FlatWebTV, Episode 1!

Great job by Justin putting this all together. Check out www.everydayparadise.com for more details.

2011 Portland Winter Classic Flatland Jam - January 15

It is winter in Portland which means cold temps, rain and flatland. The boys have secured an indoor spot, so rain or shine, the jam is on. The usual applies: Prejam on Friday, 1/14 at 6pm. Then the jam on Saturday from noon 'til about 7pm. Afterwards, we'll retire to a local watering hole and sample some of Portland's finest libations.

418 NE Flanders St
Portland, OR 97232

Space Ark - Kobe, Japan

Got back from Japan about a week or so ago. One of the highlights was visiting Space Ark in Kobe (http://www.spaceark.jp/). It's a mostly flatland specific shop, actually when I moved to Japan in 2001 I went there and caught the bug to get back into riding. I ended up buying a chrome EP at the time (didn't know the Ares brand back then, having been out of riding for a bit). Anyway, the shop and staff are extremely cool people. If in Japan, it's one of those places you have to visit (if flatland is your thing).

Matt Wilhelm - Autumn Afternoon

Perhaps the finest bit of riding I've seen this year.

Ares Army - Episode 6 (The Final Chapter ?)

In this final (?) chapter, here's the only non-Ashura Ares in the Army, a late model Force. This one actually has a euro BB, which I guess is rare. Got this one off GF too and actually want to ride this seriously. Need a seat and post, but otherwise it is built up. St. Martin bars, KHE stem, Odyssey Forks, Nankai front and rear hubs A few blue anodized parts to accent the build.

I think this should be the last Ares I build, my garage certainly can't hold any more bicycles. But who knows what will come up on eBay or GF in the future. Plus, local PDX rider Patrick has an AY frame he knows I've wanted for a while now. Plus, during my upcoming trip to Japan, I might find myself in a bmx shop and figuring out logistics of getting a Garuda home. 

Ares Army - Episode 5

This one is a mix of old and new. Ashura frame of course, but coupled with Garuda forks and AY bars. The stem is an older (and way heavy 88 stem). It's a black beauty for sure. Ares lock on grips are super nice, though the compound is a bit soft and they tear/grind way too easy. That 99er seat is NOS that I found at a mail order shop in Europe. Spry Ti Seat Clamp from Bret - Primo Tube Steak pegs (way too big). Nankai rear, Odyssey front.

I think the coolest part of this frame is the Ares badge affixed to the head tube. Instead of the standard sticker, it's a tin "A" neatly attached to the head tube. Like a one-star general. A solid member of the Ares Army.

Ares Army - Episode 4

A bit of fun, this one. I love red frames. I found this frame I think on GF. I had a red Eastern stem that sort of matched in color. The Odyssey bars and GT forks got fresh powder to match. I then had the idea to find some Tuff Wheels and found this set (complete with coaster brake!) on ebay. A red Snafu clamp, red headset cups and red Threshhold sprocket with some FSA cranks round out the highlights. Now I need to start working on those pedal pickers.

Ares Army - Episode 3

This one is by far the prettiest. I found this frame/fork/wheel/crank set-up for sale on BMX Museum. It's a pretty nice white powder coat finish. I found NOS D.I.T.A. bars for sale on global. The Dragonfly Doozer stem came off a Powell bike I bought in Portland. Ares pegs in the back. A few more bits and voila.

It's used now as the bike I surf on, or otherwise just eye candy.

Ares Army - Episode 2

In this episode, one of the rougher members of the army, as far as parts list anyway. It's a real hodge podge of parts to put this beast together.

Ashura Frame - Fly Suelo Forks - Flatware Stem - 20 Ellipse Bars - Odyssey Grips - Poverty Cranks - Quamen Sprocket (Thanks James!) - Demolition Seat - Primo Rod Post - DiamondBack Seat Clamp - Mix-Matched wheel set with Primo front hub and Poverty Freecoaster - Some other odds and ends.

Ares Army - Episode 1

So somewhere around 2000 or 2001 I really became enamored with the Ares Ashura. I think it triggered something from the days I loved the GT Pro Freestyle Tour. I've always liked curves.

While living in Japan I finally upgraded to an Ashura (I mistakenly bought a Hoffman EP when an Ashura was the same price). I rode it for a year or so. When it was finally time to move back to the states, I decided to give it away to a friend who simply needed a bicycle. I always wished I had that bike back.

Fast forward to 2008, I found an Ashura for sale on Global-Flat, then another one on eBay, then another and so on and so on. I have 5 Ashura and 1 Force now. It's out of hand, but oh well. All of the Ares I have acquired over the past couple of years have needed something: new powder coating, a bunch of parts, stickers. They are not show bikes. They're just cool to me.

