BMX UNION

Name:
Al DiMino

Location:
Pennsylvania

You have been repping MirraCo a lot lately, what do you got going on with them?
Long story short..went to interbike in 06 seen the red blend pro frame ,talked with the Mirraco reps and Bart de Jong from Fatbmx for a bit about the Mirraco products. Afew months passed and I received a call from Mirraco and they said they liked what I do for bmx and were sending me a frame and bars. I recently am riding a 20.25 blue blend.

What have you been up to lately, I noticed you just at a jam the other day?
SICK! BMX massacre contest at h-town was a fun time. Teams, made up of 4 riders competing made it very entertaining. Nothing but goodtimes. My team won the event took home the trophy.

Are you still working full time, or do you have more time to ride now days?
I been working a full time job, the medical coverage is the only plus on that deal but it still doesn’t cover all expenses. I’m trying to knock down some medical bills ya know. As far as riding ,during the week I ride street for a bit usually with a few locals then off to my night job. I ride the whole weekend and hit up as many spots as possible.

I saw you were rocking a full face lately, how come?
After getting my grill smashed on the trails and took a few slams on the head I kinda figured its time to take a break away from the emergency room. I had a couple of concussions so I am just playing it safe.

What are some of the things you got planned over the winter?
To keep on shreddin of course. Gonna plan a road trip for a vacation week and visit a few spots I’ve never rode.

It seems like there has been a few new videos of you up on the internet lately, are you working on any video parts or anything?
I would like to have a solid riding video but I never seem to have a cameraman present when I’m riding. I really need to hook up with someone with a good camera and shoot some footy. Sometimes I get some footage but its not hi def quality and just edit it to share with riders on internet.

Do you have any bmx invasion projects planned?
I have to start promoting the next bmxinvasion bike battle contest #8 in a few more weeks . The location is undecided at this time. Recenty brought back the BMXinvasion t shirts ,the whip design is becoming a favorite on the streets. Just wanna say that BMXinvasion is about promoting fun. I hope to keep it alive as long as I can. Its been nothing but good times for sure.

Rumor has it Spider Man was seen doing flairs on your bike the other day, are you guys friends or what?
I don’t want to disclose the identity of spiderman but lets just say I know him very well and he likes to borrow my ride once in while…. hahah

What are some of the new stuff your working on, I saw a turndown flair recently didn’t I?
yep the flair turn down got that dilaled in , I try to learn a trick then work on adding a combination. I have been also working on some bar spin stuff.




You post up on Bikeguide.org a fair amount, what do you think about forums like those?
Bike guide as well other bmx forums are full of general knowledge, I like reading reviews of new parts looking a bike checks . I also enjoy the feedback haha theres times when you get the haters putting in their 2 cents in but its all good.

Where are some of the places you have gotten to ride this year?
Baltimore dew tour was the best and theres been a bunch of riding spots around the tri state area I’ve been shreddin lately.

Are there any places you haven’t been that you would like to see?
I’d like to visit europe, places like Musso trails in France. I’d like to make a euro tour if I can swing the funds.

What kind of music are you into?
Anything that makes me go crazy, heavy metal is always on my play list.

What are some things you would like to accomplish in 08′? How about in the next 5 years?
I’d like to travel to a few places the midwest scene is bangin. Like to meet up with some riders like Dustin Griess from interbmx, Art D’Ambrosio from lake own camp and of course you and your crew. Who knows what the future will bring but I am thinking about college maybe get a few credits to have in the bank for a future job. I really would like to keep my energy involved somewhere in the bmx industry.

Who are some people you would like to ride with you haven’t had a chance to yet? I’ve been riding woodward about once a month and been sessioning with the big names in bmx so much fun those guys they push each other break balls its sure is good times when they’re around. I walk in and theres Jamie Bestwick pointing his finger at me says this is for you and he pulls a doulblewhip flair haha so good. But one person that comes to mind to ride with is Mat Hoffman

Any thanks or shout outs?
My folks who are always supportive. Team Manager Abe Ford who is one rad dude. Mirraco bikes for the frames , Long distance shout out to Rob Harrison in Germany at Fuse protection WTP head quarters for providing me with the best safety gear. All the bmxinvasion fans, supporters and riding buddies. West coast holla to Ricky ratt and Ryan Barspinner and the list can go on an on.

Any last words or things you would like to add?
If you are involved in BMX and you are not doing everything you can to make people happy about BMX and make them want to be involved in BMX, then you are a detriment to this sport. Invade the scene in your own way and have fun.

