back in college I wrenched with a guy that knew the guys who ran Kink BMX. he also had a key to their private warehouse skatepark (the one with the samhain skull wall ride). just a couple mini ramps, but we often stayed and rode very late. Tony Hamlin was riding for them at the time, so I'd see him there and around town fairly frequently riding street.
not gonna name names on this one, but back when I raced DH, i was on an amateur team for 2 years. the team manager was the parent of someone who went on to win world championships in more than 1 discipline. this was just before said racer started racing at the elite level, and seeing the level they were riding at the time was very impressive. super friendly down to earth too (the whole family really).
i met gwin at a local fundraiser for melissa buhl when he was on trek. attempted to follow him down geronimo.
and for the way back guys - met tomac, tinker, ned, furtado, etc at the old cactus cup race (pinnacle peak and mcdowell locations) when it was the kickoff to the season. watched tomac send 'the ledge' where everyone else was inching their way over the edge or getting off and walking.
I saw Loris Vergier a few years ago filming a promo for a trail bike in Roubion bike park, he kept complaining that "the bike feels...
I saw Loris Vergier a few years ago filming a promo for a trail bike in Roubion bike park, he kept complaining that "the bike feels like shit"
I also saw him around the same time at the top of the longest stage in EWS Valberg... He was badging people's timing chips, what a nice dude!
I took a great picture of Loic Bruni at a race when he was a junior, sent him a friend request on facebook which he accepted, sent the photo and never got a thank you or even a word in response, so we are basically best friends!
I saw Vali Holl getting ready to ride Isola 2000 bike park in the car park a few years ago, she looked great!
I was once given a race plate one number ahead of Nico Vouilloz, which meant I had him starting 20s behind me for 5 stages, I managed to not get overtaken in one of them!!!
My only real name drop is that I ride a few times a year with a regular EWS podium rider and I have had a ton of gossip about injuries and shitty contracts over the last 10 years. But as I have half a brain, I don't go around forums throwing his name and potential career impacting details around...
haha I know how it feels to have someone fast as f*(k behind you for a race..... csh time
My last DH race I was in over 35's at a clubby in Ourimbah, I was hungover as all shit and we went down just before Elites. There is no seeding in the club rounds so I just chilled up the top trying to get it together. I go up to the tower and wedge my old ass on the bike not really wanting to ride but what do you do.
Behind me, Jack Moir is walking up the tower, so I'm stressing out thinking he will catch me in 2 corners (he should lol) and I tell the start dude and Jack to give me at least a minute, everyone laughs except me and they decide a minute gap is OK.
I drop in, slip a pedal and whack my balls straight into the stem..... everyone is laughing lol
I actually put in a really good lap, I'm getting near the bottom drop into the finish and the hecklers down the bottom where louder than usual.... I'm a nobody so I can only assume Jack is about to get me and they want to see a pass, I see in my peripheral he is about 10metres away so I do the most awkward scrub things and boost the last drop landing completely flat and nearly KO'ing myself on the bars and cross the Line.... about 2 metres in front.
We both bust out laughing at the end, I apologize for holding him up but he said it didn't and sort of gave him something to chase (tortoise and the hare anyone?)
He is exactly like his Vlogs, charismatic, stoked on riding and meeting people. You see Jack at heaps of rounds around here, he is relatable, friendly and fantastic with the fans and kids. Hand on heart he is a great person and a wonderful ambassador to the sport in Australia. Can only wish the bloke all the success because he genuinely deserves it. A+ Human.
also not really cool story, but anyone who has been to Skyline bike park in Queenstown would have shared a lift with a pro. It's a cool experience and you realise they are just a normal person like you.
First time I went there, I landed on a Wednesday and the park was empty, but Remy Morton was there. We rode together pretty much all day, showed me Dream track (I just watched) and then down to Atlas for a beer by the lake. Best day.
I once rode with Matt Walker's mechanic and his dog. Both of them were considerably faster down trails than me. The dog stole my crisps at the pub afterwards.
