Ah yes rolling overtaker, I could do those. One trick were it actually helps to be 6 3", right Timo?

Cool thread btw.

Okay, dont know why it sounds so cool to start a sentece with "okay". Probably it doesn't but i guess i haven't realized it yet. Maybe it has to do with the same fact that we have a chewing gum named "Jenkki", which is finnish for "Yankee" don't ask me why is that. Just so that you know.

Today was weird. Went riding only to realize that after 15 minutes i was physically too tired to do it so i got frustrated and went home. We're not used having hot and sunny weather weeks and weeks continuosly and once it's perfect all the time you feel obligated to go out and do something creative and/or physical, atleast i do. If i don't, i feel guilty for staying inside the 4 walls. So basicly i am now stressed out physically for riding too much almost every day and am soon hoping for some rainy days for a change so that i could rest and not feel guilty for staying home doing all the things i'd normally do when i'm not outdise doing whatever, you know what i mean. Sounds crazy but that's just how i am.
It's cool to have a break from riding every now and then and go out and do something completely different like checking out the neon-green sea weeds and moving rocks or whatever that is i'm doing in this picture..


I think every foreigner should at least once in their lifetime see the finnish people acting stupid during the mid-summer festivities. Mid-summer plays huge part in the finnish mentality and mythology too. The modern version is filled with cliches which part are true (sadly) like getting toxicated with raw alcohol, burning up the sauna (or the whole holiday cottage for that matter under the influence) and finally, standing up drunk in the rowing boat with your pants down and peeing in the water and finally getting drowned while doing it. The old school version has all kinds off cool spells and witchery to it like tumbling around naked in the rye field etc. cool stuff. So if you're ever in finland in the summer don't be surprised if there's bunch of people running around acting bizarre.
However, here we are with the wife having our little outdoor barbeque. Relaxing and acting like all civilized people should not rolling in the rye field this time. I ate too much if you're wondering why i look like weird..


Hot weather makes people act strange. We have a nice view to this park from our apartment. The thing is that during the summer time the park gathers the neighbourhood drunks and weirdos. It's sometimes pretty amusing to watch them though but if' you'd ask me i'd prefer the park drunk-free. Check out this guy who was kickin back or studying the Gunnar Bärlund, "the boxer" statue ..or both. No, he's not shot, just relaxing like we all should at times.


Enough of weird photos. Let's get back to riding. I nailed the no-handed Hang-5 on to a video..


Mid-summer cruising. Just look how bright it is, although this shot was taken around midnight. That's why it is hard for me to go to sleep early in the summer time because the dark lasts only about few hours. Man, summer is somewhat "extreme" in these latitudes. Either it's too hot or too bright all day long. In the winter it's the total opposite, it's arctic freezing and dark all day long, the bright time last like 6 hours and in the middle af allthis you're expected to stay somewhat sane? I'm sure Daniel W knows what i'm talking about. Btw Daniel, "tack so mycke du är absolutiskt rätt" (sorry my swedish is poor). I agree, it really helps to be 6'3 - 6'4 and have long legs for the Overtaker.


Some more "artistic" camera-on-board riding pics, here i'm in the middle of switch footed stickb-b..


Cheap fish-eye view, or is it just a reflection. Check out my Jay Leno chin..


The "double horse routine" ..now Velocidad, don't get too excited there. I can tell you it wasn't a pretty sight.

Tomorrow we're having the third annual flatland jam called FlatStyles 3, but i'm not yet very excited about it because the surface of the ball court the jam will take place is in very poor condition. You can basicly wear out your tires in just few days riding there plus you have no traction on the tires because of the dust and sand that's coming off of it. However i'm going there to meet all the riders including four the guys from Sweden, some form Estonia and Russia. Hey Daniel, one of the guys knows you when i mentioned about you. The world is small. Anyway, hoping to get some cool new video footage and photos of the event and will be posting them here very soon. Pic from last year's jam:


Oh, the answer to the question about filming myself while doing a Halfpacker is simple (drumroll..) I had the camera hanging from its strap in my mouth. Once i got in to the position i grabbed tha camera with my left hand and hit the button. I must admit i was nervous and biting the strap like crazy, i really didn't want to drop the camera. Now how interesting is that. Til' next time, thanks for reading.

-Timo

Timo -

I met my wife in Nurmijarvi in 1993 (Storyville). I was last in Helsinki around 2003. I love the Finns! I still keep contact with friends over there! Nothing like a Sauna at the Lake house with some Koff Beer (4A is as heavy as I can get).

I used to go to Norway monthly for work and tried to find any signs of OS in my free time.

I think you are alone representing the OS for Scandinavia!

The pictures look like near the train station in Helsinki or out by Louvisa.

[ July 14, 2006, 09:56 PM: Message edited by: BenOr ]

Timo - Who was the guy who knew about me? I think he might be confusing me with another Daniel W, who is a new school flatlander living in Sthlm. I haven't really ridden any flat in almost 15 years so if any other flatlander knows about me he must be an old-school rider.

