2016 closeout!

Well 2016 was a roller coaster like many years before and surely many years to come. Thats life though and ultimately if you can live to fight another day than I think you are potentially one move away from being great. Keep fighting for what you desire, try and limit the mistakes and keep the eye on the prize as they say. My year started off with a ton of work as things had me wrapped up and in a strange turn of events I went from working to dealing drugs to getting a new job all within a quick 2-3 week span. LOL Just jokes. But in starting my new job it allowed me the time to pick up the race bike and get out and dust off things. It was nice having the time and availability to get involved with the local scene and it coincided with my friend Alex rebuilding my local track so I got to help a bunch with that. Fast forward a few short months and I was working with kids going to races and overall having a good time riding my race bike a bunch and I had definitely missed seeing many people from that scene. Started some clinics with newer riders and intermediates and just giving back has been a good time and helping with the local track is a good bonus that Im happy dedicate time to. End of year made some goals to get back to the whole team USA circus that is the worlds and this year doesn't mean as much to me as years past because the location isn't foreign but I've been working with my homie Benny and just getting him to ride confident regardless of results and myself as well should pay dividends for him and me in not just BMX but pretty much anything. Some things may revolve around BMX but its life lesson stuff that if you work hard put in the time you can get some results, he may see the short term goal of becoming a better BMX racer but the real deal thing is you teach kids to better young men and women and thats what really matters. Long after the plastic trophies are dusty and neglected if you have impacted people and in turn they have also impacted people to be better than you hang your hat on those facts. Each one teach one. Im not perfect, I fuck up daily and have had more mistakes that Im not proud of than moments I was genuinely happy about. But again you keep truckin' and keep going forward because each day you get up, each time you stand back up after a fall, or each time you set  a tire in the gate you have potential to be great. So 2016 you have been fair to me and thats all I could hope for. 2017 I hope you are equally as fair to me because Im gonna need it. Foot on the gas! Lets do this shit.

Legend!

Australian dudes man they use that term as like a term of endearment if someone calls you a legend its like you're the fuckin man basically. Well tonight after 16 years of volunteering at the track Mr. Orlando Trujillo has hung up the headset for the last time. The last set of moto sheet scores are turned in and he is going to relinquish his weekly obligation to the board and the riders of our area. Ive known Orlando for about 10years I would safely say and he always had Team Impact which was a pretty good sized local and state team for many years, he ushered in riders of all skill levels from noob kids to having  a few pro riders as well. Its safe to say if you raced anytime over the last 10 years Orlando has definitely watched your progression as he announced your highs and lows at the local level. 16 years is enough time to see so many people cycle in and out of the sport, see so many trends come and eventually fade away and how many rebuilds has this guy been a part of too? Lando has always been a staple and in BMX with so many fleeting splashes of this that and the other the real staple people are a rarity. Love him hate him or indifferent about him, I can honestly say beyond a shadow of a doubt I have the utmost respect for anyone who can dedicate 16 years toward something and get nothing more than a rare thank you. Glass raised to you my friend, it's been a pleasure working with you over the past few months the only regret I have is not coming along sooner. I sincerely hope this gift of some more free time can find you something else that you can pour dedication and compassion into like you have with helping the BMX community. You sir are a fuckin legend and if we had more people like you or even a fraction of you the world would be a much better place. Feel free to come grace us from time to time and anything we can ever do to help you out we are all just a call away. Salute you man!

Days Work.

Woke up and was lazy but determined at the same time to start checking off projects at the track. First up was some stairs that needed to be notched into a hill so my parents wouldnt have to brave gravity walking down a dirt bank to cheer on little groms. I got out there and did my best Bob Villa impression and knocked these steps out as you can see. Are they pro? No. Are they certified? No. Were they done in rain drizzle for free? Yes. Enjoy folks :) Then I saved my arch enemy Danny some cash by retrieving his car keys/fob that he left overnight in the parking lot. As much as I hate his power I definitely like his attitude and Ive yet to crash him so we are on good terms, but given the chance I throw him an elbow for $5 in a pro am in a second hahahahaha. Rain was coming down pretty good so had to cut the work session short but few things to tidy up at PAL and 2017 should be good. Track changes? Why not :) Headed over to see uncle Rob at the PD and spoke with him briefly and got some swag for tomorrow Niner game always appreciative of his hook up. Then got home sometime and got a call about the pre approval for the loan to cop a house came back all clean as a whistle. $750k of debt I can jump into LOL Trying to avoid being homeless is the plan so probably try and pull a trigger on something quick but at the same time not in a rush so wont buy anything if it doesnt fit my needs for sure. Stoked though I put in a solid few years of work and saved some serious cash as did Alicia so we made some good moves and now just keep the foot on the pedal and keep knocking it out. "somedays you build steps, and somedays you take steps, and on a rare occasion you can do both" thats the cheesy tag line of the day for me. Now to try to find 4 friends I can stand to be around for a few hours tomorrow at the game haha hmmmm this could be difficult lol. #nosquad #circletoosmallsometimes #qualitynotquantity

