news, fool!
for 2008
By Jason Ryan

December 17th, 2008

Clinton "KOTTER" Bell was killed in a car accident on December 12th.  I didn't ever even know his name, but I know he would always say, "Hi, Old School" when he'd see me riding.  He seemed like a good guy, and it's really too bad he had to leave us so soon.

Rest in Peace, Kotter.

Here's the release about the funeral:

RIP Kotter. we all love you.

December 12th, 2008
 

Fort Story Delay

The Fort story is taking me longer than I thought to write, so I’m going to have it in the next update.  I got some great pictures, even with a crappy little digital camera.  Pretty much, if you shoot in the afternoon (or early morning), are good at shot composition, understand lighting and exposure, and know when to take the shot of the trick, you can’t lose.
 

Tuba Mike.  Killin' the game of B.I.K.E.

New shirts Available Next Weeky-Week
 

 Here's a mockup from my screeners for my new psychicflyingmonkey shirts. 
Available next week for purchase from Store Up from the Floor Up and bike shops in black with white discharge ink, and gold with black ink. 
Yes, that is Jose rather looking like a lion.

Army of Garbage- Cleaned Up Review

I just reviewed AOG's first album in an article in The Veritable Cornucopia.  This would be my first CD review as well.  Skeet on over there by clicking up on deez nuts.
 

Tucson Video Premiere

I think this is pretty self-explanatory.  For directions to Davie's Howse in Tucson, consult http://www.clickedbmx.com.  This picture of Will the Missle Bissel is just too good and creepy to cover up with a bunch of graphics, though, so I posted the pic sans fonts below.  Cherish it.  With every fiber in your being, cherish it.

Kids Gettin' Down in the 'Tuke

Here’s an article that came out a few months ago and is still burning on ABC-15’s website:

Ahwatukee boys try to get bike park built

The Arizona Republic also did an article with these kids:

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/09/09/20080909ar-bmxpetition0908.html 

I’m psyched that such young kids are getting involved in politics to fight for what they believe in.  They’re doing it on their own, too.  They have never contacted me or anyone from The 3BC, and I have no idea if they even know the history of our fight for legal places to ride in Ahwatukee, the Valley and throughout Arizona.  What I do know is that these kids believe Phoenix can do better than a skatepark that discriminates against kids who ride bikes.  Chandler, Glendale, Tempe, Mesa and Fountain Hills have proven this theory very successfully in the Valley, and it’s high time that Phoenix stops discriminating as well.  A major thing I learned in our bikes in skateparks movement was never to do anything without talking to the press.  Big props to Tyler and Tommy for obtaining such great media coverage. 

One favor I ask of everybody, though.  Don’t tell KC Badger about what these kids are doing, because then he'd probably try to sabotage their efforts the same way he sabotaged The 3BC’s efforts.  And don’t bother telling Ryan Fudger about it either, because he won’t cover it.  But he’ll sure as shit be out there when they do get a new park or access to Pecos Park.  Ryan has absolutely NO PROBLEM with shooting photos and making his magazine money off the labor of others, he just won’t support people getting legal places to ride a product that is pretty much outlawed in most places. 

Sign the petition that Tyler and Tommy have online at:  http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/ibmx/

I signed it a few weeks ago, and here’s the comment I left:

Phoenix City Councilman Greg Stanton has known about this issue since 2003, when he attended the grand opening of the Pecos Skatepark, at which BMX bike riders were protesting. When members of The Bike, Blade and Board Coalition (3BC) approached Phoenix City Council a few months later asking Phoenix to provide a legal place for BMX bike riders, Stanton told Mayor Gordon that he would work on a solution with the 3BC. Since then, he has NEVER returned any phone calls and has NEVER worked on any solution for bike riders. You kids need to start a petition to recall Greg Stanton from public office for his great failure to meet the needs of children who desperately need positive activities and outlets. Now THAT petition will get his attention! Learn more on this situation at: http://www.psychicflyingmonkey.com/phoenix.htm

 

New Section in Psychicflyingmonkey.com:  How-To's

I got Steven Mueller to throw some knowledge at you beginners on how to get down on a bike.  The first three parts (of nine) are posted in the new "How-To's" section, which can be accessed on the left side of the home page. 

Or by clicking here

 Air Vaca Officially Bike Friendly 

I recently got this from Lance, the founder and builder of the Air Vaca skatepark.
 

Hey Jason,
Lance from Arivaca here. Came across your blurb on the Air Vaca skatepark this morning and wanted point out a couple of things.
While the coping we used was thinner than Sched40, for bending purposes, we pumped it full of grout. So the coping is rock solid. I welcome all to beat the shit out of it.
Also, Air Vaca is officially a bike friendly park. The "no bike" rule has been repealed....we just havn't gotten around to changing the signs.

Shred 'til you're dead.
-lance 

Lance Hanson
 

I can't argue with that!  Killer, brah!  Shred the gnar!

November 2nd, 2008

VOTE NOVEMBER 4TH!!!

October 23, 2008
 

Anti-Joe Arpaio commercial

Anti-Joe Arpaio commercial from Jason Ryan on Vimeo.

Dude's seriously gotta go, that's all I'm saying. 

If you know anyone that is voting for Arpaio or thinking of voting for Arpaio, send this to them before the election on Tuesday, November 4th.

Thanks to Joe Englebrecht for being my one-man badass crew, thanks to George Velasquez for acting in the piece, and thanks to Nico Holthaus, Joe Englebrecht, Nate Stipes, and Delarndruss Shabazz for graciously donating the use of their equipment for the shoot.  Special thanks to The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf at Tempe Marketplace for donating beverages on the morning of the shoot.

October 6, 2008
 

Gilbert City Council/Parks and Rec Board Meeting

The protest at Freestone Skatepark in Gilbert saw about 35 riders show up.  It tripped me out when I realized that not one rider there had been at the first Freestone protest six years ago.  These kids were all young riders, and they all were pissed off and ready to make a change in their city.
 
So now, Gilbert riders and representatives from the 3BC are going to Gilbert City Council tomorrow--Tuesday, October 7th.  The timing of this particular meeting is especially fortuitous, as the city meeting is actually a special public meeting about parks and rec issues, which the whole Gilbert City Council, the whole Gilbert parks and rec board, and Gilbert parks and rec officials will be attending.  A few riders will be speaking in the non-agendized comments section at the very start of the meeting.  The meeting starts at 7pm sharp, so plan to get there at 6:45 or you might miss everything.  Conference Room 223 which the meeting is being held in only holds about 35 people, so let's pack that bitch!  Bring your parents, friends, and anyone old enough to vote! 

Here's the location:

Gilbert Municipal Center
Conference Room 233
50 East Civic Center Drive
7:00 p.m.

The Gilbert Municipal Center is on the Southeast corner of Warner Rd. and Gilbert Rd.

I'll be writing more about the Gilbert and AJ protests in my next update.

Sara and Ryan Cowling Benefit
 

Who remembers when Ryan McCracken was paralyzed when he dived into the shallow end of a pool at a 4th of July party?  Who remembers when Billy Swan broke part of his spine when he hung front wheel coming in from a manual on the sub box at Chandler Bike Park?  Who remembers when Smoker Dave had to go through chemo radiation therapy to treat his cancer?
 
Hopefully you do. 

And if you do, hopefully you remember that Ryan and Sara Cowling, owners of Kore Bike Industries, held raffles, staged events, and sold t-shirts to help these guys out with their medical bills because they had no or crappy health insurance.

Now it's time for us to return the favor.

