Sean is on fire. The guy rides with so much talent that it makes me wonder what he isn’t capable of doing. He is all over these days traveling so I was surprised I got a chance to catch up with him and get this interview!

Name:
Sean Sexton

Photo Credit: Fat BMX

Location:
tempe, az

Sponsors:
kink bikes, empire, mosh, vans, and kronik energy

Years Riding:
14

Your kind of all over right now with traveling, recently in Brazil for their X-games, how did it go for you? Any highlights?
brazil was pretty rad, i had a great time and ended up getting 2nd place so im pumped. as for highlights, id say everything that garret did..haha

The next stop for you is a trip to Europe with some of the Kink guys, what are your plans over there?
im going to england with darryl tocco in may, and were going out there to film and chill with the seventies guys at their place in brighton. should be dope.

After Europe do you have some time to chill or where are you going?
a lil bit, but I go to austrailia on may 20th I believe for a mosh trip, then I come back and meet up with the kink dudes in philly for another kink trip..pretty busy i guess..haha

When you first started riding did you ever imagine going all over the place like this?
not really, but im real appreciative of everything thats come to me, and i just love to ride my bike so it all works out, you know?

You had a whole bunch of really good clips in the new Props 68, what’s your next video appearance? The Kink Video? Mosh web edits?
thanks bud, I basically plan on finishing the kink video, then filming for the empire video, and whatever else is going on after that.

Your flairs are indescribable, what is the weirdest or smallest thing you have flaired?
probably the bank in the props from the kink trip, it was pretty small and weird..

I am sure everyone wants to know what are you NOT able to do on a bike?
a lot man, alot..haha

Where is your favorite spot you have ever had the chance to ride?
probably these cool bunkers in san fran..they were bad ass.

Where are some places you want to go to at some point?
hawaii, sweden, I guess everywhere that I havent been basically.

What is the trick to turndowns?
grip it and rip it.

Photo Credit: Kink

If you could only ride one spot for a year, where would it be and why?
wow, id say heaths trails in corona..because its the most ballin shit ever. ha

Who are some of your favorite people to ride with?
dirty dan bogard, chase hawk, jason owens, kc badger, jay roe, tony hamlin ,tom dillon, tony cardona, darryl fucking tocco…yeah

How do you feel about contests like the X games street? Where do you hope they go?
its a pretty cool contest, I think they are getting the idea down the more street comps they have so, hopefully summer x games street will be even better. i just hope they keep having them.

Do you have any signature stuff coming out from Kink or any of your sponsors anytime soon?
I plan on putting a frame together pretty soon, and coming up with some ideas for shirts and grips here and there so..im pumped

Any other sponsor news you can tell us about?
not really, haha

How do you feel about so many people being stoked on your riding?
uhh, its pretty cool i guess..i dont know how to answer that??

Outside of riding what are some things you are into?
drift, chill with my buddy’s, listen to music, and keep it real i guess

What are some things you would like to accomplish in the next few years?
move to austin, and travel my ass off

Did you ever go to college or anything?
nah

What do you think you would be doing if you never picked up a bike?
welding and fabricating shit for race cars

What are some bands you are into? Any you suggest people to check out?
band of horses, lil wayne, mgmt, bob dylan, kylesa, willy hutch, outkast.. check out kylesa, they rip.

Before you started being so busy with riding, what did you do for work?
welded at full race

Photo Credit: Kink

Do you spend much time on the internet? Any favorite websites?
a lil bit. nah, none..haha

What are some movies you suggest people check out?
kat williams and eddie murphy stand up..

If you could spend the day with anybody, alive, dead, fictional, who would it be and what would you do?
id spend the day with lil wayne…

What is the weirdest/craziest/whatever story you have with the cops or security gaurds?
none really, im a good kid

If you came into a large sum of cash, what would you do with it?
spend it

How do you feel about hookers, drugs, partying, and fireworks?
there tight

What is your favorite quote, or best advice you have ever received?
grip it and rip it, best advice…wrap it up.

Who or what are some of the biggest influences in your life?
music, and friends pretty much

What are some tricks to traveling you have learned?
buy a camera, pack a lot of socks, and have fun

What kind of advice do you have for kids getting into BMX?
grip it, and rip it

Any shout outs or thanks?
big thanks to all my sponsors, you guys rule. jay roe, darryl tocco, heath pinter, jack at kronik, joey g, tina and tom at empire, and anyone else i forgot..

Anything else you would like to add?
safety first

Tony is a Minnesota legend, he was full on pro at one point riding for MacNeil and a few other companies but has moved onto other things of sorts. He still rides, he still is one of the few people who have ever made it through the big set at Monkey Village, and he is still an animal when it comes to partying. I think this interview will give you a little view of his perspective.

Name:
Tony Mortenson

Photo Credit: Ben Austin

Location:
East Hanover New Jersey

Sponsors:
Etnies, Primo?

Years Riding:
About 13 or 14

You have or are in the process of moving to New Jersey, why are you leaving Minnesota?
There is a really long story to this. But it’s pretty private. But I can tell you that I was offered a job out there and since I just finished school this spring I decided on change of scenery, and I was offered a good opportunity to get started on my career.

Do you see a return ever?
Yes I do, I will always call Minnesota home.

Seeing you ride is pretty wild, but it seems like your kind of getting more underground now days, are you starting to settle down a bit?
For the last couple years I have been in school and maintaining a decent job to support that whole end of life. Now that I’m done with school I feel like I can spend more time on my bike. Also, for the first time in about 5 years my body feels 100%. Something I’m not accustomed to. As soon as I get out to Jersey I’m going to find a good spot to dig and I’m looking forward to all the new spots and just riding more in general. Living 20 min from NYC the possibilities are endless.

Your one of the Baco guys, what’s it like to be apart of a historic crew like that?
It’s amazing. I came up watching all the baco videos since I was 14 years old. Chad, Dave, Dave, Brian, Johnny, Jim, and the other guys are legends. Anyone that hasn’t seen style cats can’t even comprehend what I’m trying to express. But it is one of the most honorable things ever to be a part of that crew.

What is your best memory from the baco stuff over the years?
So many good memories I can’t talk about! But a great time happened when Baco did the Florida trip. We drove down from Minneapolis to Orlando and did a week long skatepark tour around Florida. After that Jimmer and myself made our way up to northern Maine. So much good stuff happened on that trip. I remember all the demos; which were insane, so many crazy moves went down at those. Some crazy nights in downtown Orlando. Watching the baco uncut videos. Freimuth’s driving, Jims dirtiness, racist billboards in South Carolina, Campground golf, stealing wood from our neighbors campsite, getting pulled over by the Forest Ranger and having to hide a bottle of wine that we were chuggin on in the woods, and getting reamed by said Forest Ranger. Climbing the tallest mountain on the east coast, laying in a dead mans grave, Jim’s innate ability to walk out onto an empty dance floor and have the thing packed shoulder to shoulder by the end of one song. An insane bachelorette party that got invaded by us, and then getting a ride up a mountain by the same bachelorette party the next day just so we could bomb the mountain again on our bikes, pissing off a whole group of people in a random bar in Augusta Maine, then going outside and pissing off a Hells Angel rider that was seriously the size of a Viking, Jimmer saving my ass (again), and of course puking.

How did you feel about the Baco at Jellystone last spring, that got wild and didn’t you do pretty well in the contest?
Yea any Baco contest is always a good time. An even better time if I’m healthy enough to ride. Doing well was just a bonus. Going to the hospital at the end of finals was not a bonus. Coming back to the aftermath of the greatest party ever at Jellystone in my room and I wasn’t there was definitely not a bonus.

