Wednesday, October 10

BMX Update 10.10.01

By Josh Root
EXPN.com

The Oregon scene video, "Blueprint" is finally done and on the shelves. It's filled with a ton of good riding by the northwest's finest. Check out www.propsvisual.com or bug your local shop to get a copy.

The second annual Baco-A-Go-Go contest will be held Oct 27 at the Area 51 skatepark in Appleton, WI. Last year's event went off like a beer fueled mayhem bomb. So this year should be good also. It's rumored that the super secret "Baco Uncut" video will once again be shown to those in attendence.

Speaking of upcoming contests, Ron Wilkerson is once again going to put on the 2-Hip Meet The Street contest in San Francisco. Oct 20 is the date and the Golden Gate Park Panhandle (same as last year, on the corner of Fell & Ashbury), is the location. Practice starts at 8:00am and the whole thing should be done by dusk. $40 entry for "good" class, $80 for "really good". The "really good" class has a chance at $3000 in prize money, "good" has prizes and parts etc.

As everyone knows, Bruce Crisman won the X Games street comp in Philly. But in a more important event, he got married to his sweetheart last week. The recption was well attended by the cream of northwest BMX society (except for me, who couldn't make the 5 hour drive in my car with no brakes).

Many in the BMX community were sadened to hear of the recent death of Kink rider, and all around good guy, Joe Tiseo in a motercycle accident. A good way to help out Joe's family is to donate $10 and get a Joe Tiseo memorial sticker. Check out www.kinkbmx.com for more info. R.I.P Joe.

For a couple of months now, I've been getting notices in the mail about the GT/Schwinn bankruptcy. I guess I was on the mailing list as a "supplier" (of photographs) in case they owed me money. Thankfully, they don't. I have a hard enough time getting my checks without having to go through a court of law. It looks like everything is coming to an end though. Rumor has it that the company has been bought by an outside investor. At this moment, nobody knows if the Schwinn/GT teams will stay intact.

Leif Valin has left Hoffman after seven years to ride for Eastern Bikes.

Props "Road Fools 8" is out now. It's a destruction tour through the midwest with a ton of good riders. Matt Beringer, Steve Crandall, Chris Doyle, George Dossantos, John Heaton, Josh Heino, John Englebert, Rick Moliterno, Dave Osato, Brian Terada, Joe Tiseo, Brian Vowell, and Brian Wizmerski. Nothing like driving through America's heartland in Hank Williams Jr's old tour bus.

Rider, photographer, artist and crazy man Sandy Carson recently sent out e-mail invites to his first art show at a coffee shop in Austin. Sadly, I didn't have the time to get to Texas to see it. And if you didn't either, you're too late. Since the show ended Sept 31. Knowing how interesting of a guy Sandy is, I'm sure his art was cool.

And finally, Both Redline and Haro have unveiled their 2002 product lines recently. Being that I've never even ridden on either one of their bikes, I'll have to tell you to go to the company's websites if you want the tech details.