Here's more pics that I borrowed from Changstar.

TGO Team (L to R) Craig Gomes, Kevin Sano, Moki Fernandez, John Llacuna

Kevin Sano

Craig Gomes:

Sano:



John Llacuna:

i'm down for sunday too. are we going to make leasure's 2' tall by 14' wide whoop section?

Man, you guys rock! In your 40s and still riding???

We gotta have a reunion.

Buddy

I'm 99% sure I'm down for Sunday.You guys know "Moms Sugi" and her last minute deals.As of now,we got nothing planned for Sunday.

Why don't we make a 14' tall by 2' wide whoop section instead.I'm sure that would get "the boards" approval.Seriously though,that place needs another whoop section coming out of the other berm after the step-up.I'm down to work.Talk to Laurence about it.

I can tell you from experience, we gonna need a lot of dirt. Some planning to link stuff together would be good too. Maybe 3 straights with 2 turns linked would be totaly cool. Instaed of just 2 straights and 1 turn, maybe add on to those so we just have to build another half a section to make a big one. What are the chances of getting a Bobcat out again? If anything just to clear out more space. Should we plan to make it so 2 guys at a time could fit? Or just a single track? If we are gonna put in that kind of effort I suggest we do the Waipio spot. Less drive time means more ride and build time, plus I am getting killed on gas prices. Madusa II is just waiting to live again.

Changstar

I think we need our own spot to ride anyways.I'm sure the mtn bikers won't want the same things we want.They were allready bitching about adding one whoop.

JT of Safari Cycles sent me two killer shots. He has done so much to preserve our Hawaii BMX Roots. Here they are:

South Pacific Nationals - Factory Mongoose Rider. I'm not sure who. Could be Malver Benigno in 2nd but I am not positive.

Rockne Tang (TBS/Mongoose) leading no. 497 Stuart Saito (Safari Cycles) and no. 18 JK (Team McCully).



Check out the recent pic of Rockne in post #827. That's the same bike! Too Cool!

JK

In 2nd place is Bob Woods. He was skinny but he had a lot of technique, such a smooth rider. I think the rider in first is Jeff Kosmala. Rory

Wasup Buddy! Malvert was riding up to two years ago. He was the orginal trail maker at makakilo. He hurt his shoulder doing a double and hung it up after that. I just started riding again after seeing all this nostalgia online. We rode one sunday, I crashed and I am healing up. Takes a little longer to heal. hehe I'll be there again in a couple of weeks with protective clothing this time! What are you up to Buddy? I hope we all can get together sometime! Rory

I'm living in the San Francisco area. Been here for 14 or so years. I do have a mountain bike, but I haven't touched it in several years. I don't even know where my Mongoose BMX bike went. My father probably gave it away. I'm amazed to see Rockne's bike with the padding still looking new.

I hear you with the getting hurt and healing stuff. I'm careful with my body. I went water skiing back in 2000. Ended up with a torn rotator cuff - I didn't even fall. Just the stress of being pulled by a boat caused me to injure my shoulder. It took 5 years for it to heal. At our age, injuries are serious.

But seeing these pics does make me want to jump on a BMX bike again.

Early on in this string, I suggested a big reunion in 2009. I'd love to see everyone again.

Buddy

I loved racing on pavement. It was fast. And none of that sliding around crap like on dirt.

Aw Come on Buddy. What's not to like about racing on dirt?

Hey Buddy-- If you want to get into some kind of BMX riding, I can hook you up with some local SF Guys that come out to San Jose and ride here at the new skatepark. Maybe you guys can hook up and car pool together, chip in for gas and pay for parking. Most of the guys that ride there are 30 years and up, as for the youngsters they don't ride the park due to rules like brakes, safety gear,plastic pegs and paying to ride. Thing to is that bikes get certain hours so I kind of ride during these sessions and if I can ride somewhere else inbetween. I finally ride with Marlo for the first time today at a different park. Guy has not ridden for about 15 years and has only ridden a few time since he got a bike, but he was already trying one hander and no footed jumps from a transition to flat. Wow! very inspirational! I don't like taking any of my foot and hands off anymore, but watching him do that makes me want to try!

Then you would love todays tracks .totaly smooth and hard packed. At the permanant local tracks, much of it is paved with asphalt, usually all the turns. Some tracks pave out of the turn and up the face of the next jump. The dirt sections are so hard it is the same as concrete. When all goes well it is great. But when you go down it is the same as crashing on the street. No one even uses knobby tires any more.

Changstar

What't not to like? How about losing to Rockne in a trophy dash because I hit a patch of soft dirt going over a whoop, bogged down, and he flew right by me. I was reminded of that race in one of the DVDs you sent me.

When we raced on pavement, we put on those street tires. Pretty good grip, low rolling resistance, and you could smoke those things on hard skids.

