TILL THE WHEELS FALL OFF

If you asked 10 year old me what I would be doing in my 30’s I probably would have just looked at you with a blank face, staring into oblivion, wondering  about all the possibilities that infiltrated my head while watching cartoons. But still no answer. I definitely wouldn’t have imagined that one day I would have been asked to stand up in front of a room full of academics and professionals to speak about my two wheel passion.  Earlier this year I joined such a group for a ‘Pechkucha Night’, ‘Pechkucha’ is a presentation style in which 20 slides are shown for 20 seconds each. How hard could it be I initially thought… VERY!

My love for BMX runs deep, there are so many things to talk about, so many adventures I’ve been on. Do I start with my reaction when I first saw metal pins sticking out of my wrist after surgery, or riding a 20ft wide storm drain in the middle of Melbourne? Exploring abandoned buildings in search for something new and unique to ride or the time my bike got stolen and it felt like my whole world collapsed? 

After digging through a couple of terabytes of photos I realised one thing is for sure, injuries aside, (because even then we found a way to keep ourselves entertained) there has never been a shortage of laughs with a group of amazing people I’m so lucky to call friends family!

It all started for me when my parents bought me my first bmx bike, I was 6 years old, and they learned real quick that sitting still wasn’t going to be a skill I was going to be any good at.

Co-ordination was and still isn’t a strong point for me,  so it was a real surprise when I learnt how to ride a bike without side wheels when I was 10, thanks to Ben a childhood friend, who’s only bit of advice was ‘hold on’… And hold on I did because little did I know what a ride I was in for. Ben was also responsible for introducing me to the track.

My early years at the track are the ones that shaped who I am now. I was the runt of the pack, the guy who would land 1 in 5 jumps, but that determination earned me a little respect with the older guys and I was part of the ‘crew’. During this era we’d wear this full body armour, full face helmet and think we’re indestructible. That fuck it mentality, the energy between us is what attracted me so much to this culture.

We would scout out empty plots of land to build jumps because you can never have enough ramps. Our first creations where 2 foot high 4 foot long death traps, we had no idea what we where doing… but we where free to figure it out our selves and that was fun.

The more time I spent at the track the more I got involved with the day to day running of the club, but I felt that we where a little cut off from what was going on globally and I wanted to try change that. By my mid 20’s BMX was my life and I did everything I could to avoid having to have a full time job, I was determined to commit as much time as possible to this thing I loved so much. So I started organising events, filming videos and channeling what ever I saw that inspired me from around the BMX world and gave it our twist.

PHOTO BY: BEN BORG CARDONA

A major influence in my life both on and off the bike was Dave, an Ozzy Maltese dude who moved here to study and brought his BMX with him. He had a racing and dirt jumping background with all this ozzy knowledge which fuelled my desire to create.

PHOTO BY: BEN BORG CARDONA

Like I said.. there was always something new to build. I remember going through one of my favourite magazines and coming across this crazy ramp setup this rider had built in his backyard. There where dirt jumps, a trampoline, a half pipe, even a slide that went from the terrace of one of the bed rooms down to the jumps. I never imagined that was possible… but when I saw it, it made perfect sense. This was the beginning of the dream!

MATT BERRINGER’S (OLD) HOUSE 

Australia has played a significant role in my two wheel adventures. I met Erm’s through Dave and for the first few years we only knew each other online, exchanging photos of our two wheel adventures then later on meeting up on riding trips. He’s been carving and shaping the most prestine looking setting of jumps that I have ever seen, all on his own for well over a decade! Irregardless of our geographic location our friendship only seems to grow every time we speak. His motivation and work ethic are something I find very inspiring. This is another awesome thing I’m grateful for… the friendships I’ve made through BMX, through this desire to wanting to ride and explore I’ve made some of my closest friends.

The Toneyard crew are another awesome connection I was lucky to make through BMX. A group of dirt jumpers from the outskirts of Liverpool. I have so many memories with these guys that it feels like I’ve known them forever, but the reality is that I only meet them for a week once a year. Visiting them has become somewhat of a pilgrimage for me, I’d already be looking forward to my trip back, on my flight home. Even though on my last trip I knocked my self out on the first day and almost lost a nut! But that’s a story I won’t get into.

I will get into this crazy trip I was on for my best friends bachelors once again… Australia. Luke the friend getting married had lived on this property for 3months, and hidden away in the forest was this place… I was instantly consumed, it wasn’t a riding spot, but a space where one would get away, and thats where I thought wow, I had been looking for this answer for a while, and it was right there in front of me. Build your own fun... thats where I decided I was going to turn my dream into a reality.

I’m a graphic designer by profession because of BMX, because of this interest I had in wanting to create my own BMX publications which then spiralled into other things. GoodCleanFun provides me with an outlet where I’m able to channel my interest in design, photography or film through this culture that I am passionate about. From my cut and paste newsletters mimicking BMX magazines to being a designer in an agency… I can assure you my dad didn’t see this one coming….

I was 14 when I saw first saw that backyard with all the ramps and it would be something I’d think about daily for 17 years… you’re probably thinking wow, how specific! But I remember every little detail of that day from what I was wearing to the feeling in the pit of my stomach as I signed on the dotted line for a piece of land… holy shit..this is really happening!.. What a feeling!  Ohhh and my wrist was broken too at the time!

I came really close to developing tourettes that morning, if it where up to me I would have started building that day but I had to wait for my cast to come off… Instead I walked around the property, sitting in different locations imaging all the possibilities that lay in front of me. 

Freestyle is a term associated with BMX. It referred to the way individuals rode their bikes differently to racers in the early years of BMX. The mantra behind Freestyle meant that you where free to do what you want and how you wanted to as long as it left you with a big smile. That freedom allowed early pioneers of BMX to come with insane tricks, airs thus giving birth to a whole new meaning of what it meant to ride a bicycle.

Growing up with minimal facilities my friends and I where always been good at finding alternatives and water jumping was a real fun alternative. It allowed us to try riskier tricks with slightly less consequences. Again… doing it our own way… together, that process is pretty much what we are going through now with our latest project.

My most memorable riding experiences involve DIY setups, I appreciate the process that goes into building something. The feeling of building something with your friends and then riding it, creates this special bond. 

Brandon grew up riding & building jumps with me, he is a natural…., Riding just comes to him and he makes it look so easy. The flip was something we spoke about for years and dreamt of having a session where we would both do it together. With this space we where closer than ever, but I’ve been recovering from a pretty heavy crash for the last year. 

After a weekend of digging, and with one of the first jumps taking shape, he coud’nt contain his excitement. Come Monday afternoon, while we where all at work, Brandon took the afternoon off and pulled his first flip. Having him do this for the first time at Casa De Fun Fun, irregardless of wether he was the first to do it or not, means a lot to me.

This place is a culmination of everything BMX I have ever been exposed to, with it’s sole purpose to provide a space where creativity be it on the bike or off the bike can thrive.

23 years of BMX and it’s still the first and last thing I think about everyday, looking forward to my next ride. I come across the odd fool or two who ask me hey, when are you going to stop? why would you want to stop doing something thats opened so many doors, introduced you to so many amazing people and taken you on so many adventures?  I can’t wait to see whats next.