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[We're considering doing another two-week preorder for another chance to join and get a Book Bundle Kit to help fund publication of Moon Babes of Bicycle City (10/11/19)]

"A little visual interpretation of Moon Babes of Bicycle City."--James White, Moon Babes of Bicycle City Bike Club Member # 042

Kent, England

https://instagram.com/whiteski

Moon Babes of Bicycle City Bike Club Kit (Book Bundle Preorder + Digital Download of Chapter 1 w/Bobby Loveless) was offered 4/3 through 4/17 on https://mikedaily.bandcamp.com/merch

Forty-three riders and readers joined at that time to directly help support publication of the book on Friday, October 11, 2019. Thank you for your support!

Each member of MBoBC Bike Club will be receiving a copy of the novel in October--a pocket-size pulp paperback.

Each Bike Club member received a Street Team Kit Including:

2 12x18 Ltd. Ed. Poster Prints of 2 Hip Cordoba

(1 Signed by Patrick "Fetus" Richardson a.k.a. Col. Patson and MD for Framing, 1 for Folding)

(Members cut out, fold, glue, and feature The Cordoba in photos and videos to share by Sunday, 10/13, which is actually a Full Moon. What is this? A contest? Street contest?)

1 Ltd. Ed. Moon Babes of Bicycle City Bike Club T-Shirt

(Screen printed by Chris Daily at Daily Screen Printing in Harrisburg, PA)

4 "Welcome to Bicycle City, N.M." Post Cards

Miami Hopper Yoga Flyers

Stickers in Stacks

("Moon Babes of Bicycle City, Novel, Chapter 2 by Mike Daily with Col. Patson," "2019 2-Hip Meet the Street Saturday, October 12th, Bicycle City, New Mexico," "Bike Club," "MBBC" and mystery stickers from the book)

Thank You Note Typewritten and Signed by MD

Page from One of MD's Writing Notebooks + Original Cut-and-Paste Collage

(Personalized and Signed)

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The 12" x 18" 2-Hip Cordoba posters (art and vandalism by Patrick "Fetus" Richardson a.k.a. Col. Patson) were limited edition components of the Moon Babes of Bicycle City Bike Club Kits that were offered 4/3 through 4/17 (Book Bundle Preorder with Digital Download of Chapter 1 with Bobby Loveless)--our faithful reproduction of the Chrysler Cordoba junkcar that Ron Wilkerson had at his first-ever 2-Hip Meet the Street contest on Saturday, April 30, 1988, in Santee, California.

Mat Hoffman was the 24th person to preorder. Inventor of Big Air (see 30 for 30: The Birth of Big Air from 2010 on Netflix). We offered The Condor # 43 and Condormeister accepted. Stoked. Forty-three total readers/riders joined Moon Babes of Bicycle City Bike Club to help fund publication of the book in October:

Each member of MBoBCBC will be receiving a copy of the novel in October--a pocket-size pulp paperback.

Bike Club Members got two 2-Hip Cordobas: a collectible one signed by Fetus and me to frame and hang, and one to cut out, build, and film/photograph in do-it-yourself street runs to SHOW by Sunday, October 13, 2019, which is actually a Full Moon.

They also received a t-shirt, stickers, post cards, Miami Hopper Yoga flyers, signed page from a notebook, and a typewritten thank you card.

The novel starts on Friday, October 11, 2019. Rodderick Moon and Mick O'Grady are pedaling Rodd's bikecar replica of a '76 Chrysler Cordoba from the airport to Bicycle City, New Mexico, on that day. The following day, a contest is happening.

Ch. 1 is on YouTube at https://youtu.be/fB6J3zJe164

Ch. 2 is on YouTube at https://youtu.be/B98mvOhyfCg

Stay tuned and thank you for reading.

Mike Daily

Plywood Hoods Trick Team

Aggro Rag Freestyle Mag!

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MATT PICKER, WELCOME TO MOON BABES OF BICYCLE CITY BIKE CLUB!

"Mike, I'm psyched to be a small part of the Aggro Rag legacy! Here are some answers and photos. Looking forward to reading the book. The punch-out car from Meet the Street is a stroke of genius.

PS- if you have any Aggro Rag t-shirts in medium laying around, let me know and I will buy one from you.

Cheers, Matt"

--Matt Picker, Moon Babes of Bicycle City Bike Club Member # 017

Wednesday, April 17, 2019

HOMETOWN: St. Louis, MO

BIKE(S) CURRENTLY USED: 2016 Haro Master, 2017 Haro Team Sport.

MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN FREESTYLE: Rick Thorne used to ride my backyard ramp all the time when he lived in Red Bud. Hang fives. Successfully ordering a t-shirt from Ron Wilkerson.

PAST SPONSORS: Team One Way Freestyle Crew (88-90). No actual sponsors. I dreamed I was on Visage once and my bike fell apart. Now that I think about it, that might have actually happened.

