Whip's Basement

Matt Lolli and I rode with Whip in his basement Tuesday night. It was a fun time, I posted some pics of myself and Lolli.
Tyrant's Flickr
Matt also has some really great pics up courtesy of his new fish eye lense
Matt Lolli's Blog

Wallride off a plastic P.O.S. Walmart kick ramp

Artsy fartsy session

So Matt and I rode a little street tonight and I shot a good amount of artsy fartsy photos. There really wasn't any trickery going down tonight, we just rode to get out and get some air. Matt was pulling some rad mega spins and i was using my ghost powers again. It was nice to get out and pull some trickery with the camera instead of on the bike for once. I posted some pics on Tyrant's Flickr, but most of its artsy fartsy.

Matt in the midst of a late night harbor ledge session

Another Weekend, Another Begin Ramp Session

So another cold weather weekend has passed us by and still the Begins ramp is in great riding condition. Even though we got a few inches of snow this week, the backyard mini was bone dry (thanks to some huge tarps.) We built a sub box and had it at various heights throughout the day which made for a fun session. Brandon was going off as usual, and Steve was riding well, pulling some nice stalls on the sub. A good time was had by all, especially with the temperatures a little on the rise. Thanks again guys!

Steve with a tire tap on the sub


Brandon with some serious extension on his footplant

Random News

So I feel the need to post a message about how angry I am that it snowed when I have 4 days off from work. So much for riding everyday!!! On the bright side, BMX ripper Don Pavelka (as seen on my blog and Tyrant's Flickr.) has his own blog now, check it out. Don's Blog. Don and his roommate Craig ride a ton so expect to see so rad photos from their local Rhode Island scene.

Little ripper

So Steve, "Tiny Tyrant's" dad, sent me a few pics of the little ripper. I was told that after we left Wethersfield last Sunday Brandon was carving the bowl super high and super fast in the deep end, these pics are proof. Dont forget this bowl is 8 feet in the deep end and tuck slightly over-vert. In addition, Brandon is 11 years old, like 4 feet tall, and rides a 16 inch bike.

Stylish carve near the coping


Any higher and he'll be airing it out

Photos

From here on out I will be only photographing close friends I ride with. You see, some coward decided to send me an anonymous comment on Flickr complaining that I am photographing people who don't want to be photographed and/or posted on the net. I always look at the photos I shoot as a great was to support the local scene and promote the sport and riders in our area. Apparently "on numerous occasions" I've posted pictures of people who didn't want to be on the net. The usual crew that is at the local parks are really cool about photos and I know most everybody. I guess this one weenie has no social skills and cannot approach me and ask me not to photograph him. Speak up, be a man!

You couldn't ask for a nicer day in November!

Today was gorgeous and I made it a point to get out the door early and over to Wethersfield. The park was as dead as I've seen it since it opened. When I showed up at 10:45 there were 13 people there and it was actually possbile to ride a good line without getting snaked. The Begins shows up and Brandon had everyone talking. I know I've said it time after time, but that 11 year old rides better that half the kids at the park. He pulled a nice 3 foot gap to feeble grind and was pumping the bowl higer than I was. There was a whole crew there riding today and its was a super fun session. I rode all day so I only took 20 mins. out to shoot a little film.....I posted it on Tyrant's Flickr.


Nolan Parent airing out of the bowl in my face

Wethersfield at night

Brayn A. and I decided to head out riding again early in the night and Wethersfield for a quick dark session. Just like earlier in the day, Bry was riding fast as hell and going big. Check out the few photos I took.
JUST A HEADS UP TO EVERYONE, WETHERSFIELD IS NOW SUPERVISED FROM 9-5 ON THE WEEKENDS and 2-5 WEEKDAYS BY THE PARKS & REC. AND HELMETS ARE MANDATORY!
I know a lot of you guys don't wear them, but if you don't have one they're not letting you in.

Flirting with death! Helmetless high speed air out in the bowl


Bry's look backs are getting better!

Session at "Tiny Tyrant's" backyard ramp

Bryan Arnwine and I got invited to go ride "Tiny Tyrant" Brandon Begin's backyard mini for a little session today. We had a good time and lot of serious trickery went down. What we've been using as a wallride for that past few weeks appeared to be a huge sub-box to Bryan. He proceeded to pull all kinds of tricks out and fuf'ed the box on the second try. I thought I was doing pretty good pedal stalling it and double pegging it, but he upped the stakes. Brandon B. was ripping as usual doing some awesome transfers, airing out well, and even a few great tire grabs. Fun was had by all. Check out the sick pics at Tyrant's Flickr

Bryan fufanuing Brandon's wallride


Brandon with a tire grab fly-out

Frosty sessions begin

So its that time of year when Old Man Winter starts to chill us out and night begins at like 4:45....which is beat for skatepark riding!!! Matt, Steve A. and I decided to brave the 36 degree temps. and ride a little street. It ended up being a fun session full of cool tricks and new spots we've never thought of riding....and I've been riding Middletown for 5 years! Be sure to check out Matt Lolli's Blog in a few days after he gets his film developed and posted, he shot a lot of pics with his new fisheye lense. I posted some shots on Tyrant's Flickr. Just a heads up, the whole crew will be out riding all weekend. Sunday is going to be in the 50's and we'll be at Wethersfield all day. Stop by and support Tyrant BMX, I have a ton of product with me including the new hoodies!