Over the years you have been apart of a few different videos, which one is your favorite and why?
Prolly Baco 10. It was quite an honor to be asked to film a section for that. Aside from my stuff in there the video itself is pretty epic. Brian shuts the shit down in there. Other than that I was very happy to be a part of Grounded, even a small humble part.

Your ramp which has had a lot of filming done is in the process of being taken down, how hard is it to take that down (emotionally I guess?)?
It really sucks to see it go. We got it half torn down right now and are still riding the roller side. So many good sessions went down on that ramp. So many different people have come to ride it. Best memories are by far the evening sessions with friends or the early morning sessions with Jimmer. The ramp is going to benny P’s house, so I know its in good hands. But a lot of work went into building that thing and I thank everyone who came to have a good time over the years.

Photo Credit: Ben Austin

Who is your typical riding crew these days?
Nick Palmquist, and whoever is around I guess. I try to get out with Eric Holley and his crew whenever possible. Now that I am in Jersey I will mostly ride alone.

Do you plan on doing much riding out in New Jersey?
I plan on actually having the time to ride out there, so I can’t wait.

Over the years you have had the chance to ride some real great spots, where or what are your all time favorites?
Wow, good question. There is this massive reservoir in England that was amazing. Also the ditches in San Antonio were pretty epic. But as dumb as it sounds the best spot to me was the ramp out back. Nothing beats that thing.

Your pretty unstoppable trick wise, but what are some tricks you have the most trouble with?
Whips. Nuff said.

What is the worst crash you have taken on your bike?
Prolly fall of 06 on a gap to rail. I don’t remember it but anyone that was there has said it’s the worst fall they have ever seen. The camera we were filming with when into auto shut off right when I was riding up to the rail so there is no footage of the wreck, that’s prolly for the best though. Other than that One time out at Mickey’s trails I took a bad slam and ruptured my kidney. I thought I was dying. Internal bleeding is the scariest thing ever.

If you could relive any session or time on your bike, when would it be and why?
As far as sessions go, One that pops into my mind for sure is when Josh and myself had a good night at the G-shock. I remember Josh doing some great transfers and Smithing the vertwall. And as for myself I Learned 540’s over spines that night. The energy in that place was unbelievable. So many people doing so much insane stuff. One of those nights where everyone was on point doing whatever they wanted to on their bikes. Another great time was when I went to stay with Markus Wilke in Germany. Nothing major went down or anything we just had a great day cruising around Hamburg and enjoying everything. Just one of those days that probably pictures better in your head long after the fact but still a very memorable day.

What is one trick you will never get sick of?
3’s

Who or what are some of your biggest influences on your riding?
Tom Haugen for sessioning with me day in and day out and showing me what consistency is. Jimmer for showing me that consistency doesn’t matter just the feeling of one amazing trick is all it takes. Dave F. for just showing me a good time. Ruben because of speed. Miron because, well, fuck, he’s Miron. Taj for his shit in mad matt. Chad for showing me that riding means dick unless your having fun with it. And BK for never giving up.

Outside of riding you have an interesting career, what do you do and how did you get into that?
I am a superintendent of a golf course. The story goes like this; About 3 years ago I was sitting home with my 5th or 6th ankle surgery. I thought to myself, “Am I going to do this forever?” you know, be hurt, be healthy, be hurt, and so on. So I decided that I should go back to school. And then I tried to figure out what I would want to do that would make me happy. I could give a fuck less about how much I got paid or anything like that. I didn’t research any of that. I just wanted a career that was going to be fulfilling. So I figured that I like golf and I like to be outside all day and I like to work with my hands. So I decided to go to school to learn how to take care of golf courses. Now that I’m finished, I have a great career and I ended up doing ok with the whole monetary end of things. Only problem is that I don’t really get to work with my hands I just make sure everything is going great. But I do get to cut the new holes every morning which I love to do. Outside of that I mostly spray chemicals and look professional.

So I take it your pretty into golf?
Yea, it’s harder than flatland. So if your any bit like me and you cant give up on anything, then you have spent your life getting pissed over that game too. I like it because it’s the most humbling activity I have ever partaken in.

Outside of work and riding, what are some things you like to do?
Fish on occasion. Of course get in some golf. Chase girls in bars. Sit on the computer too much, all the fun stuff.

What are some things you would like to accomplish in the next few years?
Just get my career rock solid. So I don’t have to worry about money or any of that bullshit anymore. That and pay off some of this massive debt I have accrued in the last 9 years.

Who or what are some of your biggest influences in your life as a whole?
No one.

You like to party, so the question is obviously, what is the best beer?
Too many good ones to pick from. I like to try lots of beers and keep the palette guessing. I don’t really enjoy domestic beers too much. Also not a fan of really dark beer like Guinness. Cervecerias and lagers mostly.

How do you feel about hard alcohol?
Right now or when I wake up in the morning? I only drank hard alcohol for a long time. I have started to enjoy beer over the past few months. But when its time to go out I’ll take a strong island or a Crown on the rocks every time.

What is the funniest thing you have done under the influence?
Last summer the everclear got busted out at a Bachelor party. I took a couple shots and jumped off a friend’s deck (in the dark at night). Little did I know that were basically on the third story and not the 6 feet up my drunken mind was thinking. So after a really, really long free fall I finally met the ground. Tuck and roll

What was the dumbest thing you have done under the influence?
What was her name?

Have you ever been arrested, if yes, for what?
Nah, I have talked my way out of most situations.

Photo Credit: Ben Austin

If you could hook up with any famous girl in the world, who would it be?
Gwen Stefani for obvious reasons.

How do you feel about the internet, what are some of your favorite sites?
Internet is a big fun waste of time. I love it. Favorite sites: Myspace/facebook, InterBMX, BMXboard, Something awful, Weather.com, craigslist, VWvortex, thecomeup, Etnies, T1, FBM, ebay

If you could spend the day with anybody alive, dead, fictional, who would it be and why?
Jesus, because he embodies all of those things you mentioned.

What are some good bands people should check out?
From Ashes rise, Atmosphere, Classic rock and rockabilly.

What are some good movies people should check out?
I’m a documentary guy so: Into the wild, alone in the wilderness, The extraordinary people episodes, Loose change HAHA, Blue Planet Episodes.

If you won the lottery, how would you spend the money?
Build a utopia on my own ideologies.

Were you aware that there is a dude who plays football with your exact same name? (Even played for the gophers)
C’mon, Who hasn’t googled their own name before!

What kind of life advice do you have for people?
Be true to yourself, no joke. Fuck trying to please others around you, because if you’re doing that you’re denying yourself the same pleasure. This in no way means that you should become selfish or irresponsible, everything is a means to an end and everything ends.

What kind of advice do you have for kids just getting into riding?
Enjoy it.

What kind of advice do you have for people who drink shitty beer?
The best beer you got is the beer you got.

Do you have any shout outs or thanks?
Not really, everyone knows who they are and what they mean to me. But for the record: Davie, Povah, Miron, Joe Rich, Nate Morashan, Ricky Adam, Glenn Milligan, Darcy, Chad, Jimmer, Brian, Josh, Benny, Ben Austin, Erk, Palmquist, all my boys. I know I forgot at least 3 people (sorry)

Anything else you would like to add I missed?
If you see me don’t assume I’m asshole, come say hi.

Darryl is a dude who has blown up pretty big lately. This coming from his part in Insight and his riding in general. After I saw Insight I had no doubt that I wanted to interview the guy! So we got it done for you kids to enjoy!

