BMX has been a huge part of my life. I have ridden for the most part since I was 14 years old. A couple of years off here and there, but it has been the one and only thing I can actually say I have stuck with consistently in my life. I have done this for a few reasons, other than it is super fun, the people you meet are amazing, the places it takes you ect..I have always loved bikes. Anything with two wheels has always interested me. I got this from my father. I grew up riding dirt bikes with him. It really is the only good memories that I have spending time with him in my childhood. It wasn't all bad, but some of it was, and I seemed to block that out. Only the good seems to stick out, riding bikes of any kind is deeply burned into my memory. My father passed away when I was 12 of cancer on Christmas eve in 1996. It was the saddest day of my life. I truly thought my life was over. Watching a man that you respect, admire, I mean he is your father. What else could be better than that. He road Harleys, I watched him win dirt bike races, I have pictures of him on my wall jumping 60foot doubles on his 540cc KTM. Watching the man that you admire depreciate over the course of 5 years really has taken a tole on me in many ways throughout my life. The day he died he didn't know who I was, he was up in his room I walked in to see how he was doing. He was shivering and I asked how he was doing. He looks over at me as if I was some kind of alien. Words shivered through his mouth and said who are you, where am I? I ran downstairs to get my mom and told her something was wrong, I waited until the ambulance got there, and I took off on my Old giant bmx bike. That was the last I had ever seen of Jeffery Lee Newton.
Enough of the sob story, but it does matter. A few days before he told my Mom to go buy me a BMX bike for the simple fact that he knew my mom wouldn't be able to afford to take me places, or fix my Dirt bike when it broke. So he told my mom to go buy me my first "Real" BMX bike. It was a dyno air. As the world was falling down around me, BMX entered my life. Dec. 25th 1996 my life changed. BMX was an escape for me. I instantly went to my bike to escape my fathers passing. Not to say that is the only reason why I ride, but it helps solidify the fact of why it means so much to me.
I am not saying that BMX will only mean something to you if something tragic happens to you in your life, I am saying that everyone has their own reasons. Mine just happens to be an extreme case. Something so negative happened to me as a child, yet one of the most positive things happened to my life because of it. Nothing is cooler to me than seeing people have fun. It is almost as good, maybe even better than having fun myself. It is the number one reason I have developed a love for photography. The best pics are always people having the most fun. I have no idea where I am going in my life, and at the age of 26 it scares me. But I know a few things. I know who I love, and I know what I love. As long as I stay loyal to those two things, what else could get in my way right?
Enough ranting, I just think BMX and bikes in general are cool. I feel very lucky to be able to experience all that it has to offer. Thank you to everyone who I get to enjoy it with, and making what it is to me today. You are priceless.
No comments:
Post a Comment