Steve A. fakie tree ride

Wethersfield on a Sunday....again

So I rode all day today, from 10 am to 8 pm. I started off at Wethersfield, met the Begins and D Whip at Newington for a few hours, then went back for a session under the lights at Wethersfield. I'm getting more comfortable on the bike now that I'm 2 days in, but most of all I'm just happy I'm riding at all. Check out the pics from today on Tyrant photos published on Flickr.

Brandon Wyz.... airing out the 1/4 under the lights

Back on the bike

So I got the docs ok to ride again and I am psyched. I bought a mouth guard for extra safety and I was off to the park bright and early today. I rode Wethersfield for an hour or so, but it was so mobbed I had to leave. I headed over to the Begin's for the second weekend in a row and I actually got to ride this time. Let me tell you, Brandon gets better by the day. The kid is 11 and his wall slaps were higher than mine today (look at the wall slaps he did today and look back at last weekends photos. He gained like 2 feet in height in a week!) I was happy to land a fakie wall slap and a smith wall stall. It was so nice to ride again and spend the day with a good rider and good friend.

"Tiny Tyrant" with a darkside one footer


Wall slapping 2 feet higher than last weekend


Airing out on a sweet transfer from the 5 to 6 footer


Fakie Wall Slap - Photo by Brandon Begin

More Wethersfield photos

If you are interested in checking out some more photos from the Wethersfield session on Sunday Matt Lolli has been posting some on his blog bit by bit. Patience is a virtue, he shoots real film and it takes time to develop! Matt Lolli's Blog.

Wethersfield on a Sunday

Since I haven't been "cleared to ride yet" (which I think is B.S.!) I have been the ultimate paparazzi at the skatepark. I headed up to Wethersfield late on Sunday afternoon with D. Whip, Steve A. and Matt Lolli to shoot some film while they rode . It turned out that the park was totally infested with riders and skaters, but a lot of huge tricks were still thrown down. I got a bunch of great shots, go check them out Tyrant photos published on Flickr.

The park opened a week ago and its been a mob scene ever since

So I had this idea to go riding this weekend, but my doctor, friends, family, and Jess shot it down really quick. I was told to stay off the bike for 4 weeks and its only been 3, so the waiting game goes on. With this ridiculous weather I knew Wethersfield would be packed so I headed over and shot some film of Schmidt. Tomorrrow, Sunday the 6th, a lot of people are headed over to ride so come on down...I'll be snapping photos. After the park we went and visited "Tiny Tyrant" Brandon Begin and the family and watched him shred his backyard ramp. This kid isn't even a teenager yet and he is a total ripper!

Scmidt with a gap to manual


Schmidt airing out the 6 foot tranny


Brandon with a footplant on his wallride


"Tiny Tyrant" with a wallslap.....I just learned those a few years ago!


Smith wall stall to fakie

Back on the bike...well kinda

So I got my bike back from Jimmy at Black Magic Bikes and the custom sparkling military green paint job he did for me is awesome! I figured if I was going to be laid up for a while and off the bike, why not get it re-painted...it had like 7 layers of paint of it. I have seen Jimmy's work before, because he did some custom jobs for Pedal Power customers and they came out great. Check out his website and shoot him an e-mail for a quote, his work it top notch! Black Magic Bikes. So my evening was spent putting the bike back together and fine tuning it. I also upgraded a few parts and when all was said and done it came in at 28.13 lbs. Light and responsive, yet strong as hell! Check it out, it came out great!

Crazy autumn nights

So I shot straight out to the new Wethersfield Skatepark after work tonight to pick up Matt Lolli's new Deuce Deuce frame from Buckler. To my suprise the guys had halogen lights running off about 200 feet of extension cords from a nearby shed and we're still riding hard. I took a few picks of the action, this place looks really fun......I wish I was healed up and riding again! I also wish these guys had helmets on. One crash in that bowl and their going to be looking worse than me after my incident!

Brandon Wyz..... airing out of the oververt bowl


Bongi at the lip of the 8 foot oververt deep end


Buckler also flirting with death near the lip of the over-vert 8 foot end