Put some respect on my name LOL

I figure that statement has died down long enough for me to use it LOL. Todays thoughts of the day come from my morning of meeting up with the Calculated Team at the track. I know a bunch of the guys some I race, some I admittedly cant stand sometimes but all in all a chill group of dudes and I have nothing bad to say for the most part. Today they had a track work day for those who dont know basically a team commits to helping with some tasks around the track and in turn the board gives them an exclusive track practice. I made sure to be on hand to make sure nothing crazy happened to my beloved baby track lol Anyway these guys killed it. 8-10 guys all on time for the most part, we knocked out a ton of weeds that have been growing with all the recent rains, cleaned up a few areas and we were in and out within 2hours I bet. It was a HUGE fucking help and goes to show the whole teamwork thing is soooooo key in how your facility can look and feel. When dudes put in some sweat equity I think they have a sense of ownership and that leads to some track pride and more down the road which also is key. So to team calculated I salute you guys, I personally appreciate the efforts today and few will say thanks but hoping mine shows you that I for one am quite thankful. You guys ever need anything dont hesitate to ask. #salute #respectearnedforsure

Rhianna said work work work!

Self timer shot today from the track getting my small lake drained out. Put in a fair amount of time addressing the holes in turn 1 finally and trying to think of what to do with the lack luster pro section at the track. I think I am going to fill in the first jump and make it a long table over the break when we close for 2 weeks. The section is getting overgrown currently and its mainly due to the lack of traffic through there. Its not a hard section when you sprint at it from turn 1 but from a full first straight I only know of 1-2 people that can do it and they damn sure arent doing it lap after lap. I think if I make it easier in a sense it will fix a few issues. Right now its not much faster or faster at all from what Ive seen. Fill in the first jump and I think it can be tap manualed and pedaled right through and would make the "big" jump easier to attack and not be such a send it jump. More guys going that route would be more reason to keep it maintained because at this rate I could care less and let it grow over. Have a couple other things up my sleeve for 2017 at the track but they will have to stay under wraps for now. Paving turn 1 is still at the top of the list and will happen I can guarantee it. Get your money ready kids cuz the gofundme heart strings will be pulled and tugged on as hard as possible so you will come up off that money you worked so hard for LOL. Alright time to house search a little bit before bed. 

Thanksgiving Vibes

Well with a few days off and the rain really stalling things out as far as riding wise I figure I can give my thoughts on what Im thankful for. Im a really really basic person as far as things go for being thankful and what not. Pretty much just happy and thankful to be alive. Sure it sounds like a cliche way to go about it but honestly here is my take so stay with me. Every morning you wake up you got 24hrs to work with and if you are ambitious and a go getter you can make shit happen. You always have the chance to get what you feel you deserve. Yes Im thankful for opportunities and friends all 3-4 of them lol but all that comes from work and the opportunity of waking up another day and working toward things. Whatever you are thankful for I would suggest dont just be thankful for it but nurture it and put some work into it. Dont get hung up on just being thankful but work it and make it even better and also pay it forward. If you are thankful for something look back and see how you can help the next person who is in your path behind you. Enjoy the holidays people.

As promised!

As I said I would come back with a good blog here it is! Had skills camp tonight with all my little groms and it was a good time. We worked on high lows in turn 1 and the kids caught the hang of it pretty quickly. After about a half hour I was able to teach them how to properly finish a good high low and take the victim clear to the chalk line haha. I will be soooo stoked if I ever see a non suspecting 9 novice kid wonder how he won a race to turn 1 but then got pushed over into the pro section after a sweet pass. Haha. In all seriousness these clinics have been a good time and are a great way to fundraiser for the track and get the kids some extra ride time worked into their schedules. Off to Vegas tonight to help my good friend Carla move out of her apartment and catch a few dinners and catch up on life. Should be quick and easy trip get back Sunday evening give the knee a rest and will be excited to snap off some first straights next week and see if the rest brings some low times :) That's it for now we outta this spot! flight 222 sjc to las

Next troll come forth...

