So, fuseproject, working under commission by the government of NYC, is trying to promote bicycle helmet use by making the helmets look more fashionable. While I applaud the effort, uh, yeah. More in link.
Supposedly Terry will be doing a demo at the Red Bull Soapbox Derby tomorrow at Piedmont Park. Of course, if the weather holds it’l be the Red Bull Submarine Derby and he’ll have to do his demo in Scuba Gear.
George Teneyck posted this up then linked to it on his Facebook page. I haven’t had time to watch it yet, but, come on, the 1988 Haro Freestyle Team. There’s no way this one won’t contain nostalgic goodness.
Team Haro Freestyle, Circa 1988. BMXDigital from T/n/m/ Group on Vimeo.
I hate golf. Hate may be a strong word, but I don’t get it. The Mrs. says that I would enjoy it if I tried it. I don’t think she’s right. Still, this weekend I tried out one tiny part of golf and I have to say, it’s brilliant.
Found in Moophisto’s photo stream. Also there, some pretty nice pictures from the World’s including a great Wilkerson shot which I cannot post here.
I heard a rumor this morning that they’re closing down DeShong. For those of you not from Atlanta, DeShong park is the “street plaza,” wedges, ledges, rails and stairs no transitions to be found. But apparently plenty of drugs and underage drinking. Which, from what I’ve heard, is why they’re talking about plowing the whole thing.
How awesome is that?
Growing up, as I did, in Alabama in the 70s and 80s I remember seeing pictures of Dominguez, Fiola and Blyther battling it out a Del Mar and The Pipeline and I had. Nothing. Maybe familiarity breeds contempt. Lord knows that the kids at the skateparks around here don’t even pretend like they’re looking after the space. Maybe it’s because they’re stupid, maybe it’s because they’re kids. Either way, what the county giveth the county can taketh away and DeShong might be on the short list for the latter.
Damn shame, but not surprising, if it’s true.
So, a new Mike Aitken video came out a couple days ago.
While I was watching it I couldn’t help but thing about how much Aitken looked like Jason Becker when he has his traech.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Jason’s story. In the 80′s he founded an instrumental metal band called Cacophany with a similarly young Marty Friedman. When Cacophany broke up Marty went on to join the Rust in Peace era Megadeth (version 3? version 4? Does the version with Kerry King on guitar that lasted for 30 seconds even count?) while Jason got the most coveted sideman spot in all shreddom, replacing Steve Vai in David Lee Roth’s solo band.
Top of the world, right?
Right after he found out that he had the gig, he found out that he had Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Lou Gherig’s Disease. ALS results in complete physical paralysis and in many cases, death. Jason’s already way outlived predictions on his life, but the paralysis thing…much like Stephen Hawking Jason communicates through an eye activated computer. He still writes music, but he can no longer play it. He can’t talk and on a good day he might be able to shake a finger.
Aitken went down on a trick that he could do in his sleep in a place that he’d ridden a billion times. He wasn’t doing anything crazy, just riding and he had to learn how to walk again. He was, honestly, lucky.
Next time you’re thinking about going out without a helmet, check the video. It’s worth it as a reminder.
Seriously, dude knocked himself out in the middle of his third run and was so far ahead of everyone else that he won, anyway. He can’t even remember his runs.
Greatest
of
All
Time
Daniel Dhers doesn’t advance to the finals. I don’t know how good or bad his runs were since they decided to televise FMX instead for most of it. Diogo Canina is the number 1 qualifier. Still, does anyoneone remember lip tricks? Chase Hawk’s footjams and a single double peg is all I saw by way of moves at coping.