FAVORITE FOOD: Grilled salmon.

FAVORITE RIDING AREA: Berra Park in St. Louis. Lit up all night, drinking fountain, smooth concrete, no hassles… the best flatland spot.

NON-BMX HEROES. My kids, Chuck Treece, Jim Thiebaud, Charlie Watts.

HOBBIES (OTHER THAN RIDING): Skating curbs and mini-ramps, drums and other noises, Japanese toys, Red Dead Redemption 2.

GIRLFRIEND/WIFE. Lisa Picker.

Thank you, Matt! Welcome to MBoBCBC. We appreciate your kind words and support. Prepare for U.S. Mail. Question I'll never have to ask you: "Who's your drummer?"

Today is the day.

https://mikedaily.bandcamp.com/merch/moon-babes-of-bicycle-city-bike-club-kit-book-bundle-preorder-digital-download

Preorders close at Midnight tonight, Wednesday, 4/17, Pacific Standard Time. Moon Babes of Bicycle City Bike Club Kits ship by 4/30, the 31st Anniversary of Ron Wilkerson's first-ever 2-Hip Meet the Street contest on April 30, 1988, in Santee, California.

The Bike Club Kit is limited edition. Only those who preorder the kits get the MBoBCBC t-shirt and the two 2-Hip Cordobas (one signed by me and Col. Patson to frame, and one to cut out, fold, and feature in photos and videos of do-it-yourself street riding to post by Sunday, October 13th, which is actually a Full Moon).

Mike Daily

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JERRY LOERA, THANK YOU!

“I’m stoked to be a part of this, man.”

--Jerry Loera, Moon Babes of Bicycle City Bike Club Member # 011

Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Martin Aparijo. 2018. Photo by Sean Ewing.

HOMETOWN: Riverside, CA BIKE(S) CURRENTLY USED: Oh boy,  2015 Hutch Trick Star, 2019 Wethepeople Doomsayer are probably the most used out of my 10 riders. (I’ve got a bike problem.) MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN FREESTYLE: I’m just an average dude with no real accomplishments in freestyle, but recently learned that in the 80s, my friend Matt Danner and I inspired someone who went on to do big things in the sport. My bud Jeremy Kemp 🏻🏻 PAST SPONSORS: Ha! The closest thing to any sponsor I’ve had is Matt from Ultra Werks hooking me up with some rad parts for my TS and other swag. 🏻🏻 FAVORITE FOOD: BBQ steak. Fried eggs. Or In-n-Out Burgers:4x4 no tomato 🏻 FAVORITE RIDING AREA: Anywhere. I ride everything. Flat, park, dirt, old school, new school. It don’t matter NON-BMX HEROES: My family for putting up with me. Dale Earnhardt Sr., HOBBIES (OTHER THAN RIDING): Building stuff. Star Wars. GIRLFRIEND/WIFE: The one and only love of my life (and the true hero of my life story) Sheri.

Thanks Jer’!

Preorders close at Midnight tonight, Pacific Standard Time, Wednesday, April 17, 2019:

https://mikedaily.bandcamp.com/merch/moon-babes-of-bicycle-city-bike-club-kit-book-bundle-preorder-digital-download

You are indeed being asked to join. Bike Club.

Moon Babes of Bicycle City Bike Club.

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Moon Babes of Bicycle City Bike Club Member #008, Erik Matsunaga

"MD, Thanks for this project. So many mentally shelved references salvaged. Haulin' bazoonies. Bakin' them cakes. Brings me back to one-piece Sugino cranks. Looking forward to it. EM"

--Erik Matsunaga, Moon Babes of Bicycle City Bike Club Member #008

Thursday, April 11, 2019

HOMETOWN: Chicago, IL BIKE(S) CURRENTLY USED: KGB Soulrider MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN FREESTYLE: Lifelong friendships; Still being able to ride at 45 PAST SPONSORS: Fastbreak Freestyle Trick Team; Flat43 BMX FAVORITE FOOD: Inarizushi FAVORITE RIDING AREA: FlatKnox43 in Chicago, IL; Harbor Gateway Transit Center in Gardena, CA NON-BMX HEROES: My parents HOBBIES (OTHER THAN RIDING): Writing, Karateing, Arting, Binge watching shows with my wife GIRLFRIEND/WIFE: Xtine ❤

You are being asked to join. Chosen.

Only seven days left to preorder.

