Xmess, Gainesville, TV, Karl, Edits, Clips, end of the year

by Chad DeGroot December 29, 2013

Due to the holiday season this weekly post is coming right at the end of the week, Sunday. Better late than never is a saying that fits just nice right now. Cause never would mean I am dead. Dark huh? I have heard "I am so hungry I could eat a grown mans ass" at least 100 times this week. Why? Cause I let a certain someone say it and it makes him happy. Not my son, good guess though. He says worse stuff trust me. Damn poddy mouth. So without anymore ranting lets get this one started, cause the end of the year is almost here. Tom Villarreal has been putting in time on ramps, check the edit below and the pics. Karly Poynterly hits you in the ass with another amazing edit at Ollies. Guess coming out with a peg is stirring up the flatland soup and making it heat up, I do what I do and do do on you you...these are dope as it gets and when they are in your hands the panties will be dropping due to overflow of liquid. "This one time in Gainsville" by Matt Coplon, good read and awesome pics and even a LEVY sighting. Take a look at this again. Step it up in 2014. AND your moment of ZEN. Have a great new years and send me pics of fun stuff and make sure its fun. -Chad D

Tom Villarreal chill shot doing what he does always with a smile.

BMX: Mini-ramp Session with Tom Villereal, Sean Morr, and more...

Ever heard of a Donkey punch? Karl gets his donkey session at Ollies and hits you with his freecoaster style and adds to the slider game. Standouts aside from his smooth style is the Xup mannie down the rail...hell...its all a standout. Get up and dance, this year end session shows you that Tony Danza isn't the only boss. KARL POYNTER - YEAR END SESSION DECOBMX from DecoBMX on Vimeo. WuPEGS in 1.75 and the other version of 1.5. Screw it...here thems all.

This one time, in Gainesville...

We used to go to Gainesville solely for shows. With No Idea records based out of that tiny town, its draw for incredible punk bands (both in creating them and luring them in on tour) was unlike any city in Florida. To see Los Crudos, Palatka, Grade, and In/Humanity play a shitty college squat a couple blocks from Campus, would probably not have happened anywhere else so close to my home. The list of shows goes on in memory...the rolling in and out of several generations of college kids have unfortunately aided in far removing me from that part of my life. Sad to think about, really.

But the part that remained most vivid was the riding. Its still there, and its still fresh.

In about 1995, I was out roaming the student ghetto when a dude rolled by on a 45 pound bike. 4 pegs, front and back brakes, 8 piece, home-made bars, fully padded with a long pony tail hanging below his hat. Cruising by, he did a bunny-hop bar a couple feet off the ground. I honestly almost shit myself.

I followed him up the road where he was sessioning a terrible grass bank spot. Across the street, I lurked for a bit, watching him pull a bunch of wild front brake tricks I'd only seen in Baco videos.

And then he left...for weeks I wondered who and what I had just witnessed.

Months later I'd run into him again at a show. He introduced himself as Mike Andrews. The Mike Andrews, who's closest riding buddy was Jason Levy...the two of them were, and still remain, the bmx legends of Gainesville.

Over the course of the next 18 years, I take trips up intermittently. Mainly because my wife moved there for grad school. Until last weekend, I never really put into perspective how long I had been visiting and how very few of those weekends included my bike.

Mike Andrews moved out years ago. Jason Levy can still be found lurking at the local Irish Bar at 2pm...(or at the grocery store)...and within the streets of Gainesville, their legacy lives on through the many spots that this tiny college town has to offer.

This past Sunday we indulged...I hope its not years before I make it up again to pedal the streets. -Matt Coplon

Fakie on a perfect transitioned bank. North Gainesville.