Alright well apparently the foolery didnt end last week with our Moohey/Duran fiasco, which for those keeping tabs of course he didnt show up to renew. Cant say I was holding my breath thats for sure but funny he was so consistent about "Tuesday" Alas it has come and gone and instead of renewals I got more attitude from simple minded selfish people yet again. You can justify and express your concern and disdain for things Im all for that and hell I practice it each time I sound off on here. But you really oughta keep an eye on who you are burning and the piss poor examples you set in the process and thats where you start to do more damage than you may realize. Last night our good friend Orlando comes into registration and is annoyed telling me he is catching attitude from a few guys out on the track. Now if you know Orlando he is CHILL. And his level of chill actually annoys me because I think he would be much more effective if he didnt be so relaxed, but anyway Lando as I call him has easily 20yrs of service on the PAL board and has seen many generations through the 2-3yr cycles. Lando is a real riders perspective kinda guy too, he is definitely the most rider oriented mind state kinda guy and will consider the riders first before the business aspect. So todays silly mistake comes courtesy of Jeff Aana three cheers for your silly move when you decided to give him shit when he asked you to kindly quit cutting and stopping on the track you really shot yourself in the foot. Again you didnt know it but the same person you gave grief to and complained that he needed to "provide you a solution" its not his problem nor is it the problem of the other 100 riders that you dont have the stamina nor skill to ride your bike for 1200ft at a time. He doesn't owe you a solution fool. Nobody does. But free of charge Im gonna give some advice and I dont expect you to learn god forbid you're 40+ and still whining about people enforcing 40 old rules to address safety. If you would like to practice a certain segment of the track, come out of the gate and either A) holeshot and win the whole lap like the practice champ you are and address obstacles and skills as they arrive. B) roll out of the gate and use the fresh legs technique which Im very fond of, sandbag it a bit let everyone win the practice and then sprint to glory at the obstacle thats giving you problems. You will have a clear path but the problem with this tactic is if you have goon style it will be exposed. Those stick manuals from vegas? Yeah I know you remember them legs locked out zig zag from chalk line to chalk line before the explosion? I feel for you man but you can remedy the situation the new riders clinics are $25 each or a block of 4 for $80 just let me know in sign ups and we can get you on the roster. All jokes aside you really messed up Lando is definitely the one guy I would say keeps the riders opinions at the top and food for thought his time is limited and you just gave him all the reason to stop hoisting the flag on your behalf. Disrespecting a track volunteer seems to be the new trend and nobody wants to see things get ugly so try to keep in mind that riding the track is an opportunity it is definitely not a right. Be kind kids.

Check back tomorrow ladies and we can hope for a positive post for once? I wont hold my breath but each night provides the opportunity for some goodness. #volunteerlife #byebyepractice #2017newnew #youguysmakingiteasy #bridgeburned #ruininganopportunity

Current Mood...