Here's the first. This one needed new powder coat (flat black). I just had the frame but over the course of 2 years accumulated a lot of original Ares parts. It has probably the most original Ares parts of any in the army:
Ashura Frame - DITA Fork - 88 Bars - 88 Stem - 88 Cranks - 88 Sprocket - 88 Seat Clamp - 88 Tires - 88 Pegs - 88 Grips. The other parts are mixed: Wellgo pedals (88 copies) - 99er Seat - Primo Rod Post - Odyssey Gyro - Dia-Comple Brake Setup - Nankai rear hub - Odyssey Vandero fron hub. It's a tank, not very easy to ride compared to the St. Martin, but I love this bike.

Dragon Blood

Don't know where this is from, don't want to know. It's a cool video.

Support ARF

Flatlanders rarely get hurt, but action sports on a whole needs stuff like this.


Go to SupportARF.com for more videos.

B-RET, Rollin' On 20s. Album out this winter!

Just before the 4 hour drive to Eugene for the Flat Jam, Bret did a little freestyle off the bike and on the mic. Laid down a few rhymes from his debut album, "Rollin' On 20s." He didn't have time to pull the cardboard out and put on a Breakin' clinic though. Too bad.

Hopworks Biketoberfest 2010

A local Portland brew pub, Hopworks, holds an annual Biketobeerfest to celebrate beer and bikes. Last year the Enjoy The Trick crew put on a show, and were asked back this year as well. On August 28, the team did a feel wheelies for the crowd and enjoyed the festivities, one pint at a time. Long live the Raddler!

James and the Giant Fixie

While on a recent stay in Seattle, James picked up this FBM fixed gear. I've got nothing else to say on the subject.

Ok, I do have more.. It's actually a bit fun to ride.

Enjoy The Trick Jam Summer Jam Video

Full write-up will be on enjoythetrick.com, but here's the video. Great work by Justin!

Haro 25th Anniversary Show - Ashland Oregon

Like I was 12 years old again, giving the big thumbs up with Bob Haro,
Brian Blyther, Dave Nourie and Mike Dominguez

August 14 2010 - Ashland, OR.

Very few people in life actually get to meet their heroes. If you grew up a big Led Zeppelin fan, chances are 25 years later you still haven't met Robert Plant. Freestyle BMX is different, especially now. In 1986 when I first got into freestyle, the only access I had to pro riders was the magazine. In the summer of 1987 our local bike shop hosted the Haro Freestle team (actually there were two teams touring that summer I think). Burbank Schwinn was the place and Ron Wilkerson, Brian Blyther and Dave Nourie were the team.

Dave Nourie wows the crowd, summer 1987.

Brian Blyther airs over the Haro ramp.

Ron Wilkerson one-handed rocket air.

That show stuck in my mind and memory as the defining freestyle show. I saw a few other shows over the next couple summers, but Ron, Brian and Dave were at the top of the game back then and that was the show everyone wanted to see. So it was pretty exciting to hear that the Haro team were doing some reunion shows to celebrate the 25th anniversary.

The first show took place at the Worlds in Germany in 2009. A pretty amazing video edit from Germany made it online. Early in 2010 I went with a few friends to an old-school BMX gathering in Albany, OR and Dave Nourie was actually there. Between riding and having a few beers (the show was at a brew pub), Dave mentioned the team would be doing another show in August, in Ashland OR. I marked it on the calendar.

I guess Dave is pretty involved in the community in Ashland and helps organize a bike event called Bike It. The Haro show was to be the highlight of the 2010 Bike It event. I arrived early, there were only a handful of people there. I saw Dave in a fluorescent green shirt with matching Vans getting things organized.

Dave Nourie, master of ceremonies

Dave in the midst of "Nourie's Story," the flatland demo

Throughout the day, there was a lot of free riding, some bike events, Dave's Flatland Demo, a silent auction and a ton of raffle giveaways. Despite the mid 90s temperatures, it was a very cool day even before the Haro team took center stage.

Right around 5:30, Kevin Martin took over the mic, just like the old days and got the festivities started. Before the show kicked off, he pointed out guys in the crowd like Bob Haro, Scotty Freeman and few other old schoolers.  A few minutes later he directed the attention of the crowd to the back of the lot where a stretched black limo was pulling up with 4 BMX bikes hanging off the back. The driver and a girl on skates got out to open the door and let Dave, Ron, Brian and Mike Dominguez out. The old school music was cranking and the show got started proper.

The only way to arrive at a show.

The guys all took turns taking runs, Dave filling out the flatland portion and the rest hitting the ramps (though Ron did do a few slick ground moves). The heat was intense and the team was decked out in full Haro uniforms and old school helmets (complete with mouth guard). It must have been unbelievably hot but they all hit it hard and gave everything they had.