But sure, if you lost it and crashed, it hurt like a mother...

BMX Joe,

Tell me about this place in SJ. Is there racing? Or do you guys just take over the skate park and ride? When are the BMX sessions on weekends?

I don't know that I'm ready to go riding in a skate park. But I may drive down there one weekend and check you guys out. In my days, I raced. I left the crazy stunt jumping to my brother Bo, and to the TGO guys like John, Moki and Miki. I think The Bike Shop guys were relatively sane riders.

Buddy,

I hear what you are saying about the dirt. Thats what kept guys like me in the race against faster guys like you and Rockne. I had to try and make up ground on the turns hoping you guys would wobble or slip a pedal. Which was always a possibility on the tracks we raced at.

jk

Hey Buddy, let me know where about in San fran you are and I can let you know what the next big event is happening. I think they just had a huge old school show and national race. They even raced side hacks there.

Changstar

Heres the next big one, in Norcal.

Summer Nationals - PRO Series
July 11 - 13, 2008
Roseville, CA
Oak Creek BMX

I live in Walnut Creek, just 30 minutes east of SF. Roseville I think is north of Sacramento, several hours away. I've never heard of BMX racing in the Bay Area. i don't even see kids on BMX bikes. Perhaps they have them in San Jose. I'd love to go check out a race.

BMX Joe - any racing in the Bay Area?

Loose dirt and ruts in hard packed dirt were always the wild card. That's what got me in that trophy dash. I was going over one of those whoops that was hard packed. Except there was one rut on the outside where the packed dirt crumbled and became a soft patch of thick dirt. It was like all of a sudden being in sand. It got me. I could see dirt being spit into the air by my back tire on that DVD as i tried to power out of it. Then Rock took it.

But hey, ours was a sport born in the dirt.

Speaking of sport, I just read somewhere that BMX is now an Olympic sport, and there will be races in Beijing.

So how many times did you rewind and watch that? HeeeHeeeHeee

jk

Not sure if I can make it out to HK today since it's Fathers Day. Went yesterday with the wifey though:



jk

That is so cool to have BMX as something you can do with your wife. Not many wives can understand what we enjoy about riding our little bikes. My wife raced one season, but at the time I was spending more time working on the track and running the race. So we never really got to ride together. But at least she knows what it is like to ride BMX. I will predict your wife as the future womens #1 plate holder.

Changstar

Update on HK:I was luckily able to get in some riding time today at HK with the boy.---Somebody took the last whoop out of the rythmn section.It makes the section too easy now.I could manual the first and jump the second or vice versa rather easily.Would've been more challenging to add another whoop instead of taking out one.The whole place is groomed alot nicer though.All the jumps and the bottom berm is way better.If somebody has contact with Lawrence or whoever is doing the work,I would like to offer help if I'm available.I hate to tear their stuff up and not help build it.Us BMXers are allready getting vibed by the local mtn bikers when we ride there.

Buddy--sent you pm. If me and Marlo can hook up we can go to the Santa Clara ABA track. We hooked up once so far to one of the smaller local skateparks in San Jose but await a session at Cunningham Skatepark. Skatepark and dirt riding will help with jumping, flow and pumping bike. Track will help with gate starts,sprinting and jumping/pumping through jumps and stuff as I been told. Both I think will help in endurance too. I have not experince the Bmx track part yet, but have been to few races recently to check what its all about. I do have friends that race at the track, few local riders and one I can think of (Nick Valencia) that also travels to races across the country and race both 20" and 24" class. Santa Clara Bmx track hours are:

Racing on Tuesdays - signups/practice from 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm, racing begins at approximately 7:30 pm.
Racing on Fridays - signups/practice 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm, racing begins at approximately 8:00 pm (with 20 minutes of practice after racing.
Racing on Sundays - signups/practice 11:00 am - noon, racing begins at approximately 12:30 pm (with about 20 minutes of practice after racing).

Cunningham Skatepark Bmx Hours are:

Tuesday 3:00 pm 5:00 pm
Thursday 5:30 pm 30 minutes before sunset
Sunday 9:00 am 12:00 pm

So I plan one day to try a double header! Ride skatepark first then head out to track after. Would be good for the endurance.

If you want to come out and ride let me know, I got an extra 20" Freestyle bike that you can ride, but I don't have new school race bike as of yet. I got a couple of old school race bikes though. You got my number give me a call when you can! Hopefully more Hawaii guys here will join us! With you that will make 3 so numbers are growing! In the future we can plan an Event/Reunion in Hawaii, ride and maybe race again with old friends.

I think some of the other guys take it wrong when we say something is too easy. They might think we are being big headed or putting them down. But hopefully they see it as all of us being challenged to up our skill level. Once you get a section down, it is fun for a while but you should be seeking out new challenges. So we make new or bigger jumps. The last thing you should do is make things easier. Trying to overcome your fear and survive is a rush. If things are too tame you might as well do some road biking. And it's not like we are some young crazy kids, I don't have to go into how old we all are but we still want it rad.