If I had to sum up the track right now this image does it perfectly. Haha sometimes I have to remember that not everyone is smart enough or unselfish enough to realize that the track is not to cater to any one persons desires or wishes. We run a program for everyone. Everyone you simple minded moron. Meaning its bigger than what you think needs to be fixed, your issue is not top priority because each unique individual has 10 issues that they think are paramount. Relax and consider resolutions instead of talking shit and creating division when ultimately we all have the same desired end result and that is to have a good local track and thriving program. If I had $1.00 for every "expert" who mumbles and spouts off online about how wrong and bad things are I could pave the turns and buy an endless amount of red carpet to roll out to the pre madonnas that are the BMX race population it seems. Too many times people are quick to shoot off an opinion but have never experienced or done a damn thing on the subject. You gonna tell me how to climb a tree yet you have a fear of heights and have never stepped a foot off the ground? Riiiiiiiight.... Ridiculous. Or better yet, "you're fucking ridiculous" which is what a rider had the nerve to say to a volunteer when he was reminded for the second time that he needed to head to registration and check in for practice... Yeah thats right a grown man 40+ years old is  throwing attitude at a female volunteer because in years upon years of BMX racing he is acting like checking in for practice to cover our asses for insurance purposes is a "fucking ridiculous" request? Are you kidding me? The fact that we even need to send a volunteer to remind you is wasting what precious volunteer resources we have and are thankful for but of course you dont know that because you think the bmx fairy god mother just blows pixie dust and shit gets done right? The new rider packs just come out of thin air, they arent printed up at our real 9-5 jobs on our own time or company time. The paperwork that gets submitted, the sanction fees and motos and balancing all just comes with a quick twirl of the wand right? The clinics that go down to help retain ridership and keep the moto count up so the doors can stay open, thats all just the snap of fingers. Trophies that need to be ordered, inventoried, stocked, distributed, and all reordered again for racing 3 nights a week all that is probably just an Iphone app so it cant be a difficult task. Contacting USABMX to make sure we dont get left in the cold for state races, gold cup qualifiers, etc etc etc. They just probably assume those events for us and do all the work right? Yeah thats right that girl you threw attitude to and every other volunteer are just like you said "fucking ridiculous"... But I think you got it confused because you know what they have a level of volunteerism and commitment that is exactly right "fucking ridiculous" because after what I just showed you which trust me is a mere .0001% of what the hell we do within a track week can only be described as fucking ridiculous. So Rich Lujan quite frankly man, you and your entitled ass can kick rocks as far as Im concerned. You have a piss poor attitude and you seem to have lost what BMX is all about and should really sit back and realize that your selfish too good to check in mentality is the kind of shit that gets a track shut down or a sanction pulled when you get hurt and we have no reason to show why you were even on the track. So raise a glass to you and have a toast to your mentality and hope that it spreads and grows on more of the BMX community... Said no one. Ever.
Stay tuned for tomorrows post which will feature the story of Jon Moohey who thought it was a great sneaky way to obtain a practice sticker under a riders name who everyone in sign ups knows has moved to Florida... Only in BMX I tell you only in BMX.

WW West

Rode woodward west with the crew this weekend and it was a great session. I didnt do anything crazy awesome or even out of my comfort range honestly but I still enjoyed and had a great time with friends. Park has been on the back burner for a bit while racing is the focus but park is always the better of the two juts because of the relaxed conversations on the deck and how you really bond with your crew. Thats all photos will post im sure and ill let em fly it was a fun day, oughta do it more.
 #stoked

2 months

Are you kidding me? Nearly 60 days without a post oh Im slacking hard. Ok lets catch up hmmmmm Ive been working on the track alot. Too much actually. LOL. What ya gonna do though if you want a good track you have to do insane amounts of work so I shall work toward the end result. Its looking like 55% good right now LOL Been racing little opens on Tuesday and Friday nights with the crew at the track and they have been fun. But fuck I get sooooo exhausted and breathing is like ridiculously difficult so I regret them at the same time but they too much fun to not do it. Been doing good at work too, picking up more responsibility now just come through with that pay raise again LOL. The envyblk is riding well, my nephew Benny is back in action after his wrist issue so happy to have him back means the training sessions will get back on track... Flat pedal event on October 9th with the salt crew boys will be fun. crazy I have so much going on and too lazy to try and type it all out lol. be good to each other people!


-Nick

Lehhhhhhhdoit

Just hanging out Saturday night not much going on but wanted to pen a few lines just to motivate the 3 followers LOL. Ive been doing swell at DNA 2.0 my lil biotech lab in the east bay and things have been good. I took a pay cut going there but got a $10k salary bump after 2 months and things were much better with the new pay LOL. Me being the person I am I get a random call about a job opportunity and I only pursue it because of a close friend who recommended me. Fast forward a few days and text messages and I have an interview that Im very confident in my ability to perform the job needed but the pay may be the only issue. I have mentioned to the boss what I would need to consider and she seemed very much on board. As much as I dont want to leave DNA 2.0 I would not be Nick Valencia if I didnt consider a substantial raise in pay. With the bay getting pricier every year I def want to stay a step ahead of the curve. Loyalty to me is a huge thing though so Im struggling with the mental game thats going on in my head but hoping the compensation part goes over so smooth or so bad that its all not ever a consideration. Put me in your prayers Im trying to buy a house and racecar type shit :)

Seriously?

