The BMX In Our Blood

Wrap up of the 2025 Vintage Rules BMX Series with Chris Bird, founder of the series and all around good bloke! Visit my IG post for pictures from throughout the season. You can also find plenty of videos and pictures from the series on Chris's FB account, Vintage Rules BMX. Looking forward to 2026! As always, thank you for listening and thank you Todd Breau for the podcast announcement artwork. Announcement photo by Mike Gordon, MG Sports Photography.

Vintage Rules BMX is all about bringing those mid and old school BMX bikes out to the track to race them against like minded fans of BMX. In some ways it is like bringing a BMX to the tracks to share the history of the sport. My guest, Chris Bird, is the driving force behind the concept of the Vintage Rules Series. After completing the inaugural season last fall in Connecticut, Chris continued with the momentum he created and planned the 2025 season with an even greater following. This episode dives deeper into what Vintage Rules BMX is and how you can get involved, or just be a fan from anywhere in the world. Special thanks to Foothills BMX in Torrington, CT for the use of their registration building to record the podcast. Be sure to check out their new rebuild when it is completed and running for the opening of the season in late April!

The Fids, 1970-2024 When people said that BMX lost a good one on December 8th, they couldn't have been more right on. As you will hear on this podcast, recorded back in 2019 at Swampfest, Fids was as transparent and hilarious as one could possibly be. He has so many stories and affected so many during his time on earth. Nearly 5,000 people listened to this episode when released. I hope just as many of you all listen this time, maybe with an even closer ear to the recording. I am very humbled by the relationships formed through this podcast so when we lose an icon of our sport/hobby that allowed us to record and hear their story (on any podcast) it can really put you in a retrospective spin. We have lost many and will continue to, that's life. I challenge you all to pick up your phone and record anyone you find interesting. You don't need any kind of special recording set-up, trust me! Having the ability to listen back to these interactions is beyond measure. It could be a friend, family member or someone that you don't yet have a relationship at all! Just do it, don't wait until the opportunity isn't there.

I am truly such a fortunate BMXer and occasional podcaster! I made a last minute decision to head out to Albany, NY to catch a 2nd Nitro Circus show on Thanksgiving Eve before they headed Southwest and South. Because of that choice I was given the tour bus tour by Micah Kranz and met two of the stars of the Nitro Circus tour, Kaden Stone and Brady Baker. Before I knew it we were sitting at the bus table recording episode 153. These two kids were unbelievably polite and welcoming and psyched to do the podcast! As per usual with me and my interviewees, I didn't know much about either of them. And as per usual the conversation was even better because of that, in my opinion. I slowly found out that these modest young adults are decorated Monster Energy athletes that have quite a few accomplishments between them including X Games gold medals and National titles among other achievements. You would have never known it as we got to know each other. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did! Please excuse my interruptions a few times during the podcast, I get a little excited! Thank you Kaden and Brady, you are two very special guys that should be proud of your stories and how you have found your way. Also, a huge thank you to Micah Kranz for allowing me to experience the shows and be a fly on the wall during the pre and post show in Albany while meeting the entire team including the amazing "Wheelz"!

Micah Kranz is such an amazing hype man. He is also a die hard BMX promoter of BMX with intriguing insights into our sport. He had me so motivated to get this episode posted after taking in the Hartford, CT stop of Nitro Circus! We had recorded the interview the day before so when I took in the show I had a completely different set of eyes while watching the show. He truly is the right person for the job and it is absolutely no surprise that he has also announced so many other events, as you will hear in the podcast. The podcast ran a little longer than usual and is worth every minute, no exaggeration at all. Stick with it, go the long way to work, go for a walk, whatever it takes you to get the full story of Micah and so many laughs along the way. Thanks for listening!

Paul Isbester is a great old school friend of mine that I'm fortunate to have in my life after all of these years. This past rainy Sunday we had planned on meeting up for a ride on a new/old Spooky June Bug mountain bike turned gravel bike that Paul found and built up for me. Since the ride had to be canceled, Paul being the ever giving friend, drove to my house to deliver the bike only to be surprised by my devious plan to record a podcast with him. The day was super special due to two podcast call ins, Eric Brownell and Whitey Williams, along with being the beneficiary of an amazing bike build that Paul delivered. I hope you enjoy the podcast as much as I did! Thanks once again to Todd Breau for the podcast announcement artwork! If anyone is interested in joining me at Foothills BMX in Torrington, CT I will be at Foothills on September 7th at 9am for my annual birthday laps followed by birthday road miles, 54 of each. Any money donated that day will go directly to Foothills BMX, a track that is near and dear to me as I am one of the founders of the track/organization. Contact me through IG at @gromdad2000 with questions or to shout out encouragement for the day! Thank you to Tasha Lindemann @tjl.creative on IG for the flyer artwork! Enjoy! Joe