Preordering the Moon Babes of Bicycle City Bike Club Kit Book Bundle from Wednesday 4/3 through Wednesday 4/17 directly supports publication of the paperback book available Friday, October 11, 2019.

https://mikedaily.bandcamp.com/merch/moon-babes-of-bicycle-city-bike-club-kit-book-bundle-preorder-digital-download

Moon Babes of Bicycle City Bike Club Kit (Book Bundle Preorder with Digital Download)

BIKE CLUB KIT SHIPS BY 4/30, THE 31st ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST 2-HIP MEET THE STREET CONTEST THAT RON WILKERSON HELD ON 4/30/88 IN SANTEE, CA

Bike Club Kit Includes:

2 12x18 Poster Prints of 2 Hip Cordoba

(1 Signed by Mike Daily and Col. Patson for Framing, 1 for Folding)

1 Ltd. Ed. Moon Babes of Bicycle City Bike Club T-Shirt

 4 "Welcome to Bicycle City, N.M." Post Cards

Miami Hopper Yoga Flyers

Stacks of Stickers

("Moon Babes of Bicycle City, Novel, Chapter 2 by Mike Daily with Col. Patson," "2019 2-Hip Meet the Street Saturday, October 12th, Bicycle City, New Mexico," "Bike Club," "MBBC" and mystery stickers from the book)

Thank You Note Typewritten and Signed

[Not listed but I’m also sending a page from one of my journals that's gone into writing the book + an original cut-and-paste collage.]

Kit Ships 2-Day Priority Medium Flat Rate within U.S.

Kit Ships First Class International to Canada and Foreign.

Includes unlimited streaming of Moon Babes of Bicycle City, Novel, Chapter 1 featuring Bobby Loveless via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

BOOK SHIPS SEPARATELY ON 10/4

1 Paperback Copy of Moon Babes of Bicycle City

Street Date: 10/11/2019

AUDIO PREVIEWS

Moon Babes of Bicycle City, Novel, Chapter 1 (4/3/19) by Mike Daily featuring Bobby Loveless

https://mikedaily.bandcamp.com/track/moon-babes-of-bicycle-city-novel-chapter-1-featuring-bobby-loveless

Moon Babes of Bicycle City, Novel, Chapter 2 (4/3/19) by Mike Daily with Col. Patson

https://mikedaily.bandcamp.com/track/moon-babes-of-bicycle-city-novel-chapter-2-with-col-patson

Tracks available now on iTunes™, Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon, Google Play, Pandora, YouTube Music, Deezer, Shazam, TIDAL, KKBox, LINE MUSIC, Napster, 8tracks, Saavn, AWA, Claro música, Kuack, Anghami, iHeartRadio, Medianet, Akazoo, Slacker, 24-7, 7digital, Yandex.Music, InProdicon, Kdigital, United Media Agency, and NetEase Cloud Music.

"Written spoke and word."--Chase Gouin

"Hell yeah! That is amazing."--Chad Johnston, inTRIKat

"That's so RAD the way you immortalize the car like that. Such a great creative unexpected angle, the car. Good job!"--Ron Wilkerson

U.K. Review by James White

My school teachers always remarked how awful my English was and that I should read more books. Well... I didn’t! I read BMX magazines. Fast forward to today and I still haven’t read a single piece of fictional literature.

So imagine my horror when one of the most important BMX journalists of my time asks me to review a couple of audio excerpts of his new book. Do I come clean and tell him I’m a book virgin, who blags his way through adolescence life, desperately hiding his Ignorance.

No I’ll keep schtum. I’ve made it this far without being found out it. “I’ve got this” I say to my self as I press play.

Damn right I’ve got this. Nowhere. And I mean nowhere! Will you ever hear anything like this. A story, using BMX word play, strung together in a completely surreal yet weirdly familiar way.

At times poetic, at others it’s just flat out freaky. This had me smiling one second then in awe of word play the next, all the while being completely immersed in this strange tale.

Based around the most anarchic and experimental contest to ever happen in BMX history, this, is exactly that, an exploration of BMXism’s from a time period when BMX stood for ‘make your own rules’. If there was ever a book to take my reading virginity then it’s this one. Bang it home Mike!

Moon Babes of Bicycle City Bike Club Kit is going to be offered as a limited edition, which comes with a card model of that ever important car. So cool. Preorder today, check it out at MD’s band camp.

https://mikedaily.bandcamp.com/merch/moon-babes-of-bicycle-city-bike-club-kit-book-bundle-preorder-digital-download

https://instagram.com/moon.babes.of.bicycle.city

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Kevin Jones, 19 & Over Expert, AFA Masters, Austin, TX (May 2, 1987)

As Mike Daily wrote in "Kevin Jones: The Man. The Interview." published in Aggro Rag Freestyle Mag! Plywood Hoods Zines '84-'89: The Complete Collection (Stovepiper Books Media, 2013):

Skyway rushed to sponsor Kevin Jones after his second place finish in 19 & Over Expert at Round 3 of the AFA Masters series held May 2, 1987, in Austin, Texas.

Kevin pulled stall lawnmower to backwards peg picker into trolley (his head tube-straddling, no-handed scuff); and uptight wheelie (his upside down backwards wheelie while turning the cranks by hand) into straddle.