This will be my one and only political rant and its not even so much political but it will be a short rant. Did all you idiots really seriously think for a second that Hillary Clinton was going to stand trial for anything from emails and/or Benghazi? No fucking way man. She was not for any momentary second ever in any hot water at all. And if you thought she was headed to prison I have another news flash for you, Trump has absolutely 0% chance of becoming the president. Pack your bags and start looking for a Canada home to purchase because for the love of the USA the world is pretty fucked up but its never blatantly outright ugly and thats what Trump represents. He might have had a chance being voted in with a conservative style and then just going crazy like a straight 180 when he got in office but representing this whole fear kill em all deport everyone propaganda? Dumbass. Anyway thats it for the rant. Hillary gonna be around for awhile so get used to her pretty face.

Poolside thoughts

Sittin in Vegas hangin out for a few days trying to switch up the scenery a little bit is current situation  and temps are high. Like way high. Like 110degree high lol makes taking a quick swim an easy decision for sure. Vegas is always my low key vacation spot where I know I can get away has the relaxation option and if I felt like raging out that's right up the street as well. Been frequenting the city for more than 10 years give or take as I've always had friends that have lived here. As usual on the flight over you generally see a few people who are getting an early start to the Vegas party, I was fortunate enough to meet a pair of unique individuals who as luck would have it were going to a life choices seminar all the while telling me about cocaine tales. It was comedic to say the least and the female cut hair for a living. Coke head or not let me get that number I need a new barber anyway. It was a funny conversation and it was really telling and revealing in not just her and his personal interests but also how diverse Vegas can veto so many people for different reasons. It's truly a testament on things are ideal depending on how you approach them and you perception of the opportunities laid in front of you. Here we were a group of people from the same place heading to the same place and for  vastly different reasons. When I told them I would just be low key both of them said well can't you be low key at home? Haha yeah but they could also get coked out at home right? Goes both ways doesn't it? I feel like same is true in life in general you can always find the ingredients  and scenario to do great things or negative things just all about how you look at what's in front of you or where you position yourself. Work hard people and give yourself the best shot at being happy with whatever you choose to do. 111degrees now and the pool is calling again. #wetwet

Success.

"Success took a shot at you what are you gonna do? We can be successful and have enemies or we can be unsuccessful and have so called friends"

So much to catch up on.

Ok so first off Bailey had a surgery and that jazz ran me like $1500+ but she is doing great now and its money well spent. The the Evo decided to get hungry and gobble up 4th gear somehow? Yeah go figure. So thats gotta get fixed and unfortunately that will be the last chapter in the evo story because once I get it all sorted out it is being sold. Been a blast having it always wanted to own one definite dream car for sure, but cant handle the inconsistency of it. Id like to say I thought long and hard but it really wasnt a hard decision. Ill still have it for a long time Im sure because everyone is broke and that car wont be cheap, I dont need to sell at all so it can sit for all I care. Then the really good news I have been helping Alex rebuild the local track which basically consists of him building and me standing around. Pretty hyped on the progress and kids in the future will def get skills. Suck it up now kids and reap the rewards later in life. I also randomly tore my khakis Ive been racing in for awhile and decided fuck it and bought a gear kit. Itll be the first gear kit Ive had in YEARS but Im excited for it. And then I bought a complete used bike just for the back wheel? It made sense at the time LOL and new DXR cranks I ordered too just because they were cheap LOL. Ive been a financial mess as of late but hey whatever Ill make all that money back is all I can hope. Im super jealous of all the goon kids who are at UCI Worlds this week. Hope some local kids can take down the task of getting those elusive main events. Worlds is never a cake walk and weird shit happens so here is to hoping their skills outweigh the good or bad luck that inevitably occurs. Really hoping they kick some ass out there, and not just the USA riders but just everyone in general hope they have good solid laps. I think thats all for now sorry Im too lazy to upload a photo but Ill owe ya one!