Sara has been dealing with a tumor in her brain that has been causing her seizures for the past many months, and the incidents have been getting progressively worse.  Ryan and Sara don't have much in the way of health insurance, and they could really use our help.  Benko, a regular customer at Kore, has organized the above event for just that porpoise.  There will be a raffle, street ramps with a best trick contest on them, and a zany fixed-gear race around the parking lot.  If you can't afford to donate $25 to get in on the shirt and raffle, please donate whatever you can.  Ryan and Sara have done a shitload of good for the Phoenix scene.  Let's do a shitload of good for them now. 

Hold up....did I seriously just write, "shitload of good"? 

Hmmmnn.  I guess I did.

October 2, 2008
 

A Time and a Place
 

The protest at the AJ Skatepark starts at 2 pm sharp this Saturday, October 4th. 
The skatepark is located on the south side of Southern Avenue, just east of Ironwood Road.  Bring posterboard for signs, markers, your video cameras and your still cameras.  Whining, bitching, and talking about not being allowed in skateparks isn't enough.  It's time for some action!  It's a protest party whoo yeah!

Saban for Sheriff
 

I know, I know, Old School's activitizin' again.  Hey, what can I say?  I hate unfairness, and I hate corruption....sue me.  I've been hearing about how corrupt Joe Arpaio is for awhile, but it's only been in the past few months that I've realized how much money he's been costing us, and how much he's abused the constitutional rights of people in Maricopa County.

 On Labor Day, I was arrested at the Salt River by Maricopa County Sheriff's Deputies on a bullshit charge of Disorderly Conduct, and my video camera was illegally seized and searched--without probable cause and without a warrant.  That clinched it for me.  Now I'm volunteering to help Dan Saban's campaign.

Read these fun facts about America's Most Corrupt Sheriff below, and read more about Dan Saban at www.sabanforsheriff.com
 

I'm putting these F-Joe shirts that Pat Blackburn made in my online store.  They're the first thing that someone getting out of Tent City or the 4th Ave. jail wants to put on!

 MCSO needs to get back to protecting and serving, instead of punishing and enslaving.

On the election on November 4th, let's flush this wet turd down the toilet for good!

September 8, 2008

We're Miked up!

I just did an interview with T-Town's Mikey Hines, and you can read it in The Veritable Cornucopia (the articles section). Mike also interviewed me for his site, and you can read that by getting your happy ass over to clickedbmx.com.
 

Your source for all things psychic, flying, and monkey

I avoided doing a store on my site for years, until I finally decided that I wanted fans of the site and my videos that didn't live in Arizona to be able to buy everything I made.  I got some fabulous models for my bandanas, too.  They didn't complain about the heat, I didn't have to feed them or give them water bottles, and they never complained.

So here ya go.  It's powered by PayPal, so your info is secure.  Let me know if you have any suggestions on how I can improve it.

Protest season is almost upon us
 

Anyone remember this?  I know I haven't forgotten, and neither have a bunch of AJ riders.  On July 27th, they organized a protest at the AJ Skatepark.  About 25 riders showed up, and they were met by the AJ police, park rangers, and even the fire department!  The cops even threatened to arrest the organizer, but they didn't end up doing it. 

These AJ kids have some balls, and we've got to support them.  They've decided to hold another protest on Saturday, October 4th.  I'll get a time to you when it gets closer.  I'm also looking for sponsors to throw down some free stuff to give out that day, so hit me up if you want to help out.  Be sure to bring any video and still camera you can get your hands on, because watching AJ's law enforcement go nuts over stupid shit will be highly photogenic.

August 22, 2008
 

                      Photo:  Jason Ryan

The TV movie, S.I.S., that filmed in the Phoenix area at the beginning of the year, featured a scene with bike riders and skaters riding at Mesa's Reed Wheels Court. It will air this Sunday, August 24th on the Spike channel around 7 or 8pm  with a repeat 3 or so hours after that.  During the filming, I lawn darted onto the top of the goofy little pyramid, sending me straight to flat and giving me a screwed up rotator cuff that kept me off my bike for almost 2 months.  That'd be so bomb if my wreck made the cut....

August 3, 2008

The Tempe BMX/skatepark at Esquer Park is Open!

Story by Jason Ryan

                   Photo:  Derrick Riggs

Safe!  From police harrasement. Steven Mueller makes the call.

Out of all the communities in the Valley of the Sunstroke, the City of Tempe has easily seen the longest and hardest fight to get legal places for bikes to ride.  Beginning in 1998, bike riders have asked, begged, pleaded, petitioned, rallied, protested, and voted to get a legal place to ride in Tempe until finally, a concrete BMX/skatepark opened in Tempe just last week. 

A BMX rider and father of BMX riders, Ray Putnam attended the community input meeting for the planned southern Tempe Skatepark back in 1998.  At that time, there were about 5 BMX riders and 150 to 200 skaters and inliners at the meeting.  The bike riders were grossly outnumbered (duh) and were told bikes wouldn’t be allowed in the skatepark.  The Tempe skatepark got delayed in the approval process for a few years due to lack of funding, and during that time, Rex Golos, a skater, and I formed the Concrete Bikepark Alliance (later to become The Bike, Blade and Board Coalition).  From 1998 to 2003 we tried a number of “nice” methods to get bikes allowed into the planned skatepark such as talking with Parks and Recreation heads, speaking at Parks and Recreation Board meetings, meeting with then Mayor Neil Guiliano, and petitioning the city.  When all of those methods ended up doing jackshit for us, we decided to get hardcore political.   

On February 28^th, 2004, the 3BC held an election rally for Mayoral Candidate Hugh Hallman and Tempe City Council Candidate Hut Hutson at Kore Bike Industries, a local Tempe bike shop.  They both promised they would work for places for bikes to ride legally in Tempe if elected.  Thankfully, they were both elected to office shortly thereafter.  Then things got interesting. 

Site Design Group is a major skatepark design firm that had been designing almost every skatepark in Arizona at the time.  Colby Carter, a skater and known bike-hater, was SDG’s chief designer.  Barb Carter, Colby’s mother, was a member of the Tempe City Council.  Barb had originally pushed for the skatepark, but she never officially voted on any skatepark issues due to an obvious conflict of interest.  Barb didn’t need to vote on skatepark issues to get her way.  This was politics, people, and Barb was a good politician.  She was well-liked by Tempe voters and one of the most powerful members of city council.   

Well, besides not liking bikes in Colby’s skatepark, Barb didn’t like Hugh.  They had been on the city council together in previous years, and they didn’t see eye to eye on, well, pretty much anything.  Barb knew we had supported Hugh in his election, and she knew from my website that he was pro bikes in Colby’s skatepark, so she immediately dug in her heels to fight Hugh on this issue when he took office. 

Before Hugh and Hut were inaugurated in July of ’04, The 3BC approached Tempe City Council on the issue a couple times.  Even with a lame duck mayor and one lame duck city council member currently in office, we thought it necessary to tell the rest of the council members that we wanted bikes allowed in the Tempe Skatepark.  To this day, we’ve never received such a cold response from any city council.  The members acted like we were barging in on their thing, and what right did we have to tell them what to do?  Barb Carter shot death from her steely eyes straight at me and my video camera.  Those council meetings made me more determined than before to get a legal place for bikes in Tempe. 

After taking office in July of ‘04, Hugh decided that the best plan would be to wait until the Tempe Skatepark opened before making a move to get bikes allowed through city council.  We told him we would be protesting at the opening of the skatepark, and he thought a peaceful protest was a great idea. 