Robbie Miranda was the perfect #thebmxinourblood podcast interview to cap off my quick 36 hour stop in SoCal a couple weeks back. Robbie is a true professional in every sense of the word. He took his sponsorships seriously and absolutely gave each company the best ROI they could possibly have. Instrumental in these sponsorships was Steve Buddendeck of 2B, DK and Verde fame (among others). Having Steve call in and reconnect with Robbie made my heart full! We talk about a bit of everything from the Vans Triple Crown, XGames and his days as an amateur and professional BMX racer. Afterward we got into his transition into his current job as a sheriff where he has worked since his last BMX race over 17 years ago. Enjoy the podcast and take a moment to appreciate Robbie for his service. We couldn't do without people like Robbie working hard to protect and serve the public. #bmx #bmxpodcast #robbiemiranda #dkbmx #1800collect #vanstriplecrown #xgames #nblbmx #ababmx

Episode 149 - Jerry Bagley With Biz Jordan by Interviews with the BMX community

I have a pretty cool podcast for you all this week! It came up as an impromptu opportunity that made for a recording that surprised me and Chris Moeller of S&M/Fit Bikes. My intention was to say hello and drop off two letters that Chris had written back to me in January 1988 in response to my requests to buy an S&M Mad Dog frame (a brand new company at the time) and to invite Chris to a trail jam at the Sunnyside trails in Connecticut. We also talked zines since Chris was putting out the Soul Zine at the time. What we ended up recording was a full hard goods production tour that was so interesting! Chris's passion for the shop and creating product is amazing. We finished the tour off with Chris reading the letters he wrote to me in 1988. It was a trip down memory lane for both of us! Just a couple of 17 year olds in love with BMX and dirt jumping along with side hustle passion projects to support our mutual hobby. Enjoy the podcast and look forward to two more from that day, Jerry Bagley and Robbie Miranda! Special thanks to Sean from Vans for providing a home base for me for my quick visit! Lastly, thank you to my son Joe Jr for letting me tag along for the cross country truck camper trip to his winter job way up at June Lake in the Sierras of California. If not for his adventures none of this would have happened. Love you Joey! If you would like to support the podcast please consider a monetary donation of any amount through my PayPal or Venmo. Message me through @Gromdad2000 on Instagram. Thank you! Joe

It's been a while since the last The BMX In Our Blood episode but as it goes, timing is everything. I am forever grateful to have been asked by Base Brooklyn (Enos Colombo) to be a part of what became more than a bike show, reunion and tribute to Eddie Rios at the Coney Island Brewery on Sunday October 22nd. Unbeknownst to him the event WAS Eddie Rios and it was truly amazing. Eddie has been a staple of the freestyle BMX community back to his days ruling Mullaly in the 80's, 90's and beyond. Everything I learned about Eddie through the mini interviews and conversations off the record were absolutely a testament to the love the NYC BMX community has for Eddie and Eddie's incredible personality. Although Eddie's time with us is limited he will have an impact on all of us for the rest of our lives. There was one sentence in Eddie's speech that was so emotional and so incredibly impactful in such a positive way, "I'll miss you guys but I'll see you." Listen closely and think about it as you look at the photo used for this podcast announcement (by Norman Blake) as Eddie raises his arms as the King of New York, one more time. Here are the interviews in the order of the episode: Enos Colombo Roy de Guzman Nito Brett Irrgang Eddie Haller Mike Ick Jimmy Mac Glenn Milligan Richie Poole Eddie Rios Ralph Sinisi Edwin DeLaRosa Bob Scerbo Tyrone Williams Robbie Morales George Gallo with Eddie Rios Until next time....

Episode 146 - Chill Phil Downell by Interviews with the BMX community

Waaaay back in October of 2017 I started this podcast and my very 1st interview was with Chelsea Wolfe, at that time Chelsea Fiets Godin. While planning my trip down to Swampfest in February I thought it was a perfect time to catch up with Chelsea 144 episodes later. Since our 1st meeting Chelsea met her goal of being an Olympic athlete and earned a spot on Team USA as an alternate, a huge deal! Enjoy the quick check in with Chelsea and also give episode #1 a listen by scrolling back or listening to the repost that I will have up shortly. Thanks for listening! Episode picture by @jeffzphoto (Jeff Zielinski) Announcement graphics by @nagooarts (Todd Breau)

"World number 3!" The phrase most commonly heard from Robbie Morales of Cult BMX when he runs into Greg Lanthorne! Why? Because he is the W3 pro from the 1987 IBMXF World Championships in Orlando Florida! Everyone loves an underdog and Greg didn't disappoint. There is much more to his BMX story that spans over four decades. Add in his job at Sparky's Distribution and there was lots to talk about and now for you to hear. The interview with Greg was recorded at Swampfest a few weeks back, what a crazy time! Enjoy the show and look forward to the last of the Florida recordings with Chelsea Wolfe. Always a great conversation with the Florida born Olympian.

