Dedicated to Todd Emro RIP my friend

This week we lost a great friend and team mate. Todd Emro was a great guy with a big heart and will be forever missed but, never forgotten by all his friends and our entire Bmx Family and Community....RIP

THE UGP BMX TEAM!!!!

I just recently returned from Lake Owen Camp Woodward and I enjoyed a great week of Bmx. I met the UGP clothing team including one of my Flatland Hereos and legends Chad Degroot.....I hope you enjoy some of the pictures I took of the guys while they were there. I also should mention not that you already do not know that there riding is awesome but, these are some of coolest guys you could ever meet!

Adrian Taylor In-Line Skater Interview

Flatmonkey Bmx was able to catch up with Pro inline skater Adrian Taylor who is also the inlince camp director at Woodward Lake Owen and get an exclusive interview. Here is what we found out from the inline insider!

Name: Adrian Taylor
Title: Inline Program Director Camp Lake Owen Woodward
Age: 24
Home Town: Lawerence, KS

How Long Have you been in-line skating? 12 Years

What Tricks are you working on right now? Switch Manevuers and Skating Fast!

What are your favorite tricks? They change all the time but, wall rides are fun!

Who are you sponsored by? Lawerence School District #297

What would you say to young people who want to get sponsored? "The inline industry is so small right now, you should focus on skating everyday and having fun. You will naturally get better and hopefully by the time there is more money and products in the industry a sponsorship will come along."

What is it like to be the inline program director at Camp Woodward Lake Owen? " It's the greatest job I've ever had! I get to teach kids how to skate while still learning myself and even get paid! I feel like I have got an opportunity to influence kids in a positive way with out preaching to them."

How long have you been working at Woodward Lake Owen Camp? I am going on my 5th year as the inline program director.

Where do you see the future of inline going? " Inline skating has always been looked down upon, and I kinda like that. From about 2002-2006, inline skating practically disappeared, which only left the skaters who truly loved it. This is because they felt it was fun not because it was cool. Now, all that is left are those skaters and I believe this has made inline skaters strong and deidcated as possible. People are starting to look for different outlets for expression and creativity and inline skating offers that. So with that core group that have stuck through the low times leading the way, I think that the industry is very prepared to explode again and sustain that growth for a long time!"

Where are your favorite places to skate? Too many......Denver; Irvine, CA; Kansas City; Dallas; Minneapolis, MN; Fayetville, AR; and Atalanta.......

What is your dream trick? Any tricke I have never done before that surpises me when I land it!

Final Words: Do what is fun! Bmx, inline, skateboard, golf, football, whatever.......And it always feel good to do nice things for other people!

Adrian stays busy at Woodward Lake Owen and we wish him the best and thank him for taking time out to interview for us. This is interview is dedicated to the North Texas inline skaters who are hardcore and dedicated and do not get to see much media in there awesome extreme sport. After personally spending some time with Adrian and other inline skaters at Lake Owen I have mad respect for all of you!

Peace and GOD Bless;

Chris Ridener

Cody Hennings Interview

Cody Hennings is one of the new riders for Hitman Bikes and Airspeed Shoes. Cody is not new to Bmx and is up and coming in the Pro world. He is doing shows and starting to hit more and more contest. This is a future guy that other riders need to watch out for and we got an exclusive interview!



NAME: CODY HENNINGS

Age: 22

BIKE SET UP:

Frame: HITMAN- RUBY 20.75

Fork: FIT- BLADE LIGHT

Cranks: FIT

Bars: FIT- NORTHWEST

Pegs: NONE

Seat: MACNIEL

Rims: BACK- 7KA FRONT- PRIEMIUM

Pedals: ODYSSEY- PC PEDALS

Seat Post: ANIMAL

Front brake: NONE

Back Brake: ODYSSEY

Brake Pads: I HAVE NO CLUE HAHA

Stem: S&M REDNECK XLT


How many years riding bmx? 7
Where do you live? DALLAS, TX

How did you get started in Bmx? I SAW THE SKATEPARK ONE DAY AND JUST STARTED GOING UP THERE!