1. One dig day long time ago, I kinda gave this ginger a beef for stepping on my freshly packed mini-berm while he was hiking up this new trail I was shaping. I saw Griz and asked, WTH that guy was on that clapped out Haro Magnum DH bike? Griz said, he's aight. 10 mins later, I heard thunder (or clanking Haro bike) and looked behind me on another line, that same ginger with a funny Bell helmet on busted a sender over a drop and squashed a rock jump. I'm like, oh he's cool. Later found out at Fontana, it was Aaron Gwinn out with Theo and crew that day filming "Days of Dirt (remember full length feature film, kiddos?)."
2. While out on a secret (not Maxxis) tire test with Greg Minnaar in San Diego, CA. I was so star-struck (and so was the other local junior DH phemon with us), fucked pretty much everything up from pulling the wrong tires, giving the wrong product tech details when Greg asked, and didn't know whether he was fucking with me or not when asked "how do you know if that floor pump is calibrated to accurately pump 30 psi." Then proceeded to shuttle with him and died nearly 4 times trying to keep him in sight. I decided, I love life more and asked then local Jr. phenom riding for GT at the time, Kevin Aielo to do the honors of touring Minn the rest of the day. My main claim that day was, I ended up being Minn's shuttle and test tire bitch. I would tell my friends, yo, Greg sat on my truck's front seat. Greg won at La Brese WC later that month. Woot!
I skipped class senior year to drive to CA with Dak to help him build a line for his welcome to Devinci edit. As a kid from MI that was super into DH, going out west and meeting a bunch of US pros and riding all these spots I'd seen online blew my mind. Even ran into AG and JH at a shuttle spot. It was before him and Dak really knew each other much and they just kinda said hey. Lots of funny stories from that trip. Shout out to Dak for always being rad, that trip really inspired me to get after it and I ended up in CO. Good times!
semi recently tossed all mine. might still have some old decline mags around here though.
I've got all of Decline aside from two of the first ten issues including the issue with the review of those timing watches that included Aaron Gwin where they said Keep an eye out for this guy.
In the late 90's i knocked over Nathan Rennie's Avanti DH (the one with the big moto style seat) at the top of the state champs at Fernvale. Same year Kovarik was on the carbon GT lobo
Loving this thread and all the one off and more serious encounters some people have had.
- I used to work for Pivot's Canadian distributor and spent the better part of the (circa) 2014 Montreal Bicycle Show chatting it up with Chris Cocalis. Went for supper and drinks in Old Montreal with him and dropped him off at the airport on the last day.
- Got a chance to spend part of the 2014 MSA WC in the makeshift Pivot Factory DH team pit (it was 2 10x10s owned by the distributor lol) and met Bernard Kerr, Elliot Jackson and Micayla Gatto.
- Rebuilt an Enve rear wheel for Alexandre Fayolle at that same WC since he smoked his in practice. He was a privateer back then riding for the French Enve/Pivot distributor, and he had already ran through all his spares.
- Fast-forward a few years and I now work for Rocky Mountain and get to work with Wade Simmons and Thomas Vanderham. Rode with Wade 2 years ago in Le Massif for the opening of the bike park there. And earlier this year we had a company get-together and I got the chance to lead both of them down one of our local trails here in Quebec city. Was giving them a run for their money on the cheater bike (lol) and they started taking the piss at me saying I had to finish the last part of trail without pedalling. I happily obliged lol.
I was pretty fortunate to get to spend a good bit of time with some of the world's best freeriders over the years while showing up and getting wrecked at contests. They are all some of the most down to earth people I've ever met and yet do some of the most awe-inspiring things you can imagine. Seeing the mental strength and calculation going through their minds would have them be successful in whatever they were to tackle.
Some of the fondest memories:
Seeing DJ Brandt at his first ever event, crashing left and right trying to no-foot can. Pretty amazing where he has gotten himself!