Allie Wolfe may be the sister of a notable freestyler (Olympian Chelsea Wolfe)but she is absolutely her own self made badass! Coming from a family of all BMXers (parents included)Allie decided a bit ago to trade BMX racing with freestyle and has been having the time of her life. Recently she decided to move into her van and work remotely so she can do what many of us would love to do, go cross country and really see what this Stateside part of the world is all about. I give Allie so much credit for remaining as independent as she has always been but accepting help when needed. You never know where she will be as she lifts up her Florida floor mat and heads out to her next destination with a lot of interesting diversions along the way. Coming to a town near you! Enjoy the podcast and please like and subscribe, someone told me I should be asking for that small request. One last tidbit. Allie will be at the last stop of the @FLBMX skate park, April 15th at the Oviedo Ripping Riverside Park. If you in the area, don't miss it! Thank you @nagooarts once again for the Podcast announcements! #bmx #bmxfreestyle #alliewolfe #vanlife #workingremote #bmxgirl

Another amazing podcast experience was had with the latest BMX In Our Blood interviewee, Ryan Sher. I never stop learning and definitely won't anytime soon because I believe you never stop learning no matter where you are at in life. Ryan had some really thought provoking views on topics such as manufacturing, sponsored riders, events and the next generation of riders among other subjects. Ryan's role at Sparky's Distribution is pretty cool between his team managing to marketing and quite a few other roles he and others at Sparky's join in on. Interacting with Ryan was nothing but fun and interesting, I was a little jealous when I left there! Imagine a group of people that are all in a workplace for the right reasons and having fun doing it. The staff was also super welcoming, I really appreciated that! Anyhow, give it a listen and enjoy! **One small correction/addition. When reading off the brands under the Sparky's umbrella I forgot to mention Bone Deth, sorry about that!** The Sparky's brands also include Subrosa, Shadow Conspiracy, Rant and Shadow Riding Gear. Don't forget the Road 2 Recovery Jam on July 16th! Put it on your calendars and be ready for the best one yet!

Episode 141, Bethany Hedrick! Bethany was great to have back on the podcast. The last time Bethany and I talked was almost two years ago in my #thebmxinourblood podcast booth during a USABMX Freestyle contest at @woodwardcamp, a contest that Bethany won. She moved on to progress to the point of being asked to join the @gtbmxfreestyle team and also with @odysseybmx and @vans66 supporting Bethany as well, all late last year! We met up at @florideahswampfest a few weeks ago as she was wrapping up a week long trip with @thebloombmx and @gtbmxfreestyle Bethany used her youthful energy to hang out for an hour of rental car air conditioning before heading right back out there to ride more for the cameras of @jeffzphoto and @beabmx Thanks for the time Bethany and congrats on your huge progress! Stay tuned for another episode coming up next weekend with @ryanwood.stock of @sparkys_usa and their many brands, @subrosabrand, @theshadowconspiracy, @rantbmx, @shadowridinggear and @bone_deth Big thanks to @nagooarts for the podcast announcement graphics and @jeffzphoto for the Bethany pic! #bmx #bmxfreestyle #gtbmxfreestyle #odysseybmx #bone_deth #thebmxinourblood #thebloombmx

Swampfest was great to me. Not only was the event insane but I was able to spend time with seven different guests that were all amazing! Mark Mulville is the 2nd podcast so far. Keep an ear out for five more! I had a gut feeling about Mark Mulville and what he would bring to the podcast for all of you listeners out there. We didn't just cover all of his amazing video parts from Anthem II to Who Brought The Dicks or his long term sponsor @profile_racing We covered some real life issues of anxiety and depression that is pretty familiar to so many, myself included. We also talked quite a bit about the Casselberry, Pittsburgh, Connecticut and lots of places in between that helped shape who he is today as a rider and a man. Pretty crazy that Mark grew up a couple towns away from me in Connecticut, as a young pre-teen. Mark is also a pretty amazing photographer that loves to focus on the wildlife of Florida, especially gators! I hope you all enjoy this listen, it was beyond my expectations and I am so grateful Mark made the time for our conversation and a couple laps at his trails! Thank you Mark! You can find Mark's photography on his Instagram page, @markmulville Podcast announcement shot by @matt_coplon Announcement graphics by @nagooarts Thank you Todd!

The Bloom BMX is an amazing media platform that is and has been making a huge impact on the progression of women and girls in BMX. I have been attending and covering quite a few women's weekend events over the years so I was dying to get to know The Bloom (Beatrice Trang and Angie Marino)and learning a bit more about their goals and motivations. It was equally as important to me to help in any way I can to create an awareness of The Bloom so girls/women can find other girls/women that have the same passion. I would encourage you all, male, female or non-binary, to check out The Bloom through their media platforms listed below. I would also encourage the girls/women out there to submit any content you would like to share with The Bloom on their website. Thanks for listening! thebloombmx.com thebloombmx on Instagram thebloombmx on Twitter thebloombmx on Snapchat The Bloom BMX on Facebook @thebloombmx on TikTok The Bloom BMX on LinkedIn thebloommtb.com

Another pleasant surprise #thebmxinourblood podcast! I have had Ian Mcomber (@fakiemasta) on my radar for a bit so when I noticed a repost on @digbmx of one of Ian's fakie lines, I just had to try to get the podcast done! I'm so glad I did! Ian has a lot going on with his career in prosthetics and his artwork, aside from BMX. What Ian does for work is largely in service of people that have lost limbs or were born with congenital deformities. Ian uses his mechanical mind to help make this happen. Many have said that they love to hear the real life story of what BMX riders are all about off of the bike. Ian's interview is proof of how interesting a rider may be when you ask that question! Thank you Ian for trusting me with your story. It was my pleasure to be able to learn about all things Ian!