                       Photo:  Matt Pavelek

On February 26, 2005, the Tempe Skatepark opened to skaters, inliners, and a bunch of bike riders with protest signs running around.  About 75 bike riders and supporters showed up to protest, and everybody shouted and waved signs.  I had made big paper stickers that read, “ANOTHER SKATER THAT SUPPORTS BIKE RIDERS” the night before for skaters to wear that supported us.  I knew we’d get some skaters to rock the stickers on their shirts, but even I was overwhelmed by how many skaters empathized with us.  I had printed up about 80 stickers, and within the first hour they were all being worn, mostly by skaters.  A couple days after the grand opening, Dennis Welch of the East Valley Tribune wrote an article on the new skatepark, entitled, “Ban at Skatepark Irks Bikers”.  It was awesome; Tempe’s first skatepark wasn’t the story….protesting bike riders were.  Bike riders had held 7 skatepark protests in cities around Arizona prior to this one, but this one……………....best protest ever. 

                     Photo:  Matt Pavelek

Photo:  Matt Pavelek

In March of 2005, the council made a move to see if bikes could work in the Tempe Skatepark.  The council meant to hire a completely independent skatepark design firm to evaluate the park’s ablility to handle bikes, but Wormhoudt, Inc. was hired instead.  Zack Wormhoudt came out from California and examined the park, and his findings were heavily biased in favor of keeping bikes out of the skatepark.  Although Wormhoudt had designed the bikes-allowed Louisville Skatepark a few years prior with virtually the same specifications as the Tempe Skatepark, incredibly he determined that bikes would destroy Tempe’s skatepark.  I believe Wormhoudt’s colleague Colby Carter convinced him to skew the facts so that bikes would continue to be banned from “his” skatepark.   

                       Photo:  Matt Pavelek

Ray Putnam and I continued to put pressure on the Tempe Parks and Rec. Board with no success, and then a little miracle happened.  I got a notice in the mail that Tempe was planning to finally build a park in my very neighborhood which had been desperately needed for a long time.  The notice told when the first meeting was scheduled for the residents to request what amenities we wanted it to feature.  I rallied some troops, and we bum-rushed the meeting.  Even before any bike riders called out that we wanted a BMX/Skatepark, a mother of two spoke up and said she noticed a lot of kids riding bikes around the neighborhood all the time, and suggested a bike park be built.  All of us 3BC members seconded that motion, and it was set.   

By the next meeting, Tempe Parks and Recreation had a loose plan to build a basketball court with ramps on it for our BMX/Skatepark.  I immediately shot it down, stating that a park of that type would not be challenging enough for the users, would require much more maintenance than a concrete skatepark, and showed a lack of commitment by the city to provide a quality park for BMX riders and skaters. 

The city settled on building a small concrete BMX/Skatepark, and after assuaging a local neighborhood activists’ fears that it would bring a bad element into the community, the first design input meeting was held with Site Design Group, who had been hired to design the park.  Although I was bummed that SDG got the contract after all our problems with them, I decided to keep an open mind.  We found out at the first meeting that the owner of SDG, Mike McIntyre, had recently fired his entire staff.  Sweet!  No Colby Carter!   

I can proudly say we had something to do with Colby getting shitcanned.  At the same time this neighborhood skatepark was being planned, Colby pled guilty to charges of marijuana production and possession of drug paraphernalia, his third felony.  Then The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the FBI began investigating Barb Carter as to why nearly $26,000 in federal housing money went to her son Colby.  Barb also faced questions about why she got a police escort to skirt a traffic jam in 2004 and about a letter to the police chief asking for leniency on Colby’s behalf when facing the drug charges.  I posted every newspaper article about Colby and Barb Carter’s troubles with the law up on my site, and just let them straight burn.  Most newspapers around here will post their articles on their sites for a week, and then put them away in archives.  Not so with my site.  Every time someone Googled Colby or Barb Carter, those articles came up with a link to psychicflyingmonkey.com.   My guess is that SDG started to see Colby as much more of a liability than an asset, so Mike wisely cut off the dead weight. 

Usually at the first community input meeting to design skateparks, all the designer wants to do is get a  general feel for what the users want, as far as tranny/flow versus street.  A few Tempe skaters from outside the neighborhood came, as well as a couple 3BC guys.  We knew the park would be small, so we made sure the design would be 100% flow.  There was just no room for street at all.  A funny moment came in the first meeting when one of the older skaters asked if bikes would be allowed in the skatepark.  Of course he was told bikes would ABSOLUTELY be allowed, and I got a hearty laugh out of it.  I mean, how entitled can you be feeling, to come into our meeting in our hood to talk about a BMX/skatepark that would NEVER have existed if it wasn’t for BIKE RIDERS taking action, and asking if bikes would be allowed?  Amazing, the balls on that guy!   Tempe was ready, by the way, to make this a bike-only park, but we declined that option.  Enough of the separation and bullshit.  I didn’t want the skaters in my hood to be excluded from this concrete park like I had been with my bike from every goddamn skatepark in the Valley since 1998. 
 

I love how Derrick's fisheye boosts my level of riding tenfold.  I'm only 6 inches above coping in this photo, you know.
Jason Ryan at Tempe's new BMX/Skatepark.

At the second community input design meeting, only two people showed up:  Rex Golos and myself.  One skater, one bike rider.  We had a really good time hashing out a design with SDG’s new architect, and we put a lot of cool features in it.  It was an excellent topper for all our efforts.  Normally, Rex and I did a ton of fighting in various cities to get new BMX/Skateparks, and then the resident users from each city would design their respective parks.  That’s fine, and Rex and I would have input, but our voices usually got a little lost among so many opinions.  It was a good little reward for all our work to be able to design our own BMX/Skatepark.  We didn’t end up getting everything we wanted, but we got most of it.  The park is kinda burly for a little neighborhood park, but some of the elements we designed were even burlier.  The barely over-vert pocket was supposed to be a cradle, the quarter that runs perpendicular to the spine was supposed to be a vert wall, with the spine running into it and flaring out Woodward West style, and at the end of the volcano was supposed to be a weird little box jump type thing I came up with.  I ain’t bitching, though.  I just constantly look at ways BMX/skateparks can improve, and there’s always the next one. 

So on July 26^th, we finally got our new bike-friendly skatepark at Esquer Park in Tempe.  Yes, it’s small.  No, that’s not a bad thing.  Reason being, this BMX/Skatepark is in a neighborhood park.  Neighborhood parks are always small, much much smaller than community parks, which skateparks are normally built in.  Neighborhood parks cannot handle the traffic, parking, and demands of large numbers of users that community parks can, so their amenities are naturally smaller.  In fact, this BMX/skatepark is the first skatepark built in any neighborhood park in all of Arizona.  The great part about this, is that this paves the way for cities to start thinking of skateparks in terms of putting them in ANY park they have.  I heard from a rider once that over in England, almost every city park had some kind of concrete bowl or mini ramp in it.  The city of Portland also has many small skateparks in neighborhood parks.  We can have that everywhere in the U.S.  All we’ve gotta do is work for it.  This is not by any means a substitute for having large parks, though.  I’m already hitting up Tempe for a 60,000 square foot BMX/Skatepark in north Tempe, preferably right off Town Lake.  