Name:
Darryl Tocco

Photo Credit: Keith Terra

Location:
Audubon, NJ

Sponsors:
Kink bikes, TwobyFour store

Years Riding:
13 roughly

Insight has been released finally, your part was my personal favorite so this had to be done. How did you feel about that part and video in general?
Thanks man! I was super psyched to see the video finished up, there was a lot of bullshit and set backs that delayed the video so it was a relief to see it come together the way it did. There was a couple things I wanted to get done for the part that didnt work out, but i am still really happy with the ride part, it was an awesome opportunity, shouts to navaz, and all the dudes in the vid.

How many times did you have to try that wall ride to 180 to fakie barspin down the stairs from the part take you? That was nuts!
I guess we spent an hour or two trying to get that one right, it was hard to keep the speed off the wall, and even harder to line myself up to the stairs right, im real happy that it worked out.

Actually in general how in the world did you get your barspins and toboggans so good! what’s the trick to them?
When you only do a couple tricks i guess you have to dial them in haha. I always liked doing toboggans at the trails when i was younger, its fun to push your seat down as far as you can, its an awesome feeling trick when you catch a nice dipped one. Barspins just always felt rad to me, theres still that second when you arent sure if your going to catch or not, and when they come around it feels awesome.

What other video projects do you have going on right now? Isn’t Kink filming for a video? What can you tell us about that video?
Right now Im filming for the Kink Video, Safety First. We have been filming since December and its due out in November of 08. Everyone has awesome stuff under their belts already, we have a couple more filming trips left, and then we will be ready to put it out. A couple of the flow guys will have full parts that are already amazing, and Doyle and Sexton will be a treat, I promise. Also have to mention the twobyfour video which we are putting out at the mid/end of summer, which is going to be a good watch for sure. The team is on it while Van is in Brazil haha.

Will you be filming and editing? What can we expect from your part in it?
I managed to get the filming / editing gig for the kink video, its been an amazing process so far getting to know the flow dudes, and just chilling with my boys on the team. Those guys are awesome, I couldnt ask for a better squad to work with. As far as my part, hopefully it will be a step up from my last part, and will be something i can be proud of.

Speaking on Kink, how do you feel things are going over there? It seems like they have turned around a lot in the last year or two.
Man, I love it there. I can’t believe that I ride for a company in general, but im super psyched that I am where I am. Jay Roe is our TM, and basically himself and Matt turned the whole thing around and revamped the entire program. Now the team is awesome, we go on trips all the time, and its just a blast to be on.

Speaking of filming, now that you have been doing more filming projects for companies, what will happen to the Bad Timing stuff you had?
I want to do another BT vid, it was and still is just an awesome excuse to kick it with my best friends in the world, and go ride our bikes. Hopefully sometime next year i can start filming around here, its weird but i can call 6 or 7 unreal bike riders that live within 20 minutes of me and go watch crazy shit go down. I love it around here.

What kind of gear do you use to film and edit? How do you feel about HD and web videos?
I film with a sony vx2100 and edit on Final Cut Pro. I feel like properly dialed Sony footage looks amazing,and always will. HD is awesome, but its a huge project to go on a riding mission with, and just isn’tpractical to me for cruising the city with my friends.All Sony for me. Web vids are cool, but as many people say, nothing is like watching a video you’ve been anxious to see with your friends in the living room. I don’t think i’ve ever once said, “man I cant wait for that web vid to drop.”

Photo Credit: Keith Terra

Back to riding, you kill it on street is that all you ride now days or are you one to ride whatever is in front of you?
Ive always ridden whatever, I grew up riding trails and street and then parks. Some of my friends faded a bit from riding a couple years back,and I started riding street a bunch again with Randy and Chase. Basically you look at things different now, and its obvious that there is a lot of room for creativity in street. I still ride the cement park 3 or 4 days a week when im home, a good quarter is the best.

What are some things you have been working on trick wise? Anything your saving for the Kink video?
I dont think so really, id like to learn whips at some point haha.

Do you have any trips planned to film, ride, vacation coming up at all?
Im heading to Brighton, England with Sean on May 1, which I cant wait for. First time overseas and I am super psyched. After that a Philly to Montreal trip with Kink to film for the vid.

If you could ride like any other pro, who would it be and why? (style, tricks, dedication whatever you want to make of this)
Wow, Not to jock my team mate, but Sean is a good example of how I would ride if i could do every trick in the world.

Who are some of the guys you ride with on a more daily basis?
My roommates Chris and John, Slattery, Randy, Chase,Van. Those are the guys I keep up with on the regular.

What trick gets you frustrated the most but can’t help but keep trying?
Whips I have a huge problem with haha. I kick with my front foot, and just cant figure out how to stomp it. I can land one footed but I have a this block about putting the other one down. Hopefully it works outsomeday haha.

Have you ever had a line or trick at a certain spot that you tried a bunch, then gave up? Does it bother you? Do you even plan on getting back to it?
Yea theres been a bunch of those, it sucks for sure, but you get over it and keep your eyes open for similar setups.

Photo Credit: Keith Terra

What are some things you would like to accomplish in the next few years, riding and non riding wise?
I just want to keep the fun going man. Keep meeting new people, going on trips, filming with my friends.It doesnt really get much better than that. As far as riding just keep doing my thing and have a good time,get a few clips im psyched on and have fun cruising a city that Ive never been to.

If you could change anything about BMX, what would it be and why?
As far as changing bmx,it seems to me that a lot of people think that they own bmx for some reason or another, that they have the final say on what is cool and how you should do things, and its pretty much bull shit. Im happy with the way things are, kids should do whatever makes them happy.

Outside of riding and filming/editing, what are some things you are into?
Going to the ball park for a Phillies game is probably my favorite non riding activity. I dont get to go as much as i want, but going over there with a bunch of friends and getting faded is the best time ever.

What are some non riding movies you are into?
No Country for Old Men was awesome, The Big Lebowski of course, Dazed and Confused.

Hear any good songs lately?
Brothers gonna work it out- Willie Hutch.

Who or what are some of your biggest influences on your life?
My parents for sure. Couldnt ask for better people behind me, they’ve always supported riding 100% and love every second of it. Also Van is an awesome guy to go to for advice on random stuff, he’s been through it all, and he still has the best head on his shoulders.

If you could be sponsored by any NON-BMX related company, who would you pick and why?
Probably a mortgage company or a realtor so i could move myself and my friends into a house and not worry about shit.

Word on the street is one time you were at a party in Arizona and you punched a dude in the face! What is the story behind that one?
Man word gets around huh? Im no tough guy, the dude dissed some girl i was feeling at a party, then made fun of my first name and asked me if my mother actually named me Darryl. He hugged me when he was leaving and wouldnt let go so i punched him in the eye. Im glad it got broken up quick, the dude had about 70 pounds on me. Shouts to that dude, and Arizona in general. Im not tough.

Photo Credit: Jeff Allen

What is your best story of a time you had a run in with the law?
Last year i watched philly cops slam Tom White against a wall and go crazy for riding some spot. Like 5 cop cars and the street closed down to bust our balls. They called us losers and told us to get jobs. They accused Tom of being at the spot last week and he tried telling them that he was in Barcelona last week. They laughed at him.

Where are some places you have never traveled to that you would like to go to someday?>
Asia would be rad, of course Barcelona just to say Ive been there.

What do you think you would be doing if you never picked up a bike or camera?
Playing Baseball in college, putting gel in my hair or something ridiculous.

Before BMX and stuff helped you pay bills, what kinds of jobs did you have growing up?
I worked at a restaurant not far from here for 5 years. It was a good gig, they let me take off for trips and were pretty good to me. Thanks go out to them.

If you could meet anybody in the world, who would it be and why?
Ghostface, dude is too wild.

How do you feel about politics? Do you plan on> voting? Hillary, Obama, or Other?
Im not touching that one.

What are some things you can’t leave home without?
My cell, and my bike.

What is the best advice you have ever received?
Do what makes me happy, from my mom and dad.