Eric Brownell is a close runner up to John Lee for the title of "the nicest guy in BMX". Incredibly respectful of everyone in bmx/cycling and so generous with his time and friendship. There was a time earlier on in the podcast that Eric was on my list but I just couldn't find him. Seems that Eric has been slow to the social media party and I couldn't agree with him more with his timing! In this episode Eric tells us where he has been and wow is it interesting and impressive. As some of you may know, I really enjoy endurance sports and am in awe of friends like Eric that are so accomplished in pushing their limits. He reminds me of Ari Sonnenberg, Tim Strelecki, Danny Bailey, John Badessa, Todd Wells, Sean Rudzinksky and more. The quality of the recording is a little low due to the location inside of a Starbucks but worked out great. If you hear me call Eric "4 inch Eric" that is why, I was keeping Eric within 4" of the mic for the best result. Thank you for listening and please consider helping the podcast by donating to the podcast. Message me through IG or Facebook and I will direct you to my PayPal or Venmo. The 400,000th download is coming this week thanks to all of you, guests and listeners! You are more appreciated than you know!

Hey everyone! It's been a while but fortunately I'm rolling again with Podcast Episode #136, Ben Achison. I threw "Night Digger" into Ben's episode announcement because I will always be in awe of his passion for trail building at whatever hour he can do it. As you will hear, Ben has worn a lot of hats, all of which are really amazing. From BMX racing to BMX State Commissioner to BMX trails to running to trail building, Ben doesn't stop. Enjoy the podcast and give those courtesy laughs to the dad jokes and genuine laughs to Ben's craziness! Thank you Nick Caporuscio for calling in to bring true stories that will make us all wonder, does Ben having food throwing issues? Anyhow, laugh and enjoy! If you want to support the podcast monetarily please message me through IG @gromdad2000 or FB Messenger at Joe Doherty. As always, thank you @nagooarts (Todd Breau) for the podcast announcement artwork.

Episode 135 - Brooks Manbeck by Interviews with the BMX community

Do you have the patience to get a bike park started in your area? How about 6 years of patience! Joe Lodato did, barely! The story you will hear in this podcast talks about the difficulty and the reward of persistence. Joe talks at length about how to make the dream happen and the challenges along the way...and why you should never send an email or message that was written under stress for at least a day after you write it ;) Congratulations Joe, the non-profit C.L.I.M.B. organization and all of the volunteers for a job well done in building a BMX park that will last for years to come! Learn more about the Percy Raynor Bike Park and CLIMB through the following links... www.percybikepark.org www.climbonline.org IG - @percyraynorbmx FB - Percy Raynor BMX Park

Episode 133, finally! Sorry for the long wait between podcast interviews. This one is worth the wait, Alan Foster. What an amazing guy. Alan has been involved in so many interesting layers of life that include BMX beyond what I expected. Alan is extremely modest so listen close and learn about the Cali transplant from Maryland and his trip around the Country which eventually brought him to my house for a great visit with his wife. We had a pretty good time and even experienced dinner in a local jail. 51 year old rebels. We aren't done yet!

What could be better than trapping Jay Dalton in a room to talk about all things BMX and Moto? Well, having Chase Pauza and Jamie Bestwick be the surprise call-ins didn't hurt! Jay is such a modest dude so when you flip through his Instagram it's pretty wild. He is an incredible bike rider and equally as talented on a 450cc motocross bike. Enjoy! A shout to Southside_bmx (Kyle Mcdonald) and Southsidebmx.net from Ireland for the podcast donation, much appreciated! Please DM me at @gromdad200 or FB Messenger at Joe Doherty. Any donation is helpful. If you are not able to donate, no problem! Please subscribe to the podcast and give a rating. Thank you in advance! Thank you once again @nagooarts for the podcast announcement graphics and @artvideophoto for the amazing shot of Jay! #bmx #bmxpodcast #bmxtrails #bmxfreestyle #ctclaimsjaydalton

Gabe Sharp of Shadow Riding Gear and Standard Bykes was another great surprise of my quick trip to the Wheel Mill a few weeks back. It is so much fun to learn about people you never would have known if not for people appreciating people. Gage was suggested for #thebmxinourblood to me by Ron Bonner of Shadow Conspiracy, Subrosa and Shadow Riding Gear. Ron couldn't have been more perfect with his suggestion. Gage was a great guy to get know and gave me even more appreciation of Cleveland and the surrounding area. And he can ride like a son of a gun too! Trigger warning, some explicit talk happens during the Instagram questions part of the interview. Good times and great laughs were had! Thank you for the Gage Sharp picture Murphy Moschetta!

Nina Buitrago rules! Not much else to say, you just have to listen to Nina's stories of living and taking chances in every part of her life. We talked about her many adventures, her career, the Olympics and her continued support of the women's BMX scene. I could interview Nina each year and come out of it charged up and educated on living the best life. If you can't get enough of Nina you can look back in The BMX In Our Blood archives to Ep 17 for my 1st introduction to Nina and the uphill climb she made to crowd favorite status. Please consider donating to the podcast as I run the show unsponsored as I did for the 1st 50 episodes. DM for my PayPal address if you choose to chip in. Thanks! Podcast graphics by Todd Breau and this months podcast picture by Murphy Moschetta. Thank you guys!