Now the stage is set in Tempe.  Barb Carter didn’t even try to run in this year’s city council election, and we have a mayor and 4 city council members that fully support a huge new BMX/Skatepark in Tempe.  The other two council members aren’t necessarily for us, but they certainly aren’t against us all crazy like Barb Carter was.  I attended the inauguration a couple weeks ago for re-elected Mayor Hugh Hallman and new City Councilmembers Joel Navarro and Corey Woods (all three supporters of a huge new BMX/skatepark).  In his farewell comments to Barb Carter, City Councilmember Ben Arredondo thanked her for pushing for the first skatepark, but told her straight out that bikes CAN work with skateboards in a skatepark.  Afterwards I commented to my friend on how the Tempe City Council had done a complete 180 on the bikes in skateparks issue since those first meetings we attended.  All of our efforts paid off like a mug! 

The new park is kinda in the hood, but it’s more like hood-lite.  There’s no AK’s going off or anything even close to that.  There are just mostly non-caucasian residents, and that freaks the white kids out sometimes.  Here’s a bit of advice:  If you want to fit into the hood a little better, don’t come up and hug your friends all homo style when you get to the park though, like a lot of you do at Chandler.  The Latino men tend to act very macho, and if the vatos see too much of that faggotry they’ll start calling it the Parque de Hotos, and nobody wants that.  You gotta realize, there are a lot of good things about living in the hood.  Ain’t no bitchy, uptight neighbors complaining about loud parties, leashless dogs and HOA violations.  Nobody’s sweating you about the quality of your lawn care or the seven cars in your carport.  Hey, it’s all good in the hood, people!

So if you come through Tempe way, stop by Esquer Park and get your flow on.  I already got a comment from a sick rider that this is the best park he’s ever ridden.  He likes it even more than Chandler and Needles!  If you ride the park and you love it, thank Rex and I by sending us your hot sisters (18+ only).  If you ride the park and hate it, you can suck a dick and die!  Naw, you don’t have to suck any dicks or die, just work on getting a park in your hood and you’ll get to design it however the eff you want.

                                                                          Photo:  Derrick Riggs

Jason Ryan icepicks the oververt pocket that didn't really turn out over-vert.

Esquer Park is located on MacArthur Street between the Loop 101 and Lebanon Lane in Tempe.  To get there, exit Loop 101 at University Drive, head East on University to George Drive and head South on George.  You'll run right into it.
 

RandOmneSs

I pulled this pic off the band Spellbound's Myspace.  Can your life ever possibly be so bad that looking at this pic won't cheer you up?

Music Video "Scottsdale Bars" by the Blowbots

"Scottsdale Bars"

I heard a statistic a few years back that out of all the cities in the U.S., Scottsdale, Arizona has the highest per capita number of people who own expensive cars ($30,000+) but don't own their own homes.

Big Dooshes.

New Article in the Veritable Cornucopia
 

A SEASON FOR POOLS

 I just wrote this article about pool riding in the PHX, so get some eyes on it by clicking here.

 

Washington Post Article on Steven Murray

This is the best article I've seen yet about Steven Murray and his life since the huge injury last year.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/11/AR2008071102842.html?hpid=topnews

Photos from Bryce Packham

I trained in Idaho while I was in the Navy back in 1992.  There wasn't shit going on with BMX there at that time, but that has changed.  Bryce Packham is out of Pocatello, Idaho, and he sent me these photos for your enjoyment.  Journey over to www.packhamphoto.com to see more of his artwork.

Ben Voyles

Bryant Shepherd, 360

 

Bryant Shepherd

Bryant Shepherd, Wallride to Tuck No-Hander
 

Colton Satterfield

Colton Satterfield

Colton Satterfield

Josh Hult

Mike Hines and His New Website

Mike Hines has a new site, www.clickedbmx.com
Why should I say anything more about it, when you can just go there and see it for yourself?
And where's that pool?

Glendale X-Court Wins Outstanding Facility Award

Glendale's X-Court recently won the Outstanding Facility Award (Population 100,000+) by the Arizona Parks & Recreation Association.  On average, 4-6 nominations are received for various categories and they were up against some pretty good competition from throughout the state.

June 19, 2008

Bandanarama

                                                    Photos:  Michelle Terrell,  Animation:  Jason Ryan

 Psychicflyingmonkey bandanas are here!  I'll be getting them in the shops pretty quick--I've just been waiting to get my packaging fully legit.  Right now you can get them from Kore, the Action Park Alliance Ride Shop at the Glendale X-Court, and directly from me. 

Here are the colors:

Brown with gold ink,
Gold with black ink,
Gold with brown ink,
Black with white ink,
Black with gold ink,
White with black ink,
White with brown ink

That's right, bro!  I said ink!

Moron the Tempe BMX/Skatepark
 

So we've got a new bike-friendly skatepark in Tempe.  Yes, it’s small.  No, that’s not a bad ting….I mean thing.  Reason being, this BMX/Skatepark is in a neighborhood park.  Neighborhood parks are always small, much much smaller than community parks, which skateparks are normally built in.  Neighborhood parks cannot handle the traffic, parking, and demands of large numbers of users that community parks can, so their amenities are naturally smaller.  In fact, the BMX/Skatepark at Esquer Park will be the first skatepark built in any neighborhood park in all of Arizona.  The great part about this is, that this paves the way for cities to start thinking of skateparks in terms of putting them in ANY park they have.  I heard from a rider once that over in England, almost every park has some kind of concrete bowl or mini ramp in it.  The city of Portland also has many small skateparks in neighborhood parks.  We can have that here.  All we’ve gotta do is work for it.  This is not by any means a substitute for having large parks, though.  After this park has been open for a little while, I’ll be hitting up Tempe for a 60,000 square foot BMX/Skatepark in north Tempe, preferably right off Town Lake. 

I tried to explain this whole thing to Seth Mason, who has been bitching to people about how small the park is.  Somehow its the only thing he can say about our newest addition to the valley's bike-friendly skateparks.  But he’s not exactly the shiniest coin in the crow’s collection, if you know what I mean.  He’s not the biggest belt buckle at the rodeo, if you catch my drift.  He’s not the sweetest sweet thang at the jamboree.  He’s not the sharpest blade in the Ginsu set, the cleanest glass in the KitchenAid, or the roundest wheel on the wagon.  He’s not the cat’s meow, the bee’s knees, or the cat's pajamas either.   

With his crappy new attitude, he’s kinda more like the stinkiest turd in the pasture, actually.  Or maybe the biggest horsefly atop the stinkiest turd in the pasture. 

So Tempe parks and rec has told me the park will be open in 2-3 weeks, with a soft opening.  The grand opening celebration will be held in the fall, when it’s much cooler.  So if you’ve got a good attitude and you’re psyched to have yet another place to ride your bike legally in Arizona, please make your way over here.  If you just want to whine, bitch, piss and moan about how small it is, then please make your way straight to hell.  Or maybe go whine to the Tucson kids.  I'm sure they'll really understand why you're crying about getting a new park.

This had to be the easiest park to get built I’ve ever been involved in.  A couple years ago, I got a notice in the mail that a new park was going to be built in my neighborhood, and would I attend the design meeting?  Of course I did, and I got a few 3BC guys to come with me.  The city agreed to consider building a BMX/Skatepark as an amenity in this new park right away, and all I had to do was attend a few more short meetings, and make sure they built a concrete skatepark instead of a shitty pre-fab ramp park, which they were looking at pretty hard.  While it helped that we’ve been putting a great deal of pressure on Tempe since before they even built the first skatepark in South Tempe, I am convinced that many of you guys can get the same thing in your neighborhoods if you just step up.  The 3BC has put pressure on the entire Valley, and we’ve raised the awareness of the need for legal places for bikes to ride to an eleven.  I’m so lucky that in a couple weeks I’ll only have to pedal for 3 minutes to get to my ride spot.  Wait a tick, that's not right.  Luck actually had very little to do with it.

