The BMX In Our Blood

Women's Weekend, a gathering of women from all over the USA and Canada that love BMX trail riding. I love covering this event because of the super positive vibe that goes on there each year. The veterans of women in BMX riding together with those that may have just started, like the unicycle seat woman in the last interview clip! As I have in the past, I only covered Saturday at Catty Woods. Before I started podcasting I did go to the Sunday at Posh as well, day two of the weekend, and it is just as awesome as Saturday. So another successful year in the books by Taryn Hipp and the women volunteers. It seems that with the continued success and growing numbers Taryn and others will keep this annual event going with no plans of stopping! Put this together with Carley Young's Ride Like A Girl events and the future for women in BMX continues to look bright on the East Coast!

I don't get too nervous for podcasts interviews as often as I used to in the beginning but Payton Ridenour brought that out of me through being such a well spoken 18 year old with just so many accomplishments! Payton tried hard and patiently to explain the progression levels on the path to Elite Women status within the UCI World Cups and USABMX National classes. So interesting and helps explain the challenges that she is progressing through. With such great parents (Karen and Keith Ridenour) Payton has just the support she will need to make her ultimate goal a reality, one of which is earning an Olympic medal. Another big piece of the puzzle to make this happen is through her coach, Arielle (Martin) Verhaaren (@amv15), someone that clearly knows how to make it happen. Enjoy the interview along with the surprise call in from Carley Young (sk8bmxchic)as she delivers her questions and comments to this incredible young lady. As if all of this isn't enough Payton has a children's book coming out, A to Z: BMX Style, possibly by Christmas if all goes well! Thank you to @powersbikeshop for continuing to sponsor the show and @oldbonestherapy for keeping this 50 year old man comfortable when riding, running, etc. as well as younger BMX shredders, @joc313 and @russbarone Podcast announcement photo by the amazing @tjl_photo and artwork by @nagooarts Thank you both! Payton's sponsors are: @mongoosebikes @flybikesbmx @e6racingcomponents @onyxracing @potterplates @answerbmxusa @hrpdesigns @wd40bike @shimanobmx #soxsmith @evssports

Rad Chicks Society, possibly the most important movement going on right now for women looking to challenge themselves with an action sport. The leader of this monumental passion project is none other than Nutmeg State resident, Jessica Nason. Jess is so well spoken and dedicated to her project 200%. Mind you, she covers motocross, mountain bikes and BMX for starters. Some of the highlights of the episode surprise call-ins from Nina Buitrago and Joce Camarra and then Jess calling the sweetest Rad Chicklette, Callie Atchison. Please support the major efforts of Jessica by purchasing coffee, coffee mugs, shirts and more! Find the store link in the @radchickssociety Instagram profile. Thank you again Powers Bike Shop for supporting the podcast! Hit them up on @powersbikeshop on IG, Powersbikeshop.com or the old fashion ring a ding at 804-308-1847 for any BMX needs or maybe just a history lesson! Podcast artwork by Todd Breau

Part 2 of the Tim Strelecki podcast! I hope you have listened to Part 1 before Part 2 but there is really no wrong direction when listening to Tim Strelecki talk! This entire podcast is amazing but the take away is absolutely toward the end of the interview. Tim mean what he says and we should all pause to ponder what this message may mean to you as a friend of someone that needs an ear to listen or someone have a difficult time with addiction. We all have something. We also have the ability to help ourselves and others. Pick up that phone. Answer that call. You just never know. Thank you Tim and Darcy Strelecki for the hospitality and visit. It may have been the longest and fastest trip for #thebmxinourblood but I have had a hunch for a while that this interview had to happen for so many reasons. I hope you are as grateful as I am that Tim was able to share his story. Send him the love and appreciation he deserves for being as strong as he is. There is only one Tim Strelecki and we are so fortunate to have him with us. Thank you Tim, for everything you are and will always be. Thank you Powers Bike Shop for continuing to sponsor the show along with Old Bones Therapy the co-sponsor. You can find these great people at: powersbmx.com powersbmxmuseum.com oldbonestherapy.com Don't forget the Ride For Recovery fundraiser at the Trumbull BMX Track on July 26th, just two weeks away! Can't wait to see how well we can do for this amazing non-profit! You can learn more about them at road2recovery.com Podcast announcement created by Todd Breau with the photo by Tedd Nelson. Thanks guys!

Part 1 of possibly the most amazing subject I have had the opportunity to interview for #thebmxinourblood This is only Part 1 and I'm so grateful that this happened. I lost count of the National and World Championship #1's that Tim accomplished but it is somewhere around 9. Most racers are fortunate to be in the top 10 once nationally let alone world #1. Listeners may not know but I'm a huge fan of world tour road cycling and happy to fight to get my lycra cycling kit on for a ride so talking with Tim about his transformation into endurance cycling and racing is awesome. One of the highlights of the episode is the Danny Bailey call in. If you don't get choked up you may want to check your pulse or your moral compass. It is nothing short of completely a part of BMX history that will always be remembered. Stay tuned for Part 2 where Tim really dives into substance abuse and transforming himself into a road and cyclocross phenom. Oh yeah, I should probably mention that his sister Jen is married to some guy named Brian Foster. Thank you Jen for the perfect intro. As always, thank you Powers Bike Shop, Powers BMX Museum and Powers Pre-owned for supporting the show. Also, thank you to Old Bones Therapy for assisting my body in keeping those runs and rides in along with some BMX in between! Check out both companies. They are both passionate about BMX and I thank them for that! Lastly, the Road2Recovery Jam is back on!!! Follow my IG handle @gromdad2000 for info on that. I'm looking for auction items and raffle goods as soon as possible, it is only 3 weeks away on July 26th at the Trumbull BMX Track in Connecticut. Any help is appreciated!

