BMXers have always jumped curbs and bunnyhopped street obstacles, since the early 1970's. Then, in the mid-1980's, skateboarders like Mark Gonzales and Tommy Guerrero started skating the streets themselves as a big skatepark. Tommy was part of the San Francisco area, Curb Dogs bike and skate team, led by BMX pro/good skater Dave Vanerspek, and the idea of looking for street stuff to ride bled over big time into the BMX freestyle world. Since then, BMXers have been wandering into weird urban places looking for stuff to ride. This past weekend, at a bike shop tucked away in the back of a sketchy looking industrial park, bikers gathered to session, goof around, and just plain have a good time. That's exactly what happened.
The upside down bike, the helmet and backpack. I think I took this shot by accident. But this is the BMXers life. Chill for a bit, watch your friends, and grab the bike and ride a while. When you see these things, there's a session nearby. Below is the back part of the contest area. Every obstacle was built by a different group of people, part of Steve Crandall's idea of bringing the BMX community together, everybody adding something, and then riding it. It's like BMX Stone Soup. Remember that book when you were a kid? If not, go read it. If you look close below, there's a guy on top of the gray banked wall, doing a manual, I think. That obstacle was a grind box to banked wall to grind box, and made for some interesting combos. With open jams in between, the day's focus went from one obstacle to another, with prizes for best tricks in each.
This little low rider collie, "The Corgi", was wandering around all day, and getting in the way and ruining lines all fucking day. It was a theme, and at one point there was a bounty to bunnyhop the Corgi, though no one did. The Corgi even puked on the course and then ate its own vomit at one point, which nearly won it a best trick prize. No one seemed to know who The Corgi belonged to. There was talk of Corgi burgers and that it would fit well on a rotisserie, but all in good fun . Somehow, The Corgi managed to get in the way for hours, but never get hit or landed on.
While the Corgi got the most attention of the dogs there on Saturday, Powers Bikes shop dog, Pedals, didn't seem to mind the lack of attention. She knew it was a big event, and when all was over, she rules that parking lot. Pedals was the perfect hostess to the ten or so canine Americans at the jam, and I didn't see her give any attitude to any of them all day. Well done Pedals!
For some reason, mostly because she's the guard dog, she always growls at me when I go to Powers. It usually takes a good hour before she warms up to me. But Saturday, I walked up, and pulled out a granola bar for a little snack, and she was my best friend. So I guess the way to Pedals' heart is through her stomach. I'll keep that in mind next trip to the shop.
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