Asshats

Why why why does it always end up being the stupidest people in control of all the stuff with so much potential. Todays rant is based about Tre Whyte outta the UK to give you a brief overview he is a top tier  rider in that region and a top 5 guy for sure if not top 3. Basically the UK has a few qualified entrant spots available to them and they are choosing to not send that allotment of riders. I get it. If you only have squids who cant ride for squat then yeah decline your spots. But that aint the case! With the Manchester facility they have plenty of riders who are competitive and deserve a chance. Thats what makes the fucking worlds the motherfucking worlds! You cant claim to be the fucking best in the world when not everyone is even allowed to enter the race. Tre Whyte hands down fucking deserves a spot on that gate. If he gets beat fair and square Im fine with that and in all honesty I dont see him making a main, but its BMX and if you cant climb on the gate you have 0% chance of winning. By climbing onto the gate your chances have just increased 100%. Fucking tool boxes are in charge of the UK cycling scene and they need to be cycled out no pun intended. Whatever the backroom personal vendetta is I sure would like to know and I could respect them more if they came out and said fuck Tre instead of the political nonsense. And to take it even further I think Kyle Evans and Liam are weak as fuck too. You stay together and you come out and say fuck it Im not riding if my team mate cant ride. Show some fucking solidarity to your fellow countrymen to your fellow fucking rider. Thats the problem its become such a fucking selfish, train your brains out and not give a fuck about anyone. Shit has lost its soul and thats why it will always be a side show. BMX racing will always have the sad issue that when push comes to shove none of these fuckers have a spine and the majority of people are in it for themselves. Sad Sad Sad. Tre-here is to you my man fuck the politics everytime you gate up wherever it may be race with the passion that you and only you can imagine and use that fire to burn the tool boxes working against you. #PeckhamForever

Amazing?

I shouldn't even call it amazing because at this point in my life it doesn't amaze me as much as I begin to expect it. And in learning to expect it, you become sharp and can start to counter the actions of the situation. What is the situation? Well it nearly happens daily sometimes multiple times a day and sometimes it goes for days and weeks without ever popping up. But its basically in a nutshell a person with a piss poor shit ass attitude who just goes out of their way to just be for lack of a better word and to be able to use my favorite word when someone acts like a fucking CUNT. Yeah I said it. If you know me super well like really really well and you can gauge your level of friendship with me right here if you know me enough to know I hate speaking to people I don't know its for this same reason. Because the less people I have to speak with or deal with a day the lesser my chances of meeting one of these asshole people. So if I can have someone else call an order a pizza Im doing it. If someone else can ask the server for a refill of our drinks I gladly let them. I just know that the less I deal with anyone the better my chances of not wanting to explode are going to be LOL. Today a very special person who is a tool absolute insecure fucking tool just went out of his way to prove a point when a point wasn't needed. To enforce his will when it wasn't warranted. I remedied the situation in my own way so he feels he won and he shit talked me and of course behind my back because you gotta have a pair and a spine to at least speak down to me like a man. Thats very much not him. As I anticipated the douchebag moves I began to counter and took the precautionary steps to stay ahead of the idiot. What did he accomplish? Zero. Enough about this clown lets get to the good feel good part of the blog. If you ever are going in on someone or shit talking them behind their backs, Im not perfect Im the biggest hypocrite I know so don't compare yourself to me always be better than me. PLEASE BE BETTER THAN ME! Anyway just be good to people. If you don't understand them you may not know the stuff the backstory they are dealing with or their vision. Be good to one another. Half the time its not going to cost you anything to be kinder to one another. You gotta try harder people and when we all do a slight bit more I know we can make strides. Thats all. Salute the douchebag fucks out there tomorrow you will wake up as your lame ass and Ill wake up as me. Like Puff Daddy would say "Take that"

Ode to the groms aka the next shredders.

This is gonna be a sappy post but not really at the same time. I showed up at the trails a few days ago with Matt and I was greeted by my friend Kim Sterling who I havent seen in likely a year. Always a pleasure to catch up with genuine people who care for you. Her son Matthew who I have known since he was an aspiring racer kid at the track and was a ripper in that right with a Worlds main to his credit was there and had skyrocketed a foot in height and had gone from grom to peer before I knew it. Was really awesome to see him getting through the big line at the jumps and just an absolute pleasure to see him making strides and getting after it. A few minutes later this other kid Connor shows up and last time I saw him was exactly a year ago and I always keep track of him because he rips and has a solid future ahead of him. He greets me and is thrilled to see me and just goes into contest mode and is dropping hammers left and right and asking me about doing this trick and that trick. Its one of those subtle respect gestures that we all do at some point in our lives to the guys we look up to or seek approval. Its not in a weird way either you just always bounce stuff off of the OG riders that you know have done it or have perspective on it. It was a trip and definitely a coming of age moment for me seeing him in a whole new light. And again the kid has ripped for years so Im not taking a shot at him at all, it was just cool to see me now view him as another dude who shreds and not a prodigy anymore. Stoked for those guys. I started linking basic lines together there and was having a blast and sure enough Connor asked me to flip the last set and its something I have considered already LOL we both said you first and neither of us wanted to ride that bull. Left it for another day, but that day is soon Im sure. Shoutout to the younger groms all over the scene putting in the seat time to shred hard and outclass us old guys! World is yours boys!

