*** Four Houses Host BMX Riders ***
Baton Rouge, LA -- 10/02/2007
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Photo - Erik Stevenson, of Baton Rouge, watches
for a spot to land while riding his bike Monday.
Baton Rouge has seen a spike in BMX in recent years.
The art of flying has been perfected in a backyard a block away from
campus, and the flick of a wrist has led bikers into learning that
gravity
means nothing.
Four Bicycle Motocross houses on Aster and Iowa streets in the North
Gate area have become a spot visited by riders as far north as Illinois,
and a few former University students created the beginnings of the BMX
scene in the capital city.
"During my first year of college in 2001, Brad Jensen of Icon Visuals
lived in a house on Iowa Street with some random roommates," said
Adam Taylor, University alumnus whose friends call him "Fat Tony."
The roommates all shared one connection - bike riding.
"Brad decided to build a mini ramp," Taylor said. "My
best friend Brock Gomez and I decided to help him."
Soon the wood piled up and a ramp appeared.
"With two ramps right next to campus and a short pedal from downtown,
it was a perfect BMX block," Taylor said. "Both downtown Baton Rouge
and LSU's campus have really good street riding spots. So we had a real
good thing in that area."
Christopher Howard, philosophy sophomore, and Seth Bradley, civil
engineering senior, visited to ride the ramps often. The two friends,
both of Prairieville, met in middle school and have been riding together
since high school.
They moved to Iowa Street in 2004 and constructed their ramps for the
next two years. From costs to time management, the bikers' backyard
resembled a work site.
"The tallest quarter pipe is 9 feet tall. Imagine a quarter of a circle
as a
ramp. It takes up half of my backyard," Bradley said. "Rent was cheap,
and the landlord didn't care that we had a big ramp."
Life in the BMX house revolved around school, work and riding.
"The bigger the city, the more stuff there is to ride," Bradley said.
Between jobs and campus, Bradley said the perfect place to escape
and ride is right outside the building you clocked out or finished
class.
"Downtown Baton Rouge is great for street riding," Howard said.
The steps of the levee and buildings offer riders both practice and
peace.
"One person may see something and think of one trick, and someone
else can see it and do something totally different," Bradley said.
"People
will view something and just walk past it. Someone on a bike might see
it totally different."
Howard said he appreciates the creativity
of riding and the ability of inventing tricks.
"No two people ride a bike the same way," Howard said.
"So it's interesting to watch style. There is no right way
to do it."
Howard emphasized the need of concentration when riding.
"You have to be focused on that present moment about exactly
what you are about to do, or else you will fall," Howard said.
"Kind of like meditation."
As the ramps grew higher, the number of
people visiting the houses increased as well.
"The Baton Rouge BMX scene is growing," Howard said.
"Because it started off small, we are a closer group,"
Howard said.
The physical work of BMX separates it from typical bike riding.
Michael Allen, electrical engineering sophomore, said it's hard
being one of the younger bikers of the group.
"You get banged up a lot, and it's definitely not for the faint of
heart,"
the 18-year-old said. And the bikers have had their share of injuries.
Allen fractured his ankle, Howard had to get stitches in his
chin and Bradley broke his when he attempted a 360 in July.
"In the end, you're riding because you want to," Allen said.
"It's not like a coach yelling at you and saying you can't play."
Allen, who said bikes are like shoes in that they have to fit the
rider, doesn't seem to fit his "little kid's bike." The 6-foot-3-inch b
iker said some people call his bike "The Beast."
"It's not just some punk kids messing up stuff," Allen said. "We're not
trying to destroy property or get in people's way. We're not trying to
show off. It's definitely more fun than walking to class."
Geneb...Wenatchee,Wa****ngton-USA
All Things Northwest in BMX!
***** Gene`s BMX *****
http://www.genesbmx.com
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