What kind of advice do you have for kids getting into BMX?
Keep having fun, save up some money and go on a roadtrip ASAP.

What kind of advice do you have for people getting into filming and editing?
Watch Left/Right or Insight. Watch Transworld skatevids. Take notes.

Do you have any shout outs or thanks?
Most definitely, First to my parents and my brother for being so supportive. Jay, Zach, Reez, and Matt at kink for taking care of me, Van at TwobyFour, everyone that rides for kink and 2×4, Chris and John at the crib, all my friends, Slattery for always being down to get wasted, Navaz for making all this stuff happen, and Kurt for the interview, thanks!

Chris is a cool dude, he always posts up really interesting photos on Bikeguide, and I have always been curious what the story is behind him. So I know you probably don’t know the guy but he did deserve this.. Enjoy

Name:
Chris Luton (aka. Mutiny5050 )
GQ?

Location:
Palmdale, Ca. ( 45min north of Los Angeles )

Sponsors?:
Nope

Years riding:
13 years and counting

So your kind of e-famous with the stuff you post up on bikeguide, how do you feel about forums like bikeguide?
I think forums like bikeguide are great. The people there make me laugh, the topics are off the wall but not too crazy. Its a break from the normality of life. It also gives me a change to post up all my photos and videos that I take and most of the time I get good and constructive feedback which is helping me grow as a photographer and a Filmer.

Your riding is real solid, what kinds of things do you like to ride most?
Whatever is fun. Every time I go out and ride either by myself or with my friends I just go to ride my bike and have fun. I love manuals and grinds but I will ride anything. We don’t have any skate parks in our area that are bike friendly so we mainly ride street. We are on a constant search for new spots. There are some days where all we do Is just drive around and waste gas looking for new spots. its great and half the fun of riding.

Do you ride all street or is there parks and some trails involved from time to time?

Since we dont have any local parks I suck at them but if we go out of town My buddies shred at parks so I go and take pics and have fun pumping around. I grew up on trails, but out here in the High desert it only rains 5 times a year so it is hard to build, and all of our jumps are plowed. But I enjoy a fun set of trails from time to time. They are hard to come by up here though thats why we mainly ride street.

First trick learned?
X up

Last trick you have learned?
just got familiar with the barspin again.

If you could only do one trick for the rest of your time on a bike, what would it be and why?
toboggan, Love that trick.

What is one trick you really wish you could do?
Table. They look so good but I just cant do them.

You have a good crew of friends you ride with, who are these get low guys and whats the story behind you guys?
Were just a bunch of guys from the desert. We are all older, we have known each other for ever and have been riding for years. Except the new guy Paul. but he is a cool dude.

Tracy Cornel

The Symbol

How often do you get to ride seeing as your a full grown man?
LOL , yeah well I am 27 years old. I have 2 kids and a full time job as a supervisor. So I try and get a whole day riding in on the weekends but for some reason lately ive been riding a few days during the week. Sometimes its tough.

What do you do for work?
I am a supervisor at a arts and crafts Distribution center. I manage the fork lift operations . Pay is good and I get weekend and nights off.

Your photos are amazing! What is your camera gear you use?
Thanks, I shoot with a Canon Eos5D body
Canon EF lens 17-40mm
Canon EF lens 22-105mm
Canon 580ex and 430ex flashes

Have you ever done photography as a career or could you?
No I have not but I would love too. Every time I shoot I learn more and more. The field is pretty tough though and it is not steady work so I just see it being a freelance thing for the time being.

How long have you been shooting photos for?
I picked up my Camera about a year and a half ago. I took a class in Highschool but not digital. So everything you see now has been within a year and a half.

Have you ever had anything printed?
I acually have 1 or 2 photos coming out in the next issue of RideBMX. Well thats what they said I will believe it when I see it. They said it will be in the readers photos. One is of my buddy charlie doing a a fence ride the other is a Ice pick in a local pool here by my buddy Jason. We will see. I send what ever I think is good into them.

Did you go to school at all for photography?
Just in Highschool . Everything else I have learned from my friends and by looking at other photos and sites.

Do you ever find it hard to ride when your taking pictures or do you still get your friends to snap a few of you?
Yeah Its hard. I try and do both but when the Camera comes out these guys go off and dont stop. I get a few photos here and there. Plus we do allot of street riding so I always have to be guarding my bag. Dont want 6,000$ getting swiped.

What is your dream camera set up?
I like My current camera but I would not Mind the Canon Eos1d Mark III.

Drools………

You also do some video stuff, what kind of a camera are you using?
When I shoot Video I love the look of HD so I borrow My work buddies Sony Hdv-hr9 ( I believe ) Its a Hd handy cam but it shoots in 1080i and during the day the quality looks amazing. Not so great at nights. I took 3 years of video editing and filming at college so I love that too. Weird how I mainly shoot Photography huh? Hd is the only way to go. If you have a 4:3 3ccd do your self a favor and sell it in before its too late. HD FTW! You don’t see pics in a magazine shot with a disposable camera do you? Its all about the quality. same goes with filming.

Outside of riding, work, photography, what are some things your into?
I love beer, and bbq’s and hanging with the kids. Nothing beats a hot summer day , cold beer and the kids playing in the yard. That and I enjoy watching the Dodgers play.

You have a son! How cool is that?
Its awesome. He watches my friends and I ride and is all ready riding street at the age of 4. I have a 6mo old as well. I am sure he will be like his brother.

Last I saw he was doing bunnyhop no footers, does this mean hes following your footsteps?
Yeah his mom is all ready worried. lol

Going to the 20″ soon guys

What do you think changed most about you when you had a kid?
Responsibility …. I am still a kid at heard my self . Its hard some days when I have to watch the kids and everyone goes riding. But its called being responsible and taking care of your family.

If you could be paid to do any job in the world, what would you do?
A bmx photographer. If it paid the bills and I could travel the world with my bike that we be it right there.

What are some things you would like to accomplish in the next few years?
I would like to get another full length DVD for everyone to enjoy and get some more of my work published. That and get my friends a sponsor , these guys shred.

If you could no longer live where you were living now, where would you move to?
Kansas City. Its green , People are nice. the street is amazing. I love the Mid west. The riders out there are way underrated. I would not mind snapping a few bangers and getting them some coverage.

What is the coolest thing you have experienced in your life?
Seeing a new life come into the world.

What would you do with the cash if you won the lottery?
two chicks at the same time man.

lolol no I would build Casa de Luton on the side of the valley here and build a skate park, trails and some street stuf. Live like a king for a wile.

If you could spend the day with anybody, alive or dead, who would it be and why?
My dad, we don’t spend that much time together . He lives in Kansas city. Road trip fellas.

What are some of your favorite movies?
Ahh man too many
3 amigos
LOTR trilogy
apocalypto
Good fellas
Casino
Just to name a few

What are some bands you are into?
I like everything,
Underoath ( the old stuf )
Afroman
Big L
Adam green
Journey
Motley Crue
Mortal treason
Neil young
Queen
Rick Ross
The Warriors

Favorite websites?
BmxUnion
Bikeguide
Bmx Perception
Flickr
The come up
Myspace

If you could have one super power, what would it be and why?
The ability to make any super power you want… Duh
No. Either to fly or teleport

What kind of advice do you have for kids just getting into BMX?
Have fun, Ride your bike and look or new stuf to ride. If you spend all your time at one spot you will get burnt out. I think that is why we all still ride here is the everlasting search for the perfect spot.

What kind of advice do you have for kids who want to get into photography?
Get a cheap camera and see if you like it. Just shoot everything. Dont wait for the perfect banger. You will never pull out your camera then. When I pull out my camera all my buddies then step it up. Its rare that We go to a spot for a shoot, We just go to ride and I take pics of everything and anything. Then we progress from there.

