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Interviews
Sheepdog By Arker
Sheepdog
Ok....brace yourself! The first Q's from Krafty..
How many chicks have you bagged from working in the bike shop!?
lol.. None, but I have gotten some from being a biker.
Really!? Could she bench press you or was she actually pretty hot?
She was pretty hot. Not like swimsuit issue material, but she held her own.
and yours from the sounds of things!
Remember her name?
Jenny
Wow *impressed*.....she a keeper!
Nahh... I think she was half mental, so I cut her loose.
Argh...that's a shame mate.............got her number? ;P
Ok, let's start at the start, where and when were you born and how old were you when you started riding BnX?
I was born on the City of Orange, California, and was into riding since before I could even ride. In 1978 i moved to Corona, and that is when i got into jumping, and that sort. So I was 6 when I really got into what we consider riding.
1987: I’m not sure what’s more offensive…the length of the seatpost or the tightness of those shorts!
Do you remember your first bike?
A little red 16in. How I remember that, I do not know.
haha, i didn't know they even HAD colours all those years ago...
Gee, thanks.. LOL
Fuzzy picture, dodgy angle but you might just make out a sweet lookback and a 1988 S&M Holmes. And none of this next generation crap either - That’s an original.
Who got you into riding? Do you still see any of the kids you rode with then, nowadays!?
I still hang out with one of the guys I started with when I moved to Corona. In fact, I still consider him to be one of my best friends. His brother is who helped me learn a lot about bikes. Other than him, no. Some of the people I met through the years, I still see and many have turned pro even. Had i not gone into the military, I would probably would have as well.
Which brings us nicely on to the military chapter of your life...NAME, RANK, NUMBER!
Doug (not a chance), E-4, my number was my Social Security number and I am not going to post that on here.
haha, no worries, i just always wanted to bellow that at someone.
Lol - Even my sponsor does not post my last name.. heh heh
How long were you in the army, what did you do and what would be three words you'd give us to sum up your whole military experience?
I was in for 4 years, but had to extend for 6 months in order to get out of New Mexico (which turned out to be a bad idea). My job was to maintain aircraft. Originally I worked on F-111 fighter/bombers, after we retired those, I went to work on F-16's, where i eventually got to the Phase Dock, where they do minor rebuilds on them, which was pretty cool.
3 words?... “Pain in the ass”.. yeah, i know its not 3 words.. Sue me.
Did you get to ride much during your time in the forces?
Not much, I eventually switched over to mountain bikes for a while, which was fun, but I broke way to many parts, and i found most mountain bikers either could not keep up, or were complete asses. When I moved to Utah, I got out of that, and focussed on my RC car racing, and eventually got back into bmx.
funny shoes, silly pads, chopsticks for forks but a damn fine footstall on a 6 foot quarter.
progression.
What did you find were the main problems with the army?...the group showers?
Most people, including our lovely government, think its the pay, or quality of living. The big problem, is being understaffed, overworked, and gone from home far to often.
I had my own dorm room, and shared a shower with one other guy.
Cosey!
Hehe. Had I tried I could have lived off base in an apartment even. But if your gone as often as we were, it did not make sense to me. I knew guys who were gone from home for 150-200+ days per year. In that situation, you gotta have someone help take care of your bills and such while you’re gone. In a dorm room, with no bills; If I packed up and left, it did not matter. Only regular bills were phone and insurance.
Did you get one of those 6:00am bugle wake up calls every morning?
Only in basic. It sucked.. After that, its sorta like a 9-5 job, except the hours are longer and your times change around alot. One morning you go to work at 3am, the next day 9am, and you may stay 8 hours, you may stay 16.
Whow! So not really like a 9-5 job at all, other than having to work your arse off till home time!?
It is in the way that you get to go home after work. Rather than going to the barracks.
Ahhhhh, i see; less trumpets, more beer and tv.
So the military wasn't your thing. You left and did what?
I had been working on a website for a radio buddy and that got me job offers in Baltimore, Maryland and Cleveland Ohio. One even included a company car. I figured I could make that good of money back in California, which is where I wanted to go anyhow. So I said hell with it, and moved back home. The Air Force had told me where to go for the last four and a half years, it was my turn to go where I wanted.