I really lucked out with a few awesome guys and an amazing woman for The BMX In Our Blood podcast this weekend at the Welcome Jam at The Wheel Mill. Jamie Thayer was one of them, and what a pleasant surprise he was! Big thanks to Ronnie Bonner for connecting me with Jamie and Gage Sharp (in a future episode this month). Jamie was great....and ended up winning a good handful of cash courtesy of the Welcome Jam at The Wheel Mill. In this interview you will hear Jamie's brother Dylan also. Dylan is an amazing videographer (and rider) that creates amazing edits. The Shadow Riding Gear edit he put out was awesome, check it out when you have a few minutes. Another thanks to Noah McBride of The Scenes Not Dead. I met Noah just before we started recording and he sat in and helped with come questions, it worked out great! Anyhow, congrats to Jamie for the new sponsorship with Shadow Riding Gear and getting hooked up with Subrosa too! The thumbnail picture for the podcast image is by Shaun Jordan.

EP 128 - Jesse Gregory With Joc313 by Interviews with the BMX community

Episode 127 is all about giving back and Carley Young exemplifies giving back more than most anyone I know. This podcast interview was recorded during Women's Weekend at Ray's MTB Park in Cleveland Ohio. A busy weekend to say the least! Carley and Nina Buitrago killed it. Ray's was packed all weekend long with women supporting other women while learning through clinics put on by Carley and Nina. It is important to note that Women rode for free at Ray's for the entire 3 day weekend! As you will hear, Carley instructs skills clinics all over as well as putting on Ride Like A Girl clinics as well. AND there is a Ride Like A Girl BMX racing team. Watch for the next Ride Like A Girl weekend at The Wheel Mill in Pittsburgh on March 26th and 27th. Don't miss it! As always, a big thank you to Powers BMX shop and museum for sponsoring the podcast. Please consider ordering from Powers for all of your BMX needs as well as a trip through the history of BMX by checking out the Powers collection. Lastly, thank you Todd Breau for taking care of the podcast announcement graphics. Always appreciated! Have a great week and stay safe!

Here you go, Part 2 of the Darren Meenan interview with The BMX In Our Blood (@thebmxinourblood)! A lot of conversation about Darren's business, The 7 Line and motocross racing. Darren is absolutely determined to succeed when taking on a challenge and these two topics are no exception. Apparently Darren has taken on the challenge of winning our Supercross Fantasy league as well because since this recording he has held on to the red plate with a slight lead over Keith Terra (@k_terra) after week 3 of the series. A big thank you to Chad Powers of @powersbmxshop for continuing to sponsor the podcast and to all of you out there that subscribe and like the podcast! Have a great week everyone!

If you don't know Darren Meenan you will know him well after this 2 part episode. Darren is one of those types of people that when thrown a challenge or taking one on by his own drive, he works at it until the goal is reached. The 7 Line in particular is such an amazing story that I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't witness it myself at his office/warehouse on Long Island during this recording. Originally from Queens, Darren spent plenty of his youth as a NY Mets fan. When it came time to make some money Darren showed his true Long Island hustle that has become a common story with many of my interviews with the BMXers from the area. That hustle landed him a unique Mets licensing deal for NY Mets merchandise. There is so much more to the story and it is all in Part 1 and Part 2 of Episode 126 of The BMX In Our Blood. BMX and Motocross are huge in Darren's story and are exactly what I was looking for. Darren puts it all together explaining how BMX started it all for him and how if not for BMX he wouldn't be where he is today because of Manmade BMX and BMX in general. So enjoy Part 1 and be ready for Part 2 toward the end of this week. Thank you all for listening and have a great week! Joe www.the7line.com www.manmadebmx.com @manmadebmx @darrenjmeenan @the7line https://the7line.com/blogs/the-7-line/51208769-sports-illustrated#

Josh Guyer of DWA4130 is one modest dude! Josh and I were able to meet up at the recent Oakwoods Chili Jam in Massachusetts last Saturday. It is a pretty relaxed conversation with a guy that is juggling more than most and you would never know it. One of the balls in the air of this juggling act is raising money to give back to the trails and the riders. It is pretty impressive as Josh does this from his home in Minnesota when not on road trips to New England, Pennsylvania, Texas or New York or working as a union electrician. It was just a great conversation with a really impressive rider that loves the BMX trail scene. Thank you Oakwoods crew for giving me the place to record and an awesome day of riding! Word to the wise regarding the chili...always start mild and from the right! You can find frames and soft goods from Josh at www.dwa4130.com As always, thank you Powers BMX Shop in Richmond, VA for sponsoring the podcast. Chad has an amazing shop and BMX museum going in Richmond that is awesome to visit and a great spot to buy online with a pretty amazing inventory! Podcast announcement photo by Tasha of @tjl_photo

The TRA BMX race never disappoints! So many people that I would have loved to record but as a huge fan of BMX I had a hard time stopping watching! I was still able to grab some great conversations that I hope you enjoy! The weather, the invite list, the track conditions, the Gentilcore family, Darryl Nau announcing...It was amazing! Huge congrats to your winners, Vic Behm, Nick Fix and Matty Cranmer. Well deserved! Can't wait until the next one! Follow TRABMX.com on the web or @tra.bmx on IG. Thank you to PowersBMX.com (@powersbmxshop on IG) for sponsoring the podcast and all of YOU for listening and surprising me with your thoughtful comments on the podcast. It means far more than #'s to me!