BMXinvasion

Brian is one of the guys I have met a few different times, hes always been a super nice guy, and rides like a champ! I have always looked up to Brian’s riding so when I had the chance to get this interview I was more than stoked. This is what he had to say.

Name:
Brian Kachinsky

Location:
hometown: Neenah, WI current location: Chicago, IL

Sponsors:
DK bicycles, Etnies, UGP, Cti

You were down in Florida, were you there for just baco, or was there other stuff going on?
Yes, I was here for the latest installment of Baco jams. As per usual this one did not disappoint. I was also here visiting the folks at UGP and shooting for their next catalog. It’s been a fun-filled trip to say the least.

You seem to be everywhere now days, where else have you been lately?
It’s been a crazy summer/fall as far as travel goes. I’ve been to Europe three times in the past 3 months (Rebel Jam, Mega tour and T-mobile contest), Salt Lake, Vegas, all around the Midwest and next week New Jersey.

Your signature frame from DK came out recently, how do you feel about that?
It’s crazy. Not only do I have a bike I’m super psyched on but it’s been out for a little while now and I’ve had the pleasure of hearing tons of positive feedback on it. Hearing fellow rider’s reactions to the frame is as rewarding as riding it. I’m on a trans black one right now but the trans green might be calling my name.

(A striking resembalance between Brian and the Graffiti, the real question is whose beefier?)

Being a beast when it comes to rails, What is so appealing to you about rails, they seem to beat you up?
I think I like the challenge of rails since each one is different. There’s a sense of accomplishment when you conquer a rail you had your doubts about. Sure, some may get the best of you but there is no better feeling than getting over the fear and/or frustration.

Speaking of getting beat up, How do you get up or walk away from most of the falls you take!?
I guess I don’t really know how to answer that other than if I really want to do something I’ll try it until I pull it or can’t try it anymore for some reason. I try to take care of myself as well. I try to keep strong and healthy in whatever way I can without going overboard. I’ve had ACL reconstruction in both knees now and countless other injuries and my body still feels surprisingly good. I don’t have the patience to sit in a gym all day long but I don’t mind doing stuff that might allow me to ride for as long as I can. (yoga, knee and shoulder exercises, eating well, etc). I’d rather just ride but when one part of your body is broken that’s not always an option.

you moved from Wisconsin to Chicago recently, was there any reason in particular?
I have lived in Wisconsin my whole life and I felt like it was time for a change. I grew up in Neenah and went to college in Madison so I was never too far out of my element despite traveling a lot. Traveling is also way easier from Chicago, two major airports and a fairly central location allows me get places easier than before. A lot of friends from college as well as my lady live in Chicago so that makes easier to call it home. My parents are still only 3 hours away so I can still visit them often, which is a plus. I’ve been to a ton of big cities but always wondered what it was like to live in one. It’s just another thing I’ve wanted to experience in life so here I am!

At Kevin Porter’s wedding, you guys met Gene Simmons, how did that all happen?
I walked through the doors of the Hard Rock (after Kevin and Chelsea got married at a resort across the street) and there he was in all his glory. He had a few people around him and I debated whether or not to go say hi. After thinking for a second I just dropped in and went for it. We chatted for a bit and snapped a pic or two. He offered to buy me a drink; I replied with “I wanna rock n roll all night and party every day”. He obliged and the night commenced.

A while back if I remember right, you were going to college, did you ever get to finish or did riding take over?
I did graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison a couple years ago with a bachelors in Consumer Affairs in Business. It doesn’t seem that long ago but the past couple years have been filled with a lot of riding, travels and experiences. I had blast in school and the work hard/play hard philosophy many embrace in Madison made for a great 4 years. I do utilize my degree every day but not really in the traditional way most people use it. I’m glad I finished school because it was a huge challenge balancing that and riding/traveling. Along with that, I will always have the degree now and can use it however/whenever I want.

What is your favorite story you have involving you and catfish?
Hmmm, that’s like going to Baskin Robbins and having to only choose one flavor, so hard to pick just one and none of them are anywhere close to vanilla.

Do you have any new video parts or anything coming up?
Yeah, I’m working on a Props interview with Stew Johnson at the moment. So far luck hasn’t been going my way but I’m sure things will turn around. We don’t have a deadline but I’m really exited to work with Stew again. We had many great (and a couple not so great) times filming for Grounded. I respect Stew and am honored he asked me to do another project with him. I have also been working on an interview for Ride BMX that has been in the works for a little bit now as well. I have a few other smaller projects on the side but those are the big ones right now.