Any other fatherly advice?
Ride for fun, Look for new spots. Live life .

Do you have any shout outs or thanks?
Thanks to all my friends , Charlie ( MILF ) David, Jason, Paul, Mitchell, Steve and to everyone else in the get low crew. Thanks to my family and to everyone at Bikeguide for commenting my pics it just makes me want to take more.

Anything else you would like to add I may have forgot?
YEah If you have any secret spots, Please let me know. lol. THanks guys

Also I post a lot in Bikeguide but if you ever want to see the pics I have over 500 onmy Flickr. Check it out

http://flickr.com/photos/mutiny5050

Jake is good, I mean… real good. The kid has blown up big time in the last year. The kids on the come up love him and in all reality he really is on the come up and I think hes going places with riding. I mean he 540s down stairs like a champ…

Name:
Jake Seeley

Location:
Williamstown, a small town in Massachusetts

Sponsors:
Manmade clothing, Coalition and Sunday bikes

So BMX has been good to you so far… What is your definition of BMX?
‘bicycle moto cross’ haha as long as your havin fun with your friends it’s all good, when its got to do with a bike its called bmx

You grew up racing, then trails and park.. Are you 100% street now or do you hit the trails once and a while?
Definatly cant say that im 100% street I ride some park but dont really enjoy it that much and I ride this dirt bowl by my house thats a lot of fun. I haven’t road trails since I hurt my knee about 4 years ago riding them. I’ve definatly grown to like riding street the most though. Theres more originality in street riding which makes it fun thats what makes me love to ride it.

What are some things you look for the most when your searching for spots?
Things I tend to look for the most when riding are spots most riders wouldn’t look at and think of riding them, stuff that you could be original with. I also like to ride a good uprail so i tend to look for rail set ups a lot

What is your dream spot to ride?
Moore Park

Do you feel racing and trails has effected the way you ride now?
Definatly allowed me to have more bike control with my riding now.

You recently had your Defgrip/The Come Up edit out, which was a big hit. How stoked are you to have a lot of people dig your riding?
Definatly couldnt be more siked that people where into it, its always a good feeling when people are into your riding.

It said you have a full manmade edit coming soon, when will that drop and what can we expect to see?
The video should be coming out by the middle of this summer, it would have been out by now but there was some problems getting my clips and Darren had a bunch of problems with his computer that kept putting the video on hold. The footage now is getting pretty old so im going to work on filming all new clips for it this spring

Do you have any signature stuff coming from Manmade?
Not that I know of. There really hasn’t ever been any talk about it.

You have been on Sunday and Coalition for a little while now, How are things going with that?
Real good both companys have helped me out a lot I’ve actully just recently got put on Coalition which I was really excited about, I love the image the company has and the parts they put out. everythings been working out really well with that.

What parts do you break most often?
Theres really only one part I go through the most and thats my freecoaster, I’m pretty sure I’ve gone through six of them in the past year. Its deffently not a cheap part to be going through either.

What are some new tricks you have got going on these days?
I’ve been just working on trying tricks I wouldn’t normaly try like I’ve been trying a lot of 5’s off things hopfully soon doing it down a set. mostly tricks not having to do with grinding. trying to have more variety with my riding.

*Click to see 540 down stairs!

What is one trick that you could not do for the life of you?
Nose manuals, almost seems impossible for me.

You ride brakeless, could you ever see yourself with brakes again?
definatly enjoy riding brakeless way too much to go back to brakes I really couldn’t see anything I would want or need them for there just another thing in your way to slow you down haha.

You have been doing a fair amount of traveling in the last year, where are some of the places you have had the chance to travel?
Over past year ive been to a lot of places around the country like texas, arizona and cali. Those have deffently been some on the best place I’ve ever got to ride for sure. couldn’t ask for more at the spots o got to ride at those places.

Where are some places you really would like to go to?
The one place i want to go most is Barcelona. It seems that everyone i talk to that has been there says it’s like a dream theres endless amazing spots and everything about it looks so nice. Theres no place I rather go more then there I dont think.

Who are some of your closer riding friends?
These friends are definatly the people that keep me modivated to ride Muffinman, Tom Lavorgna, Cory Godfrey, Adam 22, Spam, Alex Platt Loey and Jayren Pierson

Who is one person you have always wanted to ride with but never had the chance?
Seth kimbrough, i’ve had the chance to talk to him a bit but never the chance to ride with him.

Who or what do you think effects your riding the most?
I’d say my freinds effect my riding the most.

Other than the Manmade edit, do you have any other video parts or anything in the works?
Other than the manmade video I’ll be filming for the new sunday video. Im not to sure on if its going to be a mixed part or if the flow team will each have a part of there own. I know either way the flow teams footys going to be real good cuz they all kill it.

What are some riding videos or video parts you are really stoked on right now?
ive been really psyched the whole insight video, def one of the best videos ive seen in a while. my fav part hands down though is aaron ross and chase hawks electronical parts

What do you have planned for 08′ riding wise?
Hopfully just traveling as much as possible and meeting more rad dudes that love to ride as much as i do.

What do you think you would be doing if you didn’t ever pick up a bike way back when?
Probably be going to school for graphic design or somthing having to do with art. Im really not to sure, I just know my life would be completly different if I hadn’t picked up a bike.

What are some of your interests outside of BMX?
Films, I’m really into to creating short horror films i’ve made a few hopfully further down the road succesfuly making a full lenth one. Music, I love going to shows, I try to hit up as many as possible. A friend of mind is in a band so I often go to his shows and film his band. There sick check them out (myspace.com/thisneverhappens)

Do you work at all or is riding your main priority?
I work at a shop call The Garden. Its one of the best jobs I could ask for it’s a skate/bike, shoes/clothing shop and i run the whole bike part of the shop. The boss is really cool about letting me take time off when ever I go on trips or even if it’s a really nice day and im just wanting to ride my bike.

What are some of your favorite movies outside of riding movies?
Im a bit more of a horror fan but just the other night I went and saw the movie 21 and loved it, definatly one of the better movies ive seen in a wile.

What are some bands you are into, any unknown ones you think people should check out?
Definatly winds of plague, probably one of my favorite bands right now, i’d say check out any of the death metal/ grind core scene.

What are some of your favorite websites?
Only 3 that i really check ever Myspace, The come up, Defgrip but i’ll definatly have to add bmxunion to the list and definatly check out Yauw coming out with in the next cupple weeks, sites going to be hot!

What is a crazy story from being on the road?
Sean burns told us this story on the come up trip about this girl he knew that ‘finger bangs cats’ that had to be the craziest story i’ve heard

In your old come up interview, you mentioned you had 2 cell phones, do you still have that going on or did you get you some service?
Nope my towns still got no service but I recently got rid of both phones and got my self a black berry. so problem solved

If you could sum yourself up in 5 words what would they be?
BRAH
wet
milk
cream
juice

*Click to see big
Photo Credit: Keith Romanowski

If you won the lottery, what would you do with the money?
Build a legit skate park plaza in my town for my self and the locals that rip in my town and probably give some to my rents cuz they definetly helped me out way too much with cash over the years, so it would be nice to pay them back and just have the rest to buy some nice stuff for my self I guess.

Do you got a lady friend? and do you have any game advice for the guys having trouble getting chicks?
Nope cant say that I do, I wish I had some advice but im one of those kids having truble finding a girl. So I wouldnt be so much help haha. A girl friend would be nice but it will happen when it happens. Im not stressing

Who or what are some of your biggest influences on your life as a whole?
My Parents/Grandparents and friends but mostly my younger brother hes the one that keeps me reminded to stay on the right track because I want him to do the same.