EP 123 - Olympian Payton Ridenour by Interviews with the BMX community

What a great couple days with the Road2Recovery Jam on July 25th and the opportunity to record Mike Aitken for #thebmxinourblood I'm pretty sure either of us could have fallen asleep at any given moment as midnight closed in but we got it in! Kind of like right now as I write this! I think you BMX In Our Blood fans will like this one. Lots of fun talk and real talk about traumatic brain injuries and keeping your spirit up no matter what. The surprise call in by Garrett Byrnes was perfect. Always fun and always heartfelt. Anyhow, thank you Mike for sticking it out and coming out to Connecticut allllll the way from Utah with your family! Another big thank you to Fit Bike Co and Odyssey for helping to get Mike and his family out here. It was so great to see Mike and have him there signing posters and shirts. Too many to thank but a really important one is the Trumbull BMX track for allowing me to hold the jam there. Thanks for listening and please subscribe and follow the podcast as I close in on 4 years! Your support has been amazing!

Episode #121 - Shannon Gillette, what an interesting conversation with a guy that clearly knows his way around the United States because of his childhood as a military brat and BMX. If I remember correctly from this interview, Shannon has been with USABMX for about 25 years after starting as a CDL driver for them and worked his way right up the ladder to marketing. It was really nice to give Shannon a platform to talk about whatever he wanted to. My personal goal was to get to know Shannon and talk about his experience with BMX to kind of...qualify him to be one of our stewards of our beloved sport. Pretty ridiculous, right? I think many of us actually do that and we certainly talked about exactly that. It turns out Shannon, as you will hear, has been involved in some way with BMX for 40 years or so. Flip through the pictures on my post for this episode on IG to see what I'm talking about, Gromdad2000. He goes way further back than I had ever thought and he is beyond modest about that! So feel confident that Shannon, as well as many others in the USABMX office, have the experience to keep BMX moving forward with our interests in mind. Thank you Powers BMX Shop for continuing to sponsor the podcast while preserving BMX history in the Powers BMX museum. While shopping at Powers online check out Curtis Cantwell's latest craziness in the bio of @powersbmxshop Unreal! Also, thank you @nagooarts for keeping up with the last minute podcast announcement requests! Couldn't do it without you!

Bonus EP - Bobby Iovinella Dedication - Tri City's 40th Anniversary by Interviews with the BMX community

Have you ever meet someone that gives you a renewed faith in humanity? Christian Arehart is one of the rewards of patience. I'm not saying I was heading toward quitting the podcast but it is a challenge sometimes that can get you feeling that way. Christian is a fantastic conversationalist and is great at articulating his experiences and gratefulness. You do not find that as often these days in 18 year old kids. Congratulations to Christian for finding his own way to experience a happiness and contentment that people of all ages could learn a thing or two from. So thank you Christian! Keep enjoying the ride that we call life! Also, thank you to @joshmcelweephoto for the podcast announcement photo and @nagooarts for pulling the graphics together! Thank you to the sponsor of the show, @powersbmxshop powersbmx.com I couldn't do it without you guys! Lastly, the @road2recovery fundraiser is coming up quick. July 25th at the @trumbull_track_bmx If you are able to donate BMX memorabilia and/or raffle items of any kind, please do! Also, if you all want the pit bike race to happen we need about 20 bikes that must be 16" wheels or under. Huge thanks to the Trumbull crew along with @andrew_mcconnie @rj__reale @thiskid_jonny and more for getting the jump lines ready for the jam!

The Woodward East stop of the USABMX Freestyle series was amazing! Aside from Woodward being the best BMX playground in the world they had the perfect setup for the contest. All the way from lodging to a huge variety BMX terrain to ride, Woodward does it right. When you add the incredible staff of USABMX Freestyle to the mix you end up with a perfectly run event with great judging, efficient schedules and super happy amateur riders. What was really cool was that USBMX was able to include a UCI contest on the last day of the event giving our Olympic hopefuls some competition for the first time since before the Covid pandemic and before the next UCI event in France. I was really impressed that these Elite athletes watched all of the amateur classes and cheered them on and took photos with the finalists and anyone else interested. Like racing, freestyle Elite professionals are so accessible, that is something we should tap into as often as possible. In this podcast you will hear riders of all ages and skill talk about their Woodward USABMX Freestyle experience, including @themajorbmx What a pleasant surprise Marshall was! I would like to offer most sincere thanks to the staff at Woodward and the everyone at USABMX, Tony D, Shane Fernandez, John David, Shannon Gillette (podcast with Shannon coming up)Travis and many others that were working both the freestyle event and the Gold Cup BMX race at the same facility. The Ivory Tower analogy that some of us have joked about is so far off, I even saw holes in Shannon's shoes that proved it otherwise. They work a TON of hours weekly and love their jobs! Anyhow, thank you @PowersBMXShop on IG and powersbmx.com for continuing sponsor the show and do great things all around the mid-Atlantic states and beyond. Check them out for all of your BMX needs and the biggest BMX museum around! One more big thank you to Kevin Robinson Jr. (@krobjrbmx)for helping me get the contest competitors over to the #thebmxinourblood podcast booth, it was perfect and there is no better person to do it! A great kid with a great future in BMX.