In the latest issue of Ride BMX, there was a pretty long article about a rail mission you and a few others went on, how did that go and do you plan on doing any other trips like that anytime soon?
That trip was pretty spur of the moment and amazing. We had a great time. Road trips like that are my favorite. Take a couple of friends you like riding with hop in a car and explore new territory. I’ve done a couple trips like that since. Iowa was the most recent. That was a damn good time as well thanks to the Dubuque, Davenport and Iowa City locals. Thanks guys!

If you were going on a road trip and had to pick who would be coming, who would you pick and why?
I’d like to go on a trip with every well-known duo there ever was and see which one is really unstoppable: bonnie and clyde, beavis and butthead, snoop and dre, romeo and Juliet, bill and hillary, ren and stimpy, etc. That would be pretty interesting. Heck, throw seth and corey in them mix, they might actually come out on top!

What are some of your biggest influences in your life?
My parents, my mom is there to help whenever/wherever she can and my dad is as hard working and courageous as they come. My dad has been a huge inspiration, especially this past year. Thanks Dad.

What kind of music are you into?
That changes daily but I’d say a mix of alternative/emo, rap, classic rock/metal, I’m always looking for new stuff to listen to but I love the classics as well.

Outside of riding what are you into?
I love traveling and learning about new cultures, this covers everything from food, social norms, housing, family structure, healthcare, religion, and everything in between. I’d like to learn more languages to go along with all of that. Other than that I like to hang out and catch up with friends inside/outside of BMX and meet new ones. I always want to be trying something new or learning about something new whenever possible.

Since you have moved to Chicago, has your coffee intake increased due to Kevin?
Haha, my coffee intake has been quite high for a while now but Kevin did fuel it by giving me free coffee when he was working. He moved to Austin recently so I’m going to miss his coffee making skills and of course riding with him.

Any big trips or things planned that your excited for?
Yes, Red bull Down N’ Dirty contest next weekend in NJ will be fun I’m sure. I am also going to Tulsa in November and the X-Games in Dubai in December. I’m sure other trips will come up in between those but those are the ones set in stone. There will be a trip or two with Stew Johnson mixed in there as well. I’m super exited about those.

Do you have any shout outs or thanks?
Yes, always! Thanks DK, UGP, Etnies and Cti for being awesome. My family, everyone I ride with and travel with. Everyone who does or has rode a BMX bike and of course BMX union for doing this interview!

Brian sent me this clip also to go with the interview. Manly would be an understatement

I don’t exactly remember when I met Bink for the first time, I think it was when he showed up at a small indoor park we used to have here in Rochester Minnesota, I always remembered seeing and hearing stuff about him on the old twin cities bmx website. Since then I have had many more chances to ride with him, and he always has some crazy trick like backwards hang nothings to do or a crazy story about him hooking up with a grandma. I remember once I called him and he was in like ohio.. then a few days later I called and he was in canada or something.. Now that he lives in Arizona I am more than stoked to ride with him when theres an oppertunity.. heres his interview along with some questions that his friends asked since mine were pretty weak.

Name:
David Quinn Seavey, but mostly known as Bink.

Location:
The Couch, Tempe, Ariz0na

Your going to school down in Arizona, what are you going for?
To learn things. More specifically, about film and media.

You are usually traveling all over, but who are more of the regular people you ride with?
Uh, it depends. Everyone has their own schedules, so not too many big sessions go down, but I ride with Looofah, Ryan Chadwick, Frank, Nate, EVT, Derek Riggs, Greg Litecky, DJ Migs, or whoever is down to ride bikes.

Last I checked you were filming for some video parts, which ones?
Nothing specific right now, but I am saving some clips for the BMXFU vid, That Counts. I will probably have some web videos of myself and some of my friends this winter when I can film more. I plan to start a web portfolio for my video projects, including riding, short films and maybe some music videos.

Do you prefer to call them barspins, or slingaz?
I call them Lynchbergs.

When I recently talked to you, you had mentioned you had a few new tricks you were doing, care to share what those would be?
Variations of bump jumps, pedal grinds and Lynchbergs. For specifics, you’ll have to get the BMXFU vid.