Switching things up a bit with Episode 103 and getting back to a BMX racer. There is none better than Shawn Diprete from Massachusetts. Listening to Shawn describe his focus and intensity is pretty amazing. Some pretty important lessons in here for the younger generations as Shawn talks about the importance of staying out of trouble during those important years of development, the teens and early 20's. Shawn doesn't sugar coat the effect of his actions and how they came to be. The amazing part of Shawn's story is that he was able to put that energy into winning BMX titles, the most important being the 2013 USABMX National #1 Cruiser title. That means he had the most points with all age groups combined. There is only one winner each year and in the Northeast he has the only #1 title ever awarded. I loved that Shawn is searching for the fun in riding bikes after 4 decades of competitive BMX racing. He still loves racing but wants to let that competitive focus ease up a bit and learn how to have fun again. I'm pretty sure Jason Carnes' Berm Academy tour was a catalyst for this thought process as they toured around riding DJ and BMX bikes. Until next time, be safe and have fun! Big thanks to Powers Bike Shop for the sponsoring the show and Old Bones Therapy for co-sponsoring. Support those that support the podcast, thank you! Podcast graphics by Nagoo Productions, thanks Todd! Podcast photo by BMXActionPhotography.com

As much as we joke around on this episode about the amount of free time Jonny Nemecek has to ride, Jonny is way more than that and I'm sure his friends know that. Now you can learn how hard Jonny works to live his life his way after 50-60 hours of work each week as a multi County licensed Master Electrician. Not so coincidentally enough I was waiting last Saturday for Jonny to get home from work to record his podcast. I always have a list of interviews I would like to do and many of my decisions are based on what I'm feeling at the time. I was feeling like Iearning about the personal life of Jonny and wanted to hear about work, friends, family and future. His situation is far more intense than I expected due to a heavy job in electrical contracting. Yet he still makes the time to ride when most of us wouldn't. And ride at a high level as well! It was really nice to see my BMX daughter Joce Camarra in her new digs at Jonny's house as well and of course Rito! Soon to be a true BMX house with trails included. A great afternoon was had and once again Long Island delivered! Graphics by Todd Breau, thanks Todd. The BMX In Our Blood is sponsored by Powers Bike Shop in Richmond, VA. One of the best BMX only bike shops online and at the physical location. Find Powers at powersbikeshop.com

I can't think of many better situations to be in than among BMX riders that are so passionate about what they do that I have no chance of reeling them back in! The Stoneybrook Trail crew in Charlton Massachusetts was just like that. What I wanted most out of this podcast was to capture the joy and determination of this fairly new trail scene. So positive and in it for the right reasons. I cut out nearly 113 f-bombs so about half of them are edited out. Hey, when you have people as grateful as this group, you better expect it! Anyhow, great people with amazing hearts. Just what we all need in this strange time we are in. @stoneybrooktrails84 on IG

Surprise FBM! Episode #100 was dedicated to FBM a month or two ago but not quite the way the recently closed bike manufacturer may have thought. This episode was created by the FBM community in their words based on a basic question, what did FBM mean to you? You will hear some really consistent answers to this questions and as always, great stories. On behalf of your followers and fans, we thank each and everyone of you that held it down to the end of this chapter. Steve Crandall, Mike Erb, John Corts and John Lee...you are appreciated beyond what any of us could put into words. This podcast is just one step in showing you how much the team, distributors, shops and friends value what you have done since the early 90's. I apologize for the sound quality, various equipment was used so the volume is sometimes affected. Just crank it up when you need to! Order of appearance: Kaleb Bolton Bobby Proctor Kelly Baker (thank you Vic Bettencourt for the assist) Matt Coplon John Tillman (Chunk) (Thanks again Vic and Cara) Latane Coghill QBP - Jay Schlie Jay Schlie - personal thoughts Seamus Mckeon Dani Lightening Bolt Dillon Leeper Lukas Halahan Nathan Halahan Shane Halahan Kaci Halahan Jen Halahan Mike Halahan Stew Johnson Cara Bettencourt Vic Bettencourt Declan Murray Shane Leeper Chad Powers Kenny Horton Garrett Ginch with the banger to wrap it up! Be sure to keep an eye out for JC Metal Works if you are looking for the same FBM builder to fabricate a frame for you now. As always, thank you Powers Bike Shop for sponsoring the show, Brian Iarocci for the website assist and Todd Breau for the new podcast announcement while we give the amazingly talented Nuno Oliveira a break to focus on his job at Odyssey/Sunday and his Defgrip website (which is amazing!). See you all soon and please stay safe in these tough times. Joe

Although I'm fortunate enough to be able to go to work still, many of you are not. It may be a while before I get back on the road to record my next interview so here is my best improvision based on your questions. The purpose of this episode is for downtime entertainment but also to raise more $ for @bone_deth (Sean Burns) after his major spinal cord injury. Please head over to propsbmx.com to purchase Sean Burns stickers (the shirts have sold out). The stickers qualify you for raffle tickets so make sure you jump on there no later than tomorrow night. As far as this podcast, I'm looking for people to match my donation from this podcast up to $100. You could match 25%, 50%, etc. Let's see what else we can do for Sean. This money will go into Seans GoFundMe account www.gofundme.com/f/sean-burns-spinal-recovery or contact @sean.burns.recovery Congrats to @stew1201 for working the over time to get this done. The raffle is looking amazing as well!

This has to be one of my favorite episodes! I know it is longer than usual at 3 hours and 40 something minutes but you have plenty of time to listen as I won't be getting out to record again until Coronagedon blows over. Tom Bivona is a really special mid-school Long Island trail and race guy with the best laugh I've heard since I started recording 2-1/2 years ago. Well actually, Danny Bailey is another fantastic laugher. Gratefulness. Such a simple word but not expressed often enough. The highs and lows Tom has been through would make most lose their laugh and their gratefulness, not Janice or Tom Bivona though. I'm a very grateful guy but not even in the same ballpark as Tom. Please do yourself a favor, immerse yourself in this one and appreciate Tom's journey thus far. In the meantime, please stay clean and safe everyone. It's very difficult to find solid footing during this slippery slope of cautiousness and panic. On the BMX side, please do your best to get down to Swampfest for the postpone date of May 23rd. Trey Jones and his crew have worked so hard on this and could use a huge crowd as a thank you for their hard work. Also, I am announcing our Jam officially tomorrow. It will be on July 26th at the Trumbull, CT track with some wild events. The beneficiary will be Road2Recovery as their need is great as much now than ever. More on that later. So anyhow, enjoy Tom Bivona and start thinking about what you are grateful for.