This episode has a couple things going on. Most importantly I was able to interview Rich Vatalaro, one of the most dedicated volunteers I have had the fortune to work with at the annual fundraisers that I put on. Rich is such selfless person that just loves to have a good time and help the cause each year. In addition to that Rich is a blast to ride with as we gently age. The other focus of the podcast is to talk a bit about this year’s Road2Recovery Jam at the Trumbull BMX Track in Trumbull, CT on July 25th. It was great to get some feedback from Rich on some events he would like to see and the events he loves to see year after year. I would like ask each of you that have the ability to donate, please do so! We are always looking for raffle items and silent auction memorabilia or larger items. They do not have to be BMX related. On the auction side of things I should tell you that even though you may think it isn’t of value to the fundraiser (last year’s Taj T1 frame blueprint and the Brian Foster Fit complete 22” come to mind) they are incredible fundraising items that really help Road2Recovery out. As Ground Chuck says, the object isn’t to get a deal, it is to bid more than what the item may be worth. So plan on lots of fun with so much to do at the event…and meet Mike Aitken! While you are at it please say hello to Rich Vatalaro and thank him for his hard work at making the event successful. A big thank you Powers BMX shop for continuing to sponsor the podcast and helping ease the costs that go along with it. Be safe everyone and enjoy the interview with Sir Richard Vatalaro! Intro music Sonic Youth - Schizophrenia Outro music Sonic Youth - Dirty Boots

I first met Kevin Robinson Jr. at the Find Your Fight Jam in 2018. The night before that jam Kevin and I were working on a Hoffman bike that Mat Hoffman had sent Kevin to start riding a level up on. Three short years later KRobJr is riding competitively all around the Country and riding for Ron Bonner and Subrosa! It is absolutely crazy how fast Kevin has progressed. His 1st flair was around a year into riding. Just amazing. Kevin Sr. is watching from above and clearly so proud of what an amazing young man Kevin has become, just as much off the bike as well. Huge huge huge shoutout to his mom, Robin Robinson, and his Uncle Kenny Robinson among others that have helped bring Kevin to the level he is at with so much love and support. Something that I would love to have all of the listeners pay close attention to is the move USABMX Freestyle has made to create a competition platform for amateurs that is helping riders like Kevin have a goal in competition and a pathway (as you will hear) to the Olympics if they so desire. That was not happening previously. I am so impressed by the hard work of Tony Degollado, Shannon Gillette and the staff at USABMX for making the series happen. You can find the easily by searching for USABMX Freestyle on IG or or their website. Enjoy the listen and keep your eyes out for these outrageous rippers as they progress while building friendships for a lifetime. Thanks for listening and thank you Powers BMX Shop in Richmond, VA for continuing to support the show, it wouldn't happen without them! Support those that support the show!

Just In Time Justin Loffredo! There is so much that makes up Justin's incredible life experiences and so many that I wasn't aware of! If there is one message that I hear the most often prior to sitting down to interview it is that the subject of the podcast doesn't feel worthy. I will keep plugging away and put these people of BMX history to accept that they have made a difference and accomplished some of life's greatest achievements...happiness and pride. Justin sure has made Long Island proud and created bonds that, although with occasional gaps of time, will last a lifetime. THAT is something you will here much about in this podcast. I'm extremely grateful that two of Long Island's finest, Tom Bivona and Keith Mulligan, accepted my request to call in and remind Justin of his importance to them and others. The stories and laughs will last forever, as they should! Stick with the podcast because even at 3 hours it moves along quickly and is so entertaining. Thank you Powers Bike Shop for continuing to support the podcast. If you haven't already, please try them out for your BMX needs at.... https://powersbmx.com/ Also, if you are into BMX history jump on to https://www.powersbmxmuseum.com/ It is amazing! Last but not least, thank you https://oldbonestherapy.com supporting these old bones. I've always believed in the product and am so grateful for their support...get it...support? Podcast Dad joke. Anyway, give any number of there products for BMX of any kind as well as running, skating and more! Thank you Todd Breau for the podcast artwork, always greatly appreciated!