Kevin also premiered standing room only (his standing-upright backwards infinity roll); elephant glide (his sitting-on-the-crossbar while letting-the-back-end-of-the-bike-swing-around foot-drag scuff); and then--after he had run out of time, unfortunately--locomotive (his backyard-like progression of his tag sanity hops). Kev actually coasted the locomotive without scuffing (locomotive glide) then pulled it off.

Lew reported in the September '87 issue of FREESTYLIN' Magazine:

"Kevin Jones got the crowd louder during his run than anyone else the whole weekend, including the pros. Every trick he did looked impossible yet was wired. He had a style so fresh it's gonna take even the best guys a few months to catch up. He did one of those runs that left every man, woman, and child in the arena stunned. He got second place.'

Haro's Rick Moliterno--ever the man to beat in 19 & Over Expert--got first. Kevin later told Spike Jonze for FREESTYLIN' (August '89): "I would have been satisfied if I'd have made the top ten, and then I got second. I didn't know why there was all the controversy about it...[Rick] beating me. I was just glad to get second, plus I got sponsored. That's all I really wanted to do anyways was get sponsored. I never really cared about getting first."

Exclusive video footage from the Dellavalle/Raybo Tapes.

AGGRO RAG FREESTYLE MAG! https://aggrorag.com

AGGRO RAG INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/aggrorag

AGGRO RAG FREESTYLE MAG! FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/aggrorag/

MIKE DAILY BANDCAMP: https://mikedaily.bandcamp.com

MOON BABES OF BICYCLE CITY: https://instagram.com/moon.babes.of.bicycle.city

PLYWOOD HOODS TRICK TEAM: https://www.facebook.com/Plywood-Hoods-Trick-Team-271650222857445/

"Ride First, Read Later"

[aggrorag]

Now Playing! "Break the Ice" (RAD Theme) by John Farnham

Frozen in silence Facing it alone Gotta keep my cool Make 'em think I'm made of stone

It's a game of wills we're playin' Our nerves are made of steel Balanced on the edges of everything we feel

It's gonna take all we've got Just to make it through this night Gotta feel it right through my skin And it's cuttin' like a knife

Get ready to break the ice Feels like time is standing still Aiming right for your heart Ready to take another spill Only you can make it right You can break the ice inside of me

A single-minded passion A solitary stand I thought I was alone Left out in the cold again So I'm givin' you all I've got I'm gonna make it through this night And even though I could fall I'm prepared to lose the fight

Getting ready to break the ice Feels like time is standing still Aiming right for your heart Ready to take another spill Only you can make it right You can break the ice

Get ready to break the ice Feels like time is standing still Aiming right for your heart Ready to take another spill

Get ready to break the ice Feels like time is standing still Aiming right for your heart Ready to take another spill

Get ready to break the ice

[aggrorag]

Expected to arrive in October in "VERY LIMITED" quantity from Flatland Fuel: 2019 Colony Oz-One Ozone-inspired twin top tube frames in 19.5", 20.5", and 21" top tube sizes. Modern geometry with full 4130 chromoly construction (unlike the 1988 Ozone Method One frame, which--correct me if I'm wrong, but I rode one from '89 to '91--was partially made from mild steel). $50.00 pre-order deposit. Total price: $439.99.

http://flatlandfuel.com/colonyoz-oneframe.aspx

Heat treated integrated head tube, longer length of 117.5mm.

Heat treated MID BB.

Heat treated 6mm thick with built in chain tensioner.

Tapered down tube & rear stays.

External Gusset on down tube.

Wide rear end for fatter 2.4″ tires.

Built-in seat clamp with replaceable nut & bolt.

13.6” slammed rear, 75.2º HA, 71º ST.

11.5″ BB Height.

Stand over height 8.3″ (center of BB shell to center of top tubes).

White over Chrome only.

[aggrorag]

Poster Design by Mr. J. J. Marley

[aggrorag]

“The exploding heroin crisis in the midwest has been a constant presence in the news for the past several years—but what is causing this disproportionate targeting of small rust-belt towns? ‘For the Kingdom, If I Can’ attempts to humanize the opioid epidemic, with an empathic view of local coping/treatment methods and the context of a former boom-town now in economic uncertainty. The project is a documentary; a brief view of how often-toxic social norms and stigmatizations of asking for ‘help’ have far-reaching consequences on those within, and touching on the religious undertones of addiction treatment as well as the disenheartened youth presence in small-town America—in fact, my hometown.”--Nathan Powell

RELATABILITY & REACHING OUT: Q&A WITH NATHAN POWELL by MIKE DAILY

Nathan Powell and I met through our mutual admiration for Lifter Puller (1994-2000)--hyper-enthusiastic indie-rock with catchy keyboard melodies and fast-paced narratives that gives immediate insight to how preposterous partying and drug dealing was in city scenes of the mid- to late-'90s. "It's kind of sad but it's also kind of sweet and it's very true," Craig Finn said onstage at Chicago's Metro on October 31, 2007, introducing the song "Lord I'm Discouraged" by his post-LP band The Hold Steady (A Positive Rage, 2009). The same could be said for the underworldly fictions Finn spun throughout Lifter Puller's catalog.

