Linkin' Park

Haven't been riding much BMX lately, and when I have, I haven't been taking my camera. (Actually, that's not entirely true—there's a whole day's worth of shots I still need to offload off the Nikon, I just haven't done it yet.) I DID go to a Mets game with my parents this weekend, though, so here's a surprisingly decent zoom shot with the point-and-shoot of David Wright from that:



And here's a bunch of stuff I feel like linking to.

• Dakota Roche is talented. Watch the video in the lower right-hand corner. (But Robbie, please, for the love of God, stop with the "______ Life..." stuff. I'm begging you. For the good of humanity. Move on.

• Lavender Odyssey Life... (See how silly that sounds?) And while we're on the request tip, day-glo orange next, please. Safety orange, hunter orange, whatever you wanna call it.

• If you don't love Brian Foster, there's something wrong with you.

• Someone e-mail me next week and let me know how this was. I'm insanely bummed to be on the East Coast. For one day, at least.

• I still want one.

• Vinnie and them are holdin' it down on Skavenger. Daily must check (the video from July 28th is real ill).

• This might very well be the best Dave Mirra photo ever.

• Jim Bauer's new bike is terrifying.

• OK, one bike photo. Apparently this is how you SHOULD lock your bike, since this POS department store Mongoose has been locked up on the corner of Houston and Broadway for months. Nice streetwear stickers, dude.

Return to the 36/16

As I implied earlier in the week (and mentioned in the comments) Will Taubin is back on a bike. He claims to be "just a casual rider" now, but I'm not so sure about that. Shep stall to 180 out, 50-50ing a jersey barrier both ways, and footjamming a skinny little ledge out of a sketchy rollup doesn't seem all that casual to me. 'Cause if it is, then I must be, I don't know—sleeping? Comatose? Dead? Not to mention this was only his second time out in the city in a WHILE.

Here's his last bunnyhop barspin on the old Lengthy before stripping it down to build up a new ride—which is still set up with 36/16 for the time being.


Regardless, I'm just happy that Will's back out. Lots of good memories going back a lot of years—when riding was much more simple in every possible way.

(And once again, my apologies for the lousy point-and-shoot shots. The Casio is great for eBay product shots, not so good for action. Even using the flash didn't help. The decapitation, unfortunately, was strictly user error.)


And finally, saw this on my way home, parked on 28th Street between Park and Madison. At 2:30 a.m. On a Monday night (well, Tuesday morning). On the street. Oh well, I guess it's just a Gallardo.

How Not To Lock Your Bike

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?

It's hard to believe that there are abandoned buildings anywhere in Manhattan. I mean, I know how much MY rent is, and said absurd amount makes the idea of leaving ANY residential building empty for more than a week seem financially, how you say, stupid. Yet on last night's midnight ride we came upon this hotel that—while apparently under reconstruction—looked not only vacant, but possibly haunted. This despite a PRIME location (which will not be disclosed at this time).

Well, one makes do with what one has. Joey Piazza, hop to narrow-ass ledge ride that wouldn't have been possible if said hotel were open. Damn doormen. (Please pardon the subpar point-and-shoot shot—no bellhops, no bag.)

No photos, just words.

Good week so far, despite pouring rain on the Fourth. Late-night pizza runs, Chinatown road racing, out-of-town visitors killing it, legendary riders returning to active status. Photos were snapped with the point-and-shoot—silliness, mostly—but said camera is not currently in my possession. Obstacles at the Banks change and move on the daily, a pair of Jordan XIVs have been draped from a lamp post. Over the weekend, riders and skaters were joined by hopped-up, camera-wielding fixsters and the lost tribe of rollerbladers.

Have fun, ride bikes.