Board

In the interest of avoiding world wide w'redundancy, I'm including a link here to a bmx video (re-)posted at Trackosaurusrex.com. Lately, I've been really geeking out on fixed gear bike videos that have been comin out--a branch of freestyling that basically evolved from BMX.

When I was younger, we skateboarders used to despise BMX-ers and inliners (a.k.a. aggressive rollerbladers). I'm not really sure why there tended to be a breakdown of respect among the three factions that fell under the banner of Alternative Sports. I guess one reason comes to mind: BMX bikes used to blast huge chunks out of wood surfaces and the metal and concrete edges of "obstacles," thereby really fudging up the buttery smooth grinds to which we skaters aspired. Anyway, the rivalry was unquestioned. Sure--these barriers were occasionally transgressed as a skater and biker would find some common ground, but generally the spheres were essentially isolated (due to the respective nature of each sport), without much overlap, and the potential for a tight bond was strained.

These days I've stopped making time to ride my skateboard. The few times I have, I feel stiff and heavy; I barely cruise or carve, let alone pop or flip. I feel like an anvil, and trying to jump is as hard as if I were fighting some force pulling me in the opposite direction. The wood feels stiff and flat and cold; the wheels, like stone or clay, with no forgiveness.

Fortunately, my body has found refuge in my bicycle--with it, I've found a familiar connection with the ground, akin to the connection once afforded me by my skateboard. I move fast and organically. I bounce and dodge and absorb and launch. I claim the street. I learn, intimately, the surfaces of the pavement and sidewalks, and take in the scenery around me. I push and exert myself.

The BMX video above--besides blowing my mind--squelched any remnant barriers between biking and skateboaring in my mind. It's an inspiration to get outside and rekindle that connection with the ground; to live and play, daily, with the world as my playground; to be creative and foster new style; to learn something new and improve my abilities; to share that connection and enjoyment with others...