Share the Spaghetti

I posted a link to this commercial I made for a contest awhile ago, but I never put it on here.  You don't have to look too deep to find the lesson. 
Starring Andy Leeland and Tyler Cooper.  I'm also putting it in the "films" section, so if you want to download a higher res version, go there.

Grave Danger Live
 

I had the distinct honor of directing a live shoot of Grave Danger in the studio last year, and I'm finally getting all the songs edited.  New in the "films" section is the first of four, entitled "From Beyond".  These guys put on a killer show, and they were fun and easy to work with. You'll recognize their psycho-surfy rockabilly stylings from The Impetus of Cletus.
 

San Francisco Bay Guardian Article

A few weeks ago, Duncan Scott Davidson, a BMX rider and writer for the San Francisco Bay Guardian, contacted me about an article he was doing.  He said that San Francisco was about to open a big new skatepark, and it wouldn't have bike hours.  He interviewed me for about 20 minutes, and I gave him a pretty good summary of all we had done to get legal places to ride here in Arizona. 

Duncan's article came out shortly after, and although he didn't use any of my interview, I didn't mind.  It was very in-depth and well done. 

What a crime it is that no BMX publication is doing stories on bikes in skateparks like this!  This is easily the number one issue in BMX, and yet petty gossip gets more play in the pages of BMX magazines than solid journalism that can motivate riders into action to set things right in their community skateparks!

Check out the article at:
http://www.sfbg.com/entry.php?entry_id=6474

BMX Belongs

I was cruising around the net the other day, and happened upon a whole section of the Bikes Belong website entitled, "BMX Belongs".  I was psyched to see this, as I had talked to the Bikes Belong organization in 2004 about bikes in skateparks and they were completely clueless of the issue back then.  You can read more about them on their site, but Bikes Belong is an organization sponsored by the U.S. bicycle industry with the goal of putting more people on bicycles more often.  I looked at the companies that were members, and precious few were BMX companies.  Any BMX company that isn't on that list is just shooting themselves in the foot, because more places open to bikes mean more bike sales.  If any of you guys have contacts at BMX companies, let them know about this site.

Here's the "BMX Belongs" page:
http://www.bikesbelong.org/node/60
 

Savagely Speaking

Ryan Letcher just started his new bike and skate shop in Lake Havasu City two weeks ago.  He's matched his prices with Dan's Comp, so you can get what you want without the wait.  I'm very proud of Letcher for doing this, as BMX badly needs rider-owned shops, and has needed them for a while.  Selling bikes and skateboards in one shop is a great idea as well, because that will help solidify efforts between BMX riders and skaters in getting legal places for us all to ride. 

On a more personal note, Ryan is back up and riding after recovering from breaking his leg last November.  He told me when he broke it that he'd never ride again, but I never believed him.  Riding goes way too deep with Ryan.

Go to Savage's myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=389125932

The Artist known as KC

Bmxonline recently did an interview with KC Badger, with the whole premise of him being an artist. 
I didn't agree.
 I said so in the comments section following the article. 
Instead of having an intelligent and logical exchange of opinions and ideas with other riders on the subject, a bunch of KC's gay buddies jumped on the board and sat there trying to insult me. 
From what I hear, KC was SUPER bent out of shape over what I wrote. 
Maybe if he didn't surround himself with a gang of  yes men, toadies and lackeys, someone could have defended him well.
But then, if he surrounded himself with free thinkers, my opinion of him would probably be very different than what it is now.

Take a look at:
http://www.ridebmx.com/article.jsp?ID=1000060728&type=interviews

May 16, 2008

 Oh Lordy, picka bale o' cotton, Oh Lordy, picka bale o' hay!  I gots some catchin' up ta doo!  Let's start with the

Tempe BMX/Skatepark

Yeah it's in my hood, only a 3 minute bike ride from my homestead.  No, I'm not gonna tell you where it is yet, cause it's on a need-to-know basis, and you don't need to know.

Tempe City Council Runoff Election on Tuesday, May 20th

Since only candidates in the March Tempe City Council Election who received over 50 percent of the vote got on the council, there will be a runoff on May 20th.  Here are the candidates the 3BC is endorsing.

The 3BC endorses Hut Hutson for City Council
 Hut has also helped provide for the needs of BMX riders, skateboarders and inline skaters over the last four years, and with his help we got the Victory Acres BMX/Skatepark approved and under construction.  Like Hugh, Hut has been working hard to provide a high quality of life for Tempe's residents, young and old, and we know he will continue to do so.  Hut's website is huthutson.com

The 3BC endorses Corey Woods for City Council
 Corey contacted me just before the city council election two years ago, willing to discuss the bikes in skateparks issue.  Unfortunately, it was way too close to election time for me to determine whether or not the 3BC should endorse him.  I have spoken with Corey since, and I believe he will work hard to get a 60,000+ square foot BMX/Skatepark in North Tempe.  He is also willing to work on lifting the ban on bikes in the existing Tempe Skatepark.  Corey's website is www.coreywoods2008.com

Airvaca Skatepark to open to BMX bikes

The skatepark in Airvaca will officially allow bikes starting May 25th, due mostly to efforts by Redendo's John Dale.  For more info on this and other Tucson area BMX/skatepark efforts, visit www.redendo.com

Those crazy Mexicans are doing it again
 

The contest will be held May 30-31 in Obregon, Mexico.  I had a helluva fun-ass time when I went in '04, and if you go and you're not a puss, you will, too!
 

Hamm Jamm IV

(photos by Michelle Terrell)

Good times were had by most at the fourth installment of the Hamm Jamm series.  It was way smaller and more chill than previous Hamm Jamms, but it was all good.  It was my first time riding my bike since my rotator cuff injury almost 2 months before, so I was just kinda hacking around, getting used to the old bikeski again.  Most people went to the Army of Garbage house after the ditch session, and I got to see Gator's video there.  It was pretty good, and the beginning segment with this one security guard is CRAAAAAZY.  I also got the first CD from Army of Garbage from Mikey, and me likey.

Glendale X-Court contest

Doesn't it seem like we just had an amateur contest at this park?  Oh yeah, we did.  The X-Court contest at the beginning of April was pretty fun.  It was only ams, so there wasn't a whole lot of excitement from the crowd.  Action Park Alliance will be holding a pro contest before too long, but crowds are kinda lame nowadays, so maybe it won't be much more excitable.  I don't know. 

Check http://www.allianceskateparks.com/xcourt/southwestam2008.html for the April contest results, pics, and a little video.

The flyer above is for another am contest, and the winner gets to go on a trippy trip, which is nothing to wink at.

Speaking of the X-Court, I attended the latest X-Court/Foothills Skatepark Advisory committee quarterly meeting that Glendale Parks and Rec held a couple weeks ago.  During the meeting, a Glendale park ranger brought up a very interesting point.  He said that when he would visit the Foothills Skatepark, which is skate only, he received an attitude from the skaters that he was an outsider, and he wasn't welcome.  When he visited the X-Court, however, he said he has always felt welcome, and has been able to easily talk to the bike riders and skaters using the facility.  A couple other Glendale Parks and Rec staff members echoed this sentiment.  It was brought up that a possible reason for the different "vibes" at the two parks was that the bike riders at the X-Court were much more grateful for a place to ride.  They had worked to get a legal place to ride, and respected what was given to them, whereas the skaters at Foothills tended to take it for granted, and felt entitled to it.