Turndown- Old dog old tricks :)

March Forth

Oh how I am beginning to despise the month of March. Its exactly a year to the day since I totaled my EVO the original all blacked out one. Survived and built a more badass one. This March dealt me one less job and better than that one less "friend". I keep a real small circle of people around me easily like 5-6people maybe that I truly consider friends. I mean sure I know hundreds of people through riding and work and stuff but actual true friends are hard to come by these days. So when I lose one its a semi big deal and its a stab. I entrust my friends with a lot and would do anything for them and it leaves you vulnerable but at the same time thats what a real friendship is right? Your real friends have all the secrets and stories to make you or break you, and likely they are guilty in the stories right along with you hahahahaha. So when this friend left a dagger in my back its more of a reality check that people just aint made like they once were. People are one minute riding wit ya and the next minute they riding against ya. Rough world. So as I start to rebuild and plot my next move, just like last year I came back with an even better EVO I shall strive to come back with an even better job and an even better tight knit group of friends around me. So here is to you hater, thanks for the reminder that true friends are def a rarity and should be held precious. Bottoms up! Now lets find a new job before I have to start chasing this BMX dream again LOL.

Yep.

Hard Work. Dedication.

Time Flies!

Ok so I really just wanted a reason to post a photo of my fresh ass watch that I never wear enough. Nah not really but it did make for a perfect photo to rant about how fast time goes by for me at least as of late. Its already a few days into March and that means the NCAA tournament kicks off soon and wagers sent off to Vegas to try and supplement the income will be happening soon. Its the 3rd month of a 12 month year so 1/4 of the year is slowly into the books but to me has been flying by. I attribute it to working so much and not stopping to smell the roses as they say but I think just in general with the sun still setting early the days are just short and time seems to be hauling ass. Im not complaining the year has been off to a great start for me personally and Im sure a bunch of people are doing well because nobody is complaining to me at least. LOL that or I am ignoring people perhaps? Nah I think things are just good across the board. I cant wait for the whole political race BS to end. Give Hillary the reigns so everyone can bitch and complain about how bad she sucks just like every other president we have. Nobody is happy so why even deal with the drama? Vote for who you identify with and let the votes tally. No need to convince me someone is a liar or two faced or unsupportive or blah blah blah. Crazy. Big UFC fight went down with Diaz beating Conor Mc Gregor and that was funny to see how quick we build up these overnight champions and the same reason we love them we quickly abandon them. Last week everyone was on the bandwagon about how Conor had come through and smashed opponents and was the next big thing and his confidence was validated. Then he takes a loss and we make him out to be the worst champion ever and his cocky arrogant attitude was his downfall and finally caught up to him. LOL. Fans sway for sure which is why I love that Mayweather stopped before everyone got to try and crucify him if he took a loss. Always interesting to watch how things play out. I still think Conor will be the golden child of the UFC and he is still the type of charismatic guy that mma needs to stay on top. But I definitely see things getting interesting fiscally for the UFC. Some of the payouts and numbers are odd and I know as it grows  some fighters are going to get restless. Staying tuned for sure. Thats all let get this money going this week!

Happy Birthday Blog!

Kinda crazy my blog has been going since Feb of 08' so its getting up in age I guess. Started it to document all the travel I was doing and host photos and just kept it up. Time flies. Got off work at RMC pretty early today and got a haircut before heading over to the track and getting a few laps in. I was there pretty early and saw a dad with a young daughter there 5 year old little girl wide eyed and excited as can be. If you know BMX and you've been around long enough it can be very intimidating at first so I spoke with the dad and met Layla and let him know to yell if he needed anything. I took a few laps and noticed them doing the rookie look. Nervous and scared and excited all at the same time would be the way to describe it. I rode up to them explained to the dad that I have ridden forever and could help them out a bit, he agreed and what followed after that could only be described as chaotic fun. Layla was fearless to a point, stubborn like a mule, and headstrong as an ox. Never have I seen a girl ride 2 straightaways against traffic on a bmx track her first lap even though I started her the right way and live to tell about it. She had a blast, never crashed and raced her first race today. Cheers to her and salute that she has many more in the future. I told someone today that it was a fitting experience as I was slowly losing my status as an "instructor" but you can take a job title although you can never take a skillset and ultimately I possess that and can always apply it. Which of course I will and today was a really timely reminder that its your obligation to pay things forward as many have likely done for you. The saying goes "each one teach one" when you learn something pass it along to the next generation kinda emphasis. So from me to Layla today and hopefully she passes along the new skills to the next girl or boy down the line. Touching sappy day today and really enjoyed it. Thanks Layla and keep up the solid work!