In 2000, I had gotten so into Lifter Puller that I felt compelled to interview the band members when they came to Los Angeles on what turned out to be their last few shows before disbanding. Level Magazine in U.K. published an edited version of my story “All the Right Moves, All the Wrong Notes” along with photos that I had shot with film-and-flash. I printed the unexpurgated story in a pocket-size free zine. Last year, Nathan Powell contacted me through Facebook. He asked if I had any copies left and if so, could he buy one?

I had one extra copy in my library. “What do you say we trade?” I suggested. Deal. Nathan asked if I had Craig Finn’s latest solo album, We All Want the Same Things (2017). Not yet, I said. I didn’t have (or hear) Craig’s second solo record Faith in the Future (2015) yet either. Here’s where my new friend offered to purchase both and have them mailed to me in trade for the rare zine. Nathan bought We All Want the Same Things direct from the artist’s website—signed!—superfan support that made me feel embarrassed about my “used-copy-is-A-ok-as-long-as-it-plays-or-reads-all-the-way-through-if-it’s-a-book” tendency.

I’m happy to see that Nathan Powell makes his own movies now. Have you watched “For the Kingdom, If I Can” [05:07]? Here’s our Q&A...

Mike Daily: Craig Finn's collected lyrics published in the Lifter Puller Vs. The End Of (LFTR PLLR, 2009) book are entertaining reading on their own, or while listening to the songs. Your thoughts?

 Nathan Powell: Many of the artists I listened to in my youth, I connected with on an emotional level like Pinkerton [Weezer, 1996]. But there was always another group, one where it wasn’t meant to be so “relatable”—it was pushing back, saying something on its own. Frank Black. Lou Reed. Devo. Lifter Puller seemed above emotional pandering, too—above “reaching out” to connect with a disenfranchised youth. Almost mocking it instead. I think, over the years, that’s why I’ve come to respect their work so much, even if it means feeling like a poser for being a “fan.”

I’ve found myself going through different eras of Craig’s work at different stages of my life, just as I have for many other artists. For my college years, that’s meant a stronger connection to the cynical, indolent take on the scene. I suppose I haven’t developed much of a faith in humanity after all that has happened in the past few years. When I first heard LP, it was (of all things) when I was taking my hour-long bus ride in the mornings to get to high school back in my hometown. I knew it was a bit out-of-place for a rural kid—this aggressive, street-smart indie rock was a new world for me at the time. Over the years, that contrast between the world I grew up in and the world I was listening to is what made it so interesting to me.

MD: I remember when The Hold Steady's Stay Positive (2008) album came out, hearing Craig sing the lines:

We're the directors

Our hands will hold steady

I'll be John Cassavetes

Let me know when you're ready

Man, we make our own movies...

in "Slapped Actress" seemed oddly insightful because young people were indeed creating content and beginning to share it more on social media at that time.

NP: Makes sense. Hell, I think that’s why I’m here in the first place. If I hadn’t had access to the technology I did back as a teenager, I would’ve never been able to enter an industry that expects an amount of experience with photo/image-manipulation. Without access to a car at the time, I was always trying to find other ways of recording something interesting—video games with camera/recording tools and whatnot. Kind of cheesy these days, sure, but I owe a lot to my experiences back then.

MD: Have you seen any of John Cassavetes' films?

NP: I’ve not, actually. Maybe I’ll check out Opening Night [1977] this weekend.

MD: What college are you attending, what class are you taking there, and what degree are you going for?

NP: I’m wrapping up my fifth year here for my “Bachelor’s of Science in Design” at the “University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art, & Planning” (usually shortened to “DAAP”). It’s well-regarded, but I remember being baffled as a high schooler thinking: “A place in southwest Ohio being on the cutting-edge of anything?”

The past year has been entirely dedicated to the concept/development phase for our final “capstone” project, spending quite a lot of time with the same professors as they dedicate their time to each of our projects and contexts to give each one the appropriate attention. That, and another class dedicated to planning and developing the actual branding for “The Show.” My job has been editing all of the “Student Features” on our Facebook page, currently. Great practice for my work, really.

MD: I miss school. Who is your professor? He seems like a cool guy.

NP: I’m missing it already myself. All of my professors have been great this year. Ian Bellomy, my main capstone professor, has been a stickler for making sure the writing portion was as strong as could be before tackling the video work. I’ve come to really appreciate that, making sure that I always have a “reason” for a decision made in the editing process that aligns with the project’s written points. Meg Farmer, she’s great too—an adjunct from NYC, bringing a different view to Cincinnati. All great people to be lucky enough to work with.