If you could spend the day with anybody alive or dead, who would it be and why?
It would be my grandfather hands down I had some of my best exsperinces with him.

What are some things you would like to accomplish in the next few years?
To prove to my grandmother that my riding can take me somewhere in life

What is one food you could never get sick of?
Steak cooked on the Grill

When you leave the house, what things do you always have with you?
cell phone, bike, knee brace

How do you feel about websites like myspace?
Im into it, I dont know why but it’s a good time killer when your sitting around. It’s also a real good way to stay in touch with good friends from out of town.

What would you do if something happened and you weren’t allowed to ride your bike anymore?
Defintly a hard question to answer. I really dont know it would be so devistating.

How do you feel about big contests and BMX racing being in the olympics?
Not into it personaly just because of the competitiveness and seriousness of it, but its deffenlty helping out the industry a lot. Hopefully BMX just continues to grow more and more.

If you could change one thing about BMX, what would it be and why?
People stressing about other peoples riding, people worry way to much about how others ride just worry about your self, ride and have fun. thats what BMX is all about.

Do you have any shout outs or thanks?
My Mom, Dad Al my Brother, Grandmother, Grandfather who was a huge part of my life, All my Friends you guys no who you are. Bill and Matt over at the garden with out those guys I wouldn’t have the best job ever. Jay Elling, Kieth dom and scott for taking all my photos.Adam 22, the dudes helped me out so much. big thanks to Mr. Jim C at Sunday Darren from manmade, all the guys over at coalition and Hell on earth and finally like to thank Kurt over at BMX union for giving me the chance to do this interview thanks for eveything guys with out all these people i wouldnt be the person i am today.

As you know, Craig rips… You also know that news broke yesterday of him being put on Eastern’s pro team, so it is kind of weird how I happend to send him an interview just a few hours before that came up.. So, here is the interview it’s a good one!

Name:
Craig Allen Mast

Location:
Youngstown, Ohio

Sponsors:
DC shoes, Eastern bikes, fender guitars

Years Riding:
about 5

You have been popping up all over lately at the big contests! Is it hard to get around being only 17?
Na, its not so bad DC is real good about sending me everywhere. But being 17 is deffinately rough when traveling, I cant sign for anything, and im not a huge fan of being left out of the festivities.

Are you still in school or what?
Ya, i”m still in school. My high school is paying for me to take online courses. They agreed to do it after the superintendent saw me on NBC for the dew action sports tour.

You recently got 3rd at Jomo pro, how do you feel about that contest? any highlights of the weekend for you.
That’s definately one of my favorite contests, they treat the athletes great. Every minute of the contest was a highlight for me.

You are doing front flip flairs on pretty tiny quarters, how the hell did you pull that one off?
Ive been messing around with that trick for awhile now, but i was never able to figure it out. 3 days before the contest i took a trip out to camp woodward. It took me about 5 trys on the resi before it just clicked. And that was about it, now I got it. But so every one knows Keith Macilaney invented it on vert. ( i know i spelled his name wrong)

Actually in general how the hell did you get so good?
Haha, never give up.

You have been riding with a full face the entire time, why? Do you dislike the way you look? (haha kidding)
(laughs) well it acually took me quite some time to get smart. I knocked 4 front teeth out twice, ripped my chin open 3 times, and broke my jaw, before i decided enough is enough, best thing i ever did.

In 06′ you were 35th in in the dew tour standings.. 17th last year, what are you looking to do for 08′?
1st or at least top three, and if not this year the next.

Since your still in school, what do your friends think of you being on tv and stuff?
Well i haven’t seen a whole lot of those kids for awhile, but they did play a bio i did for fuel tv. ounce at my school. I think they think its dope.

How are things going with the sponsors, when will you see you bumped up to the pro teams?
Thats funny you asked this, because i acually got picked up by eastern yesterday and they put me on the pro team. But i have to pay my dues it will come with work.

Your riding is pretty crazy, who or what are your biggest influences on your riding?
I used to ride a park called Section 8, i would give it more than half the credit for my riding today. But I guess their would be three people in general that helped me mold threw out the years. Steve lucket, Sonya, and Steve Cuesta were their names. They all helped me out so much. Steve Lucket was the owner, he let me ride for free and gave me many a motivational speech. And Cuesta was kinda the reason i started riding. He did every thing he could to help me out.

If you could only ride one kind of thing for a week, what would it be and why?
a section 8 kinda thing. R. I. P.

This might seem odd, but what tricks can you not do?
I cant 720 anything big, never could cant figure it out.

If you could play a game of BIKE with any pro, who would it be and why? and would you win?
Allen Cooke, cause i would laugh the whole time. Big ramps he wins, small ramps i win.

If you could ride anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
I would do anything to flow threw section 8 again.

Outside of the contests do you have any trips or video parts planned?
Eastern has a tour coming up in june, but other than that my schedule is pretty empty.

You would appear to be a trainer, do you train at all or just wing it?
haha a trainer huh? I guess you could say that. I realized quickly that if i wanted to do this for ever i had to make a living. But in the end im just trying to ride.

What do you think you would be up to if you never got into BMX?
Id probably be sitting in math class hating my life.

Outside of riding what are some of your interests?
playing that fender is a huge interest of mine. I love making music.

Since your getting close to being done with high school, do you plan on going to college or try this whole bmx thing out?
Ill probably end up going but for now ill just stick with what makes me happy, my bike.

How is the relationship status, aren’t you dating like a 24 year old? How did you pull that one off?
Hahaha, shes so not stoked right now. Na shes only 20. She’s awesome tho, definately makes me happy.

Rumors are that a score board fell on her once?
Hahaha, This rumor is true. In Baltimore last year for he first stop of the dew action sports tour, she was standing in the vip stands when a huge time clock fell on her head. It cut her forehead to the bone. The best part about it was that it happened 5 minutes before my run. Talk about stress. !

What are some bands your into?
Metallica!, Metallica!, Rush.

What is your dream car?
Blue Shelby mustang

What are some really big things you believe in? Like life wise..
I believe that Jesus saves. He saved me once.

If you are able to vote by the time that comes around, who are you or would you vote for?
Probably the green party, the other choices aren’t so good.

What would you do with the money if you won the lottery?
no idea.

What kind of advice do you have for kids just getting into bmx?
have fun, hold onto your teeth, helmets are cool, your parents are your best sponsor.

What kind of advice do you have for people looking to get into the contest circuit?
I would tell them to do their own thing, thats the only way to stand out.

Do you have any shout outs or thanks?
Thanks to Eric from DC shoes, Leigh Ramsdel from eastern, Allen Cooke, Steve Cuesta, Steve and Sonya, Dave Mirra, my best friend Malone, My awesome women Mia, my mother and my father, and God.

Anything else you would like to add I forgot?
Get sick!

See More BMX Videos at VitalBMX.com

See More BMX Videos at VitalBMX.com

What can I say about Chad that nobody has said before? The guy is awesome plain and simple. I have had the chance to meet him a few times through Baco up in Wisconsin and to be honest those were probably the best times I have had on my bike. He is a halarious dude and knows his stuff. I laughed because he sent me about 20 photos to choose from, I only used a few but I wish I could have used them all. Let me know what you think in the comments?