Episode #97 - Ground Chuck Revisited by Interviews with the BMX community

I'll assume that most of you listeners out there don't know as much as we all should about flatland BMX. Although Brett Downs rides almost all disciplines of BMX (very well at that!) flatland is an important part of his BMX story and a fun story it is. Brett was kind enough to roll with my crazy schedule and we had some fun with the interview! Brett is also one of the best manufacture reps in the business. On top of that you also see Brett at almost every event. Just a huge supporter of all scenes. Please subscribe, donate (thru the website), like, comment...whatever suits you. As I head toward the 100th episode I'm starting to zone in on what I would like that to be. This may take time so be patient. In the meantime enjoy Brett Downs and look forward to the Ground Chuck revisited episode soon after along with Long Island legend Tom Bivona. Have a great rest of your week everyone! www.thebmxinourblood.com You can find Brett through his day job as a Sparky's Distro Rep for Shadow and Subrosa that puts him all over the East Coast and more. You can always reach Brett through Sparky's or his IG account, @BDC4130

Everything you want to know about Fingers Crossed is right here in this podcast! I was pretty excited to learn more about Ruben Alcantara and Garrett Byrnes newly released project. As of now Fingers Crossed is all about building your own fun, much like Steve Crandall would say! The basic premise is the amount of fun you can have riding a 20" BMX bike with suspension on any terrain. I'll leave the interpretation of this project up to each of you. What I do know is that Ruben and Garrett have something really cool going on and I'm very psyched to see what direction this goes! Garrett and I definitely spend some time revisiting some of his last podcast with me (episode #38) as we talk about the impact and rejection of the stigma of self help. There is a bit of everything for you all in this one! So enjoy and learn more about @fingerscrossedbmx on IG while it evolves week by week. As Darren Meenan said, if Ruben and Garrett are involved it is going to be good, and it is! As always thank you for listening and consider subscribing to the podcast and jumping on the www.thebmxinourblood.com to donate and check out past episodes. Coming up next, Brett Downs followed by Ground Chuck McCrea.

Another great event in the books! Be sure to check out @gromdad2000 on Instagram for more pictures and thebmxinourblood.com to learn more about the podcast. Please consider donating on the website to keep it going. Episode 100 is coming up! It's been an amazing experience over the past 2 years and a few months. Huge shout out to the Wheel Mill! Harry and the Potoczny brothers (Mike and Mark) for once again putting on an amazing event. I think I can speak for quite a few people about how fun and important the Welcome Jam is to the BMX community! I'll apologize ahead of time, I really got into some great conversation with a few friends and people that I hadn't met in person so the event interviews didn't go exactly how I had planned BUT isn't that what the Welcome Jam is all about? Coming up next, Brett Downs then Ground Chuck McCrea! Next trip out to the Wheel Mill will be for the Next Generation Jam on April 18th, 2020! Have a great week everyone! Joe

Alright, this week we are going from some of the nicest guys in BMX (Brian Boneau - Episode #92 and Paul Radosivich Episode #91) to one of the most modest guys in BMX, Brian Iarocci. I really appreciate the time that I was able to spend with Brian. Brian will forever be known as another as one of the best riders out of Long Island as you will hear through his peer's questions/statements because Brian won't admit it! Brian is also one of the few that have stayed in the cycling industry in some capacity. Brian currently lives in Columbus, OH and works for the Roll Bicycles (rollbicycles.com and @rollbicycles on IG). In his spare time, which doesn't really exist, he asked to be part of the podcast in a behind the scenes role. We talk about it a bit in the podcast but make no mistake, he has to work hard on keeping the website current with links to the podcast as well as a secured Square Space donation option, the podcast doesn't exist without it. Don't be fooled by Brian minimizing his role in the podcast, if not for Brian there is a good chance the podcast wouldn't continue. Coincidentally another Long Islander, Nuno Oliveira, has been helping out with the weekly announcement graphics. Please follow DEFGRIP.NET and @defgripcrew on IG, a creation of Nuno's that is so perfect to catch up with all kinds of BMX personalities and events. Basically, I have no idea how I became so lucky to have both of them in addition to the amazing @tjl_photo and @powerbikeshop They have made the podcast and the fundraising events much easier. So anyway, enjoy the Brian Iarocci podcast and consider donating to the podcast through the website, thebmxinourblood.com THANK YOU!

Now and again I like to fit in podcasts with BMX friends that may not be as well known but are really important to me personally. There are so many reasons why Brian Boneau is appreciated and respected. Brian's qualities aren't limited to being a great father, he is just a great person. Brian is the type of guy that wouldn't just give you the shirt off of his back, as he gently takes the "kick my ass" sign off that was taped on the back of that shirt to be sure you aren't inconvenienced by an ass kicking. Oh, and he just happens to be the biggest fan of BMX that I have ever met! Because of this you can only imagine how big of a deal it was to have Stu Thompson walk into the VIP room where were recording at Ray's Bike Park and sit down just as my interview with Brian started. It was a big room with Stu on a couch about 15-20' away so his voice is difficult to hear so just crank up the volume for the 1st short part of the podcast, it's worth it. The sound gets far better after that. It's not to often an absolute legend of BMX unexpectedly sits down in the middle of a podcast so I just let it ride. Brian has some seriously good karma because the next day (at the Old Fools Jam) Brian was randomly paired up with Stu for the pump track relay race! I will have pictures on my @gromdad2000 Instagram for you all to see. Anyway, the intro to the podcast is once again for RadShare.org, an organization run by Nate Hanger and Steve Crandall to get kids on bikes with the appropriate safety gear. Please check out their site and help however you can. That's about it so relax and listen to the 2nd nicest dude in BMX, Brian Boneau! I'll let you all guess who the 1st nicest guy is. I'll give you a hint....John Lee.

Wow, what a packed couple of weeks of BMX and the podcast! This week's episode is absolutely with someone I didn't know at all and came out of the interview feeling really rewarded and grateful that Paul Radosevich made the time for me. Especially with Ray's Bike Park having one of their biggest yearly events this same weekend, The Old Fools Weekend. For those that don't know, Paul is a full-time employee at Ray's and a master ramp builder as well. So much to learn in this one if you keep your ears peeled. Thanks again Paul, it truly was a pleasure.