MD: You shared your professor’s "capstone" assignment with me and I saw that he organized the project into four parts: Obsession, Journey, Reflection, and Philosophy + Exhibit. Regarding the "Obsession" part, why did you choose your hometown of Middletown, Ohio, and its opioid epidemic for your short film, “For the Kingdom, If I Can”? You got some excellent footage that an outsider would have missed. The factory smokestack at the beginning is lovely and brought to mind Kenneth Patchen's poem, "The Orange Bears" (Patchen grew up in Warren, Ohio). What went into making your mini-documentary?

NP: Confronting the world of cynicism that I’d had as a teen in Middletown is a large part of what led me here. During the ideation process, I was looking for something to be critical about it: “Hey, look at my hometown. Look at how miserable they are.”

A friend of mine and I have had several discussions in the years since we’ve moved away—him to D.C., and me working around Cinci and NYC. We both realized something: “It just sucks these people back in, no matter where they go or what they do. These people stayed. They live here, and they’re happy.” At the time, it took a lot of introspection to instead confront my own views, the horrible fact that I was angry at people in my hometown for “being happy” in such a place.

After arriving at my job in NYC, my self-deprecating sense of humor led to a lot of me mocking my hometown: “Oh, I’m from the middle of nowhere. It’s a dump. There’s nothing out there.” It was only when I would hear co-workers play along that I had a problem. They’d laugh, say something in agreement, and I would immediately want to counter them, and say, “Hey, Middletown’s not so bad. They’re happy there.” I felt like they were the outsiders to Middletown, and I was flooded with all of this ingrained emotional response: “Big city people don’t understand.”

When I came back, I started to see my hometown in headlines as having one of the worst cases of the opioid crisis in the country. I still had that spark of cynicism, but throughout my research and the beginning of the film process, I realized how wrong I was. It wasn’t brazen fundamentalism—these people needed hope. They need something to hold on to, because they didn’t have much else in a steel town now in economic uncertainty.

MD: In “For the Kingdom, If I Can,” Danny Holden's words about never getting to ask his dad why he did heroin leave the viewer wondering if Danny lost his father. It's heartbreaking hearing the son wonder if his dad did it to feel young again.

NP: The focus on youth and the past is a common one in Middletown. When conducting interviews at the treatment center, nearly every worker old enough to have been alive back then always spoke about the ‘80s as this amazing, Golden Era of jobs and prosperity in Middletown. All of the research backs that up—most of the jobs, the culture, and the population all flourished back then. I can’t blame them for having this view of the past, because instead of being tied to the usual sentiment of “life today is just too complicated,” it was more “life back then was when we all had a chance to ‘succeed’.”

During the reflection portion of the writing, I recall an earlier experience with my professor. Prior to any of my interviews, I’d come to him with a shot-list, with different images I would look for to “establish” Middletown as it was. He immediately expressed concern: “Nathan, you can’t just show an abortion billboard without a reason.” I’d try to explain, wanting to show every single teenage argument to him. “This is how they are!” The audience wouldn’t know that of course, and after all, how was that fair? What kind of project could pretend to help these people if the concept is rooted in this kind of derision?

By the end, I realized: Sure, Middletown may be deeply religious, often fundamentalist, and conservative politically, but what did that have to do with the real life-and-death side of the opioid problem? Through my interviews, research, and experience during filming, I realized that yes, the social side of these ills often contributed to the stigma of asking for help, but that was a more nuanced point I only came to see because I was able to give up so many of my black-and-white views months ago.

MD: In a fit of nostalgia but also because I love getting mail and reading music magazines, I recently subscribed to MAGNET. I received the new issue (150th Issue Special: Looking Back at 25 Years) and found it interesting that MAGNET Editor-in-Chief (1993-Present) Eric T. Miller disclosed that he had his last drink on May 3, 2017. Miller wrote:

“I've chosen to be open about my addiction and recovery for a couple of reasons. One is that only about 10 percent of people with substance-abuse problems seek help, many because of the stigma of being labeled as an addict. I'm proud to be a recovering addict. If my story helps to persuade one person to seek treatment or realize it's OK to be in recovery or not relapse, I think I've made the right decision.”

What are your thoughts on there actually being a solution to addictions? Kicking substance abuse through ongoing work in recovery.