I came back and started with a Dot Com company. Which ultimately failed.- poor management. They put all their eggs in one basket, then decided to switch baskets.
(never a good idea kids.)
So how did you wind up getting a job in a bike shop?
I had been buying parts from them for a while, and had even taught some of their employees. They had me do some temp work on weekends, and eventually offered me Sundays.
When the managers were leaving, they offered me a more permanent position, which quickly became a managers position. It soon became apparent I was doing the managers job. He had no management experience at all. So got to basically do what I wanted, and the owner let me.
You had some pretty good local riders popping into your shop...go on, gizza few names!
Some local, some not so local…
Matt Berringer, Mike Ardelean, Ryan "Biz" Jordan, Heath Pinter, Jerry Bagley,, theres more, but that's all I can get off the top of my head…Magoo, Carey Hart, and the drummer from Blink182, used to come in frequently as well.
Wow.....i once met Jeremy Beadle...but that's a whole different story.
lol. I have met a lot more, but those just happened to frequent our shop.
Who would you like to meet/ride with but never have?
Nate Wessel. I actually met him in Vegas last year, and actually had set up a chance to go ride with him, but it did not happen. I was kinda bummed. Nora cup awards got in the way.
Good choice, Nate Wessel is a madman. Were the awards worth it??
I skipped it to go ride the skateparks up there. Interbike is a weird show. You spend all day there, and all night at parties and such afterwards. The night before was the Fit party (just awesome), and none of us had had a chance to ride yet, so we decided to do that, and pull an early departure. Vegas can wear on you fast.
You know the Fit/S&M boys pretty well don't you? Were they part of the little posse you rode with as a kid?
At my old trails, we had a lot of people ride them. Rob-O was one, Butler was another. Todd Corbit and the Foster brothers were regulars there as well as a lot of others, many are no longer on the scene though.
- I actually know ROb-O better now than I did then.
Yeah? He seems like a damn nice chap, and Fit is certainly proving to be a success, who/what other companies would you like to give praise to?
Nuclear Clothing, Snafu, Mosh, S&M and Odyssey. In one way or another have helped me over the years or treated me really well even when they did not need to.
Who would you say has been the biggest influence in your riding?
Depends on when in my life you want to analyse. Early on it was Eddie Fiola, Martin Aparijo, and Dave Voelker. Lately...The guys on Road Fools or George Dossantos and Nate Hanson for all the backwards stuff. Thats about all I have been doing lately is backwards stuff.
Proper Hardcore riding backwards? Or something a bit more technical than sitting on your handlebars and pedalling round??
Rollbacks to double pegs to halfcabs out, 180's onto boxes, rollback to backwards rails, stuff like that.
- to half cab out, clean.
Looks good!! Ever wished you'd turned pro?
Sometimes, but i think it would be a lot of pressure. i see how some of the pros I know are, and some of them are like,"i gotta go practice". Thats not me, I like to ride the way i want, when i want. If my riding does not win a contest or look good on film, it does not matter to me.
What do you think about big contest guys like Dave Mirra and Nyquist?
They are good, great riders in fact, but they are the "I need to practice” type. Its a job to them. They may enjoy it, but it transcended into a requirement to win for them. Look at the tricks they usually do at a contest, all big stuff. I cannot imagine them just going to a new skatepark and just flowing around and enjoying themselves. Maybe they do, but I doubt it.
Nyquist’s latest interview where he rags on Mike Aitkin summed himself up pretty well in my opinion. The Haro boys are contest riders, and contest only. Aitkin is in it for his own pleasure that’s why, even if he can drop a backflip, he doesn't because he may not feel like doing it.
Do you think that all this interest Mirra in particular has generated in kids is a good thing for BMX? How do you think the BMX industry will behave in the next 2 - 5 years? Grow, plateau or blow?
I look at it all and laugh. Mirra is a Jock., 100%. Like it or not he helped MAKE us into a legitimate sport. We are now held more responsible for everything we do. The public is now watching us. And in many ways, that is VERY bad. The industry is in a bad position because of this. When we hit a large peak before, we had tons of new companies jumping in and marketing anything and everything to us. Its beginning again. People think all this money coming in is a good thing. It is in some ways. Since having them put in money is good, but when we start a decline again, guess what, they will be the first to go, leaving us stranded.