Shain Bollen and his crew have outdone themselves once again! This may have been the 10th annual Old Fools BMX Jam at Ray's bike park in Cleveland. Or the 8th or 9th, no one is sure but everyone there wasn't there to count years, except maybe their own as winter knocks the fitness levels down. The event includes a Chili Cookoff and a pump track relay race for starters! Pretty awesome! In this episode you will hear the lead fool talking about all of the things he and his friends are doing each year to spread the BMX good times in the Ohio area and beyond. The rest of the podcast holds a variety of brave souls checking into #thebmxinourblood podcast booth on the mezzanine of the @profileracing room, all having an awesome time at the jam. Thanks to @raysmtb and @oldfoolsbmx for keeping things awesome!

Angelica and Ed Pollio are pretty amazing. Something about New Yorkers, their determination and passion against the increasingly difficult hoops they need to jump through is nothing short of amazing. The 5050 Skatepark in Staten Island is as unique as each of the five NYC boroughs. Every passion project floors me and grabs my attention. Maybe because I thought I have had a few challenging BMX passion projects in my BMX life but I don't think they come close to the hurdles Angelica and Ed have persisted through. I often talk about the NY hustle when interviewing New Yorkers, it is real! Anyhow, please give this story a listen and apply it to your strategy if you are embarking on a journey to give back to your community. 5050 can always use donations to keep their dream alive so look them up and do what you can. Help make sure this resource doesn't go away! Special thank you to Bryan Close of Brooklyn for being a guest for this podcast. Nothing better than having a New Yorker join in and be part of the podcast. Thank you Angelica and Ed for being amazing people that know what giving back is all about while making a difference in the lives of so many through the park. You can find 5050 on Instagram at @5050skatepark 5050skatepark.com Their merch store is through eBay by searching for 5050 Skatepark. Also, check out some other amazing projects of Ed's on Instagram @nydac Last but not least, thank you to Powers Bike Shop for sponsoring the show. #thebmxinourblood can be reached through me at @gromdad2000 or at www.thebmxinourblood.com where I gladly accept donations to keep the podcast going. Thanks!

A bit of a change of subject for podcast #88 and I'm really excited about it. Nothing is better than exploring and learning about what else is out there all around the world. I have always been intrigued by the AT (Appalachian Trail) and have done my share of seasonal and winter camping as well as miles of canoe camping. One of the perfect interviews for the subject of hiking and exploring is Danielle Breakell aka Red Panda. Danielle was super generous with her time while visiting her family in Connecticut. I will likely do this kind of diversion again so keep an ear out for it and let me know what you think. I won't be starting another podcast platform for it yet because, well, it is expensive and takes a lot of time. I truly believe listeners of The BMX In Our Blood will enjoy the occasional change up and appreciate the diversity of the podcast. Learning about the training and confidence it takes to hike the AT made Danielle the perfect interview for this 1st of a few hiker interviews over time in between BMX podcasts. I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity, thank you Danielle. Enjoy the listen and be sure to look up Red Panda's blog through www.trailjournals.com if you want to read her account as she successfully managed and completed the 2,189 mile AT hike. See you Old Fools at the Old Fools Jam at Ray's indoor bike park in Cleveland the 2nd weekend in January and/or the Welcome Jam at The Wheel Mill in Pittsburgh the 3rd weekend in January. Lots of good ones interviews coming up! Have a happy and safe New Year!

Joce Camarra is the epitome of a badass. Somehow the universe aligned and we connected at the 1st (maybe 2nd?) race and beginning of her BMX experience. Jocelyn (@joc313 on IG) is absolutely a different animal. Never before I have seen this type of progression while skipping the traditional steps of learning how to ride BMX racing, trails, park, etc. We jumped into some heavier questions and her opinion of how women as well as men (very much so myself) have learned that there is no perfect method of excelling in such a challenging hobby. Enjoy Jocelyn's (@joc313 on IG) journey thus far, it's pretty damn amazing. Also, you will hear @radshare mentioned over the next few episodes. If you are able, jump onto to Radshare.org/donate/ and give what you can to give back to the next generation of BMXers that are coming from less than ideal living situations. Enjoy your week! You can also find me @Gromdad2000 on IG, Joe Doherty on FB and of course on thebmxinourblood.com to donate to the podcast mission. Thanks for listening!

The FBM DIY Championship was the final stop of DIY series and it was everything we all hoped for! Crazy pallet and plywood creations made for this event are a huge part of the fun. Steve Crandall did an amazing job keeping everyone stoked throughout the day and a big reason as to why good things happen if you want them to. All of this fun was accomplished with no admission, no rules and no frowns. Huge thanks again to Chad of Powers Bike Shop for making this even happen on the logistics side and the event side. You won't hear quite as much about the actual event in this BUT you will hear from many positive people from Richmond that help make this happen. From outside of Richmond there were also many like minded BMXers like myself that are part of the event and focused solely on the success of the event. Not sure who won the vert wall Ginch lasagna prize or any other contest throughout the day on the craziest and sketchiest ramps and safe to say that everyone riding and spectating had a great time! One of the major accomplishments of the jam was the kicking off of the Rad Share non-profit venture, if you want to make a difference look this organization up and help any way you can. You will hear plenty about that as well as Swampfest #4 information involving the change of venue for this year. In order of appearance: Steve Crandall Matt Coplon Chad Powers James Lukas Adam Ginch Jeff T the TM of the Powers Bike Shop national team Nate Hanger of Rad Share www.radshare.org Trey Jones Brett Downs Velicity Miller Lastly, closing comments by Steve Crandall Please check out Rad Share through their website www.radshare.org where you can donate to make a difference. As always, thank you for listening and Powers Bike Shop for supporting this podcast!

One of the many cool things that happen when you go to the XGames is that you meet good people from around the USA as well as the world. I went to the XGames a couple months ago with no intentions of recording anyone, I just wanted to take it in and understand how this made for TV insanity really works. I first met Zach minutes before BMX vert and the connection was made and I became more aware of the 1/2 pipe heavy hitters. Fast forward a few months and he we are, story recorded. Crazy how it worked out that Zach Newman was in the middle of an 8 week school show schedule and was passing through while doing shows in Connecticut while calling Northern Kentucky home. I'm really happy that Zach let me know he was around, the timing was perfect for a podcast interview. He was just looking to say hi while coming through but I always have the equipment ready to record because you just never know! Anyone that rides 14' half pipes, as well as anything else he or she can find, has a mind and body full of courage, determination and persistence. Persistence is a word that Zach knows well, especially with his passion for riding and competing in 1/2 pipe competitions. Mainly the Xgames. Enjoy the conversation, Zach has great stories valuable lessons of persistence that everyone can benefit from. Also, thank you for continuing to follow along my journey of podcasting as I start my 3rd year thanks to all of you out there in BMX land! A special shout out to Andrew Bayes this week from Tasmania for making a nice donation through thebmxinourblood.com There are lots of BMX podcasts out there these days so I appreciate that so many of you are enjoying mine, I'm extremely grateful. Anyhow, heading to the FBM DIY World Championships in Richmond, VA tomorrow. If you see me, please say hello and sign the inside of The BMX In Our Blood podcast booth, I insist!

