Riding Photos Old and New
After putting together my China 2011 post I began browsing through some old riding pics reliving memories of BMX sessions past. In a strategic effort to regain some hits for the Group Home Bikes site I’ve decided to share some of the more interesting photos. Some may have been posted on here before, but I’m too lazy to check. So here for your entrainment is a select few of my riding pictures that I deemed worthy of posting on the inter webs. Enjoy.
What better way to start off a post titled “Riding Photos” with a picture of a dog. Rufus posing for the camera while the humans shred PS6.
Alex with a mean mugged hop whip at PS6.
Another hop whip photo but this time by someone way more handsome. TO THE PEDALS BITCH.
Alex is a cat person.
I did this trick about 500 times but Vin Crispino’s greasy pizza fingers couldn’t snap the photo on time.
You know it’s bad when Bayonne has a better skatepark than you do. Thanks Adena.
Speaking of our gone but not forgotten skatepark, here’s a photo of me getting upside down pre-Adena “Fuck your park up” Long got into power. The bulimic dude in the background is Brian Laughner who is currently on his second or third tour in Iraq. Get home safe buddy.
Gary Nilsson with a foot jam toothpick to fakie at lakewood circa 2007-08
Andrew Paino with a tail whip gap at that park with the chess tables.
Augie had to move all the way to Jersey just to learn turndowns.
Riding can be painful at times, especially the older you get. I feel like every time I step on my bike I’m injuring something new… I need more practice.
Roman chillin with his homies in the hood. Peace nigga!
Note to self: Never hand Little Mike the camera. Don’t get me wrong, I love Little Mike with all my heart and soul but the dude just was not made to be filming people.
The year is 2011 and the BMX industry still has not figured an easy way to get this done. Fuck everything about replacing a bottom bracket. Next time I need a new bottom bracket I’m just going to buy a new frame.
Yours truly getting wild at H-Town. I hate going upside down, the longer I ride the closer to the ground I like to stay.
Small panorama from inside the Rape Van. I have spent many hours on the floor of this van worrying that the next lane drift will be my last. I’m sure many of your reading this have experienced the same.
That’s it for today’s photos. Tomorrow I plan on putting up some more China photos as well as doing another one of these posts. There are still many more photos…
GHB Teaser II
While Ed Pollio is out clubbing in Miami, Vin Crispino and I were hard at work editing the second teaser for the full length Group Home Bikes video. Check it out below.
Riders include:
- Alex Avilla
- Little Nick Seabasty
- Marc Bupsy Kachtan
- Marc Giardina
- Mike Armento
- Mike Colantonio
- Mike Smallfry Almodovar
- Vin Crispino
- Vin Roselli
Ohio Photos 2
Feeble to whip off the picnic table.
Alexis renamed Shane’s dog to Buffalo Wild Wings.
Birthday Boy.
Packed out van going street riding in Cleveland.
Grim with a big ledge manual.
Alex got nasty off this big ass ledge, you’ll see it in an edit later.
Ed’s new bike.
Bumblefuck.
Alex kissing his Girl friend.
Nature hike.
Breakfast of champions.
Snoops magoops.
Eric Isaksen Photos #3
Here is the 3rd set of Eric Isaksens photos.
Eric Isaksen – Tooth
Matt Hill
Matt
AHhh I dont know what to say. Please comment on this one.
Same here.
Fish Eye
Lil Mike in 2007
Toboggan
Ed Pollio building the ramps for the Animal Jam in 2008.
NYC from the Staten Island Ferry
Gap
Stack that wood!
This is a great photo. I love the whole thing. BBQing, wall riding, and Lirking.
Bar spin?
Rob and James on the Train.
Here is a link to the 1st set
http://www.grouphomebikes.com/2011/03/eric-isaksen-photos-1/
And here is a link to the 2nd set.
http://www.grouphomebikes.com/2011/03/eric-isaksen-photos-2/
Eric Isaksen Photos #2
Here is the 2nd set of Eric Isaksen photos.
Eric Isaksen- Chocolate milk is his Favorite.
Tommy John doing his favorite trick
Steve Quigley. No footer
Anton from the top
Matt
RIP Alex Catrama
A perfect last photo.
Here is a link to the 1 set.
http://www.grouphomebikes.com/2011/03/eric-isaksen-photos-1/
Eric Isaksen Photos #1
Here are 25 photos from Eric Isaksen. He started bike riding and shooting photo’s when the Benjamin Soto skate park opened in 2005. Recently he has moved on to other things. But he gave GHB his photos for your enjoyment. He gave GHB about 75 photos. So we are going to do 3 sets of 25 or so.
Eric Isaksen- Smith on the Pier.
Rob 360
Little Mike- Bar roof gap
Little Mike- Bar Roof Gap 2
Eris Isaksen – Big Super man
Little Mike in the full face days -Truck
Forgot his name but he disappeared from BMX.
Pink Shirt lol
Andrew Paino.
Little Mike and so crazy guy
Bupsy and Shane both naked in a bed with a camera. Must I say more.
This was my Idea.
I love my hood.
Art
More Art.
Falling
Anton in a parka doing a curve wall ride.
Time flys.
2008 Animal Jam ramps.
GHB 2011 Teaser Edit
Here is the Group Home Bikes 2011 Teaser Edit. This was all filmed over the course of only 2 days so you can expect big things for the full length video. We’re aiming for the end of summer for the full video so hold tight.
Save the Banks Jam Video
I heard from that the banks should be opening back up soon. But I don’t trust the government and you shouldn’t either. Here is a video from the Save the Banks Jam put together by Steve Rodriguez. Lil Mike Colantonio was taking some hard falls that day. Watch the video below.