Ron W pedal picker drop in, pulled first try

Brian with a Chicken Air (video still)

Mike D fakie (video still)

This is what a 35 year old kid looks like.
That silly grin was on my face the entire time.

The show ended and almost like that first show I saw in '87, the team gathered at the foot of the ramp and took photos with everyone. The only thing missing was a sticker toss. 

2010 Summer Jam Hardcore Rider Award

While the jam video gets its final touches, I've been posting little odds and ends. This is another one from the Lucky Lab After Jam Series. This time a short interview with the Groundhog, Bret himself.

Born Without Eyelids

Mark's story about his nephew being born without eyelids. The advancements in medicine are just crazy these days.

2010 Summer Jam

More will be added, and a video edit will happen, but I wanted to post a quick group shot of the summer jam. The weather cooperated, the riders came out and all had a great time.

Jam Day.

It's finally here. Hopefully be posting a few things throughout the day. Can't wait to get out there and ride.

One More Day

Bike Thieves

Thieves in general are low. Bike thieves in particular, for us, are the lowest. The sentiment in the image above is right on.

There's been a recent rash of bike theft in Portland, with 4 or 5 bikes being stolen in the last two weeks. Goods BMX was broken into and a complete new Sunday nabbed. Now, just yesterday Mark Rainha and his girlfriend Sherry had their bikes stolen in broad daylight in a busy part of town.

The thieves cut the cable lock and nonchalantly placed the cable back on the bike racks and rolled away. Luckily, while driving around looking for the bikes, they spotted Sherry's not 6 blocks away and got it back (amazing right?!). Day Glow orange pedals!

The other is still missing. If you see some crack head rolling around on a nice street bike with a black frame, red handlebars, beige forks, beige pedals, and a one-off Camacura (Quamen) street stem, it ain't his/hers. Offer to trade a McDonald's cheeseburger for it then contact anyone in the Portland BMX community.

Jam Gear!

A little over a week away from the Portland Jam and some cool gear has rolled in for the giveaways. Special thanks go out to Primo, Lotek, FlatlandFuel and adidas for being very generous.

Portland Summer Flatland Report Card

A few odds and ends from the video camera:

6th Annual Portland Summer Flatland Jam

The date is set for the 6th annual Summer Flatland Jam here in PDX, put on by the Enjoy The Trick crew:

Happy Belated Birthday America, Bar Rides and 20 Years

Quick session at the Church lot. First real session in a few weeks. Hit a double decade, and this time a camera was rolling (more on that in the next PDX video). For now, just a couple of stills (courtesy of Amanda Jean).

Ying's Drawing

Ying from NorCal gave me a pen sketch quite a while back. It's a dope rendering of a photo of me from the Hollywood Jam a couple years back. I traced it in illustrator, might convince Joe In Portland to make a tee of it.

That's my dog

Momo peruses an issue of Cream and must wonder where these BMX girls hang out.

Seattle Jam Reflections

Great day of riding went down in Seattle on Saturday. I don't have any photos or video, but I have highlights:

• The spot was huge, decent surface. The weather was perfect. The riders were plentiful (30+?).

• Vancouver represented well. I still hate their hockey team, but the riders are fantastic.

• I finally swapped my pegs out for Brett's Spry pegs. One word: Awesome.

• I pulled a double decade. My friend was filming about 20 attempts, the first one after he put his camera down I nailed it. Only a couple of witnesses but it felt real good.

• Joe has an awesome new shirt, "WEST COAST FL@".. need to get one of those.

BMX Training For Breakfast

At an IHOP in Seattle yesterday morning, I noticed on the back of the kid menu some fun BMX game. Need to get the kids hooked young.

Mother Nature hates flatland.

So I get it. The Northwest. It's rainy. But this is over the top. The weather for today has a sun icon that is dripping water! WTF? At least the temperature is right.

PDX Little Bikes

I think I took this picture maybe my first weekend in Portland, the first week of January 2010. I was just exploring my new surroundings and came across this, which I would later find out is part of the Portland Zoo Bomb deal. I just thought it was cool urban art.

Cool Hand Joe

Post flat session, a little billiards tourney went down. Patrick and Anthony took the early lead, but the Joe/Felicia combo came roaring back to win in the end.

Name This Fork

Picked up a bike that had these forks on them. Looked like GT forks at first, but there's no GT stamp. There is "Spinner" stamped on the steer tube. (sorry for the crap photos).

*EDIT: The good people on the bmxmuseum.com forum identified it as a GT fork indeed.

Enjoy The Trick Jam Winter Jam

More pics and video coming soon, here are a couple shots I took:

Framed

The new issue of Cream will be coming out soon. NorCal's legendary SIN will have a little piece in there about his collection. Keep an eye out for the issue, should be good.