Monday, October 9

"There's a scene in Georgia?"

BMXonline.com

That's what most people asked me after I told them I was heading there to do a scene report. The state of Georgia has always had a place in the BMX world with a couple of nationals every year, a few top name riders (Shan Hatfield?late eighties and early nineties fast am/pro, as well as present day AA Pro Jeff Dein), some very respected companies (Kovachi Wheels, Maxxis tires), some goofballs (Colin "Stileman" Stiles transplanted there from Florida), and some local spots (the now extinct Beaver trails for example), but the Peach Tree State has always been overshadowed and/or underestimated by it's location and surroundings. The Sunshine State of Florida unarguably steals most of the attention on the southern side of the east coast. It had been a few years since I had spent any time in Georgia and I knew through friends that while the race scene there hasn't been changing much, the trail scene is growing. Always up for checking out new trails, I set out to see two different spots and see what they had to offer.

Toboggan courtesy of Cory Anderson.

Union City
The first place I went to was the Union City trails (also called the "138 Trails" by some of the locals who are Misfits fans) just outside of Atlanta. My timing was perfect by going there first because there was a local contest/jam happening on the same day. I was impressed by how many riders, as well as parents, showed up for the day. I was also impressed by the jumps. There were six or seven different runs with a mix of good doubles rhythm, a rollable "racer" rhythm section, hips, transfers, a good berm that was fun for carving fast, and some good-sized style sets. It was pretty dusty and dry from the summer heat, but that's common this time of year. The contest had two motocross inspired classes: 125 (for the up-and-comers), and 250 (for the big-shots). Besides a tent set-up, the locals also had a generator on hand to power up a PA system. With a huge number of prizes donated from various companies, and some cash awards up for grabs, it was evident that the comp was going to be pretty good. I figured the best way to take everything in would be to sit back and watch, so I volunteered to help judge. Along with locals Steve Norton and Cory Anderson, we watched Mark Jackson take the 125 class, and Scott Wilson win 250. The competition was good with a couple of ties in 125 leading to tie-breaker runs. 250 was exciting because Nashville's Lance Mosley had made a trip down from Tennessee and gave the locals a run for their money. Overall it was a cool contest with a laid-back vibe that carried on throughout the day. I had a good time judging, but the best part was getting to ride the jumps with the locals. There were no stupid attitudes, just smiles. I ended up shooting photos on that day as well as one other day. The Union City guys didn't let me down?I got tons of good shots.

Augusta
The Augusta trails (named after the city) is the second trail spot I visited. In contrast to the Union trails, they were moist and a little bit wet when I got there from rain the night before, but it was a good change. They were similar jump-wise, though, but with some bigger sets. The jumps are on an open lot next to the Augusta Canal (which emits a hefty odor at times) in a sort of ghetto part of town. The land and dirt were given to the riders to build on by the city?which is something you don't see often. There's also a BMX track in town nearby, and if you get hungry there's a burger stand within sight of the jumps. After grabbing a greasy burger and a cold milk shake I met the locals and sampled the jumps. They were fun. Drew Jordan and Nate Zukas are the two main guys who build and ride at Augusta and can both ride good. Drew's dad owns Andy Jordan's Bicycle Warehouse?a big shop in town that carries a lot of BMX stuff.

Union City local Scott Wilson in mind can-can.

Just across the canal in Augusta is a historical landmark. A tall chimney in front of the Sibley Mill (a big manufacturing building) is the only surviving structure built by the Confederacy and stands as a memorial to war dead. It's not your average trails backdrop. More impressive, though, is watching Drew and Nate ride. They showed me some good variations through some rhythm and busted out over the big rhythm once the afternoon wind died down. I was told that James Brown sometimes hangs out downtown on the streets, but I didn't get to see him. We did get to ride and shoot photos listening to someone playing the blues on a saxophone from their front porch for a while. It was a cool background to a hot day's session. Augusta was fun and worth the two hour drive from where I stayed in the Atlanta area.

A Small Southern Sample
Like the scene around Atlanta, Georgia, there are similar ones like it all over the country. Many have either been around for years and are waiting to be exposed, some are hiding, and some are new and are just coming up. I'm always amazed at how good the local riders and their trails are when I travel, this trip amazed me as well. It was a good example of what's out there that never gets seen. Going to the Union City and Augusta spots was a breath of fresh air. You can expect a lot more spot checks like this one to come.

If you use a magnifying glass you can see that this is a sequence of Scott Wilson's no-footed can-can.