This is me, me and me.

Here is the other Daniel W.

Your Swedish is fine, at least a lot better than my Finnish... yksi, kaksi, kolme.

[ July 17, 2006, 01:49 AM: Message edited by: Daniel W ]

Hei Timo,
I am still here in Finland and have witnessed many crazy/drunken Finnish people in the last couple of days,firstly at "The lost and found" on Saturday night and the at a free Rock concert in kaivopuisto.Its Mirka (my fiance) birthday today so I should imagine we will have a few Koffs when we are out on her fathers boat today
I love this place in the summer
DINGO

[ July 18, 2006, 04:14 AM: Message edited by: dingobmxer ]

Daniel, i guess he must've meant the "new school-Daniel W".

Dingo, haha! True. Hot weather + Finns on their summer holiday = increased amount of drunken people. Hey, tell Mirka our (late) congrats on her birthday! I hope you guys had a great time!

FlatStyles3 is now history and we had a great time!!! There were not as many riders/spectators as last year and no guest pro riders, well except for our household name Martti (Kuoppa). Despite the absense of other pros, the overall amateur riding was looking great and the atmosphere was friendly and intense.
In the past three years FlatStyles jam has become the climax of summer. It's nothing big, spectacular or fancy (althogh i think Fancy was great, especially his song "Chinese eyes"), but it is something we're always looking forward to, no matter how small it is. It's the day we all get together to ride and have a good time.
The weather couldn't have been better. Last year it was almost too hot to ride, now it was bit cooler.
We had guests from Estonia and Sweden plus us locals and few riders from nearby. I didn' count but maybe like total +/- 30 people showed up.

Behold the mighty barbeque! Beef, sausages, corn, onions, you name it. Just about anything got grilled eventually. Around 9pm people were mellowed out sitting around enjoying beer or just the atmosphere(and some more barbeque). Some of us were still riding. Aapo drank slightly too much beer and was funny and eventually ended up wanting to try out the 8kg titanium bike one of the Swedes had. Hang fives? Not a chance, Aapo went straight over the bars, on his every attempt and we laughed. No one got hurt luckily although some of the hot shots were drinking and driving their bikes. It was just sketchy and funny looking, not dangerous cause those guys have some serious skills and they were able to perform somre tricks even after few beers, apparently.
I was on my bike from 2pm til midnight and my body was trashed on the next morning. Now this would've been somewhat normal like 15 years ago but now at the age of 32 it's just too much. Nevertheless i enjoyed the whole day and later in the nght it was just great hanging out with the guys. I was the only "old school" rider btw, both with my bike and tricks, or let's say "mid-school". None of the older riders showed up except ofcourse for Martti and Jukka who looks bit like Stallone these days. The boy's been pumping iron lately.

The photos.
Here's the 2006 FlatStyles riders crew. Photo by Jussi.


One of the youngsters named Tuuha showed up later that evening and performed this perfect L-sit. Actually he's also into gymnastics and just got back from Athens Greece from a competition so yeah, he knows his moves.


Believe it or not, along with that L-sit this is the only other actual riding pic that got shot on my camera on the whole day. It was mostly flooded with party pics which you're about to see. Until then, here's me gliding a Junk yard. Photo taken by Seongtaek, our south-Korean flatland enforcement.


Aapo here with some unknown new school variation. Photo by Jussi.


The youngsters, Saku and Aleksi comparing their pink KGB's. Photo by Jussi.


Take a closer look at this pic. It's Tuuha again, this time with a crazy rolling Handstand! That little guy is amazing and has unbelievable strength for his age! He also did a near perfect Vanderoll.


Overview of "Ruohis", the venue. Summer won't get much more better than this. A brief moment in time.

It is time for the official Flatstyles 3 party pictures y'all! Consider yourselves "warned" haha!

Jussi and his somewaht crooked, greedy actions:


His table manners weren't that good either. Jussi supervised by Julius.


Henrik giving us a lecture about.. something.


The youngest participant of the jam looked like bored to death.


While Lasse, Kristian and Tomi seemed to have no direction in life.


Upi and Lasse here discussing on various things.


Jussi #2 (yes there are two of them) psyched.


The "past 8pm glazed-eye effect". Jussi and Upi presenting.

Julius beyond words, but seemingly having a good time like the rest of us.


While Lasse and especially Aapo are not exactly up to date anymore on what's going on in the surroundings.


It's almost midnight and the young ones came by from the nearby skate park to see how our jam has progressed. They probably weren't too impressed i guess. Kristian and Tuuha.


Overall, i had the best time in a long while (without the beer in case anyone's wondering). Looking forward for maybe somekind of "end of a season jam" later in the next coming months. Thanks for looking!

-Timo

Time for update on this topic.
Yesterday there was the "end of summer vacations jam" called "Maunon-päivän jamit", which i won't even begin to translate and, which i didn't took part because of the poor condition of the local hot spot at Ruoholahti where it was held at.