I'm very pleased to see that the bike riders' good attitudes towards the X-Court are so obvious that they are being mentioned in Advisory Committee meetings.  I'd like to give props to all the bike riders and skaters who are respecting the X-Court and taking care of it, and make sure you never forget what it took to get it.  Make sure you let all the new riders and young kids coming up know that it took a lot of hard work to get the X-Court, and they need to respect it and take care of it as well.

March 19, 2008

Authority Zero Music Video

I don’t know about you folks but I’m psyche mcpsycherson!   I’ve been chosen to direct Authority Zero’s next music video, for their song “Sirens” off their latest album, 12:34.   The executive producer, members of my crew and I have been working with the band to come up with a concept, and here’s what we’re going to do:  A bmx rider will be chased by sheriffs through downtown Phoenix.  We’ll be shooting the performance and part of the story in this killer tunnel I’ve admired for awhile.  We’ll be hiring cops to block off streets, getting barricades, and doing this shit for real, yo!  I see this as a great opportunity to introduce bmx to a bigger audience the way riders want it presented, not the way some dooshbag ratings-driven TV exec wants it presented. 
 

 Big X-Court Contest

Our first big contest at Glendale X-Court is coming up!  Mark Laue of Action Park Alliance has spread the word around Salt Lake and So Cal, where his Real Ride skateparks are/were, so a lot of heads from those areas will probably come out.  Below is Mark's e-mail he sent me along with the flyer.  If you wanna promote sumfin', jump on it!

  Up Yours Come Up

Over a month ago, just after I did my February 4th update, I e-mailed Adam Grandmaison from The Come Up to ask him to link to my site with what I just put up.  He never posted anything on his site, and I finally e-mailed him to find out what was going on a month later.  Here’s that e-mail, and then our correspondence after that.  My e-mails are in bold blue, and his, of course, are in puss pink.  If you’re viewing this on a black and white monitor, you’re shit out of luck, old timer!

Hello Adam,
My name is Jason Ryan, and I run the biggest, most highly-trafficked bmx site in
Arizona, www.psychicflyingmonkey.com.
I sent you an e-mail a month ago about updates on my site, and you never posted
anything on the come up. Now, with the pitfalls of modern technology being what
they are, perhaps you never received my e-mail. If you did receive it and posted
it much later than what I expected, I thank you. If, however, you received my
e-mail and made a conscious decision not to post my update on your site, I don't
think it one bit unreasonable to request that I know why. You are giving
everyone the impression that you will post anything new from anyone in bmx on
your site, and if you are not, I think all of bmx deserves to know.
 

Once again, here is my original e-mail below:
Hello Adam,
My name is Jason Ryan, and I run the biggest, most highly-trafficked bmx site in
Arizona, www.psychicflyingmonkey.com.
I just updated the site, and wanted to see if you could post a little thing on
your main page letting everyone know.
New this month:
Jose Yanez- Backflip inventor, Amateur Veterinarian, Beginning Webmaster
Lake Havasu's Tinnell Memorial Sports Park
Barb Carter, a Tempe City Councilwoman that is corrupt and hates bikes in
skateparks, IS OUT!
Jason Ryan pics at Chandler Bike Park
Reed Wheels Court goes Hollywood with Spike TV movie shoot
One sheet for The Impetus of Cletus posted

Thanks for your help,

Jason Ryan
President
The Bike, Blade and Board Coalition
Producer, Director, Monkey Trainer
Bearded Lady/Psychic Flying Monkey Pdctns.

Jason,
Hey, sorry about not responding to the E-mail. I didn't really know what I could
post from your site... I don't see much of anything to post from your site, if
you could fill me in on what would be a good thing to post about from your site
I'd do it, but as far as I can tell, I'm stumped. Thanks,
 

Adam

Hello Adam,
Ummmmm. I was very clear on the contents of my newest update.
New this month:
 Jose Yanez- Backflip inventor, Amateur Veterinarian, Beginning Webmaster
Lake Havasu's Tinnell Memorial Sports Park
Barb Carter, a Tempe City Councilwoman that is corrupt and hates bikes in
skateparks, IS OUT!
Jason Ryan pics at Chandler Bike Park
Reed Wheels Court goes Hollywood with Spike TV movie shoot
One sheet for The Impetus of Cletus posted
Are pictures of riding, a real movie shoot at a skatepark, a little current story
about one of BMX's pioneers and info on the number one issue in BMX (need I say
 it)-- bikes in skateparks, not postworthy enough for your site? If not, I don't
 think it unreasonable to ask why you feel this way?
 

Thanks for your help, 
Jason Ryan
 

Jason,

Typically the stuff I post falls into a couple of categories

Videos, news, events, sponsor changes etc... I don't really see anything on your site I would consider post worthy. Let me know if you get anything else up that might be more fitting to go up on the site though, thanks

Adam

Adam,
I've gotten e-mails from across the U.S. from kids wanting to know how to get
bikes allowed in their local skateparks, and my site tells them how. Why in
God's name would you not want to promote that? Or promote the history of BMX by
respecting the guys that got it to where it is today? Or promote quality
pics of riders that aren't all over the mags but are doing good stuff for the fun of it,
like many of the web videos you link to? 

My website isn't a democracy, it's MY web site. If you post anything I think is
worthy of being posted on the front page, I'll link to it. If you don't, I won't.  Not too confusing.
 

Adam 

Good evening, Adam. 

Thanks for all your help,
Jason Ryan 

I actually had never heard of you and didn't know how widely hated you were in
BMX until after I started recieving these bizarre E-mails. Although everything I was told about you definitely seems pretty accurate since you are acting like a serious nutcase.

 

Firstly,

I do believe you're lying, seeing as you had a link to swbmx.com, which is run by
guys who have chosen to hate me and my site. I also don't believe your
statements since you've had a longstanding Q and A with Ryan Sher, who also has
decided to hate me and originally instigated a fight with me. Some kid even
asked him about me in said Q and A. I don't like it when people lie to me and
that does not mean I'm a "nutcase".  But let's somehow PRETEND you're NOT lying. After all my polite questions you still have given NO REASON as to why you don't want to promote helping riders get bikes allowed in their local skateparks, why you don't want to promote the history of BMX by respecting the guys that got it to where it is today, and why you don't want to promote quality pics of underground riders doing good stuff for the fun of it. I am a patient man, but also human. Trying to get an answer out of you has been like when I was trying to get an answer out of old Mesa bureaucrats as to why they wouldn't allow bikes in Reed Skatepark. I've given my life to bmx, and you want to be some kind of trendy snot-nosed daddy that gives, "Because I said so." as a reason? Is that how you want to run your business? As a draconian thinker with no respect for reason or debate? Or am I supposed to BRIBE you for you to link to my site?

Thanks for all your help,
 Jason Ryan

I post videos from SWBMX but I've never spoken to them about you ( or anything aside fromo their videos really ). I am friends with Ryan Sher but I've never spoken to him about you and I don't worry much about what's going on in his Q&A thread unless there is something inappropriate being posted in it. I have looked at your site numerous times and really don't see anything that I consider post worthy. Photos of old school riders are cool, but I almost never link to photos and when I do they are almost always either crazy riding or dudes I'm friends with. The skatepark stuff is cool but again, not really post worthy or interesting to me. Also your site design is horrible and nearly makes my browser freeze every time I try to open it, I've tried to read that shit about Fudger like 3 times so far and I haven't been able to open it successfully even once so far.

Adam, 

P.S. I checked the mysticnegro link from a friend’s computer and it worked perfectly.  The News, Fool! Did take a while to load, but his computer is also a slow piece of shit.