Casey Groves teaching me to barspin at Ranchstyle
Teaching T-Mac how to flip stepdowns at Claymore
Getting kicked out of a bar in Chatel, France with a bunch of Canadians (Sorge, Bueller, Romaniuk)
Road tripping from Goldman's to Ranchstyle with McGarry
Post-Rampage shenanigans in Vegas with Pilgrim and Soderstrom
Jamie Goldman's wife locking me out of the house one year - GI distress issues hahaha
Getting edged out by Lopes at Crankworx CO slalom.
Growing up in Utah I ran into BMX pros Mike Aitken and Tim "Fuzz" Hall at the proving grounds indoor skatepark in Pleasant Grove quite often. Both of them super nice and down to earth, always had time to talk to us kids at the skatepark.
Now live in NC. Shot the shit with Max Beaupre at sugar mountain for a while waiting for the lift to open. Super funny kid and hope he succeeds racing enduro on the world stage.
I was pretty fortunate to get to spend a good bit of time with some of the world's best freeriders over the years while showing up...
I was pretty fortunate to get to spend a good bit of time with some of the world's best freeriders over the years while showing up and getting wrecked at contests. They are all some of the most down to earth people I've ever met and yet do some of the most awe-inspiring things you can imagine. Seeing the mental strength and calculation going through their minds would have them be successful in whatever they were to tackle.
Some of the fondest memories:
Seeing DJ Brandt at his first ever event, crashing left and right trying to no-foot can. Pretty amazing where he has gotten himself!
Casey Groves teaching me to barspin at Ranchstyle
Teaching T-Mac how to flip stepdowns at Claymore
Getting kicked out of a bar in Chatel, France with a bunch of Canadians (Sorge, Bueller, Romaniuk)
Road tripping from Goldman's to Ranchstyle with McGarry
Post-Rampage shenanigans in Vegas with Pilgrim and Soderstrom
Jamie Goldman's wife locking me out of the house one year - GI distress issues hahaha
Getting edged out by Lopes at Crankworx CO slalom.
I got to work in the industry with a guy who did a backflip at Rampage....
I also got looks of disapproval from @TEAMROBOT once at Sol Vista. The fact that my life was spared from robot annihilation was a solid positive.
You guys are going to think I'm full of shit, but these are completely true:
-I used to work at Suzuki headquarters. Ricky Carmichael gave me the " 'sup" head nod when he came to visit once, because he recognized me from a previous media event.
-The drummer for No Doubt is my cousin. He introduced me to Gwen Stefani backstage once, right before they got real famous, and for a little while, I felt like I had a chance with her.
-I partied with Ron Lechien about a dozen years ago at a convention. Yes, that Ron Lechien. Yes, he's still that crazy.
-Jeremy "Twitch" Stenberg owes me $5 for a sandwich I bought him once. I don't want it back, because it's a good story.
Met Robin Williams in my local bike shop while building up my first official DH bike, a yellow/red Intense Uzzi DH.
He was wowed & asked about it. Everyone else was in awe of him but I'm off in the head too & we hit it off & just babbled.
He told me the rumours were true that he was really into bikes, that he'd been in disguise in the back of the USPS chase car feeding Lance & crew in feed zones. Hadn't missed a TdF in over 10+ years & was there to pick up a road bike to ride on a stationery trainer while filming Patch Adams.
Asked how much my DH bike cost & I said "a maxed out credit card". I made the worst joke of "Wanna sponsor my credit card?"
He actually belly laughed, got serious & said he sponsored a pro XC racer under the table. She was pretty famous, but have forgotten the name.
Asked if I had a resume & said YES! Told me to drop it at their offices in the building across from the bank. Went to 5 different lobbies all looking at me like the biggest idiot. Last one, a lady off to the side in a really nice outfit said "Who said to bring your resume?" "Robin Williams." had to tell her my story all over.
She said "Tell you what. I'll call around and if I can find which building they're in, I'll get it over there."
