Rode Sheep again two days ago. It needs some rain pretty bad. I was jumping this line called Spoon and my hand fell off in air over the 2nd set and I landed like a bull rider and did a big knee plant. I got lucky to not get any skin ripped off but I was so filthy afterwards. Was riding no shirt and was basically mud....
Yesterday I drove over to Bellflower for gate practice and they had closed the track already for the national this weekend in Phoenix. What a bummer. One of the reasons I left Vegas is because the tracks were always closed for one reason or another. I'll let Bellflower slide though, because the people who run the place are some of the nicest people in BMX.
So I haven't rambled for a while and yesterday I talked to one of my friends from the ABA for an hour or so, I'll leave his name out of it so he doesn't have to hear shit for it. We started talking about the incident in Guthrie which I won't go into, but about how parents are so quick to point the finger at us pros for being "bad examples." "So and so is supposed to be a role model and they did this and that." I read it on message boards all the time. Two guys get into a fight in the parking lot and all the sudden they are such bad examples. No I don't necessarily agree with fighting in the parking lot but what I do agree with is this: Parents, teach your kids right from wrong, be positive role models in your kids lives and don't point the finger at anyone else for the choices that your kids make. Here's an example that I don't have a problem being judged about. When Khalen and I were leaving the arena in Columbus, Khalen was sitting on his bike but walking it with one foot on the pedal and one foot on the ground as his hands were full with gear bag and helmet. I was behind him walking my bike. As we get out of the arena and are walking through the corridor, this security guard with an attitude comes at Khalen for riding his bike and then comes at me and I'm not even on my bike. We gave him attitude back, and he said something about our mom like a smart ass and my last words were, Go F*&k yourself. Well, I get this e-mail from a parent that was walking behind me and he's not psyched on the way we handled ourselves in that situation, but what people don't realize is we're only human and the only guy who races BMX that is a perfect role model in all aspects of life is Stumpy.
The reason I write this, is because I look back at my childhood growing up. When I was 11 I started skateboarding. I was pretty good and ran around with a lot older kids back then. I remember I wanted to be just like them, I wore the same clothes as them, I skated with this pro named Rick Jaramillo and even would ride his signature decks. We all hung out at this arcade in Boulder City and the older crowd was all into drinking and smoking cigarettes. I was right there in the mix but I knew right from wrong and I knew who I was and that comes from proper parenting. I never drank alcohol until I was 21. Ask anyone. I tried chewing tobacco when I was like 12, more as a joke than anything and threw up on myself. I've always thought cigarettes were disgusting but all the guys I looked up to as a youngster were doing it. When I was talking to my friend, he made a good example that he's had complaints from parents about the Tangent crew way of life. "Those guys drink beer and that isn't a good example..." Well, beer is legal to drink when you're 21. Most parents drink beer. Anyway, the moral of the story is raise your kids right, and don't point the finger at anyone but yourself. Have a good weekend. _dB