Name:
Chad Superman DeGroot

Location:
Altamonte Springs, Florida (central florida son)

Sponsors:
UGP, Versa Bikes, Profile, go211.com, Bern helmets, Mesh Skatepark

Years in the game:
Wow, since 1986, so you can do the math

You have been popping up all over lately with UGP! How are thing’s going over there as TM?
It is nuts…we have a full team, by that I mean we have some old school to the newest school. So it keeps me on my toes. From doing orders, to designs, to web updates, to baby sitting (do this a lot), and being a rider for the team, I have a full plate, but its good as hell. I am happy as hell this year with the direction we are moving. We have had some growing pains the last few years, and I firmly believe we are back on it. The Fall/Winter line is on point for sure. The denim is getting out there. We have some jeans, the bandits and Cigs, that are a bit tight, but will cater to the younger rider, or the ones like Mark Mulville who keep it tight. I don’t mean girl tight, just the right fit for a slimmer man. We have to be honest, there are not to many beef cakes in this sport, are there?

You guys have been pumping out a bunch of web edits lately, do you have any more coming soon?
Do we ever. I have 5 I am working on right now. There is no end in sight. We have received a great response to all of them. I know they are just web edits, but we do get them out there. We want to get them out, put them on our player on the home page (undergroundproducts.com), then get them on our FTP site so people with shops in Taiwann or Japan or where ever can get them and use them for shop promo. Brian Kachinsky sent me some of his scraps for an edit. We went on a short trip to fill in the blanks. It is nuts. Tell you the truth, I love his scraps. You will to. His will be out soon.

How about a UGP dvd is there anything in the works?
The UGP DVD gets talked about a ton. We spend a lot in advertising and promotions right now to get back on the map. So, as we get more established again, we will cut out the better riding for a full DVD. Right now, its online for a bit…

You have been working with Versa now also. What’s the news on that and how is the prototype holding up?
Versa is sweet. Its just a baby. There isn’t more to say about it or a better way to describe it. We are in our infant stages, prototypes and ideas. That is all. We don’t plan to take over the world or get in every shop. We just got a team set, trying on a flow team. Very small and nice. The owner is taking it slow, and most of the team is happy with this. Don’t want mistakes if possible. The site (versabmx.com) is coming along. There might not be everyday updates, but we will when the time comes. Keep checking back. The whole team is traveling a ton this year.

When can we expect to see some product from them up for sale?
That is a hard question to answer. We all have prototypes we are running. So testing is first. Maybe some shirts and stickers early summer. If I had to guess, we would have some pre-books for interbike. Don’t quote me on that…the boss might kick my ass.

It would appear you have been super busy, do you have any big trips or vacations planned?
Trips with Profile all over Florida. We want to go to another city almost every other weekend. That will be sweet cause its quick and not far to drive. UGP is going to the Northeast and Northwest and Baco, which might be in Illinois this summer. Vacations, hell yes. Going to Toronto for my sister in law dike wedding. Should be nuts, weird, and interesting. Also have some plans later in the year to be in Japan and Maylasia for UGP only stores opening. Want to bring another rider (can’t say who yet) to open the stores and do demos. We have Three stores open already over seas, all UGP only…

Baco last year was wild, how do you feel about Mother Daughter stripper teams?
Pretty much necessary. Not the broken nose thing. That happened just as they were about to get loose and let them hang out…sucks, but that is Baco. Flipper was the the best follow up show. Wrestling n shit…love that kid…

Since Baco is no longer welcome in Wiscompton. Do you plan on having it again in the midwest or Florida only now?
We found a spot in Illinois. But it could be somewhere in Wisconsin. Don’t want to spoil it with a location…you will find out and you will be there…

When will the next Baco video be out anyways?
Dave was just in Florida and we talked a ton on this topic. There are more than a few fools that have sections almost done. So I will just leave it at that…

How are things going at Mesh, any big news?
Baco will be there this year again. DC and Pabst and Levis are all in…happy as hell. Kinda getting to big, but as long as we run it, chuck out some money, have beer, and everyone is assholes dressing up for Halloween, who cares. Otherwise, we are changing the park really soon before it gets to hot to build…shit is hot as hell in there.

What are some things you are really looking forward to doing BMX related over the next year?
web edits are always exciting, designing some new shoes, doing some trips where I have never been, and maybe making another kid

What are some things you would like to accomplish in the next few years?
Get my family going, I have one kid, but we want more. Get Baco bigger than the X-games with a bigger purse. Get UGP on Jay-z. Shock people with my riding. Get in a movie doing some acting.

If you could do one trick for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
backwards manuals hands down. I did them today for hours, got a few new versions that I need to film for an upcoming Profile edit, otherwise I do like hang 5’s.

What is one trick you cannot do for the life of you?
Flairs. I’ve tried them a few times then just stop. Get close as shit, then stop. Someone needs to push me or do them with me…

*This is a photo Chad took that won a photo contest. His dad grows stuff in his old shoes…

Being around BMX for a while you have seen things come and go, what do you think of the current “era”?
Its pretty mellow. Little jib tricks, manual pads, nick nacs. It is good, cause it covers all the bases. You can go big, ride vert, ride a curb, parking lot, or a roof. Its sweet personally. It is putting people in groups. This sport needs more shit talking to. Come on suckers, get on the web and let it loose. No one knows you, let it out. Start some shit…

Out of all of your video parts, which one was your favorite?
I couldn’t answer that. I am happy with all my stuff. There is a ton more meaning in stuff like Baco 6 or 7, but the stuff lately, I am happy as hell with.

Who are some riders you really enjoy riding with?
Anyone that will make me laugh. Anyone that wants to try weird stuff during a session. Dave Freimuth, Mark Mulville, Joey Juaristi, Mesh locals.

Are you and Dave Freimuth brothers? I swear you guys should be.
We pretty much grew up together. I lived in Green Bay which is 25 miles away. We really clicked when we moved to Arizona for the winter. Came back and lived in a house with 10 other fools. We travel a lot and have a similiar personality and interest in good times where ever we are. We have some history that goes way back…

How do you feel about Mustaches?
required if your a real man…so many options…

*Kachinsky is stoked on this

What is your all time best story of a run in with the cops?
There are no best stories of run ins with the cops. Give me a bit of time, might get a good one. Come back to this question.

Outside of work and riding, what are some things you are up to?
Have a kid, Cooper, who takes up most of my time. He is nuts. Everyday he makes me laugh and does some wild shit. Love it. I have been doing a lot of photography. Did a wedding for Mike Andrews. That was a little stressfull till the reception, then everything was a blurr. They told me I was wedding guy. The pics turned out sweet.

What kind of music are you into? Any bands you recommend people to check out?
Led Zepplin and the Beatles are on my player right now. It changes all the time. Could be Flogging Molly or De La Soul. I don’t get crazy on music. Modest Mouse is sweet and Eat the Elderly.

Seen any good movies lately?
We get Netflix, get all the seasons of WEEDS…love that shit.

Where are some places you would like to go at some point in life?
Pyramids, South America, Spain, Taiwan

If you couldn’t live in Florida anymore due to a old person epidemic taking the state over, where would you go and why?
Southwest is pretty sweet. Like the mountains in Arizona and the dry air. Florida is humid as hell.

What are some things you think everybody should experience at some point in their lives?
Jump out of a plane, invent something, get in a fight, drive over 150mph, and spend money like you don’t care

Who or what are your biggest influences in your life?
Sunny days, nice sunsets, great pictures, good conversations, artistic people, my wife, the positive

What would you do with the money if you won the lotto?
Get a box seat at a packer game and invite and fly all my friends in for a serious party, or give a ton to the people close to me so I don’t look like the only rich person they know

If you could spend the day with anybody, alive or dead, who would it be and why?
Christopher Walkin. He is sweet and never will look you in the eyes. His personality and being is mindboggling…

What kind of advice do you have for kids just getting into BMX?
have fun and support your skatepark, it will be gone before you know it

What kind of advice do you have for people who want to work in the BMX industry/ own a skatepark?
Skatepark; have a lot of patience, and don’t expect to make money. Industry; know people.