Two weeks later, a $1000 check from Robin & Marsha Williams with a letter from his attorney that it was not to be made a public matter showed up in my mailbox.
He was my favorite actor as a kid, an adult...and dammit. That's my ultimate name drop. That money made a lot of stuff possible way back when and his support (probably forgot about me the day after) but I sent photos and race results to the address on the letter all season as a thanks.
back in college I wrenched with a guy that knew the guys who ran Kink BMX. he also had a key to their private warehouse skatepark (the one with the samhain skull wall ride). just a couple mini ramps, but we often stayed and rode very late. Tony Hamlin was riding for them at the time, so I'd see him there and around town fairly frequently riding street.
not gonna name names on this one, but back when I raced DH, i was on an amateur team for 2 years. the team manager was the parent of someone who went on to win world championships in more than 1 discipline. this was just before said racer started racing at the elite level, and seeing the level they were riding at the time was very impressive. super friendly down to earth too (the whole family really).
i met gwin at a local fundraiser for melissa buhl when he was on trek. attempted to follow him down geronimo.
and for the way back guys - met tomac, tinker, ned, furtado, etc at the old cactus cup race (pinnacle peak and mcdowell locations) when it was the kickoff to the season. watched tomac send 'the ledge' where everyone else was inching their way over the edge or getting off and walking.
haha I know how it feels to have someone fast as f*(k behind you for a race..... csh time
My last DH race I was in over 35's at a clubby in Ourimbah, I was hungover as all shit and we went down just before Elites. There is no seeding in the club rounds so I just chilled up the top trying to get it together. I go up to the tower and wedge my old ass on the bike not really wanting to ride but what do you do.
Behind me, Jack Moir is walking up the tower, so I'm stressing out thinking he will catch me in 2 corners (he should lol) and I tell the start dude and Jack to give me at least a minute, everyone laughs except me and they decide a minute gap is OK.
I drop in, slip a pedal and whack my balls straight into the stem..... everyone is laughing lol
I actually put in a really good lap, I'm getting near the bottom drop into the finish and the hecklers down the bottom where louder than usual.... I'm a nobody so I can only assume Jack is about to get me and they want to see a pass, I see in my peripheral he is about 10metres away so I do the most awkward scrub things and boost the last drop landing completely flat and nearly KO'ing myself on the bars and cross the Line.... about 2 metres in front.
We both bust out laughing at the end, I apologize for holding him up but he said it didn't and sort of gave him something to chase (tortoise and the hare anyone?)
He is exactly like his Vlogs, charismatic, stoked on riding and meeting people. You see Jack at heaps of rounds around here, he is relatable, friendly and fantastic with the fans and kids. Hand on heart he is a great person and a wonderful ambassador to the sport in Australia. Can only wish the bloke all the success because he genuinely deserves it. A+ Human.
also not really cool story, but anyone who has been to Skyline bike park in Queenstown would have shared a lift with a pro. It's a cool experience and you realise they are just a normal person like you.
First time I went there, I landed on a Wednesday and the park was empty, but Remy Morton was there. We rode together pretty much all day, showed me Dream track (I just watched) and then down to Atlas for a beer by the lake. Best day.
I worked a ski season in Wanaka with a short Frenchman named Jerome with wonky teeth.
Super nice dude, gave me a (burned) CD of Babylon Circus.
I got intimate with Gordo
Oh boy Ive been waiting for this one...
Im the mechanic for THE USAC Collegiate National DH champion
Ive built a couple of wheels for Neko's very old trail bike, and also been called by a nickname
Ive been pulled out of bed by a very drunken Shaw brother
Richie Rude posted me on his Insta story after almost taking a DHR2 to the face at Kanuga
Cous Cous Knows my name (not sure if he remembers that night though)
Oh yeah, and the '21 Snowshoe after party, pretty sure everyone there almost got hit by Tracy Hannah and Finn Iles' fireworks.
