Yeah, I'm back on the bike. I wish I had never stopped! After more than 10 years off the bike, it's taken quite a bit of work to bring my level of riding back to maximum mediocrity.
I've even doing some shows recently ...
Anyway, this is where I'll keep a running tab of the latest posts pertaining to my renewed #bmxlife.
Way below, also you'll find a little narrative about the early days and some random photos.
Otherwise, this page will be broken down to Old School and New School.
Old School, will of course be throwback posts with old pics or videos (from before I *quit* riding in 2000), but also links to recent Old School themed events like OSBMXR in California.
New School is just that, current riding and current events including photos, videos and rants, all from after I came back to my senses and starting riding little bikes again.
- A New Perspective
- 46 and Flatland
- BMXish 2 video
- BMXish video
- Some pics from my "Farewell Jam."
- A little Meh Riding in March highlighted over on Flatmatters Online
- Helmet cam flatland edit...
- Pics from the Flatland Fracas
- XLV: my "45" edit (old and new school)
- Just a short video with a Nickelback soundtrack!
- The Helmet
- A short video of some stuff I'm working on
- A little rant with some opinions on the state of BMX, also discussed over at BMX Union and FlatmattersOnline
- Quick "Thank You" video after getting 2nd Place at the Flatland Fracas, 7/21/13
- Photo slide show from the Flatland Fracas, 7/21/13
- Dorking around with a Flatland Fracas "Hype" video
- CollateralBMX picked up my Voodoo Hype video
- Photo slide show from Kevin Robinson's Wisdom to the Youth contest in Rhode Island, 6/8/13 (both New School AND Old School)
- Relearning something old
- Pics from the Winter Jam indoor flatland & metal jam
- PlusSizeBMX picked up my "secret" winter riding spot
- Some pics from a local indoor ramp jam
- A quick trip to Florida
- It's NOT a "kid's bike."
- ESPN.Go
- King of Flatland 25th Anniversary Contest and Jam, 8/2012 (both Old School AND New School)
- Mentioned on FlatMattersOnline
- Late Summer Old School BMX Jam
- XLV: my "45" edit, both new and old school
- Photo slide show of some veteran ramp riders from Kevin Robinson's Wisdom to Youth contest in Rhode Island (5/31/14)
- Photo slide show from Kevin Robinson's Wisdom to the Youth contest in Rhode Island, 6/8/13 (both New School AND Old School)
- Pics and video from an Old School Beach Cruise at Hampton Beach (May 2013)
- OSBMXR Woodward West (April 2013)
- Perfection On Wheels Shows--about 5 min of video from some shows back in '99 or '00
- King of Flatland 25th Anniversary Contest and Jam, 8/2012 (both Old School AND New School)
- Perfection On Wheels--full show video (about 40 min), from a school show, 2001 I think...
- OSBMXR Woodward West (May 2012)
- OSBMXR Woodward West VIDEO (May 2012); also featured on PlusSizeBMX
- http://youtu.be/SA1SM2mHVY0
- http://youtu.be/t0iLYPUfjaE
- http://youtu.be/Wo3tccCsnLk
- http://youtu.be/k40h9NrtGmU
How It All Began:
I started riding in the early 80's. Thanks to Mike Lawless (still one of my best friends), I was hooked on a life of two wheels. The first tricks I saw blew me away (curb endos, kick-outs), and as an early teen I spent every possible moment on my bike. Looking back, those were some of the best years of my life... neon bikes, 80's metal, summer vacations--yeah!
Anyway, I loved riding so much, I tried to make a go at riding professionally. I was eventually able to make a living through my riding by doing stunt shows at fairs, festivals, and LOTS of bicycle safety/anti-drug shows at schools and other community events.
In the early days, I set all of these shows up myself (from making the sales calls to handling all of the logistics). I ran several teams: Northshore Freestyle Team, Maximum Performance Trick Team, Acition Impact Stunt Team; and eventually landed a spot on a national team: Perfection on Wheels.
Anyway, I was able to make a living for a couple of years just by riding my freestyle bike. It was AWESOME. I didn't make big money, and I wasn't one of the best riders, but I had incredible experiences, I met great people, and I traveled back and forth across this country more times than I can remember. What more can someone ask for?
Ultimately, times change, priorities change, and it wasn't feasible to live that life indefinitely. I stopped touring in 2000, after one last hurrah on the road with the Jolly Rancher/GT team. And while I used to have up to five complete, ready-to-ride BMX bikes on hand, I've only got one now... and that one only rarely sees action. I still think about riding nearly every day though, and those experiences certainly helped shape who I am.
Yeah, I made it. |
You can't tell from this photo, but I'm about 1ft over the top of the ramp... |