Episode 115 - Dave "Whitey" Williams by Interviews with the BMX community

Another step out of the box for The BMX In Our Blood, an interview with John Badessa based on his book, Fit2besick. John is a former BMX racer and World Champion from Rhode Island that had the mindset of a champion. As you will learn through the podcast, champions suffer too. When John faced unexplained exercise fatigue after years of endurance sports he thought the answer and solution to the problem would be a much easier fix then it was. Stick with it to the end and you will learn about how to be your own health advocate and think trust your gut. You can find John's book on Amazon by searching Fit2besick. Once again, thank you to Powers Bike Shop for continuing to sponsor the show. Although I am grateful for the Powers sponsorship it doesn't cover the expenses. Please consider donating to the podcast through PayPal at [email protected] if you like what you hear and I'll do my best to keep it going! Also, as you will hear in the intro there is a GoFundMe for the funeral expenses for Dave Pawson who unfortunately passed this weekend. Please keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers. You can find his GoFundMe by searching for "Funeral Costs For David Pawson aka BMX Legend". Still quite a shock for the BMX community that we are all a part of. That's it for this week, enjoy it and live every day with no reservations!

It hasn't always been this way but I'm a bit less hesitant with podcast interviews with people I don't know much about. Thankfully people like Chris Childs are out there because he exceeded all of my hopes and expectations by being one of the nicest and most comfortable conversations. Huge thank you to the ever humble Chris for your gift of time for all of us to listen to. Special thanks to Matt Coplon of Profile Racing for being the surprise guest this week. Matt's call in was perfect! Also, thank you Circuit BMX for letting us your space for Chris and I to record after his work shift there at one of the most popular BMX only shops in the Northeast and beyond. Check out Chris's new venture "No Exit" and his recent edits "Welcome to S&M" and "Running Out of Daylight". Also, check out his band Remainder (RemainderMA) on Bandcamp. At the beginning of the podcast you will hear the single "Reproach". Holy screaming cheetah wheelies, they are wild! Stay safe and be ready for the John Badessa interview in the next two weeks. It switches gears from the majority of my podcast and really focuses on health as well as the danger of exercise/competition fatigue that can cause some real health issues. Lastly, please contact me through Instagram if you are able to support the show with a monetary donation. As with most of us times are uncertain and the podcast could always use the assistance. Thank you! ~ Joe

Words can't describe the emotions felt by everyone involved in making this happen starting with Jenn Lyman of Foothills BMX. This was quite possibly the most moving experience I have had outside of my family. This was all BMX family in it's purist form. Thank you Roger Plaskett for towing the line and taking our little project to levels neither BMX sanction have seen up to when you took the program to such a high level, all while assisting on the National level with announcing events across the Country. You are in the BMX Hall Of Fame! So happy for you Roger! #thebmxinourblood is powered by @powersbikeshop and @oldbonestherapy For this episode we also have @devotedclothing Support these entrepreneurs that support the sport and this podcasts!

Most of what I do in life are spontaneous yet thoughtful moves, this interview with Jane is one of them. I first zoned in on Jane McCarthy's work as an RN during the pandemic when I read a few of her Facebook posts that were, we'll say, written under extreme stress during the late winter/early spring of the rapid onset of Covid. She was accurate in her reasoning and frustrated at the lack of concern. At that time it was more of a light hearted joke relating the virus to Corona beer. Honestly, even those little things contributed to more complacency, in my opinion. I have known Jane and her family for a few years now as we end up at a lot of the same events and their volunteering at mine. Listening to Jane tell her story can be heartbreaking at times. If you are like me in any way you may have been suspect during the early onset of Covid...it only hurts the weak and old, it's no worse than the flu, etc. I feel like an idiot after listening to Jane tell her story of working huge hours and trying to protect her husband and children from her Covid exposure at her job at the hospital. If you take just one thing from this podcast let it be this, if you don't think the threat is real, think about the others in your life. It is far bigger than you. The preventive measures required are the least you can do for your fellow humans in this crazy world we live in. So mask up, clean up and stop the spread...for others, not just you.

This was and is a tough one for all to say the least. Roger Plaskett has been an absolute on going legend in Connecticut BMX. His on the track leadership as well as his amazing NBL National announcing is nothing short of amazing. Roger has unfortunately been given the news that he has an incurable illness and most recently two strokes. Roger is a fighter and is probably pushing his was out of medical care as we speak! In addition to his leadership in BMX in general there are so many things that Roger has done for the sport with our current local track (Foothills BMX)in Torrington, CT for over 27 years as well as Thunder Alley BMX in Bristol, CT as well just to name a few. Please keep Roger and his family in your thoughts. For somewhat obvious reasons I have hammered this podcast out in hope that Roger can hear the love the BMX community has for him. Thank you Tim Brown for the announcing Audio from 1996 and thank you to Todd Breau for once again whipping up the podcast announcement graphics with no notice! Lastly, thank you Powers Bike Shop in Richmond, VA for continuing to sponsor The BMX In Our Blood and the hidden support (pun intended) by Old Bones Therapy with huge array of products for joint pain and support.

Everything you have heard about Ekim King, it's true. He is one crazy dude with more talent and passion than most any two of us combined. There isn't much more I can say aside from what you are about to hear. Thank you Ekim and the Catty Woods crew for your years of hard work. A special thanks to Garrett Byrnes for the call in! As always, thank you Powers Bike Shop for sponsoring the podcast.