So now i guess the group of us active riders is split/splitting in half, to the ones that love the old spot over anything and keep on dwelling there no matter what, and to those of us who think it eats the crap out of tires in a week and it doesn't provide smooth surface enough for a good solid roll and it's dangerous if, or when you slam. Bummer.

So i had my own sad little ona man "jam" the same day at different spot, call it a one man public demonstarion if you want, at the best ball court there currently is at Meilahti or "meikku" basket courts. Total three courts side by side as one big area. The old spot at ruohis sure has flatland traditions since the early 90s but if it sucks it sucks, period.
It wont get any better until the city construction dept decides to do something about the worn surface and that's our next plan, to get them to do something about it. It may be useless effort but atleast worth trying i guess.
Til then, some new pics at the Timo's personal "Magnus' day shadow jam" in saturday. I know, i might be difficult person towards my buddies at times but usually it's for a good reason.

Here swithing from a switchfoot sidesqueak to a Funky chicken which puts me in a tight spot for nano second, that's why i look so pist. I had actually a pretty good riding day.


The Pumas. Pickin up the camera, got some new video footage for the next Lame video.


Double whiplash in action. Score of the day, 1.5 whiplash into Elbowglide:


WoW. This almost looks like a new school photo caught on camera minus the bike!? Darn, i better change my tricks repertoire or style. Quick.


My "signature" Hang five into a Freaksqueak-glide in circle, one handed, one footed:


Meilahti courts and my bike. Guess where i've been riding all summer..


-Timo

A while ago me and my wife Kati went to eastern Finland for a week to visit her folks and to relax and enjoy the wilderness and silence. The place is called Möhkö or "Mohko" for those without the scandinavian "o" 's in your keyboard. It's located at the very egde of eastern Finland. Distance from Helsinki is about 600 kilometers, dont know what's that in miles but it's more than enough. I am talking about six hours in train, one hour on a bus and 30 minutes in car.
The place has long history of local river mining industry in the 1800's mainly for cast iron and during the wwII the area played a significant key role in Finnish defence war against russia. Nowadays it's a small village of some 150 people getting theur living out of tourism basicly.

We usually sleep at an old cottage which is part of my wife's parent's property. Such cottages have always played important role in Karelian, and overall Finnish national romantic folklore since, i don't even know when, til finnish black & white movies in the 50's. So yeah, there's certain feel to it sleeping in one. During our trip the wetaher was really warm but the cottage stayd cool because of thick solid wood walls. The nights were actually quite chilly but with enough blankets there wasn't any problem.

Although I'm a full on city kid born with somewhat urban hobbies and interests and raised here in Helsinki I do have a soft spot for the country side. I love the silence and the peace. On the other hand i hate bugs and mespecially mosquitos that dwell around the area, well they're basicly everywhere in the country side during summer. But still there isn't anything like it and the good sides the country side has to offer usually overcome the phobia for bugs and mosquitos.
Here's some photos caught on camera from our trip:

In the train getting bored and decided to take photos of ourselves again:


This creature was jumpin all over the place when we went to sauna to bathe. Eventually we evicted her inside a box. Turned out she was a female grasshopper of some sort, looked pretty cool:


Möhkö's local acting group had a outdoor play called "The war of seven men" which was a fictional story however based on the events of the wwII battles on the area. Here the "russian troops" (played by the local kids and whoever available) are making an attack against the Finnish front line. The play was sold out every day and at the end of the week there was two plays at night which were pretty cool with the explosions and lights etc.


We, myself included were helping around with the coffee buffet over half time of the play. There was homemade fresh doughnuts, coffee and bbQ sausages for sale. The sold out plays kept us busy serving the stuff.


Some sheeps right next to the outdoor theatre:


We went to the local museum once again and took some weird photos:


..and even more weird:


The museum also had this "horror/ghost room" for kids and i just couldn't restrain myself cause it was such a cool concept. So, because i have this strange appreciation for 80s skateboard aesthetics this fake graveyard was perfect for an slightly alternative set up.


don't go away just yet....

So i had my 10 by 30 Madrid re-issue skateboard with me on this trip. For me it's exotic to get to cruise around in such a remote place like Möhkö. Here's some hi-speed and action photos. Here going fast down the local road shooting bonus material for the next vid:


At Oinassalmi beach with a casual drop in the sand:


Back in the village exploring the primitive shack made for tourists and backpack travellers:


Here goofing around with a timer at the cottage. There's no good way of expressing the feeling of staying and sleeping in there. Best time ever here looking very very cozy indeed.


In all, it was yet another excellent and relaxing trip to Möhkö. After we came back home to Helsinki, i felt weird, almost sad. I've always felt that way once the train has stopped. Returning back to city has it's good sides but also the down sides like stress, noise and the overall hectic lifestyle, even though Helsinki's a small city, but still. At the country side your soul or whatever you like to call it, really gets some rest and you see things in bigger perspective and realize the very basic things you need for good living.

