howies®

Say hello to my new bmx. It’s a GT Fly. More specifically, it’s my brothers GT Fly but judging by the condition it’s in I don’t think he cares much for it these days.

So I’ve decided to make it my new project. It doesn’t need to be flash, it just needs to run. I’m gonna keep the budget down as much as possible, although I know for a fact it needs a new back wheel, at least.

Some bikes deserve a second chance.

If you have any suggestions on how to revamp this bike (other than “put in skip”) please comment below. Ta.

i just found out about this, anyone seen it yet?

Made in Queens is a short film that lifts the lid on an underground scene emerging in the outskirts of New York’s Queens borough. Directed by Nicolas Randall and Joe Stevens, the film looks at a small crew of Trinida­dian teenagers, led by Nick Ragbir, who are obsessed with customising their bmx bikes with the fattest soundsystems they can possibly hook them up with.

A Big Hairy Hippie just sent me this……………………………..sweet.

Out on my travels i’m always looking for spots to photograph our team riders on. For over a year I’ve been driving past this place, mentally saving it for a rainy day when we were going to hopefully use it for a catalogue shot. Until i opened Dig Mag an issue ago and was confronted with this little number from Digs legendary lensman and highjumper. now it’s game over.

Ricky along with the wethepeople team was on a chance drive down from the North along the west coast of Wales on their way to catch the ferry to the Emerald Isle. With a van full of riders he saw this spot jammed on the anchors and found a willing accomplice in Jason Phelan. This tailwhip was the result. You are a little bugger Adam.

To check Ricky’s photography please check his website out here.

Our good friend and howies team rider Will Jackson sent me a great email last week. Here’s the meat of it.

“As an aside, Northern John and i are organizing a jam next month at Blackpool skatepark. its is being dubbed a ‘War of the Roses’ with ‘teams’ being rallied from Lancs and Yorks. the jam will be pretty informal but were going to be hosting a number of ‘comps’ and giving out prizes to those people deemed to be having fun, thinkin outside of the box or pushing themselves and not their profile. All prizes will be going to people without sponsors and were trying to both plug the hole in the number of BMX events in the north and do our bit to reaffim a vision of BMX that is rider run and aimed at having fun.”

It got me thinking about war and an old favorite quote i stole came to mind. “It was regarded as evidence of bravery for a person to into battle carrying no weapon that would do any harm at a distance.”

Seems to me there are some corporations, companies and individuals out there who are lacking on the bravery front then but dont get me started on that.

Ok, Steven Hamilton blew up the scene aways back now. He’s been lying low for a while but various little edits keep cropping up online from time to time, here’s another  little teaser.

Tonight after a successful hour of walking my dog Fen in the near dark i returned home wet, tired and happy. I fed him a mini pork pie that i got him to eat slowly, piece by piece. Back at home sitting on the floor, back to the Aga which was burning me nicely i broke off the crust into about 20 little bits and  as he lay his head between my knees i fed him each little tempting morsel as his mouth watered and his drool fell on the tiled floor  and glistened. Big dribbles slopped on the ceramics as he delicately took each little chunk from my fingers, then it was gone.

Now he’s laying on the cold stone floor after getting too hot from lolling on the rug, and after considerable time i managed to find this clip of steven hamilton. I wish i had some fruitcake now, and some flying saucers.

I’ve decided to sell all my worldly possessions and become a gypsy,

And so boo-hoo I’m even going to say goodbye to my old BMX.

It’s a 1985 Skyway Street Beat in the Green/Purple/White

colourway (as modelled below by the lovely Lydia).

An awesome bike, as ridden by Scottie Freeman and the late

great Neil Ruffell back in the mid 80′s. Original Dia-Compe breaks,

Skyway EZ bars etc.. Looks like it was made yesterday.

Now, I know this ain’t the Free-Ads, but If you want it, make me an
offer in the comment section below and I’ll get back to you.

You could be ‘cherry-pickin’ in no time.

R.I.P Neil Ruffell

great edit about a local scene and stolen from streetphires site.