I once rode with Matt Walker's mechanic and his dog. Both of them were considerably faster down trails than me. The dog stole my crisps at the pub afterwards.
I used to read litter mag
Good shit..
Too many shit to list for a clueless asian mtber.
Some of my highlights:
1. One dig day long time ago, I kinda gave this ginger a beef for stepping on my freshly packed mini-berm while he was hiking up this new trail I was shaping. I saw Griz and asked, WTH that guy was on that clapped out Haro Magnum DH bike? Griz said, he's aight. 10 mins later, I heard thunder (or clanking Haro bike) and looked behind me on another line, that same ginger with a funny Bell helmet on busted a sender over a drop and squashed a rock jump. I'm like, oh he's cool. Later found out at Fontana, it was Aaron Gwinn out with Theo and crew that day filming "Days of Dirt (remember full length feature film, kiddos?)."
2. While out on a secret (not Maxxis) tire test with Greg Minnaar in San Diego, CA. I was so star-struck (and so was the other local junior DH phemon with us), fucked pretty much everything up from pulling the wrong tires, giving the wrong product tech details when Greg asked, and didn't know whether he was fucking with me or not when asked "how do you know if that floor pump is calibrated to accurately pump 30 psi." Then proceeded to shuttle with him and died nearly 4 times trying to keep him in sight. I decided, I love life more and asked then local Jr. phenom riding for GT at the time, Kevin Aielo to do the honors of touring Minn the rest of the day. My main claim that day was, I ended up being Minn's shuttle and test tire bitch. I would tell my friends, yo, Greg sat on my truck's front seat. Greg won at La Brese WC later that month. Woot!
I saw Dak at Windrock and made a BPractice pod joke about his suspension setup. He didn’t get it and i walked away in shame
I skipped class senior year to drive to CA with Dak to help him build a line for his welcome to Devinci edit. As a kid from MI that was super into DH, going out west and meeting a bunch of US pros and riding all these spots I'd seen online blew my mind. Even ran into AG and JH at a shuttle spot. It was before him and Dak really knew each other much and they just kinda said hey. Lots of funny stories from that trip. Shout out to Dak for always being rad, that trip really inspired me to get after it and I ended up in CO. Good times!
I still have a physical copy or 2.
semi recently tossed all mine. might still have some old decline mags around here though.
I've got all of Decline aside from two of the first ten issues including the issue with the review of those timing watches that included Aaron Gwin where they said Keep an eye out for this guy.
Spomer once got me and the peeps I was with dinner
In the late 90's i knocked over Nathan Rennie's Avanti DH (the one with the big moto style seat) at the top of the state champs at Fernvale. Same year Kovarik was on the carbon GT lobo
Loving this thread and all the one off and more serious encounters some people have had.
- I used to work for Pivot's Canadian distributor and spent the better part of the (circa) 2014 Montreal Bicycle Show chatting it up with Chris Cocalis. Went for supper and drinks in Old Montreal with him and dropped him off at the airport on the last day.
- Got a chance to spend part of the 2014 MSA WC in the makeshift Pivot Factory DH team pit (it was 2 10x10s owned by the distributor lol) and met Bernard Kerr, Elliot Jackson and Micayla Gatto.
- Rebuilt an Enve rear wheel for Alexandre Fayolle at that same WC since he smoked his in practice. He was a privateer back then riding for the French Enve/Pivot distributor, and he had already ran through all his spares.
- Fast-forward a few years and I now work for Rocky Mountain and get to work with Wade Simmons and Thomas Vanderham. Rode with Wade 2 years ago in Le Massif for the opening of the bike park there. And earlier this year we had a company get-together and I got the chance to lead both of them down one of our local trails here in Quebec city. Was giving them a run for their money on the cheater bike (lol) and they started taking the piss at me saying I had to finish the last part of trail without pedalling. I happily obliged lol.
Sanjay energy and talent is on another level. Hopefully he is still riding his bike around the globe.
I once interviewed Cedric Gracia. He showed up late and a bit drunk, it was fun (unironically).