If you're ever around eastern Finland like Joensuu or better yet around Ilomantsi, go ahead and drop by at Möhkö, go to the local crocery shop and say Timo (the tall, skinny freestyle biker) and Kati sent you and you just might have yourself one of those delicious home made doughnuts made by Kati's mom for free!

Thanks for your time again and good night.
Singing out at 2:36AM

-Timo

XLnt.. love those Old school red Puma Clydes

Timo, thanks for the geography lesson. Sure beats reading about places in books. Just one question. Is everyone really short in Finland? Only reason I ask is the second last picture.

The thing I notice about being in the country is how dark it is of a night time. No lights. Also no sound except for animals out and about during the dark hours.

Osamaie, i'm going thru my 3rd pair of those Pumas. Still have one unused red pair in the closet waiting. The best and good looking shoe imo. However the sole wears out pretty fast.

Jarvi, haha! No, not everyone in Finland is short. We're pretty tall people, taller than average mid-europeans actually. But like hundred or so years ago people here were much shorter. The houses were traditionally built low because of the rough, could winter to make heating economic and they still do that in the country side. Well not THAT low like the picture of the primitive wooden shack.

I know what you're saying about the dark hours. I guess you've been here during the winter time when it's really dark most of the day. During the darkest period around november/december the daytime lasts only like 5-6 hours. That's one of the reasons why so many Finns get really depressed during the winter, because there's not enough light! From personal experience i can say it sucks. You're pale, riding indoors, feeling sleepy and bummed pretty much all day (except the day you get some new cool vintage parts from ebay) and this misery lasts about 6 months, imagine living like that.
No wonder we have the highest suicide rates in europe, thanks to the long lasting darkness causing depression and the insane Finnish passion to drink exaggerated amounts of alcolol (..the national "cure" for the depression). Pretty dangerous equation when put together i'd say.

In the summer it's the total opposite especially if you go furhter north. There's so bright through out he whole 24hrs, even in the night time, that it is very difficult to sleep. See, in the winter we're sleeping like all day and in the summer we're up all day. How convenient. A lot of tourists go all the way to norhern Lapland to see the phenomena of "nightless night". But you don't necessarily have to go up there to witness it, it's almost the same effect down here in the south too. In mid summer, it doesn't get really dark at all, you can pretty much ride (or do whatever) outside all night, if you don't need any sleep that is.
Yeah, this is somewhat weird place i guess.

Hey Timo.. I have something to show you.. gimme afew days to dig them out.. homie!!

Yo Timo, here you go homie.. Oh so FRESSSSH!! for 88!!



ENjoy
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSS!!!

Wow! They look good.

What kind of beer is that you guys are drinking?

It's been a while since my last post in this threadso here's the latest "news" for those interested in this most popular thread on VBMX lol.
As for the beers 26Incher, that's interesting question cause i don't drink beer personally but i do know names like Koff, Lapinkulta, Karhu and Olvi of the finnish brands. They have 4.7%vol. alcohol.

I guess i finally have to admit it, the fall is here. It's the same every year, you think the summer will last forever but it sure doesn't. Surprise. It has now started to get real chilly at night although on daytime we're still about 7 degrees above the average and that's been continuing for many week, but today it was only 14 degrees in celsius scale. Time to dig up those sweatshirts and riding gloves. Man, i need to get some new pants too, the 501's i found year ago from the salvation army's shop for $7 are shredded from riding/skating, and my orange plastic keychain is hanging thru the pocket.. sheesh - i'm still looking like a teenager.
Not much going on in the builds department, just some updates and fine tuning/facelifting for the old ones. More about that later elsewhere.
However, here's some recent riding pics for your enjoyment. I have been shooting some fill-in material for the next coming flatland "video", the Lame Bike Video #4. Again, using the video mode of our regular photo camera. Should finish that soon.
The pics:

Hi-speed 180 turn..


..into practising my one handed Sliders:


here in the middle of some f-f-f-f-freestyle maneuver:


Smith decade at Meilahti basket courts:


Back to basics, rolling backwards in circles:


The Undertaker in process:


One-footed rear peg hops:


Windsurfer from last summer. Not "quite" as stretched as Chris Lashua on his Decade Pro but i'm getting there:


THanks

-Timo

[ September 16, 2006, 04:58 PM: Message edited by: 2FRESH ]

Signing out with a fresshh barspin. End of monologue, thanks all.

Timo, come out to Melbourne. 19 days into spring and we had 30 degrees celcius today. One of the warmest September days on record, but a bit windy.

Please keep posting the great photos and stories behind them.

Fall.
I hate it cause it marks the end of summer.
One month left and we're all riding indoors. As a flatlander it is nightmare for the next 6 months from then on. Avoiding street riders not to get hit by them, scuffing on a slippery floor, travelling 30min in each direction on subway and cleaning your bike completely twice on each trip. AArgghh. This time of the year SUCKS big time.
But we are not quite there yet so i try to think positively. "Try". Not much new pics to share other than what's already been out there in Glen's thread, but i gues another round wont hurt.

