We met up with Conall Keenan last weekend for a session. Two days solid of shred on his end.
This coming week he's taking off for a week of riding in Spain, The Netherlands, and Ibiza. Got to get that good weather in now...some of these spots over seas are going to be brutal.
Keenan and Meister.
Bar on a super tight truck stop tranny.
The monster-trucking through this wedge just to get to the sub wall looked hard enough.
The first stop in a 5 stop Florida park series. Saturday, March 10th. ABACOA Skatepark. Jupiter, Fl. Check it.
If anyone from Tampa Bay would like to car pool with me, let me know?
There's two things at which you can lock Henry into an interesting conversation: Bmx and Music. He's got an encyclopedic knowledge of bmx dating back to the late 80's. And when it comes to music, and every instrument involved in creating it, Henry shreds it. Seriously. I'm proud to say I got to see Floor play on 2/23 (their first show in Tampa since 2003) where Henry smashed his drum kit so hard, all you could do in response was bang yer' head.
I caught up with him and we had a brief chat about the inspiration/creativity connection between riding bikes and music. Here's some insight...
Left: Wilson. Right: Mike Messano.
1.We’ve had some good, descriptive conversations about riding. I know you see the progression of bmx as an art...with that in mind, what parts of riding really inspire you?
Excellence, style, and a positive attitude. I love seeing someone totally in the cut, just doing it. I'm way into riders that put a little speed into things too.
I've always been attracted to flash and keeping it fresh. In regards to the way one views their attitude on life, the move towards brakeless riding I find very inspiring.... Stripped down, two steps ahead, momentum based action. Very much like playing guitar when all things are firing right and the songs start to play themselves.
Henry's flat rig.
Henry's Polk County Cruiser.
2.Considering you shred all instruments, do you find that riding helps with inspiration to play (and vice versa)?
I definitely hear things while Im riding, new songs , old songs , sometimes classical, lately every time I bust into a hang five I keeping hearing "Screaming for Change". I'm an inside voice person, as in " the voices inside my head", I've worked out many music ideas by simply pedaling down the street, a few cranks and there it is, the songs write themselves. Riding visually is very musical to me, I like sweep, flow, and speed. I hear riffs inside some riders tricks. It's real cool, I'm totally stoked on my experience with it.
Floor: Henry on drums.
The sadly defunct Dove. I seriously miss this band.
House Of Lightning: Be on the look out. This shit is for real.
3.Who, right now, claims the most You-tube/vimeo hits on your computer for bmx web edits?
Filmed mostly on Sundays, here is a collection of clips on some new and some not so new spots in Tampa. A visiting creative eye, some construction, or something getting temporarily moved out of the way in the urban jungle can make for an new, interesting spot. Nothing ground breaking, just the celebration of new jibs found in the shadows of Tampa Bay. Enjoy.
It's quite humbling to watch Tyler's edits. Hours upon hours of riding in a parking garage by yourself. Self-motivating. Setting up a camera in hopes to pull a link he's spent hours (sometimes days) working on. Flat is an art unto itself...its progression sometimes floating in a fourth dimension of human ability.
Here are three edits shot in Lakeland. Some on warm days. Some close to freezing. Enjoy.
Brett Rohlfing came across a random rap music video that had to do with nails. He immediately thought of Nails, a local bmx rider, and incorporated parts of his riding with the music video to make an edit. On a bad note, someone walked into the house where he is living and stole his bike. If you see Brett, Jordan Pope, or Nails then give some support. Any left over bike parts would be greatly appreciated.
Mike has been camping out in Colorado and is in Tampa for a little while longer. He is enjoying the scene, riding, vibes, tasks that Matt Coplon has assigned to him, and ice tea from Taco Bus. He is making the most out of each day. Here are a few photos with a link to Profile Racing's writeup on his visit.
http://www.profileracing.com/news_full.php?id=1429
Mike and Conall eying up a dirt hip
Mike doing an opposite table
There is a tiebreaker with these two on handsomeness
Thanks to Mike Meister for being our chauffeur this afternoon. I got sick as a d-d-d-dog. So far a 48 hour flu that knocked me out cold in the backseat on the way up, and most of the day as everyone got to enjoy a pre-monsoon cold front that began pressing through at about 5pm.
I mustered enough energy to grab these pics on my trusty canon power shot.
BMX JAM/Contest ALL AGES February 12 2012 BMX Jam All Ages @ Ross Norton Skatepark Sunday, February 12 2012
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Practice and Registration Noon Entry: $20 Divisions: Beginner, Intermediate and Advance Also Game of B.I.K.E Visit www.688skateshop.net for more info call 727-729-1941 or 727-871-6880
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Ross Norton Skatepark: 1426 S. MLK Jr Ave Clearwater Fl 33756
Last Thursday, a group of us went up to Highland. Upon leaving, the park attendant informed us that as of March 23rd, Highland is no more. Bad news yes, but there's plenty of good news. They're actually moving the park a couple blocks away, re-cycling the existing ramps and expanding. According to city plans, they want to have the new "Highland" up by May 1st. Sounds pretty dialed. Here's a couple photos I grabbed during the session.
Mike Meister: Denver resident full time. Tampa tourist part time.
T-bog at height.
Meister: spine boost.
Niki Burton: Tuck over the hip.
Alan Shirley just turned 30. Here's a rhyme to go with an x-up grind.
I'm always out and about with the Bald Eagle (aka Bald Matt). Cruising the streets, finding new jibs, and enjoying those 360 days of sunshine (I think that statistic is a bit off If I do say). With that in mind, there's also a good photo opp. somewhere. Most of the shots below were stacking up on my desk top (taken on weekend sessions in the Tampa Bay Area) so I thought: make a little online archive. Enjoy.
Rail ride at the newest addition to the Turtle ditch.
There's rumors floating around town that both the Vista (South St. Pete) and Highland (Largo) skateparks are getting a facelift. Kind of hard to believe in this economy but we've heard from some reliable sources (aka city workers). In the meantime, enjoy these photos of Dustin Carbonaro at Vista taken by Mari Sabra. Dustin's quote upon sending them over: "All is quiet in the hood when its cold so its nice to ride and not look over your shoulder every five minutes."