NP: I initially had a lot of my usual reservations. Not because I think that “addicts” are failures, or anything like that (although some of our local in-charge populace see it differently, sadly), but because I was a skeptic of the constant presence “Faith” in the recovery process.In the “Journey” segment of the project, I explain my experiences at a local treatment center:

It was a humbling experience. Sitting in the waiting room, seeing the struggle on the faces of people coming in for treatment. I knew it was supposed to be a positive—“These people are here in the first place! They’ve overcome that doubt, that social stigma my project is all about.” But of course, that’s not the hard part of their treatment process. This was still real life to them, and they still struggled for happiness, an escape. I’d glance through the Bible on every end table, and read some of the news articles taped to the wall of this former high school, as those in need would come in and sit, waiting for treatment. They’d read through their phones, talk about life. Things we all do… It was then that I knew I couldn’t just say “Middletown is a Hell-hole,” because that dehumanizing view just wasn’t productive anymore.

To say that there is a “solution” to addiction is difficult, but it is safe to say that people deserve an amount of respect for going through the Hell that they go through. If someone I met eventually turned to an addictive substance as a result of the overzealous prescription of painkillers following a sports injury, or after some of the absolutely terrifying, undeserved home-lives some of these people grew up in, I can understand why they’d try to find something to cling to—both in their addictions, and in their religion. They don’t have much else these days.

MD: I know that your short film was accepted for a special screening on April 8th, and afterwards you did a Q&A with the audience. How did that go?

NP: It went well! It brought up a lot of emotions that I hadn’t felt since the beginning of the project. The principle of “being genuine” really comes crashing down whenever I find myself in one of these common art-house settings in the middle of the most gentrified parts of town, but a lot of that is just that same old feeling of being an out-of-place country-bumpkin. Still, I’m very grateful for the opportunity I had to share it with a small audience of 20 or so people that night.

During the Q&A session afterwards, many of them expressed an emotional response to many of the motifs I was trying to touch on in the video—recalling Midwestern life in the 21st century, disenfranchised youth without much hope, and so on. It was a great experience. Well, except for one person suggesting that opioids may serve a positive purpose in life “if used properly on your own.” Considering how quickly the addiction process happens, I had my doubts.

MD: The Final Premiere event is happening at your college on Wednesday, April 25th. I understand that you’ve been getting a lot of positive feedback on the poster you designed for “For the Kingdom, If I Can”—posters that are being printed for the show.

NP: The poster is a one-off specifically for the show, but the design on the cover serves as the cover for my “process book” as well—an iconic photo of the factories near the Great Miami, adjacent to Central Avenue and just down the block from the Municipal building. The road flows straight from there towards where the shot was taken, about ten minutes from the house I grew up in. It’s such a sudden shift from the city to the rural area, and that juxtaposition was just what I was looking for.

MD: What did you learn from making "For the Kingdom, If I Can," and what are you interested in doing next with your background in graphic design, film production, writing, and music?

NP: Next will be “the usual”: more production work as it comes along. Some things are in the pipeline, but I’m looking for something with some permanence if I can find it. I’d like to start experimenting with writing music again. Hell, I’d take playing in a cover band again for how much fun that always was. Much of that feeling—timing, dynamics, the emotions of performing music—is present in filming and editing. It’ll just be another barrier to overcome.

I’ll try to keep in mind just how much I’ve changed over the course of this project, and that it can always happen again. Those feelings of negativity I spoke about earlier, as a youth, they were feelings I thought would never go away. While I’m sure my sense of humor will always lead to a little bit of self-deprecation, I know I don’t mean any ill-will towards my hometown. If a worldview as deep-seated as that can be changed, it just reminds me even more of the importance of keeping an open mind.

When you're growing up in a small town

And you're having a nervous breakdown

And you think that you'll never escape it

Yourself or the place that you live

[...]

When you're growing up in a small town

You know you'll grow down in a small town

There's only one good use for a small town

You hate it and you'll know you have to leave

– Lou Reed & John Cale, “Smalltown”, 1990

___

Mike Daily is a novelist, journalist, and co-creator of the Plywood Hoods Freestyle BMX Trick Team. He is at work on his third novel, Moon Babes of Bicycle City (2019) and recording chapters of the book with Joe Gruttola.

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Published on Nov 25, 2016: Brian Tunney: “In January of 2015, I moved to Austin, Texas from Redondo Beach, California and decided that I should eventually get around to filming a new video. My dear friend Stew Johnson volunteered his time and effort and skills, and together, slowly but surely, we amassed enough footage to put together something I was happy with. I then DM'd Patrick Kindlon of Self Defense Family to see if we could use their song and he said 100% use it. With help from a clip filmed by Robin Fenlon in Newport Beach, we spent the day after Thanksgiving 2016 sitting in Stew's office and came up with the following. I owe dear thanks to so many people for pushing me to keep going on this bizarre BMX journey for over 30 years now, and this is dedicated to each and every one of them. Thanks for watching a 42-year-old no one...”

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Yearly gathering of Flatland/Freestyle BMX riders from all over the USA & beyond! All ages & skill levels welcome, every Labor Day.