The ball court was half-wet as you can see, just a few dry spots scattered around. That is the kind of weather i can't stand, you never know if it rains or not. Sketchy no handed Junk yard (did't even land it at the end of the combo).


I sure miss glowing, warm days like these:


Afterall, moving to Melbourne isn't such a bad idea..

Right now i'm done talkng about riding, for a minute, so i'll just continue with some frantic drawings. This was about our lovely neigbours, done in two minutes. Ignore the finnish, you will figure out what's going on.

There's the lovely upstaris neighbour with two crazy dogs (or lack of disclipine, either way) whenever she came home or woke up the dogs would go mental and bark. Hated it every time, especially, and usually, early in the weekends. In the middle floor, that "me" banging the wall, the wife's still asleep.
First floor (at street level) there used to be a 2nd hand shop loaded with all the junk you could imagine.. with insane pricing. 3 Dollars for a cheap, no good keychain, ..from an chocolate easter egg and so forth. We donated bunch of our old clothessss from the attic and wathed how they were up for sale the next week, for some crazy price. The shop was also a real drunk/mental case magnet who'd show up in the morning when the shop opened and spend half day there. There was this man who always had like three pairs of short pants on (he's tall guy), a winter jacket, and those three pairs of pants high up way above the waist ON TOP of the jacket! He'd show up regularly in the shop. Now i haven't seen him in a while. He was pretty cool.

This next one brings memories. It'a another in the series of one-minute drawings, this time by my friend "Sam". It presents me (on the right with my General, you DO recongize it is a '88 General don't you?) and my other good friend Mikko on the left (with his '90 bashguard Master) saying "God loves you, Timo" i go, "you too Mikko".
Sam said it was a portrait of a moment in time abck then, a moment that i have no record of in my memory. It's cool that Sam captured it on a piece of paper 13 years later. One of my all-time faves which will be framed and treasured.


THat's it this time, now i'm off to watch Lost, i don't know which season. The one where they blew up "the hatch" and found the guy living alone underground executing his "mission" on a computer..
Til next time.

-Timo

[ October 05, 2006, 02:16 PM: Message edited by: 2FRESH ]

NEW RIDING PICS EVERYONE!
Less than two weeks ago. Sadly it looks like the end of decent outdoor riding for this year. Either way, here we go again..

Gliding no handed with accidental bling.


No handed Crackpacker came a little too close on this shot and got unfocused but check the shadow.


Going into Guillotine to Smith Decade.


Halfpacker by grabbing the rear peg instead of seat.


My one footed rolling Crackpacker was captured for first time ever on camera. I worked for this shot, believe me.


Jumping and switching feet from switch footed into regular mode and back.


Now here i don't know what i'm doing. Aborting mission i guess.


End of session.

If we're lucky here with the weather i might be able to provide one last batch of outdoor riding photos for your enjoyment, but i'm not promising. Anyway, thanks again for watching the same tricks over and over..

-Timo

From the previous sunny pictures to a photo taken today...



Crapload of snow came in with capital C.

We'll it's the end. Officially. Sunday was the opening of the indoor season -once again. Sucked. Felt as if there was no summer anywhere in between. It was like continuing where we left at late march -snap- a time warp and here we go again.
Imagine 40 riders in 1000 sq. meter indoor skate park with transitions, boxes, jumps, rails everywhere and being the one of total 2 persons that are flatland riders trying to survive on a slippery floor, constantly avoiding crashes with street riders and you get the idea how psyched i am about all this.
For those that spend time on computer, there's now even a live web cam footage streaming from the very indoor park-Here-
Us BMX guys are there on sundays and mondays after at 18:00 our time, i have no idea what's that in your time zone but anyways, and you can always google the time zones. I'm guessin it's either your morning or early noon etc (in USA). depending where you're located at.

Well, whenever the indoor nightmare and snow sucks you can always release some tension by doing this...


..yep, building you very own stone fence (or should i say "stonehenge"). You see, the old fence was disintegrated so i decided to build new one of all stones i could found within the premises. Crowbar and shovel came in handy, til the earth freezes for winter. Oh yeah, i'm talking about the canoe/kayak shack premises and yeah, this is voluntary work cause i have too much spare energy apparently.



That's it, i'm going to bed. 'Nite.

By premises i meant ofcourse property. Wrting this stuff with a english dictionary on the other hand ..lol.

Your country looks beautiful in the snow as well as the summer. Such a nice place.
Looks like your still having fun riding though. Thats the main thing.
Me, well we're having a major storm at the moment. Hail ,rain, wind the lot. And it's summer!!! * t f??
This is what it's supposed to look like!

This is what it looks like right now.


[ November 08, 2006, 04:45 AM: Message edited by: COASTVL ]

COASTVL, thanks for the compliment. The second pic looks out of this world.

