Jesse Trnka Interview

The first time I heard of Jesse was probably a year or two ago on Bikeguide when I saw some of his videos and was super impressed. I really like to do a interview with a pretty unheard of person from time to time because those are the dudes who are riding for fun and have the same dreams as the rest of us who haven’t got a shot at the big leagues. So this is his interview, enjoy and let him know how you liked it!

Name:
Jesse Trnka

Location:
Waterdown, ON, Canada

Sponsors:
None

Years Riding:
Just over 5, I believe.

Your a talented kid who is under the radar. Have you ever been one to try and get sponsored at all or are you just in it for the fun?
I pretty much just do it for fun. I mean, I wouldn’t turn somebody down if they wanted to hook me up. Unless of course I wasn’t stoked on what they made and what not.

You have some good style, did you race or ride trails growing up? Or is it more or less just natural?
Thanks! I guess it’s all natural. I’ve never pushed myself to change my style of riding, or anything like that.

From the looks of it you are very into BMX, what is it that gets you so pumped up on it?
It’s pretty much the number one thing in my life, aside from friends. I couldn’t even imagine myself not riding a bike. Everything about the sport get’s me stoked. Seeing friends land new tricks and watching the sport progress. My brother also plays a large part in my love for bmx and I’m happy I got him into it. Although watching him learn stuff first try that I stressed forever, is kind of a pain.

What is your riding scene like where your from? I know there has been a few good web videos that have come out of you guys.
There’s not actually too many riders in waterdown, about six if i’m correct. It’s definately a good scene though, for the size of the town. Everybody seems to learn real quick, and isn’t very intimidated to try new things.

Do you get to travel much and where are some of your favorite places you have had the chance to ride?
Myself and my friends try to go ride new places every weekend, because riding the same park starts to get old after a while. I would have to say that my favourite park at the moment would be the new one in Brampton. I’m always down for a street session in Kitchener aswell. I’m not much of a street rider though, but I try.

Where are some places you would like to check out someday, and do you have any road trips or anything in the works soon?
I really want to go ride the Autumn Ramp Park, it looks like soo much fun. At the moment we don’t really have any major trips planned, aside from the regular weekend adventures.

How do you feel about contests? Are you into them? Do you plan on riding any anytime soon?
Contests are pretty fun. I definately enjoy the rush of competing and pushing myself to try new tricks and go higher and faster then I normally would. I was hoping on attending the Muskoka Woods jam this year, but i’ve yet to hear anything about it. Metro Jam aswell, but they are only taking a very small amount of amateur riders for some reason. So I do not think i’ll be going to any contests anytime soon.

Who or what are some of the biggest influences on BMX for you?
Pro riders influenced me before, but now the stuff they do is just insane. So I can’t really relate to it anymore. My friends have always influenced me a lot with my riding, and definately a lot more now then ever. Especially my best friend Matt Drew, i’ve known that kid my whole life and rode with him from the get go. Without riding with him, i’de have nowhere near the amount of skill i have now.

You have a pretty solid list of tricks going for you, what are some of your favorites you could never get sick of?
Thank you Kurt! I hate to say this, and kids will hate me for it, but I love tailwhips. It may be the fact that it took me soo long to learn them. I’ll never lose my love for inverts either, they just feel soo wild. I’m also a large fan of barspins.

What are some tricks that give you the most trouble?
Manual to 180. I had them on lockdown before, and now I completely suck at them. Fufanus also scare the crap out of me because I think too much about my brakes slipping.

Have you had any bad injuries riding bikes or are you pretty lucky?
Most of my injuries have occured off a bike. I believe the only ones I have from riding are sprained ankles from rolling them. Oh yea, I stretched ligaments in my knee also, from my front tire staying on the deck when I wanted to drop in from a footjam. My knee still gives me problems because I never really let it heal.

What do you think you would be up to if you never got into BMX?
I actually can’t give an answer for this, I really can’t picture myself doing anything else. I’m obsessed!

Outside of riding, what are some of your interests?
Filming definately, and making web videos. Other then that, I just hang out with friends when I’m not riding or working.

Your into filming and editing, how long have you been doing that and what got you into it?
I’ve had my camera for about two years now, which was pretty much when I got into filming and editing. Two people got me into it, Cole Dow from Waterdown, and Brad Hill from St. Catharines. I was always stoked to see their videos and editing styles.

What kind of gear do you have for filming, editing, and everything?
Nothing fancy really. I film with a VX2100, and use a death lens from time to time. As for editing, I use Adobe Premiere Pro. They get the job done.

Have you ever done any DVD’s or have any plans of doing one?
I was planning on making a full length foreverbmx video, but I kind of got sick of the whole foreverbmx thing and i’m done with it now. So that’s not going to happen anymore, but I’m sure I’ll make a dvd eventually, just from the local riding scene.

Do you go to college or anything at all, if yes what for?
No I do not, I’ve yet to figure out what I want to do with my life, aside from riding as long as I can. Some people know what they want to do, some people don’t.

What is your ideal dream job and why?
My ideal dream job would be not having a job. I guess if I really had to choose, I wouldn’t mind getting into custom car work. I love modifying and changing stuff.

Do you work at all right now and how is that?
I’m currently doing landscaping. Pulling 10 hour days at the least. Working sucks, but everybody needs money.

If you were to find a bag on the side of the road with a large sum of money in it, what would you do?
I’d make my bike completely dialed. Then I would pay back my parents so they can stop bugging me all the time. I would also go on a trip somewhere really nice. Then I’d probably save the rest.

If you could be sponsored by ANY company, bmx or non bmx related, who would you pick and why?
I’d probably have to go with Monster energy drinks. I can’t get enough of those things! I’m always thirsty when I’m riding so what would be better then free energy drinks?

What kinds of music are you into? Any good ones you think people should check out?
I pretty much listen to everything, aside from country, pop, and jazz. I’m sure there are a few other genres I’m missing, but oh well. I can’t say I have any favourites at the moment.

In your opinion what are some of the best movies out there?
If we’re talking about riding movies, I’d have to say a video that covers every aspect of riding. Every new video these days are all street, not that there’s anything wrong with that. They are still very amusing to watch. So yea, a video with park, street, and dirt is what I enjoy watching most.

If you could have any super power, what would it be and why?
Having an insane amount of strength to use when you want, would be amazing. Being able to go invisible would also be incredible.

What are some things you would like to accomplish in the next few years?
I wouldn’t mind having my career figured out within a few years. Winning the lottery would be great too, but like that is going to happen.

What is some of the best advice you have ever been given?
Stop being a bitch and land the trick. That one is pretty high up there in good advice. That, or the constant “Do it, you won’t.” from my friends.

What kind of advice do you have for kids looking to get into filming, editing, and BMX in general?
When it comes to filming and editing, do your RESEARCH first. Know what you really want and what product is going to meet your needs. As for riding, if your looking for a bike, go to your local bike shop or even check out the internet, there’s always somebody who is willing to help a new guy out. Also, do not be intimidated by the other bikers at the park or riding spot, they aren’t going to bite your head off. If you ask nicely they might even give you advice on tricks and techniques.

Do you have any shout outs or thanks?
I definately have to thank you Kurt, for giving me the oportunity to do this interview. My fellow bike riders and friends ofcourse. My brother Zack. My parents for driving me everywhere, before I had a car. There’s probably more.

Anything else you would like to say?
My last name is spelt properly, with only one vowel. Never be afraid to try new things. Thank you.