Winter “Save The Banks” Jam 2010 from Bryan Close on Vimeo.
Benjamin Soto Skate Park catches Grimm's attention.
GRIMMYoung skateboarders, and other extreme-sports enthusiasts, turned out for the South Beach Civic Association’s monthly meeting last week, to express their concerns about the closing of Benjamin Soto Skate Park in Midland Beach. (Staten Island Advance/Virginia N. Sherry)STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – SOUTH BEACH – Congressman-elect Michael Grimm, the lead speaker at the South Beach Civic Association’s meeting on Nov. 22, offered wishes for a happy Thanksgiving to the packed room of adults and teenagers, then read an e-mail that he received from Marine Lt. Gen. John F. Kelly, dated Nov. 12. Grimm told the audience that “My Boy” was the subject, and warned that it was “a very profound and sad letter.”
That was certainly true, and many eyes in the room teared up after it was read.
Gen. Kelly was writing about his son, Marine First Lt. Robert M. Kelly, 29, who was killed in action in southern Afghanistan on Nov. 9, while on combat patrol with his platoon. “He went quickly, and thank God he did not suffer,” the general wrote, noting that his son “was doing exactly what he wanted to be doing.” Lt. Kelly was buried in Arlington National Cem
etery 13 days later.After reading the letter, Grimm, a former Marine, said: “I ask all of you one thing (this Thanksgiving) – pray for our troops. They give us so much.”
‘NEVER TREATED FAIRLY’
Grimm then switched subjects, and talked about his own hopes after he takes the oath of office on Jan. 5.
“I will be working as hard as I can to gain your confidence,” he said, directing his comment to those in the audience who did not vote for him. “My number-one goal is to make you proud of me, and I intend to earn that confidence.”
Mayor Michael Bloomberg called him earlier in the day, he added, and warned that “massive cuts are coming.” Grimm, who lives in New Springville on the West Shore, said that he intends to use his leverage as a congressman – with access to federal-government purse-strings – to press the mayor for a more equitable distribution of resources to Staten Island.
“We have never been treated fairly,” he commented, and repeated his vision that Staten Island’s West Shore has the po
tential to become “the green-industry capital of NYC.”City recreation area, in great disrepair, is dedicated to a former Marine who died on tour in Japan in 2001. (Staten Island Advance/Virginia N. Sherry)SOTO SKATE PARK
A question-and-answer session with the congressman-elect followed, and the last person in the audience to speak was Edward Pollio, 28, of Prince’s Bay, who grew up in Rosebank and South Beach. A member of Local 20 of the carpenters’ union, Pollio was instrumental in the creation and design of Benjamin Soto Skate Park in Midland Beach, the only public park of its kind in the borough.
The park – which opened in April 2005, and was padlocked and temporarily closed last month by the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation for “maintenance and repair” – is the only public location where enthusiastic young skateboarders, BMX bikers, and scooter-users can legally practice their sport without traveling to other bo
roughs or New Jersey.“I feel the politicians of Staten Island have burned the extreme-sports community, especially those who have made promises and failed to deliver,” Pollio told Grimm.
“Sometimes I want to just give up and walk away from the (skate park) because I’ve been fighting to get it fixed for a long time with no progress.
“Now, in 2010, the park is falling apart, and the Parks Department doesn’t respect it enough, or doesn’t have the means to repair it.
“Our elected officials are spending $70 million to build a state-of-the-art indoor track on (New York) state land in Midland Beach, while the skate park, which is virtually across the street, is falling apart. It just doesn’t make sense to me,” said Pollio.
Pollio’s remarks were greeted with sustained applause from the audience.
Grimm heard Pollio’s message.
“I’m going to do everything that I can,” he pledged. The lack of resources for the Island’s skateboarders and other extreme-sports enthusiasts is “a void – I’m going to work with you guys.” A BIGGER DREAMPollio also told Grimm about an exciting, more ambitious dream: Converting part of the double seaplane hanger (Hangar #38) at the former Miller Army Airfield into an indoor skate park. (The historic hangar was built in 1920 with steel-frame construction.)
The idea, he explained, is to partner with a nonprofit organization – such as the City Sports Alliance or Open Road – and “raise the funds to upgrade and build ramps inside the building.”
Pollio expressed frustration that the U.S. National Park Service, which acquired Miller Field in 1973 as part of the Gateway National Recreation Area, “refused to meet with us” to discuss the idea.
Hearing this, Grimm did not hesitate for a moment. “We’re gonna get you that meeting with the Park Service,” he pledged. BENJAMIN SOTO?
“The only thing that keeps me going is that I know Ben would not want me to give up our dream,” Pollio said at the meeting, explaining that Benjamin Soto was his mentor.
“Ben was a Lance Corporal in the U.S. Marines. He died on tour in Japan on March 29, 2001. He wasn’t even 20 years old, but he was ahead of his time.
“His dream was to come back to Staten Island – after his four years in the Marines – and build a skate park with his savings.“It took us years of hard work and dedication. We formed an alliance with the South Beach Civic Association, and we got the city to build us a skate park.
“I wrote a letter in March 2005 to (then S.I. Borough) Parks Commissioner Tom Paulo to dedicate the skate park to Ben, and they did.
“All of his friends and family gathered around to witness the ribbon-cutting, and pay homage to Ben Soto, on April 1, 2005.”
http://www.silive.com/eastshore/index.ssf/2010/12/benjamin_soto_skate_park_catch.html
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