Mystic Negro Debate

Now even though the mystic negro link worked fine for me on two separate computers, just to be safe, I'm going to post the exchange I had with Ryan Fudger on here.  Basically the thread started with a letter Ron Wilkerson sent out everywhere that upbraided Ryan for being biased in his review towards 2-Hip's new How-To video, and being biased towards about every thing 2-Hip ever does.  I chimed in and this is how it went: 

Jason Ryan Says:
 

Ron was RIGHT ON about his suspicions as to Ryan Fudger’s bias. I can’t give any input on the how-to video because I haven’t seen it, but I’ve known for a long time just what an elitist prick Ryan is. He gave my newest video, The Impetus of Cletus (which he admitted had good production values and good riding BTW) a bad review because it was something different than what everyone else was making. I called his bitch ass out on it and he used 2 thirds of his review of “I Got Work”, a new trendy Arizona video, to try to insult my video again. Check http://www.psychicflyingmonkey.com/news,%20fool.htm for my rebuttal, and more exchange with this little twat.

Also, at the Meet The Street, if Ron really wants Ryan to feel VIPPED up, he should seat Ryan on an English riding saddle with a footlong vibrating dildo sticking out the top. I hear Ryan LOVES having his clitty diddled while he watches his heart throbs ride.

Ryan Fudger Says:
 

 Jason Ryan Says:  

Jason Ryan
President
The Bike, Blade and Board Coalition
Producer, Director, Cinematographer
Bearded Lady/Psychic Flying Monkey Productions
www.psychicflyingmonkey.com

P.S. Sean, please do add RyanFudgerIsEverythingThatIsWrong.wordpress.com, and I’ll make stickers and provide plenty of juicy content for it. Let’s flush this turd down the proverbial toilet and take bmx back.

Fudger Sighting

So I was downtown the other day scouting locations for the Authority Zero music video, and who should I run across but Ryan Fudger.  He was passing through town, riding street with some of the homies, and when I rolled up he was getting ready to do this crazy ass gap.  After a couple bitch runs, he went for it.  Let me try, if I can, to describe it for you.  What he did is he started way back off in the cut, then got pedaling faster and faster until he was fully spun out, he hit this steep curb cut, flew about 30 feet, dove into this dirty bum lady’s mouth, through her stomach, through her small intestine and large intestine and out her bunghole, and landed on this giant stair set.  Here’s a pic taken right when he landed.  It was sooooooo sick, bro-brah-bro-bro-brah-bro!  Dude's soooooooo amazing........

 photo by Jason Ryan

March 8, 2008

The 3BC's voting guide for the Tempe City Council and Mayoral Election on Tuesday, March 11th

The 3BC endorses Hugh Hallman for Mayor
Hugh has been a great supporter of BMX, skateboarding and inline skating over the last four years, and with his help we got the Victory Acres BMX/Skatepark approved and under construction.  Hugh realizes this park is small, and he is in favor of a huge new BMX/Skatepark in North Tempe.  Hugh's website is www.electhugh.org

The 3BC endorses Hut Hutson for City Council
 Hut has also helped provide for the needs of BMX riders, skateboarders and inline skaters over the last four years, and with his help we got the Victory Acres BMX/Skatepark approved and under construction.  Like Hugh, Hut has been working hard to provide a high quality of life for Tempe's residents, young and old, and we know he will continue to do so.  Hut's website is huthutson.com

The 3BC endorses Corey Woods for City Council
 Corey contacted me just before the city council election two years ago, willing to discuss the bikes in skateparks issue.  Unfortunately, it was way too close to election time for me to determine whether or not the 3BC should endorse him.  I have spoken with Corey since, and I believe he will work hard to get a 60,000+ square foot BMX/Skatepark in North Tempe.  He is also willing to work on lifting the ban on bikes in the existing Tempe Skatepark.  Corey's website is www.coreywoods2008.com

The 3BC endorses Rhett Wilson for City Council
I recently received this e-mail from Rhett, and I think that from it you can deduce why we're endorsing him for Tempe City Council.

Dear Jason,
 
Thank you for your e-mail.  I was impressed by your group a few months ago when I watched a YouTube video that was taped during the last council race.  You hosted then-Mayoral candidate Hugh Hallman and council candidate Hut Hutson.  It impressed me that your group has organized even your political efforts.  Excellent job.
 
As the youngest candidate in the race (28 yrs old), I feel I can be more sensitive to requests such as those you mentioned in your message.  And so, I'd welcome a meeting in the near future to talk about your idea for a larger skate park and the potential for lifting the ban on BMX riders at a park in South Tempe.
 
Based on what I saw in your YouTube video several weeks ago, it seems as if past leadership in the city was unwilling to meet with you and talk about your ideas.  I hope that has changed since the last election, but if it hasn't, I can promise that I'll be the kind of councilmember that will have an open door policy.

 
Regards,
 
Rhett Wilson

Rhett's website is www.wilsonfortempe.com

As for the other candidates, I got a positive response from everyone except Julie Jakubek, who didn't answer me back. 

It was a tough decision, but I chose not to endorse Joel Navarro for city council because, although he skateboards and is all for a huge new BMX/skatepark in North Tempe, he felt the only way bikes could be allowed in the South Tempe Skatepark was by having separate hours or days.  All it takes is one look at how well co-mingled use of a concrete transition park by BMX bike riders, skaters and inline skaters is working in Prescott, Show Low, Mesa, Glendale, and Fountain Hills to know that it can work in the existing Tempe Skatepark.

As for Mark Mitchell and Darryl Jacobson-Barnes, they felt a huge new BMX/skatepark was needed, but they wanted us to help raise money/find funding sources.  I firmly believe that is not our responsibility, as we pay enough taxes already that should provide the funds.  Parks and recreation departments everywhere are already over 30 years behind in providing public places for people to ride and skate, and they need to catch up.  All the city needs to do is adapt to the drastically changing recreation trends, which means building fewer ballfields and amenities that are used 1/4 of a day on average, and use that money to build BMX/skateparks which are used almost 100 percent of each day on average.  Also, I watched Jim McCasland, Prescott Parks and Rec. Director, garner a great deal of donations in time, materials and money from his community for the Prescott Skatepark, and I don't see why Mark Richwine, Tempe Parks and Rec. Director, can't do the same if needed. 

Hamm Jamm IV:  All Chapped Up

Will Bissell just put me on notice that Hamm Jamm IV will take place in Tucson's Will Tubbs Memorial Skate Ditch on Sunday, March 23rd.   The ditch is located by downtown at 18th and the I-10 Freeway.  There's a little quickcrete spine and quickcrete trannies to soften the banks, plus 40's, hips, harmonicas and bank to rails, but it's also a BYO ramp jam, too, effer!  Army of Garbage will also be playing a special acoustic set, and......hey Bissell, what does "all chapped up" mean? 
Bissell:  "It means a bunch of dudes in skinny pants that can't pull bitches to save their lives- all chapped up."

Siiiiiiiiiick.
 
This'll be the first non-homosexual jam Arizona has had in a good while, so take a break from punching the clown and get up!  Get on up!

Ryan Fudger, the enemy of true BMX

You guys gotta check out this exchange with the biggest doosh in BMX, Ride magazine's ASSt. editor, Ryan Fudger. 
Ron Wilkerson, John Dale, a bunch of Nor Cal guys and I all had choice words for him and his hypocrisy, and if you have any input, let's keep this free speech thang going and get yo shit up there, too!  Please don't just go spouting off on there like a moron.  Think before you post. Go to http://bmx.mysticnegro.com/ and click on the link that says          

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

New online BMX Game

You probably know about this already, but I just found it so it's new to me.

 http://www.flash-igre.net/games/BMX-Tricks

Its fun!  I wouldn't shit you!  You guys are my favorite turds!