There are not many people that fit the title of BMX Legend and All Around BMX Rider as well as Jason Lonergan of Posh Woods. He just so happened to have earned the title of NORA Cup Trail Rider Of The Year as well, a huge honor. (Thank you @ourbmx and @bmx for keeping it going!)I'm extremely fortunate to have had Jason (JBone) trust me with an interview that had both of us nervous prior to the recording and then found ourselves planning part two within the 1st hour of chatting away. I truly respect JBone with all my heart and couldn't be more proud to call him my friend. We just scratched the surface of international travel and the P.O.W. house after over 3 hours of amazing conversation so those stories will be covered in part two by year's end. Special thanks to each of you that left questions for JBone on my @gromdad2000 IG, @sterlachini for an amazing outline to help me from missing important stories from JBone, @brianiarocci for maintaining thebmxinourblood.com website and @nuno_oliveira for the podcast announcements and all of you that have supported the podcast for the past two years it has existed. I can't thank you all enough for being supportive and giving me your valuable time. Last but not least, thank you so much past and present interviewees for trusting me with your stories. Coming up next, @zachfullface and his story of 1/2 pipe craziness and persistence as he came through Connecticut last week on a couple month swing of ASA BMX shows at schools around the East Coast. Thank you @powersbikeshop for continuing to support the show as well. Between Chad Power's support and donations from you all through the website I am able to continue to march toward episode #100 of face to face conversations that are each amazing in their own way. Have a great week!

The 3rd annual Women's Weekend In The Woods was a huge success! This is the 2nd that I have been at and recorded for longer than I ever have. Each woman and young lady had such interesting stories outside of BMX that I found myself doing 20-30 mini-podcasts! It would not be an exaggeration at all to say that the event was filled with riders from all over the United States and Canada came for the two day event that started at Catty Woods on day 1 and finished at Posh Woods on day 2. Enjoy the diversity of the podcast recorded at Catty Woods in Catasauqua, PA. Cutting out about 2 hours was really difficult and I apologize to anyone that doesn't hear their entire story, everyone that was interviewed is on this podcast though. Thank you for having me and trusting me with your stories.

I can't put all of the fun I had this weekend into words. Mike Gentilcore of TRA BMX put the world on notice. You can build and do anything you can dream of into reality. His event (Double Cross Dirt Comp) was amazing on every level! My original plan of interviewing racers in-between races didn't exactly stick because when you go to events like this or a trails jam you experience a reunion. New friends were undoubtedly made as well. Check Gromdad2000 on Instagram for pictures and video that finish painting this audio version of the event. You will hear so many different voices in this episode but without name introductions at times because I was so into the vibe of this event that I forgot to introduce some of them to the listeners! So anyhow, enjoy the podcast and congratulations to Vic Behm for winning the 20" wheel division and Nick Fix for killing it in the 26" wheel division! Definitely find TRABMX online and find a way to donate so we can continue to have a successful race to go to every year.

The real Adam 22 met up with me a couple weeks ago up at Catty Woods before we headed over to the Posh High Air contest (Episode #80). I've had a gut feeling about Adem for some time since meeting him at the Wheel Mill during the 2nd stop of the Uncovered BMX indoor park series in Pittsburgh, PA a little over a year ago. I'm a huge proponent of using those first years of being an adult to figure out what you want out of life. It's tough! It is easier when you don't conform too early. Everybody is different but I believe that taking chances and really exploring life's options is huge. So many people learn this unintentionally through any of the BMX disciplines because of the experiences BMX can take you on. It's an adventure that truly makes the journey complete. Listen closely as Adem describes his trip through his early 20's so far. Thank you Adam for taking that chance to say hello and talk about how The BMX In Our Blood encouraged him to unlock himself from the grind. Next up for the podcast, the TRA BMX race on September 21st! Hope to see you all there and be sure to come say hi!

Spontaneous podcast recording can be difficult when trying to cover a lot of mini-interviews. With that said, the Posh 25 year anniversary with a high air contest was amazing and worked out! I say do it no matter how uncomfortable you may feel getting into the conversation groove, it always works out! This one has lots of rider/spectator interviews as well as interviews with the couple of the guys that make this possible, Jay Lonergan and Mike Gentilcore. Congrats to the high jump top three - 1st Clint Reynold, 2nd Brian Foster and 3rd Cody Diggs. It was a great comp. In between the interviews during the comp I recorded the atmosphere during the event to give you all the sounds of riding with fans shouting their approval with the best heckler/stoke master announcer around, the one in and only Steve Crandall. Good times! Until next time be safe and enjoy the ride.

Ian Dowling, 9 year old son of Brett Dowling, is absolutely the most inspirational kid I've had the opportunity to meet. He isn't just a cancer survivor but one of the bravest people I know. I took a quick ferry trip to Port Jefferson, NY this past Friday night to deliver a special gift to Ian and ended up with more than I ever would have imagined in return. The Dowling family is a tight group led by a father (Brett Dowling) that has provided so much for these kids than I could every imagine. He is a super dad. Please give it a listen and learn a bit about Ian The Incredible. I'm so grateful that Brett and Ian trusted me with their story. If you choose to, the family has a GoFundMe that is helping so much. Look up "Ian the Incredible" on the GoFundMe.com site. Much love to Ian and the rest of the Dowling family!