Do you have any shout outs or thanks?
UGP crew, Versa crew, Matt and the Profile team, go211.com, Josh at Bern, Mesh Skatepark…Thanks to my kid for opening my eyes, there is happiness in the simplist things.

Anything else you would like to add I forgot?
BMX won’t get you rich, stop trying..

Chad DeGroot random edit from chad degroot on Vimeo.

Van is probably on everyone’s favorite rider list at some point in time in every BMX riders time. I finally got a chance to do an interview with him and it turned out pretty much awesome. It is weird how some people you could ask a million questions and that wouldn’t be enough. So this is about as much as I could give him without well, over doing it. Enjoy!

Name:

Van Homan

Location:

Pennsville NJ

Sponsors:

Fit Bike Co., Orchid Footwear, Duo, Little Devil and Two by Four

Years riding:

16

After all these years this would make interview number?

I have know idea. Couldn’t even guess.

Lets start out with two by four which was recently featured in Ride BMX. How is business going? Id imagine it is picking up due to the weather?

Yeah things are good over here. Its everything I dreamed it could be. No one is making a ton of money but its a great vibe and it holds its own. I love having it here for the kids. It also feels great to have the team backing this whole thing up. We have been busy working on a video that should be out by Aug. Hopefully Two by Four will continue to grow so that we can take care of the employees, the team and bmx as a whole even more as time goes on.

What is the hardest part about running a shop and what is something you never expected to happen when running a shop?

Being a boss sucks sometimes. My employees are my friends so when you have to take charge or correct people it feels weird. I don’t love that part of it. Paper work sucks too.

Did you start the shop so you could start to “settle down” a bit or is there no slowing down planned?

I guess in a way it was but its more of a future plan I guess. I really just didn’t like sitting back and just being a pro rider anymore. I wanted to be involved in another way.

Is there any big two by four news you can tell us about?

The Video in progress would be the biggest news. We have a couple other things in the works that should be announce/finished up before the end of the summer.

So the dvd is in the works. When do you expect that to drop and who all will have parts?

It should be available by Aug. Darryl Tocco, Brian Wizmerski, Garrett Byrnes, Randy Brown, Geoff Slattery, Chase Dehart and Myself should all have full parts. Cesar Monzon has been having a lot of problems with his wrist so its not looking like he is going to be able to film a full part. Our boy Cody Jennings has been on a mission lately too so he may have a full section.

What are some things you would like to accomplish with the shop in the next few years?

Just make it grow. I’m sure we will have some sort of online store at some point but I hope to always keep a local feel to it. My goals are pretty modest. I would love for me and another employee to be able to support our selves from the store. I would also like to be able to continue to due trips and what not with the team. Continue doing local events, Video Premieres and so on.

With all the work it takes to run a shop, how much time are you getting in on your bike?

I still get to ride and travel plenty thanks to Dan Palumbo, Smurf, My Wife Samantha and my parents. I couldn’t do it with out you guys. Thanks.

Did you have much time to travel over the winter? Where all did you go?

I went to Dubai in December for the Dubai X-Games. That was a lot of fun. I thought my X-Games days were done. I never thought I would be getting a bronze metal at 28. Those street events are really cool. I hope they put it in the US X-Games. We went on a couple filming mission to the south. Garrett, Tocco, Randy and Myself just did a trip to Cali loosely based on riding pools. That was a lot of fun.

Now that it is warming up and everything, what do you have planned riding wise?

We are doing a small Fit trip on the east coast to film a web video. Then i’m off to Brazil for the Brazil X-Games street event. The last Two by Four trip before the video gets made will be at the end of May. I got plenty to keep me busy.

You have had the chance to ride so many place, where are are your favorite places you have been over the years?

Wow thats a hard one but I really like going down south. Raleigh NC, Tennessee, etc. Its just laid back down there.

Where are some places you haven’t been that you would like to go to?

South Africa would be cool. Any place is nice if your with the right people. Just anything or any place new is cool. At the same time staying home is really good too. I love leaving for a trip but I think I like getting back home even more.

What is it like to show up in a new place and have people recognize you?

It can be a little weird but bmx is cool. People only reconize you if they ride so its not like you get random weirdos just coming up to you and giving you a hard time.

Who is your usual riding crew? Any unknown guys you think people should look out for?

I have been riding with Randy Brown, Chase Dehart and Darryl Tocco a lot lately. I ride with a lot of the locals from around the shop. Everyone just ends up here and we go pedal around. If Cody Jennings keeps up the good work he could have a really interesting part in the new video so keep an eye out for that.

If you could only do one trick or ride one spot for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?

If I could only do one trick I think I would quit. If I rode for 16 years and only learned one trick that would be pretty frustrating haha. If I only had one spot I think I would just ride my local street spots. That might wear on my bones as I got older though so I might have to pick a nice concrete park.

What parts do you tend to go through the most on your bike?

Cranks and Back wheels. Their was one point last year where I broke 4 sets of cranks in 3 months. Scary.

What is one trick that you cannot do for the life of you?

Nose Wheelies are really hard for me I need to buckle down and put the time in to learn them proper.

What do you think you would be doing if you never started riding?

Couldn’t really guess its been such a huge part of my life. Maybe music, art, skateboarding but who knows without riding I might not even be the same person.

Out of all your video parts over the years, what is your favorite one?

Criminal Mischief or Fitlife. I was really happy with how my props interview came out too. Hard to say.

If you could, would you change anything at all about any of your past video parts?

yeah but mostly small things. A wack clip here or there. I was happy with most of the major ones over all.

What is your best advice for kids getting into BMX?

Have fun, Travel and screw the rest.

Outside of running the shop and riding, what are you into?

My Wife Samantha, My Dog Hazel, Poker, Yuengling, Snowboarding, Skating mico minis.

You have been married for a little while now, how’s that going?

Its great I love the family life. Its good to have some one to share your life with.

What are some of your favorite movies? (riding/non riding)

1201 was my Bmx bible growing up. Big Labowski and Mall Rats are both solid flics.

What are some of your favorite bands, any you suggest people to check out?

Screeching Weasels, Dead Milkmen, Ryan Adams.

What are some of your favorite websites?

I hate the internet. Its evil but you can’t help but be a part of it.

If you could spend the day with anybody, alive or dead, who would it be and why?

My wife Samantha

If you won the lottery, what would you do with the money?

Pay off my house and live the same way I do now.

Who or what are the biggest influences on your life?

My Parents for sure.

What are some things you are excited about right now?

Getting to the end of this interview haha, Two by Four video

*note: Van said he was kidding, but honestly I think I had too many questions haha*

Who are you going to vote for on the coming election?

I don’t vote. I don’t pay enough attention to politics to make a valid choice. Maybe I should pay more attention but…I don’t so I don’t vote.

If you could be sponsored by any company that has nothing to do with BMX, what would it be and why?

Wawa and Yuengling. I don’t think you need to ask why.

What is something you wish you had more of in your life?

Places to ride, Money, Time. I’m not complaining about any of the above but I wouldn’t complain if I had more of that stuff either.

What is something you wish you had less of in your life?

Flat Tires, Drama. I don’t have much drama because I do my best to avoid it but I sure hate when drama finds me.

What is one thing about yourself that nobody really knows?

My first bike was a Peregrine Performer until I traded it for a Mongoose.

If you could change anything about BMX, what would it be and why?

I like to see people make more of a point to support bmx. Support the companies and the people that are giving back to bmx in some way.

Do you have any shout outs or thanks?

Samantha, My Parents, Robo, Derek Adams, Steve Buddendeck, Cory Muth, Dan Palumbo, Smurf, The entire Two by Four team, Everyone that buys stuff to help support Two by Four and keep our doors open, all my friends and anyone who has helped me out in anyway. Sorry for anyone and everyone I forgot.