Blehhh

So if you are even on my blog its because you know me and you know me well. So it shouldn't come as a shocker that when I get involved I generally go deep with stuff. Im not one to be super casual in and out of a zillion different things, find my spots and hit them well. With the transition of management with my city job that has occurred recently I really didn't care because in all honesty it was just going to be yet another wave of a boss that would come and rank and file and lip service promise the world and then settle in and let me do what I do. Like clockwork the lip service came superman in a city suit Ive heard it all before the same speech about how great of a resource we now have, how effective and easier life will be etc etc etc. Then he started fixing things that weren't broken. I didnt mind, it was a bad idea but hey you gotta make a mistake before you realize how valuable I am is the way I see it. Ive been getting slowly but surely vibed I guess you could say. I didnt take it negative at first and its been more comical than anything but Im really finding it hard to let go of the program there. I know ultimately I am signing off. It is really not even something that can be fixed. Im lower on the totem pole and management without coming out and saying it is going a different direction basically. A direction I definitely dont agree with but its their choice to make. I guess Im just bummed that people cant sit back and think about what they have at their disposal without feeling offended because of someone elses skills or ability or whatever. I got an email from a parent of a camper Ive had a few years and she expressed concern and I worked it out with her anyway but it definitely pushed my button about the groms I wont be seeing all summer long. I have stayed through the city BS for 7 years and finally just have to leave it alone because at this point its just managerial issues and I cant do anything from my spot. Frustrating but also the email was comforting that the kids Ive met are my friends and not just customers from the city. City staff or not the kids are gonna be the kids and Im still gonna help them in any way I can. Stoked I can always fall back on that if nothing else. #Salute

Fuck.

Why can't more people just work hard and be good to people fuck is it that fucking hard? Seriously. Help someone or something that is helpless. If someone's in a spot it's your fuckin moral obligation to  give it your best shot and lend a fuckin hand. If you are that selfish to just look the other way and let something go bad you are an asshole. That is all. Life's good lets get this money fuckers.

Ride!

Believe it or not I rode my bike for once! LOL. I definitely sucked worse than I ever had but I also had fun and you start to appreciate the stuff you are doing more and more as it gets challenging to realize your comfort level is nowhere near what it was previously. I got out early before the session got busy and heated so had plenty of runs to be careless and not worry about crashing into anyone. Started tp pump corners and look for speed here and there and thats when I realized I was falling back into the old rhythm and it was nice. Still have lightyears to go though but definitely going to be roasting again soon. Going to see if its possible to get a session in each week somehow and maybe even get off the weekend shifts in general and dedicate that to gettin loose on the ol whip. Kids are way too good these days and all they lack is the amplitude to do the wild shit they do at height. So if roasting hi is where I can beat em out then so be it! LOL Never scared to land flat lets do this shit! Catching up on sleep was a blessing as well so shout out to the opportunity to not set an alarm and get some shut eye for once :) Thats all for now and like usual I didnt bother with any photos or videos so thats that.

Slackin like always!

Damn nearly missed the whole month of January. Always easy to explain though as work has been crazy busy and just stacking the loot to knock out the home goal. Can we start off the night about how taxes are looking quite promising? $5000 coming back to me after my high ass 401k contributions paired with giving an extra $400 per pay period finally got me balanced out and uncle scam shooting a little bit of cash back this way for once. So salute to the tax time ballers I finally get to see how you live! I aint buying ish though just tossing it in the bank for a rainy day purchase. Finally scaled back the city gig as Ive been planning a bit. Its been a few weekends now without a shift and although Im at RMC its still kinda nice slowing down a bit. Much appreciated and this weekend is SX so that will be my first day off in a month or so and stoked to share the day off with all my once a year SX fans out in the coliseum lots :) Teriyaki bbq of course, tri tip no doubt, salsa, chips, beers if thats your thing. Pretty much a solid day and if JS7 can ride Ill be even that much happier. K time for my nightly outlook on renovating a house, swear Im buying my grandmas house and revamping that fucker into a legit ass spot. #goindown