December 2nd, lets see what's new at this end. I turned 33 in nov 19th, weehee! I never thought in my early 20s that i'd feel pretty much same in my 30s. Beside s that i just got home from riding, or cruising cause the flatland spots are all wet yet it hasn't rained in two days. Currently we're having the warmest december in years, its almost like spring again with the exception that it WILL get worse, sooner or later.
Riding? At the indoor park once a week, hating every moment of it, mostyl, but what is there to do (other than moving out the country to warm climate). With this in mind it's cool that we're still able to ride outside in dec. 2nd! that hasn't happened in a while.
Some doomsday photos from couple days ago at the shack:

No, that's not moon. It was raining.


The wife and the automatic light.


The "PacMan" shot. Look carefully. And that still isn't the moon but an accidental drop of rain taking new shape in the surface of the lens. For a PacMan fan like me this is positively eerie stuff.. maybe it's a sign? I told ya, "doomsday photos". "A Huge ever-growing pulsating PacMan that rules from the center of the ultraworld". Or something.


This is my favorite. The water level was high, like it is usually at this time of the year, cold, windy, rainy, you name it. Nasty but beautiful in weird way.



This is the usual "activity" (besides turning those rocks of my own weight) at the shack during fall/winter time, eating and drinkin hot cocoa or tea and relaxing, doing nothing. Im focused on the timer, that's why i look somewhat angry in this shot. I wasn't.


Someone might wonder by now what's the deal with the canoe shcak and why i'm always putting up these photos taken there? Well i've been a member of the particular canoe club (MV short for Melaveikot, free translation, go on laugh.. "The Paddle Buddies", lol) since i was three and i could say i've spent half of my life there, so it's like a second home to me plus it's very close to few excellent local flatland spots.

Cant think of anything else to write about for now.
Later,

-Timo

[ December 02, 2006, 01:03 PM: Message edited by: 2FRESH ]

Great photos, both Timo and CoastVL. CoastVL, hope you don't miss the 'big smoke' already. Timo, that Pacman shot is cool. I really must walk around more with my camera in hand, although I'll remember to smile when looking at the timer.

The warm weather is here now which means bushfires and more water restrictions. No watering of grass, no washng cars unless you use a bucket, no sprinklers other than certain times of the day and house with odd numbers on odd days of the month and even on even days. But, if you can put that aside for a while, plenty of time to ride.

Woohoo!
For the first time ever i was riding outdoors in december! This is the latest i've ever been outside with the bike cause usually it's been either snow or too cold. It's wasn't warm either, only +8 in C scale but enough for ridign and it's record breaking warmth for december.
Couple crappy photos from today, it was already getting dark. Remember that in these nordic latitudes the sun sets already around 3:30PM. The ball court was fenced for hockey training, thanks to warm weather there isn't any ice yet so it's still fully rideable.

Switchfoot Junkyards into a Ropearoni-sh ..thing.



Halfpacking again.


Looking tense.


-Timo

[rant]Ok, found out today that my electric guitar i played in my youth has been stolen at some point from my parent's locked basement. They had broken into every single storage space. Not too happy about that i must say.
So if somebody ever sees anyone ebaying a dark wine-red, electric guitar made by italian company -Eko- from late 60's/early 70's, with two chrome pick ups, dark neck, white plexi with hand painetd "FF" for the band "Fear" at the bottom of the body, let me know.
I will then F---ing fax/ship myself inna box where ever the seller is.
Right now i hate half of the world with dishonets people and the fact that is snowing. AAARRGGHH!!! Damn it!! ...And i cant even spell the word "dishonest" right.
[/rant]

LOL Timo - I love your sense of humour! I've never much been into flatland but you make it look very cool.

Sucks about your axe. Mongrel dogs.

How's the weather now mate? - must be gettin' coooold.

Cheers Kurt

Cheers Kurt, i'm on a mission. Hey, flatland doesn't just look cool, it IS cool. Right? Haha!

THe weather? Minus 5 today, getting colder just like you predicted. Anyway, i broke all my previous records in how long it is possible to ride outdoors (sorry i've been going on about this outdoor thing more than the law allows me to) So the record for this year is dec. 11th cause the day after those bunch of earlier photos the ball court dried out to perfect condition.
Here's some from the 11th:




As for the guitar, well not so much because of value in money but the sentimental value. The guitar is from mid 70's, bought by my now passed grandma (RIP) to my uncle who then gave it to me in the mid 80s. It just sucks so bad knowing it ended into some crooks hands who doesnt have the appreciation for it or for anybody's stuff for that matter. F-ing criminals, i'm gonna get you!! And i will find that axe sooner or later. And when i do...

Searched the amazing internet for some/any pics of it and found some. So the specific model was Eko "Manta" from 1975, made in Italy. Budget piece stick really but worth more than gold to me. Here's how mine used to look after i photoshopped a mis-drawn band "Fear" logo at the bottom of the body but who cares, hey i was a teenie weenie back then.. The logo was painted with some enamel paint so i won't be easy to remove without leaving marks. The gray plexi piece under the knobs was white on mine.


Reward promised if anyone spots this!!
Thanks.

-T

More cool pics. Nice. I hope you get your guitar back.