Out of all of the places you have been, where is your all time favorite place to ride?
I don’t really have an all time favorite, but some of the places I’ve liked the most have been Vancouver (in general), Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Boulder, CO, Ohio State Campus and Toronto (in general). My favorite thing to ride changes daily.

Top 5 places you would suggest for people to road trip to?
See above.

I threw out the rest of Kurt’s questions and asked a few of my friends to contribute…

Kyle Stark’s Interview for Bink

Name the ages of the youngest and oldest women you ever made out with and did they call you daver?
12 and 50. I was 12 when I made out with the 12 year old, and the 50 year old was last year at a Halloween party in her gigantic house. She has a daughter that’s older than I, and she’s old enough to be my grandma, but who doesn’t look up to the MILF hunter? I attached a pic to show that I’ve got standards.

True/False- You once had sex with a beyond questionable female for a profit of seven US dollars.
That would be true. It was worth it for the comedic value and I came out of it unscathed. Besides, she wasn’t all that bad, especially when I was drunk.

John Proppe’s Question

If you could fuck one dude, who would it be, and where?
and i mean both location and which oriface.
I don’t care who he is, as long he doesn’t have teeth. I think that satisfies both questions…oh and it would be under a waterfall in South America.

Zach Smith’s questions

Who fell off harder, Steven Hamilton or Christopher Reeves?
Well, Reeves went from Superman to paralyzed and Hamilton went from famous BMX pro to infamous drugged-out moron.
My vote is for Reeves.

Would you let a pro’s girlfriend suck your jagon?
May have already occurred, no further comment.

Who is more influential to modern street, Ian or Butcher?
Kevin Robinson.

Why hasn’t Ice Money came up?
Because he kept it real.

What is the worst event to happen to BMX in the past five years?
The tweaker, multiple whip-fontflip-do-as-many-tricks-as-possible phenomenon. It’s so gross.

Who is more likely to hate Jews, Markus Wilke or Tobias Wicke?
Probably Mel Gibson

Name:
Fat Tony

Location:
Originally Luling, Louisiana (a small town about 20 miles outside of New Orleans), then Baton Rouge for the 5 years after high school, and now Long Beach, California where I’m living my dream.

Where do you work and what do you do?
I work for Transworld RideBMX Magazine. I’m the Associate Online Editor. I shoot photos, film and edit videos, do interviews, write stories, and post content to our site, RideBMX.com. I also do freelance photography, graphic design, and writing whenever opportunities arise. With that said, send more work my way! (www.thafat1.com)




Did you ever imagine you would work for RideBMX?
I remember sitting in yearbook class during my senior year of high school when I realized I could lay out pages for a BMX magazine like I was doing for my school yearbook and have a career that I loved, involving BMX. I went to school for graphic design, but always had the mindset of, “After college, I’m packing up and moving to SoCal and doing whatever it takes to work at Ride.” I eventually realized that doing graphic design for a magazine wouldn’t allow me to travel, so I shifted my focus to photography and editorial. I thought about working at Ride every day for more than four years before I got the call from Keith Mulligan asking if I’d be interested in a job. I believe what you think about, focus on, and work for will become your reality. I never had any doubt that I’d work at Ride. I still consider it a literal “dream come true,” and am always thankful for what I have. After going through the process I did to get here, I can’t say I’m “surprised” or “shocked” that I’m here…just happy to have accomplished my goal.

When got the job at RideBMX, how hard was it to move across the country and leave everything behind?
I was ready, man. I waited for that moment for so long, and I couldn’t have been more stoked. The only thing that was difficult was the situation with my girlfriend at the time. The long distance relationship was a rough deal for about eight months; then we broke up. Now I’m single and things are the way they should be. I’m learning and growing as a person every day and couldn’t be happier.
Leaving behind family and friends was a big deal, but by the time the move actually happened, I was mentally prepared. Once I got out here, Jeff Zielinski helped me out a lot. He played a huge part in keeping me sane while not knowing many people in the area. I can’t thank him enough for being the great friend he has been.

Since you’re in California, how does your website,www.LouisianaBMX.com stay updated?
I launched the original design of that site nearly five years ago on my birthday. And since I’m a sucker for tradition and schedules, I redesigned it every year and launched the new versions on my birthday. Last December, after living in California for a few months, I redesigned the site once and for all, turning it into a simple blog. I gave access to the blog to several riders around Louisiana to keep it alive. I post on there every once in a while with random stuff, but I don’t plan on doing anything more with it at this point besides maybe give more people access to update it. The site was “my baby” for a long time, and I’m really stoked on how it worked out for so many years.