Changstar

For sure check out Santa Clara, I have been there. It is one of the best tracks I have seen, very fast with big jumps. They have had many big races there, maybe check it out the next time something special is going on.

Changstar

That's exactly what I think!!I rather up my skill level to make a spot/section than to mellow the section down to where I'm comfortable.Truly if you're feeling too comfortable when you ride,you're not pushing your limits and possibly not getting better.That just my $.22.
On the other hand,we didn't build that place so I'm sure they feel we have no say as what goes down there.We are merely guest in their house even though my tax money paid for it.Haha.---We need our own spot!!

anyone who remembers jt and safari cycles should recognize some of these brands.

Kev,

Sweet collection! Thanks for sharing them with us. I remember the sticker Frenzy at HRP one race. JT's gang was giving out DG stickers and pretty much got mobbed by everyone.

jk

Somewhere I have a shoe box of stickers. I can't remember what I have, maybe I better check it out.
Gonna be on vacation from work from this Sat through the next Fri.I hope to do more riding, and maybe some building. Would like to check out Royal Summit or anywhere else that is cool to ride. Guys let me know where and when you're out.

Changstar

I'll be there fellers! I'm going to race, track official, take pics for World and write the story...all in the same weekend!

-Leasure

Chang,I'm on vacation from Sunday to Tuesday.I was supposed to be fishing the whole time but I'll sacrifice one night for some riding.How about a pump track?Tuesday would probally be the best for me.Call me up later.Shootz!!

Pump track???? Do mean one that you don't pedal and just pump the backsides to keep momentum? Tues sounds good, where you wanna go? Should we start at Royal summit then maybe head to HK or the other way around? Or something else? We can sneak in some building and make the non skilled riders cry.

Changstar

Yes.For us guys that didn't evolve with the sport like you and some others,I think a pump track would do us good.BITD we use to "speed jump" instead of manualing and pumping jumps.I think for most of the older crowd,that is going to be the most challenging thing to adapt to.---If a track is ever built again,I don't want to race on some lame/easy track.If it were,it wouldn't draw enough of the younger/better riders and the track would end up closing due to lack of riders/interest anyways.Instead,I would like to up my skills to be able to ride a newer style track and hopefully not break a limb in the process.
HK is cool to ride and everything but riding that spot will get none of us ready to race.It is a damn good spot to session and I have fun riding it but in my opinion it needs more.---You know the Mililani bunch was allways known for gettting in trouble and I never did outgrow that so I'm down for sneaking in more stuff.In fact,I never did grow up period.Bring it!
I think we should hit HK early then Royal Summit after so we don't have to drive in the after work traffic from HK.
Maybe Klaus can meet us at RS after he's done with work.J should be down since he has nothing else to do but pull weeds.
Klaus,was the fiiting at HK 1/2 or 3/4 NPT to tap into the water?

I was talking to a mtn biker freind today about spots to ride around here.He told me about a spot close to my house that some guys use to ride at but not anymore.I looked at it on Google Earth and it looks good to build something.I want to go and look at the place physically.There's going to be a problem with bringing in water though.Anybody know someone who has access to a helicopter with a water basket?Haha.

Yeah having water is the key to building and maintaining. More traffic means it will dry up faster and start to crumble. Unless only a few people ride then it will last longer. But more people is more fun.

Changstar

i talked to enright yesterday, and he said that the newtown place was dozed because of homeless living there. we can start building slowly. there is a water connection by the bathrooms.
and went to hk yesterday and they moved the new whoop closer and flattened the last one. not as challenging but still fun. anyone going this weekend?

Is the Newtown spot by the rec center?I heard there was something around there.---Homeless?Isn't that the problem at Makakilo too?We should scout a bunch of spots and figure out which would be the best spot and start building allready.

I'm out as far as HK this weekend.It is easier than before but right now that's about the best spot we got to ride.I'll probally wait to see if Chang is riding on Tuesday.---BTW non need leave the fitting for me.

new bl frame inspired by TBS and TGO team riders.

Kev,

Whats the scoop? 24? Rear Chainstay length? Taking orders? Custom orders?

jk

Nice!!So did you get your frame jig yet?If that frame is for you,I like try take a hot lap with that boy when it's built.I figure sooner or later I'm going to need a 20" too.J needs the company.--How was the ride today?---Do you know when/if you're available to ride on Tuesday?Just tell your boys you guys rained out and send them home.Let's ride!!

SWEEEET!

Is it old school geometry or just old school looks? It looks beefy. Been a while since I saw a frame with gussets. Give us some details.

Changstar

Anyone check out the old Newtown track lately? Maybe we can build something there?