I loved this interview for so many reasons. Lori Armistead of Road2Recovery is as passionate about helping others as I am. I'm certainly the watered down version of Lori (quote stolen from Garrett Byrnes) and love to hear how and what other individuals and non-profits are doing on a larger scale. So for this unique podcast, that coincided with our #road2recoverjam on July 21st, I broke the #thebmxinourblood interview into a before and after. The weather..it was like hovering over hell wrapped in aluminum foil with the heat and humidity but we all did it! Even the campers and the outdoor movie attendees had a great time on Saturday night. It was truly the most fun to interview Lori on Saturday (pre-jam) and then post jam to get a gut read on how Lori and Road2recovery felt about the event. Lori's reaction is a compliment to all of us BMXers. It came out great! Just listen and enjoy. Thank you to all of the sponsors, volunteers, attendees and @powderridgepark staff for dealing with the long hours of heat to take care of all of us while we did our thing, ride and raise money! If you weren't able to go you can still help by donating to this incredible cause in these ways.... [email protected] (Lori) is the contact person and the website Road2Recovery.com as a place to donate. Plenty of other options as we have event shirts available as well. Just select a short sleeve podcast t-shirt on the www.thebmxinourblood.com website with a note giving your size and your request of a Road2recovery event shirt.

5th Annual fundraising jam preview with Nick Caporuscio as we drove to the Road2Recovery event site, Powder Ridge Park in Middlefield, CT. I apologize for the podcast being a bit loud with the sounds of the road, it doesn't last...or you get used to it. If you can't make it there please consider donating to the jam through www.thebmxinourblood.com and the donation will be forwarded to Road2Recovery. Huge thanks to Dave King (Dirt Sculpt LLC) and Powder Ridge for helping make this happen. Thank you also to Shoreham BMX and Trumbull T.R.A.C.K. for hosting the 1st three jams. Collectively we have all made a difference. I think I saw that tattooed on someone's bicep, Make A Difference. Looking to seeing you all at the jam and thank you to the sponsors for donating toward the raffle, silent auctions and event shirt sales. None of this is possible without you! Please message me through IG at Gromdad2000 with any questions. Thank you!

Bryan Close is a departure from the norm for The BMX In Our Blood podcast. Bryan is as passionate about so much in life that takes him out of what most would consider their comfort zone. From the challenges of being a street vendor to finding his way around a foreign country, Bryan takes on what most of us wouldn't normally do. So in between all of this, Bryan loves BMX. Racing, trails, street, park...he does it all. I honestly don't know how he does it. I've dragging my feet in getting a passport since I let mine expire, after listening to Bryan I am going to get it done. So enjoy this discussion about BMX, sociology and making a living and come out of it with less fear and more ambition to challenge yourself. You can reach Bryan through @wearcameramonsters cameramonster.nyc or thickasthievesbook.com for the most amazing shirts and for copies of his books. If that isn't enough, watch for an upcoming Northeast centered BMX zine called Battle Books!

I 1st met Aaron Simone when he was 16 and really coming up. I was struck by his politeness and respect. He also has a kind soul that, as you will hear, recognizes the potential of kids that are just getting into BMX and encourages them the best he can. What I most like about Aaron is his determination to travel and experience everything he can by living in a minimalistic way. So chances are pretty good you have met Aaron around the US if not overseas, if you haven't, look him up! Always a pleasure to see you Aaron, keep it going. Thank you to Chad at Powersbikeshop.com for continuing to support the podcast and all BMX disciplines.

The Wheel Mill has been around for what seems like years and years with the amount of work that you see in every room of this Pittsburgh indoor bike park mecca. I've conducted so many interviews in various spots within the building with the most amazing people as they rolled through town. Gary Young, Brian Kachinsky, Mike and Mark Potoczny, Tom Dugan, Mike Cottle, Nina Buitrago, Sean Methven, Trey Jones, Isaac McCrea, Chris Doyle and the kids of the past two Next Generation Jams. I've also been fortunate to interview The Halahan's, Mason Ritter, Murphy Moschetta and Eric "Zoo" Miller outside of The Mill although they are each a big part of the park. This time I had the fortune to talk with the key people of The Wheel Mill, Harry Geyer and Mike Potoczny. As you will hear, these guys are passionate about their job and compliment each other so well. The Wheel Mill just celebrated their 6th year of public use but what many don't know is how much farther back Harry's passion for the park goes. Listen all at once or in chunks but don't skip through, there are lessons after lessons and then there are actual lessons! You can find The Wheel Mill on most media platforms as Thewheelmill.com or @thewheelmill Thank you Harry and Mike as well as all of the Pittsburgh cycling community for being involved in one of the best indoor parks in the world.

If there is one BMX rider that is living his life the way he wants to it's Mason Ritter. This guy rides like an absolute animal and has a heart of gold. It's no wonder Hoffman Bikes chose him to be on the team a few years ago. What a great choice and one that seems to fit right in with the rest of the team. This podcast is a little different than any others I have recorded because during the course of the podcast Mason gave me my first tattoo while answering questions, not an easy task! Freehand too! If you don't follow me on IG at @gromdad2000 I'll let you know right here. The tattoo is a phrase, Make A Difference. It is very meaningful to me for reasons that I listeners may understand. Try putting it in action if you aren't already making a difference in the lives of others in any way, shape or form. I think Mason makes a difference. Thank you Murphy Moschetta for taking pictures of the podcast in action. You can find Mason at @mantistattoo @thewheelmill and @pbrbike as well as East Coast BMX shows.

Episode #72 found me in Pittsburgh interviewing during an after work dig session at the Monroeville Trails where you can find everyone in this podcast at one time or another. The interviewees, Zoo (Eric Miller) and Murphy Moschetta, as well as Tim Lyons and Chris Doyle. Chris helped me out big time by sitting in and guiding the questions a bit while I was floundering more than usual! Be sure to give Chris Doyle's Palaver podcast a listen. He is 5 episodes in and giving us all some great content to listen to (and watch on YouTube). So back to the podcast, Zoo and Murphy are a few of the amazing Pittsburgh riders and they really stick out to me because of their dedication to BMX and the Pittsburgh scene. Thank you for the time and hospitality guys, much appreciated. Here is a list of BMX podcasts that I mentioned in the intro that you may be interested in: Palaver Coffee Chatter The TBMX Show NW Exposure a BMX Podcast Show Unclicked Death By Dinosaur Over The Bars The Head Angle Podcast The Rollback: A BMX Podcast ImprimaturBMX Penny Mining Podcast Different Spokes Space Brothers Podcast High-Low - The BMX Podcast Rail The Berm Snakebite BMX Podcast Dig BMX Podcast Channel Please let me know of any other BMX podcasts that I may have missed! Lastly, thank you Powers Bike Shop for continuing the sponsorship of the podcast. Give Chad Powers a look the next time you need anything BMX related or just to check out his massive collection of vintage and current day BMX memorabilia!