Organized by Jay Marley & Bob Walter ( facebook.com/TBLaborDayFlatJam )

Music ©Bastard Jazz Recordings/Taking Brooklyn Music ( bastardjazz.com )

Video shot & edited by Brett Rolfing ( facebook.com/BrettRohlfingMedia )

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Marley Did It! & W.I.S.E. Freestyle proudly present the 3RD ANNUAL TAMPA BAY LABOR DAY FLATJAM 2016 Plenty of time to start planning your vacation, well worth the trip for some Sunshine and Flatland! This year sees the Tropical Session with a different kind of format for a “contest”: instead of the usual Novice/Expert/Pro classes of other competitions, the trials are broken down into 4 categories: 1) Best Front Wheel Boogie (1st: DECO bars, forks & grips/ Profile Front Hub) 2) Best Back Wheel Boogie (1st: SHADOW "Raptor" FC hub) 3) Best Front & Back Wheel Combo (1st: SAMPA frame) 4) Best “Old School” Trick/Combo (1st: PORK CHOP package) This way, riders of All Ages & Skill Levels can have fun riding together in a “Jam Circle” type of vibe without any stress. Each rider gets 3 attempts to pull their Trick, which can be taken consecutively or in rotation, with no time limit, so there’s even less pressure to have fun! One Winner per Trial format. In the event of a “Draw”, there will be a Bonus Battle for a Tie-Breaker. Riders can enter any or all of the Trials, with the potential of winning one, two, three or all four. Everyone who enters the Trials gets free stuff from the Event Sponsors just for entering, win or lose! As an added bonus this year, Mark Eaton aka “Lungmustard” of the legendary Plywood Hoods Trick Team / Dorkin’ in York videos will be in attendance as Guest Judge AND as a DJ!!! 2002 Latin America X-Games Flatland Gold Medalist & Cirque Du Soliel performer Marcos Paulo De Jesus representing Sampa Bmx will also be in attendance as a Guest Judge. And if that weren’t enough, Chad DeGroot of the infamous Props BMX / Baco Designs & Decobmx clans will also be on hand as our 3rd & final Guest Judge and Class Clown/Magician/Fire Eater/Etc. As icing on the cake, we have Kip Williamson of MASTER BLASTER PLANET as MC! he's announced the X Games for all BMX events including flatland, 12 different ESPN BMX comps, Dave Mirra Super Tour, Red Bull Fight With Flight, 10 Vans Triple Crown, over 20 ASA main events along with the ASA High School Tour, 100s of demos for GT Bicycles on summer tour, in addition to hosting a tv show on Fox & so much more. All Ages, Spectator Friendly. Tell a Friend… more info: marleydidit@gmail.com / bobonbikes@gmail.com SPECIAL THANKS TO: RED BULL DECO. BMX PROFILE RACING MADERA BMX SAMPA BMX MASTER BLASTER PLANET THE SHADOW CONSPIRACY SUBROSA BRAND PEGASUS BMX FLATLAND FUEL FLATMATTERS ONLINE GLOBAL-FLAT FL-BMX.COM TAMPA BAY RIDERS THE PATH BIKE SHOP MR. B’S BIKES N’ BOARDS EMMITT BMX PORKCHOP BMX

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Rob Ridge.

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Brakeless Backwards Decade by John Yull

“When I started riding again in 2009 after quitting for around 15 years this was the first trick that I thought of that I wanted to re learn but brakeless. I quickly learned that it wasn't as easy as I thought. Getting to a position where I could footjam seemed impossible. When I designed my frame I did it around this trick & the smith jam was practice for this trick. I was beginning to think it would never happen but I continued to chip away at it piece by piece. The last few weeks I've pushed hard & taken several slams that should have made me stop but I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. So here it is!!! Push yourself and don't give up!!!”--John Yull

Special Thanks to Joe Gruttola. “Watch this. Sick.”

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Kevin Jones at ThunderDohm Skatepark in York, PA. 1982.

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Hoffman Bikes Strowler Frame Available in May 2015. Quantity on first production run is limited so order now at http://flatlandfuel.com/hoffmanbikesstrowlerframe.aspx to reserve yours ($299.99 from Flatland Fuel): "sup Mike! preorders just went live yesterday, ordered mine this morning...."--Jay Marley            

Material: 100% 4130 Chromo

             Tubing: Butted tubing with curved downtube for extra clearance

             Top Tube Length: 19" or 19.75"                                          

             Chainstay: 12.7"-13"            

             Head Angle: 75°                                          

             Seat Angle: 70°                                          

             Bottom Bracket: Mid                                          

             Integrated headset

             Dropouts: 14mm; 5mm thick heat-treated dropouts with inside machining

             BB Height: 11.5"

             Brakemounts: Removable brakemounts, gyro tabs and cable guides included

             Integrated chain tensioners

             Weight: 19": 4.56lb/2.0kg; 19.75": 4.88lb/2.2kg