What is the best part about working for Ride?
Well, there is the obvious answer, that I love and relate to the work I do. But besides that…Traveling, hands down! If I didn’t get to travel, I don’t think I would work there. BMX and seeing the world is where my passion lies, and I don’t want a job that doesn’t involve both of those things. Getting to experience new things is the best. And when the company you work for pays you to do it, even better! Some people may not realize it, but when I’m on a trip, I’m getting my salary and the company is paying for my food and stuff, so I’m not even spending my salary! If I could be on the road or traveling for months at a time, I would do it. (Even if I had to pay for my own food! Haha.)
The next best thing is getting hooked up from different companies. I’m always super grateful when I get free clothes, shoes, bike parts, or whatever. And knowing that it helps that company allows me to graciously accept the products without feeling guilty for taking something for nothing.

How does a typical day go for you?
Overall, thee are no “typical” days. If the days become “typical” for more than a week, I start to get real antsy and freak out mentally. Luckily I have the freedom to change up my days so I don’t fall into a strict routine and lose interest in what I’m doing. With that said…
Office day: Wake up at 8, leave the house at 9, be in the office at 9:30. Check emails, post news/press releases on the site, then look at my “to do” list. Some days I may edit videos all day, other days I look at all the photos in my folders and figure out who I want to do interviews or features with. Then I write up all the questions or whatever and send out a bunch of emails. And of course, build stuff for the site. Office days are typically boring, but at least it is still BMX. I try to leave the office at 4:30 or 5 and hope to beat traffic.
Work from home day: Wake up at 8, start working at the computer by 8:30. Most of the time when I work at home it is because I know I’ll be editing videos all day or building articles—the tedious stuff I have to concentrate on to get done without distractions. When I say, “build articles,” I’m talking about taking the photos and interviews or stories and putting them into our site system. I try to build plenty of stuff in advance so my iCal is full of stuff for the upcoming week. This ensures we have something new on the site every day. When I’m at home, I usually work until 6 or 7, sometimes later. Today I worked at home all day without shoes or a shirt on. Pretty sweet.
Out of the office day: This may be covering a contest, on a road trip, or shooting/filming with people within driving distance. These are the days I’m most stoked on, even though they usually involve the most hours and work. These days are generally non-stop with shooting photos and video, and/or rushing to the computer to post something as soon as it happens, like at the Dew Tour or on Road Fools.

Do you find a lot of time to ride?
I ride as much as I want to. There may be a week or two that goes by that I don’t really feel like riding. Then there are other times that I ride several days in a row and love it. No matter what is going on, there is always time to ride if you want to. Usually if I’m in the office or working at home a lot, I’m not motivated to get out and ride after sitting at the computer all day. When I’m traveling or out shooting, I tend to have that desire more. The hard part isn’t finding time to ride, it is making that time line up with other people’s schedules that I want to ride with.

Is working for the “industry” all it is cracked up to be?
I’m not sure what others have “cracked it up to be,” but for me, it is great. I feel like I’m a part of something that I have always loved, and I really enjoy hearing what other “industry guys” have to say about things. When I’m around people like Keith Mulligan, Robbie Morales, Ian Morris, Ron Bonner, etc, I listen to everything they say, trying to soak up as much knowledge as possible. I’m definitely still new to the industry, but so far, so good. I’ve definitely become jaded, where certain things aren’t as cool or special as they used to be, but that is to be expected. Overall, I think any time you work where your passion is, it is a great thing.

Where are some of your favorite places to ride?
The most fun I’ve had in the past few years on my bike was Ray’s MTB Park on Road Fools a few months ago. I hardly picked up my camera that day because I was too busy cruising around the wooden rhythm section with a huge smile on my face!
Also, I will always consider the Louisville cement park to be a place that changed the way I look at riding. The first time I went there was my first “big” road trip; it was such an eye-opening experience. Other than that, I really love pulling up to a city I’ve never been to, taking the bike off the rack, and just cruising. That since of excitement of the new and unknown is always amazing.

