry may have a tough job, but he's never traveled with my in-laws.

My Winter Escape

Here I am, struggling against gravity again. Now, with my super secret indoor riding spot, I'm also in a confined space. I've seen PLENTY of riders do just fine with smaller spaces, but not me (Luke, you bastard). Seriously, I know most modern riders can shred in small spots, but I come from an era where a basketball court was sometimes considered small. I can't, and won't complain though... I'm riding, and it's winter... I'll take it. Video below...

Old Man Ramp Jam... in a Barn...

I got the invite to head out to the ramp jam in central Mass, and I thought it would be a good chance to get some practice in... no, not ramp practice... practice shooting with my flash. Yeah, I did bring my bike, but, it stayed safely on my car.

But enough about that. Here are some pics, in no particular order. I don't even know everyone's names, and, unfortunately, I didn't get shots of everyone. Well, I did get shots of everyone (about 200), but some were pretty bad. It's a learning process! Hopefully I wasn't in Jim Paiva's way. Anyway, I'll post these to Facebook in a couple of days, and people can grab their pics if they'd like, just please give me credit...

To view on an iPad or iPhone, go here.

A New(ish) Flatland Pedal

So, I'm not that great of a rider, and I will take all the help I can get.

Recently, some things I have been working on have been thwarted by my pedals. If I set them one way, they're in the way on the other side of the bike, and vice-versa. I started wondering if I could get away with smaller pedals. After all, I don't really pedal all that much... really just to get into tricks, and then again to ride out.