Like seaweed on the tideline
Very much so. It happened before and will probably happen again. Maybe we passed a critical moment by being a major sports phenomena with the X-games, maybe we didn't. I am not sure, but when we fall next time, its going to fall fast, and VERY hard.
Mirra owns how expensive a house? When 1800callAtt bails, and Slim Jim, do you think he will be able to afford that house? There is no old bmxer retirement fund.
He'll have to sleep under his acre of halfpipe in the back garden...
In a way, it should only be the money grabbers who get burnt though, surely?..
You would think it would only be the money grabbers, however, they have been sucking the lifeblood out of the other legitimate companies all along as well, so they are weakend. While we have probably 50 street frames now, when it dies again, we may be down to 5….and 2 will suck!
Roach control.
How do you see frames developing in the future?
How far in the future you talking?
2-5 years...
I do not see much changing during that time. Metallurgy needs to change before much else will change. I see many changes in brake systems though.
But frames, no, the basic frame has not changed much over the years and I don't expect any radical change for a while. Other than Euro BB becoming more popular (yuck)
I can see new brake systems. We need something a bit better. I have some ideas I am working on, but I don't want to give much away other than saying I am trying to eliminate the cable entirely,.
Intriguing! haha, ok, now the important questions!
What was your best flatland trick and how long were you a dirty scuffer for!??
I probably did flatland for 3 or 4 years, in the very early years of it. My best flatland trick was probably tailwhips. I was never into rolling tricks, in fact, I got out as they came in, but I still love to bust a killer lawnmower now and then, which is my favourite!
To Doug’s astonishment, someone had nicked a peg! Lawnmower ’00.
A decade plus some: Apparently it took Doug and his mate almost 10 years to figure out that he should have his pedals the other way round for this trick! 10 years and five tries later the Boomerang was dialled.
Was there as much of a division between types of riding back in the day as there is now?
No, most riders did everything. Street has always been around, but it was not known to be a form of riding in itself until grinds started in 90 or so I think. ‘RideOn’ the movie pretty much documents the early street riding. Even in contests, there was an overall score so you had to do everything.
Mate! haha, now THERE'S an idea. Did you ever compete?
No, i used to go to contests and hang out, and I almost competed, but never did. When I enter any contest, i lose most of the fun in it. When RC racing got serious for me, I lost interest even.
Radio Control racing can get serious!??
I was about to start racing nationally. I was already winning at state level and beating factory guys. I had spoonsoirs, but they were not able to cover all expenses. My last big race I spent almost $300 at due to hotel, food, and parts. Its a very serious thing. I have cars worth more than most BMX bikes. And I dont mean Mosh bikes either. Were talking $1200+
Whow, these proper petrol engine things?
No, electrics. Electrics actually cost as much or more to race than the gas cars. Due to tracks equipment. Batteries can top $100 per pack, and you need several, chargers, you need one or two, each an easy $100. It adds up. fast..
Man! Ok, if you could stub the toe of one person in the world with your RC car, who would it be and why!?
An 8 pound car doing 50mph+ does not just stub a toe.. LOL It breaks the leg and can run you over as it does it!
One person.. Not sure.. Many would be all the people who trashed the Ride Message board, and Ride management for allowing it to happen.
haha, sorry, forgot this is SERIOUS RCing...
Proper RC cars are not toys.
no doug. sorry doug.
LOL
OK, anyone you wish to thank, sponsors, family, friends...ME?
Dunno about you, this interview was awfully long... LOL
(cut)
Nuclear Clothing, Snafu, Fit. All my buddies. You all know who you are I hope.
Anything else you wished i'd asked you about?
You could have asked for a life story.. would have been faster.. LOL
(Cut AGAIN!)
I got one: “When are Bike Guide shirts coming?”... Answer.. Soon.
You heard it hear first!
Annnnnnd finally, Last words!
Last words?.. Just one:
Done.
I HAD to fit in a “Old dog, new tricks” comment somewhere.
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