When I was at college one of the guys we partied with was a Finnish exchange student - Tom (can't remember the surname).

He drank a LOT of Aussie beer and smoked those stinky Gitanes!

Hei Timmo,
loving your blog,I am out in Finland at the moment, its -4 but no snow I wish now I had brought my mountain bike with me as the trails all look really rideable,
Hyvää joulua to you and your wife
DINGO

DINGO!! Our late -Hyvää Joulua- greetz also to you and yours! I hope you had a great one!! Looks like we won't be getting any snow for the new year either.. not that i would mind though..

This year's last post in this thread. A friend of mine recently transfered a TV-documentary called "Free Style" from 1995 onto a DVD. It was a documentary of our small, tight knit group of freestyle riders, about our lives, thoughts & whatnot at the time. I guess it would be categorized as "reality-TV" these days.

Anyway, the material was shot in 1994 and the program aired in spring of '95. I was working at the city arts museum at the time, met my wife, going to techno raves, drawing and painting a lot etc. etc. In all having the best time of my life really.
There's bunch of embarrassing interviews from each of us (you know how it is hearing your own voice and seeing your face on TV.. ) and i remember how i felt awkward with the fact that the producer came to our home for the interview, i was still living home with parents at the time.
Anyway, it was pretty interesting watching the documentary all over again cause it brought up some great memories from the era. A lot of my opinions, plans and thoughts have changed from that. I guess iwas somewhat too optimistic/inexperienced back then. It was also cool to see my friends and compare the documentary to what they actually do these days. Some have faded away from riding completely, some still ride or are involved in the sport somehow.

Back then i was 21 and Martti (Kuoppa ..of KGB Bikes these days) was 15 and you could see he had really started to progress in his riding in '93-94. 1994 was the last winter we rode at the Vartiokylän Pyörä bike shop, which to most of us is the place we spent the winter times riding. Another buddy on the documentary, Tuomas "Tumppi" Hakava said half joking that "Martti will be a Pro" and indeed, he was right although it was just an careless side note from him.

Here's young Martti Kuoppa, the way i remember him best.
The striped t-shirt in the pic was the "thing" back then. Martti's mom had found them cheap from somewhere. During the 90's the other one got lost and Martti's shirt ended up to my possession. I still have it, LOL.


Well.. this is me in '94. Riding the beat up 1990 GT Pro FST in a yet another striped shirt and sporting a haircut i honestly thought was "cool" back then. You decide.
The frame used to be day glo pink and those are Street Beat forks. It's incredible how strong the forks were considering they went thru a lot of abuse. I still have them, now retired and luckily in one piece on my Skyway. Anyway, that bike handled very well and was light weight.


This is Mats Holmqvist or "Maz" as we called him. Here with a cool Crackpacker roll on a '92 GT Pro FST frame that he then gave to my "museum" in fall 2005.


Here i am showing (off) my drawings during the documentary interview. I've always been into painting and drawing, anything graphic basicly including graffitis in my youth. in 1994 i had recently started creating the fantasy series which then ended up consisting of 27 individual drawings and bunch of (still) unfinished rough sketches.


Some of you might remember this piece from the BMX Plus magazine's "Parting Shot", january 1993. I was fully into electronic music and heavily influenced by Kraftwerk in this drawing. The picture title "Flatness" translated from "Radness" or whatever. On the background in the drawing you can see the Helsinki Olympic Stadium cause we used to ride on its parking lot every day back then.


Martti again with a stalled Smith Decade:


Here's Kimmo (Kuusisto) launching a mini ramp on a Mongoose Hooligan with Kneesavers near Kauniainen train station, about 20-25 minutes north-west from Helsinki region. Kimmo started riding around same time as i did, and he still rides every now and then.


Indoor street riding 1994 style. Here's Kilwa (Ärölä) on the wall at Vartiokylän Pyörä bike shop. He used to ride aluminum PK Ripper but here sporting "just a" Dyno with them giant Bully bars.

MOre...

Martti cruisin at his hometurf at Malminkartano area going riding somewhere.
Now that we've all become old and lazy it's amazing to think back how far we would pedal just to get to our favorite flatland spot. For example Martti who was living in the suburbs about 30 minutes from downtown would ride the distance almost every day.


Me Whiplashing at the Ruoholahti ball courts which back then were still in excellent shape. Just look how ugly my bike was. Not to forget the HUGE 'n' FUGLY shorts.... hey, it was the "style" ..yeah, right.


Switchfooted Dumptruckin' while the locals are playing ball.


Back home, here doing some mixing for the interview not less than in the gloom of a blue strobe light. Note that i had my turntables on the floor back then.. i guess i was more comfortable that way.


Then we held the "Real Rave" with Antti (Huotari) at the eastern Helsinki youth center where we played some gabber/acid/hardcore/rave for the kids. Not many came but it was fun playing out loud for ourselves, nonetheless. Crappy pics photoshopped from almost completely black screen shots, that's why.