One of my favorite events of the year, the Next Generation Jam. This was the 6th annual NGJ and it was awesome. Not only did the Halahans, the Wheel Mill crew and the Potocznys put on another great event and the sponsors were awesome. I have to imagine that each 16 and under rider went home with something. On the sponsor level, Subrosa and Shadow were represented by the man himself, Ronnie Bonner! His involvement and concept are talked about in this podcast and it is cool! Vans also sponsored big along with G-Form as the other title sponsors as well as Jaunt, Kink, FBM, Square One, Joyride 150, S&M, Profile, Inkdivision, QBP, Woodward, Fit, Morpheus, One Feather Press, Pro Bike Run, Over The Bar cafe, and Cinema. Anyhow, enjoy the sound of the future, things are looking good!

Jerry Badders of Vans! Having not seen Jerry in over 20 years, I didn't know what to expect. Lets just say that Jerry was very confident. Jerry was a successful BMX racer (a World Champ in BMX racing) that rode for Vans as a sponsored athlete and transitioned into a leader of Vans marketing for North America. That takes confidence channeled in the right direction and he has done it! Jerry has also done so much with Vans events that makes my head spin. Jerry's determination is nothing short of amazing. So let's get right to it, Jerry Badders!

The Fids. I think that some of us get to the point in life that we start live the way we want to, not the way we are told to by our peers and society. That point in life for Fids came early on. At the age of 11 he was already going where he wanted to with BMX and skating. Through elaborate schemes and lack of technology in the Mama Fids household, Fids found a way. As I took the trip down the Fids memory lane I heard so much of him taking on challenges that most wouldn't. The Nitro Circus mega ramp show came to England last year when Fids was almost 49 and he sweet talked his way on to the 63 step climb to the top and let go. If you haven't seen the video go to @thefids on IG and find it. Not only did he session it for 20 minutes but the Nitro crew asked him to be part of the show! This is much of how Fids has lived his life. The podcast starts off with a few minutes of Leland Thurman, Fids best friend in the U.S., because I just had to know about the tattoos each of them have of each other on their ass cheeks. It's a site to behold. The podcast was recorded at Swamp Fest last weekend and was worth every minute. You can find Fids at The Source at night giving lessons or anytime on IG and Leland @shitluck on IG. Enjoy and don't hold in the laughter, it's just too good to be true and it is very true! Warning, there is quite a bit of explicit language and talk so listen closely to the John Lee recorded disclaimer and proceed with caution and love every minute of it.

Here you go, the Jimmy Levan documentary interview! The podcast was recorded the morning after the Go Fast Pull Up premier at Swamp Fest. Not my best work with the questions but still amazing to hear the behind the scenes talk about this piece of BMX history. The documentary was awesome. Do yourself a favor and order a copy from propsbmx.com or digbmx.com The documentary is so well done. The bonus of the included book makes it even more worthwhile. Thank you to Chris Rye for sitting in on the podcast and Jimmy Levan for giving us the time. Also, thank you to Vans and Dig BMX for supporting the huge effort that Chris Rye (Props BMX) put into creating a documentary that will stand the test of time. Be on the watch for Metal Bikes soft goods that Jimmy will release over time along with the chance that he starts Metal up again. As always, thank you to Powers Bike Shop in Richmond, VA as well as my friends of the show, Nuno Oliveira and Brian Iarocci for helping with the podcast announcements and thebmxinourblood.com website.

John Lee, the nicest guy in BMX becomes one of the most dry guys in BMX as we finish part 2 while the rest of the guys got the trails running. It will be of no surprise to any of you that listened to part 1 that part 2 was just as heartfelt. We spent some time on topics ranging from John's Long Island days, Oak Park Trails, his smoothie diet, the Dwarf Invasion radio show and interviewing with Chris Moeller prior to taking the job at FBM BMX for the past 13 years. It was really interesting to hear John talk about the challenges of working in a small business and how it affects life decisions as it goes through peaks and valleys. If you haven't met John, put it on your must do list. You won't be disappointed. You can find John Lee at FBM or on IG. You can listen to John's radio show streaming on WHRW.FM.ORG You can find Part 1 on your favorite podcast player site, iTunes, Stitcher, TuneIn or on thebmxinourblood.com. See you at Swamp Fest in Florida this weekend!

FBM's John Lee IS the nicest guy in BMX! Part one of this interview is loaded with emotion as well stories of overcoming trauma through his caring friends and family. There was so much important content to this part 1 podcast that we decided to quit at midnight and finish it up in a few weeks. The questions from you listeners are ready to go! John Lee is arguably the most inspiring BMXer I have had the opportunity to interview. If you don't know John or know him but want to learn more, it's all in here. I was so taken back by his emotion as he talked about his family and friends being there for him from the time of his accident (which he describes in detail). What a great way to kick off the podcast after a month of reflecting, healing and refocusing my personal goals in podcasting. You can find John at fbmbmx.com or on IG at @popboy905 You can find me on IG at @gromdad2000 or on thebmxinourblood.com where you will also find past episodes and ways to support the podcast.