Skaters get the boot from Chandler Bike Park

Follow this link:

http://skateandannoy.com/2008/02/19/booted-from-a-bike-park/

Like we've been saying all along, everyone should be allowed to ride everything.  It's the only way.

Sick new web vid, bro!

There are so many bmx web videos out now and they're almost all crap and I'd much rather watch this than any of them.  Up yours!

February 4, 2008

Jose Yanez: Amateur Veterinarian, Beginning Webmaster

I was over at Jose's place of residence the other day after riding Chandler, and his cat sidled up to me, lookin' for love in all the right places.  As I started petting O'Mally's ears, I remarked on how they were both folded over in a weird way.  Jose told me that wasn't because he was a Scottish Fold cat (who have folded-looking ears due to a genetic mutation), but it was because he had experienced bad ear infections in both ears and they both healed up like that after Jose operated on them.  Uhhhh, hold up, Jose.  Operated on them?  Turns out Jose has been doing a little amateur feline doctorfication, probably more due to lack of funds to take the pussy to a proper proliferator of animal care than because he takes joy from squeezing pus out of his cat's ear.  The surgery went so well the first time O'Mally's ear got infected, that Jose surgified  him again when the other ear swelled with infectious goo.  Lucky for you and I, Jose documented the procedure in photographic form.

At this point, Jose said O'Mally was almost knocked out from the tranquilizer he gave him.

                                                                                                Out like Trevor the Trout!

Jose fashioned this cone collar for his healing cat to keep him from scratching the wound and so Jose would hear him when he yelled for a nurse.

I............uh...........words....................fail......................uhhhh............................damn.

I've said it 43 times and I'll say it again.......There's only one of Jose.

So what better opportunity to let you know that Jose has just gotten his official website up and crackin' at www.myradself.com!  Jose had a site a few years ago, but when he ran out of money to pay his webmaster/site designer, the site ran out as well.  He's doing it right this time, by learning the software and doing the whole damn thing himself!  That being said, Jose is a beginner at this, so the site still looks a little ghetto.  I'm sure Jose will appreciate any constructive criticism you can e-mail him.  My first critique to Jose:  Not enough cat surgery pics!

Also, play this video of Jose doing a double backflip into water for some dorky TV news interview back in the day.  Great stuff.

Tinnell Memorial Sports Park

Lake Havasu is planning a new bmx skatepark, dedicated to the memory of bmx rider Pat Tinnell, who died fighting in Iraq.  When this thing's done, it will without question be the best place to ride in Arizona, and one of the biggest parks.  Lake Havasu isn't too big, so a huge fundraising effort has been put together to aquire donations to get the park built, and it won't be cheap.  If you have a rich uncle that's looking for a good charity to donate to, steer that old bastard to http://www.tinnellmemorialsportspark.com, and check it out yourself as well.  They've got plenty of content to peruse, and get some eyes on the park's design while you're there.

Almost Primary Time

The Presidential Preference Election is coming up on Tuesday, February 5th.  Here's who I'll be voting for:

I like the Constitution.  Ron Paul likes the Constitution.  If you don't vote, you have no right to complain about what "they're" doing.

No More Barb in our Side

While I'm on the political tip, I am happy to announce that Barb Carter is not running for another Tempe City Council term.  I'm proud to have helped to oust a corrupt politician, and I'll have a voting guide next update to let you know who's running in the next city elections that supports public places for bikes to ride, and who is against them like Barb Carter.............WAS!

Jason Ryan in Chandler Bikepark

A few months back John Dale and Ruben Torres from Redendo came up to session with me at Chandler before we headed up to Prescott to ride with Johnny Stevens.  A while ago I posted the video on here that was shot at Chandler and Prescott of Ruben and Johnny, but now I'd like to show you some pics Ruben took of me at Chandler.  That Ruben kid is so PRO!

The Impetus of Japanese Mail Order Video Synopses

I was checking out where my videos ended up in Japan the other day, and I ran across this Japanese online bike shop.  Here's their translated description of The Impetus of Cletus: 

Comical rendition has been a different meaning in the world.

I think I'm gonna change the back cover for the video to read that on my next run.  To look at it yourself, visit

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://bmxcave.ocnk.net/product-list/204/0/photo&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=3&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dthe%2Bimpetus%2Bof%2Bcletus%26start%3D20%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26hs%3DWDm%26sa%3DN%26pwst%3D1

then page down to click on The Impetus of Cletus.

Bubba Bump

My brother Josh is a turntablist, and he just finished making a new mixtape called "Filibreakos" with his boy Conrad.  Listen to it and/or download it for free at http://www.zshare.net/audio/697277051fc218/ for part 1 and http://www.zshare.net/audio/697311114e0ffd/ for part 2.

"Real" Street Contest

People have tried to pull off "real street" contests held at real street spots for years, but it looks like the First Rule guys have finally figured out how to pull it off.  Their next one will be in LA on the 10th, and if I wasn't shooting a cheerleading competition in Vegas that weekend, I'd probably go.  Life is tough. 

And remember, the first rule of First Rule is:  Don't talk about First Rule!!!

Venezuelan Flatland Contest

Jose Orlando Melendez Alvarez sent me an flyer for this upcoming flatland contest on April 5th.  If any of you fools plan on being in Venezuela around that time, get those nuts down to that contest!

Reed Wheels Court goes Hollywood

A film named SIS is being shot in the Valley for the Spike Channel, and on Thursday they shot a scene at Reed Wheels Court.  Ruben Torres, John Dale, Steven Mueller, Joey Backus, myself, and a few other riders and skaters were hired to hold it down for the background action while two undercover cops chased a perp into the park, tackled him near a quarterpipe, and interrogated him until he cried and pooped his pants.

I thought it strange, being on the career path that I am, that the first time I worked on a major film set was as a bmx-riding extra and not as a crew member.  I'll take it, though.  Nothing like getting paid to ride!

Imagine being a 10 year-old disadvantaged child of color who's ditching school one morning to go ride Reed Wheels Court with your sick Next with 6-piece square-tubed bars, and coming upon this sight when you arrive.  It could happen!  Even considering the high average income level of the neighborhood surrounding the former "Dead Man's Lake".

Steven Mueller

Those are called 12 by's, and they have grifs on them to bounce light.  They also make excellent sails when it's breezy.

 Steven with the undercovers.

 Video village.

 One of the camera carts.

 More equipment.

And that would be one of the badass HD cameras they filmed the movie with.

Joey Crackus

Director in hat, me in bad case of helmet hair.

More of the riders and skaters.

Ruben Torres, smiling like he's getting away with something.  You ain't getting away with nuthin', boy!  I'm onto you!  I'M ONTO YOU!!!

Sound department fore, lighting department aft.

Everyone should know by now that it's not safe to do anything when I'm around with a camera.  Steven obviously was out with injury the day that memo came out.

 Wanna know why I don't have any pics of riding from the shoot?  Cause I was working, son!  They worked us hard, too!  I barely had time to choke down my spring rolls with sweet-and-sour sauce the kind lady from craft services gave me!  Or the Martinelli's apple juice, or the Kellog's fruit bites, or the perfectly-ripened peaches, or the prime rib, or the brownies and ice cream!

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