What a better way to end the year 2006 than an shot of me drinking milk in 1994 at Ruoholahti ball courts. Antti on the left babbling about something.


HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

..and thanks to you all for bearing with me reading my stuff, but don't be thinking i would stop.
Thanks.

-Timo

Timo, great pictures and stories as usual. Getting stuff stolen really sucks. Has happened to me a few times but fortunately nothing sentimental has been taken. Nothing wrong with the ratty looking bike and it would fit in with some of the new school street riders' bikes. As for the shorts, yeah well I agree with you on that one.

Milk must be the drink of BMX champions. Here's a picture of me in about 1982 at a race meeting sucking down the energy juice.



[ January 01, 2007, 08:40 PM: Message edited by: Jarvi ]

Wow Timo,

There are some awesome pics there - what a bunch of talented riders. Must be great to look back all those years. Not many of us have many pics from our "golden years" of riding.

LOL Jarvi - that milk carton brings back some memories - Baker's Milk...

Kurt, cheers mate! We have never considered us much of talented, anyway i'm flattered for you saying that (-and i'm sure my buddies would be too). Indeed those were great times we had. Not many from our "original pack" are riding anymore, unfortunately well except Martti, and couple others every now then.

Milk huh? "I want some milk" by S.O.D. who remebers that song?

It seems that in 2007 i'm breaking all of my previous records when it comes to riding outside, i know i know i've been going on and on about this since late fall. Sorry. It's just that we should be surrounded by snow by now and the chill should be creeping deep down in to our bones. But it isn't yet! ha haa! +7,5 degrees, YEAH!!

With this in mind here's some FRESH OUTTA BOX riding pics from TODAY! Jan. 10th! I decided to try doing things right with the timer, so no video stream to catch screenshots this time, instead some actual hit-and-miss theory hi quality photos. I also got real inspired by the "NYC ride" those guys had last weekend. I wish i would've been there!
The tricks.. well they're pretty much same as ever, especially now after a month of not riding at all i felt slightly sketchy at first but in the end i felt like bustin' loose. Before the bones chilled. Enjoy.

Ok, going into forward side squeak type of thing, looking somewhat unbalanced and sketchy.


Switch footin' forward Karl Kruzer thing, showing off the thin soles of my Pumas.


Waay stretched Elbow glide but i pulled it!


Focused on a basic Freak squeak no handed.


"Hello y'all! Yeah, You too up there in the back seat with popcorn and milk! Hands up everybody! Come on! 1 - 2 - 3! Haaands UP!" Thanks you're a wonderful audience!



Your everyday basic Hang five.


Oops, watch out for the backpack.


Stick-yardin' as usual.


Thanks again, like i said you've been a wonderful audience!

-Timo

[ January 10, 2007, 10:46 AM: Message edited by: 2FRESH ]

Found some more to share from two years ago, thanks to Upi Hyvärinen and Mikko Suni for the quality photos.

Steamrollin', fall 2004. It looks as if it was warm, it wasn't. Just +6 degrees and the wide angle lens makes my face look funny. Yep, it's camera's fault.. lol


Smith Decade, great timing by Upi.


Spinning.


Rippin' Corpse BMX Jam in july 2004. I remember i had a huge headache for being out in the sun for the whole day. There's the Ozone set up a bit differently than what it looks like today and before i decided i should really retire the bike from actual riding.


Going to a Dump truck of some sort.


Same place, same event, slobby jeans and mismatch shoes cause i usually wear out the left shoe first.


Thanks again for watching.

-Timo

Ok, so this seller has a pair of motocross boots up for auction at the bay (2 days to go) and he's also giving away a pair of used motocross gloves for free with the boots for the lucky winner.

Now I'm not interested in the boots this time, thanks, but the gloves interest me instead, so i try my luck and ask him if he'd sell the gloves separately if the boots won't sell, and also tell him where i live (Finland) and that i'm ready to pay the shipping costs (as usual).

Few days go by, and he sends me a message: "Maybe if the boots don't sell I will sell you the gloves. But I won't ship it to Finland if thats where you are."

Well thank you so much for letting me know but...

Rant-1
WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL to ship a simple pair of GLOVES? They'll fit inside an envelope, they won't cost much to send and i would ofcourse pay all shipping, and are pretty light weight too. All it takes is to put them inside the envelope, write the addy and hit the PO. I've done worse myself.

Rant-2
If he tells me he can MAYBE sell them to me but won't ship them to me, then isn't there a tiny paradox in that whole message?

Rant-3
Well howbout we just forget i ever asked ok. I'll just continue to look for the (frickin') gloves elsewhere, sorry to bother.

There are times i don't understand:
A) People and their behaviour and what's going on in their minds.
B) English
or
C) Ebay
D) All of the above

You tell me.
To make this message worthwile, does anybody have a set of used MX gloves from the 80's or early 90's? Answer, JT, Axo, Sinisalo or similiar.

Thanks and sorry.

-Timo

this thread has to be the best kept secret on vintage. awesome pics and even better writing. good fun. please don't stop.