Totally mixed emotions while working up the Colby Benoit podcast. Psyched that I can shine some light on Colby and his #rideeverything mindset. Colby has ridden BMX plenty over his 25 years and does all disciplines really well. I'll never forget him landing a 180 rollback on the last set during the jumping contest my annual fundraising Find Your Fight jam at Powder Ridge in CT. He later blew my mind watching him kill it at the DIY World Champs at Powers Bike Shop in Virginia. He ended up with the gold brick (cinderblock). It's guys like Colby that give me hope for the future of BMX in Connecticut. Here is the downer. I spend a lot of time driving, vacation time, prepping questions, editing, etc. This is all my choice and I almost always love it or at least learn from the experience. In a recent interview I decided to help a someone out and guide him through an interview in an effort to help him get out of a jam. You know, a 2nd chance. In doing that I lead people to believe I agree with this person's actions and decisions. Not the case at all. I simply believe the situation wasn't and still hasn't been dealt with by our sport's only sanctioning body. That is wrong and no one should be left in the dark in these situations. As far as the person, it took less than a week for him to blow up on me and say "Ur the problem with BMX my man" among other things but that one really stung. So basically, I don't care for drama in any sense of the word or someone that sets a poor example for the kids. I'm just going to continue to interview people with the PMA and fundraise my ass off for those that need it most each year. The 5th annual jam is on July 20th and 21st at the Powder Ridge Park in Middlefield, CT and will benefit Road2Recovery. Don't miss it! Together we have raised over $70,000 over the past 4 years. Let's keep it up! Thank you Powers Bike Shop for continuing to support the show and all of you around the world for listening to your average Joe. Enjoy Colby Benoit!

Vic Behm, wow. If there is one personality that I have interviewed that is ridicuosly skilled on the bike, brash to the BMX establishment and extremely confident, it's Vic Behm. He has definitely made his mark on BMX, like it or not. I say this because he isn't trying to be part of the BMX establishment. He is showing us how non-conforming you can be and still be part of competition. Anyone that has been in BMX for a bit remembers some of the most entertaining non-conformers (Chris Moeller, Dave Clymer, Terry Tenette, etc.) You may notice during the podcast that the one thing that I just don't understand is how USABMX can suspend someone without explanation and a time frame before Vic can race again. If it were me, I would lawyer up ASAP. I want to be clear here, I'm not condoning Vic's actions or any of the actions by the parties involved. Somewhere in-between is the truth. What I'm simply saying is that USABMX should explain why and how long the suspension is for. Pretty simple, unless you don't have a clear case along with witnesses and a police report. Whether you approve of Vic's actions or not, this is no way to handle the situation. Cult, Vic's sponsor, is as anxious for a ruling as Vic is. While they wait they lose opportunities to promote their BMX racing division. At the root of this Cult is a business and USABMX should never suspend without a process that includes all of the necessary information needed to satisfy everyone involved. I'm fully aware that there are two sides to every story, the details are of no interest to me. It's not my battle. Just give Vic and Cult the respect of a ruling so they can decide what to do from there. As always, that you Powers Bike Shop for sponsoring the show and a huge that you all for the IG DM's that make all of this worthwhile. Also, thank you Robbie Morales at Cult supporting my fundraising efforts, always.

Hector Restrepo is not just one of the raddest guys from Connecticut by way of Colombia 20 years ago, he has also accomplished his a dream of his of riding his motorcycle (nicknamed Gargoyle)from Connecticut to the most Southern point of South America (Cape Horn). Anyone that yearns to be a traveler and conquer what seems impossible, please listen to this podcast. Hector came from a dangerous part of Central America (Colombia)and has become a citizen of the USA. While I recorded this I couldn't stop thinking about how lucky we are as citizens of the USA. When you become so desensitized to murder on the streets of Colombia you really need to leave and that is exactly what Hector did. BMX is a huge part of Hector's life but just a piece, something he realized when he traveled over 23,500 miles starting on New Years Day 2018. It is simply amazing and such a great story of really discovering yourself through simplifying your life. All I can say is if you have a dream, go for it. We are only given one body, one life, as Hector points out. Thank you Powers Bike Shop and online store in Richmond, VA for continuing to sponsor the podcast. Give Powers a shout for any BMX needs or to take a tour of the Powers Bike BMX Museum. Thank you Chad!

I've always been intrigued by Brant Moore because he is such a hard worker in the quest to bring the of best of BMX to the public in multiple media formats, YouTube, Vimeo, Instagram and Facebook. It was inevitable that Brant and I would talk shop and about our experiences in bringing BMX to the public while highlighting riders that help give BMX the diversity that we are all so lucky to have. The podcast also gave Brant a chance to discuss how diverse his BMX interests are. I would absolutely give his YouTube a follow (just search @Brant_Moore) to see exactly how Brant gives back to the sport that has captured his interest since he was 13. You will learn quickly that the man behind Lip Lords is behind many other BMX disciplines. Trails, street, skateparks and indoor parks. Enjoy the podcast and learn about one of the most dedicated BMXers I know! Please support the sponsors that support Brant Moore: @alienationbmx @nowearbmx @parktoolblue @brimstonebicycles And the podcast! Thank you @powersbikeshop for continuing to support The BMX In Your Blood!

Episode #61, Scotty Yoquelet. What a nice guy with a great laugh! I was able to catch up with Scott at the annual Old Fools Jam at @raysmtb Hopefully a part 2 someday, I feel like we just scratched the surface as we were creeping close to a 2-1/2 hour conversation. This interview holds some surprises when a "guest griller" enters the hotel room and takes over with his hard hitting questions. Scotty covers everything from racing to trails to the Vans Triple Crown. As I've said before, I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did! Please check out Scotty's sponsor www.DWA4130.com or @dirt_workers_assoc.4130 These guys created an awesome team that has a motive of giving back to BMX. As you will hear, Scotty is a perfect spokesman for the team. Once again thank you to @powersbikeshop for supporting the podcast. Please support those that support BMX in so many ways.

Happy New Years! I decided to put together a selection of some of my favorite podcast interactions. Danny Bailey, Garret Byrnes, Isaac "Ground Chuck" Mccrea and Robbie Morales. It is one of the longer ones but as I went through the 8-1/2 hours of editing I realized how hard it is to decide what to cut. All of these four podcasts were so awesome in full length. If you would like to hear any of these podcasts in their entirety you can easily find the full episode on iTunes or on the www.thebmxinourblood.com site Thanks again to Powers Bike Shop for supporting the podcast! www.powersbikeshop.com or on IG at the same address. Goodbye 2018, looking forward to 2019!

Here it is, the final installment of the Massachusetts Trails Scene Report with the Pinewoods and Oakwoods Trails! The 3 part series covers six sets of trails spread out over The Bay State. The series was interesting to say the least because no two trails are alike. One thing was consistent though, every set of trails has diggers that are welcoming and determined. So much respect for these guys that dedicate so much time to their trails for the benefit of not just their crew but anyone else that has the passion to create and ride. As always, thank you www.powersbikeshop.com for supporting the podcast. Much appreciated!