I was pretty fortunate to get to spend a good bit of time with some of the world's best freeriders over the years while showing up and getting wrecked at contests. They are all some of the most down to earth people I've ever met and yet do some of the most awe-inspiring things you can imagine. Seeing the mental strength and calculation going through their minds would have them be successful in whatever they were to tackle.
Some of the fondest memories:
Seeing DJ Brandt at his first ever event, crashing left and right trying to no-foot can. Pretty amazing where he has gotten himself!
Casey Groves teaching me to barspin at Ranchstyle
Teaching T-Mac how to flip stepdowns at Claymore
Getting kicked out of a bar in Chatel, France with a bunch of Canadians (Sorge, Bueller, Romaniuk)
Road tripping from Goldman's to Ranchstyle with McGarry
Post-Rampage shenanigans in Vegas with Pilgrim and Soderstrom
Jamie Goldman's wife locking me out of the house one year - GI distress issues hahaha
Getting edged out by Lopes at Crankworx CO slalom.
I am Tiger Woods.
Growing up in Utah I ran into BMX pros Mike Aitken and Tim "Fuzz" Hall at the proving grounds indoor skatepark in Pleasant Grove quite often. Both of them super nice and down to earth, always had time to talk to us kids at the skatepark.
Now live in NC. Shot the shit with Max Beaupre at sugar mountain for a while waiting for the lift to open. Super funny kid and hope he succeeds racing enduro on the world stage.
I got to work in the industry with a guy who did a backflip at Rampage....
I also got looks of disapproval from @TEAMROBOT once at Sol Vista. The fact that my life was spared from robot annihilation was a solid positive.
Unlikely, but not impossible.
I bet he didnt even land it
It's actually Reggie Miller trying to convince us it's someone with less issues with bike fit.
You guys are going to think I'm full of shit, but these are completely true:
-I used to work at Suzuki headquarters. Ricky Carmichael gave me the " 'sup" head nod when he came to visit once, because he recognized me from a previous media event.
-The drummer for No Doubt is my cousin. He introduced me to Gwen Stefani backstage once, right before they got real famous, and for a little while, I felt like I had a chance with her.
-I partied with Ron Lechien about a dozen years ago at a convention. Yes, that Ron Lechien. Yes, he's still that crazy.
-Jeremy "Twitch" Stenberg owes me $5 for a sandwich I bought him once. I don't want it back, because it's a good story.
Met Robin Williams in my local bike shop while building up my first official DH bike, a yellow/red Intense Uzzi DH.
He was wowed & asked about it. Everyone else was in awe of him but I'm off in the head too & we hit it off & just babbled.
He told me the rumours were true that he was really into bikes, that he'd been in disguise in the back of the USPS chase car feeding Lance & crew in feed zones. Hadn't missed a TdF in over 10+ years & was there to pick up a road bike to ride on a stationery trainer while filming Patch Adams.
Asked how much my DH bike cost & I said "a maxed out credit card". I made the worst joke of "Wanna sponsor my credit card?"
He actually belly laughed, got serious & said he sponsored a pro XC racer under the table. She was pretty famous, but have forgotten the name.
Asked if I had a resume & said YES! Told me to drop it at their offices in the building across from the bank. Went to 5 different lobbies all looking at me like the biggest idiot. Last one, a lady off to the side in a really nice outfit said "Who said to bring your resume?" "Robin Williams." had to tell her my story all over.
She said "Tell you what. I'll call around and if I can find which building they're in, I'll get it over there."
Two weeks later, a $1000 check from Robin & Marsha Williams with a letter from his attorney that it was not to be made a public matter showed up in my mailbox.
He was my favorite actor as a kid, an adult...and dammit. That's my ultimate name drop. That money made a lot of stuff possible way back when and his support (probably forgot about me the day after) but I sent photos and race results to the address on the letter all season as a thanks.
Post a reply to: The Name Drop Thread