How did you get the name “Fat Tony”?
Oh man, I’ve told this story more times than I can possibly count. Haha… Back in ninth grade I was riding a quarter pipe in my friend’s backyard with a group of riders in my town. Brock Gomez (who has been filming for Props recently) said he always wanted to give someone a nickname that “stuck.” Since I was the newest guy in the group, I got the name. They blurted out a handful of names, and when “Fat Tony” came out they said it sounded like a mafia name. It was funny to them because it was so unlike me. Even though my real name isn’t Tony, it stuck… It is annoying when people call me Tony since that’s not my real name. Haha. I prefer Fat, just. It is short and simple. I know some people hate me because of my name, but my friends have been calling me that for nearly ten years so, it’s what I’m used to and comfortable with. But seriously, if you don’t like it, call me whatever you want. I’m not trying to make enemies or piss people off.

Are there any new and exciting things going on around the Ride office or in general you can tell us about?
Oh man…wait ’till you see the next issue! I can’t say anything specific about it, but I’m really pumped on it. It’s a whole new layout and design, and I think people are really going to like it. It’s going to have a lot more lifestyle and culture in it, too.
With the site, we are waiting for a redesign, but I’m not sure when that will be launched. Hopefully sooner than later…We all know it is long overdue. Before the full redesign comes, there will be a new section added where people can upload their own photos and videos.
Other than that, I’m excited about something I’m working on for the magazine with Johnny Devlin. That guy is absolutely amazing and one of my new favorite riders. Hopefully the idea we are working on will surface within the next few issues.

You get a lot of emails from people submitting photos and videos, what is the best part from that, and what is the worst part of it?
This is the part of my job that I dislike the most. I can’t stand sifting through reader photos! I’ve seen 10,000 shitty photos in the past year and a half! AHH! Haha. But it’s not even the lack of quality in the photos that gets to me; it’s how lazy people are when sending stuff. You have to be professional about things if you want people to take you seriously. If you send in a few terrible photos or video grabs with no names or text in the email, how am I supposed to perceive that? On the other hand, if you send in some decent images with captions, names, and a little introduction to yourself (spelled correctly, with proper grammar, etc.) I see you as a legit dude trying to make it somewhere and I will do anything in my power to help you on your journey. But you have to put in the effort first.

What is your favorite part about living in California compared to Louisiana, or the other way around?
The best part of Louisiana was the friends, family, and food. I definitely miss a good fried seafood platter! The best part of California is the weather and endless possibilities and opportunities. There is so much going on here compared to back home, especially in our world of BMX.

What are some of your favorite riding memories?
Riding my ass off at Ray’s MTB Park during Road Fools! Also, any story from a road trip that I can tell people for years on end is a good memory. Even if it is a “bad” memory, in the long run, it is still a good one and I’m happy I had the experience. Stitches in the groin in St. Louis comes to mind as one of those “bad,” but “good” memories. Thanks to Brock Gomez for being there for that one! Haha.

Favorite websites?
I’m over them… After updating the Ride site all the time, I don’t really surf the web anymore. However, I still spend some time on MySpace and looking at other BMX sites. Of course I do the normal online stuff too like credit cards, bank accounts, airlines, etc. And when I’m not reading books about it, I sometimes research stuff about money, investing, or whatever else I’m trying to learn about at the time.

If there was one thing in this world you haven’t or can’t do, what would it be and why?
If theres something I want to do, I eventually do it. I truly believe you can do anything. Whenever I think of something new I want to do, I immediately start figuring out a way to make it happen. I have a huge, ongoing “to do” list including short-term and long-term things. Some of those are: go to Hawaii, scuba dive, paraglide (which will be checked off next month), go to France, Germany, Japan, Costa Rica, and Amsterdam (those should be checked off in ’08), become a millionaire by the time I’m 30, and be financially free by the age of 40 so I never have to work again unless I want to.

Is there any shout outs or thanks you have?
Thanks to Keith Mulligan, Jeff Zielinski, and Ryan Fudger at Ride for giving me the opportunity to work with them. Huge thanks to Jeff Zielinski for being a great friend and mentor in the crazy world known as California. Thanks to Brock Gomez for pushing me in a number of ways. Thanks to all the industry guys who talk to me (or around me) and allow me to learn from them. Thanks to Marco Massei at Props for letting me go on Road Fools and all the other companies and people who have helped make traveling possible. Thanks to all the companies that help me out with products including Fox, Odyssey, Oakley, Shadow, Nike 6.0, and a whole bunch of others. Thanks to Terry Adams for being an amazing friend. Thanks to Bobby Carter for being a friend, inspiration, and motivator. Thanks to Terry Adams and Catfish for introducing me to a life-altering way of looking at social dynamics. Thanks to my family and friends for the support. And of course, thanks for this interview and the opportunity to write so much. Hopefully a few people read it. Haha.