When did you turn pro? ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO


I know recently you have become sponored by Hitman Bikes and Airspeed Shoes how did you feel when that happened?

I WAS SOO AMAZED! I COULDNT BELIEVE IT AT FIRST! ITS BEEN ONE OF MY DREAMS FOR A LONG TIME! I AM SO HAPPY WITH BOTH OF THOSE COMPANIES. EVERYONE THAT WORKS THERE ARE VERY FRIENDLY AND DOWN TO EARTH AND WILLING TO HELP OUT. I COULDNT BE HAPPIER.


What is the local scene like where you live?

ITS REALLY GOOD!! WE HAVE SOME AMAZING PARKS UP HERE! I CAN TRAVEL WITHIN AN HOUR AND GO TO 6 DIFFERENT PARKS! WE ALSO HAVE SOME REALLY GOOD TRAILS HERE! THE STREET RIDING IS VERY GOOD ALSO!

If you could change one thing about Bmx what would it be?

HOW EVERYONE TALKS DOWN ABOUT PEOPLE THEY DONT EVEN KNOW! THAT REALLY BUGGS ME! OTHER THAN THAT..... GIRL PANTS!!!!!!

Who have been your greatest influences when it comes to riding?

MY FAVORITE RIDER HAS ALWAYS BEEN CORY NASTAZIO. SO IVE LOOKED UP TO HIM SINCE I STARTED RIDING. OTHER THAN THAT JUST PEOPLE DOING UNIQUE AND ORIGONAL STUFF! MY REALLY GOOD FRIEND BRANDON HOPKINS HAS INFLUINCED ME ALOT IN THE PAST 2 YEARS OR SO! I LOVE RIDING WITH THAT GUY!

What was it like to perform shows at Six Flags?

WOW!! THATS ALL I CAN SAY! IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD EVER DONE SHOWS AT ALL, AND IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD EVER BEEN PAID TO RIDE MY BIKE! IT WAS AMAZING BECAUSE WE GOT TO GO TO SIX FLAGS AND RIDE IN FRONT OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN AN AIR CONDITIONED THEATER! WHAT MORE COULD YOU ASK FOR! EVERYONE IN THE SHOW WAS AWSOME! I MADE SOME REALLY GOOD FRIENDS FORM THAT AND LEARNED ALOT OF STUFF TOO!

Now that those shows have ended what is your future plans?

JUST TO KEEP PROGRESSING AND TRY TO TRAVEL ALOT MORE! HIT UP MORE CONTESTS! AND JUST HAVE FUN!

Where do you see the future of Bmx headed?

WOW THATS A HARD QUESTION! THIS SPORT IS GETTING NUTS, I JUST SAW A VIDEO OF MIKE SPINNER DOING A QUAD WHIP!! 2 YEARS AGO IF YOU WOULD HAVE SAID THAT THAT TRICK WAS GONNA HAPPEN NO ONE WOULD HAVE BELIEVED YOU! I CANT WAIT TO SEE WHAT ELSE IS GONNA BECOME POSSIBLE!


I know you ride park/vert and dirt trails about everyday...do you prefere one over the other and why/why not?

I LOVE RIDING PARK AND TRAILS THE MOST! I LOVE PARK JUST CAUSE THERE ARE ENDLESS POSSABILITIES!! THERE ARE ALWAYS THINGS TO LEARN AND DIFFERENT STUFF TO RIDE! AS FAR AS TRAILS GO I JUST LOVE FLOWING THROUGH A GOOD SET OF TRAILS! AND ALSO WITH TRAILS IF YOU CAN THINK OF IT AND HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE OUT THERE DIGGING YOU CAN BUILD ANYTHING! GET TIRED OF AND START OVER AGAIN! ITS AMAZING!


What new tricks are you working on?

HAHA! WELL AT THE MOMENT IM WORKING ON FLAIRS. THERE ARE ALOT OF TRICKS IM WORKING OUT IN MY HEAD THAT YOU WILL BE SEEING REALLY SOON! SO BE ON THE LOOK OUT!


You have started to do some shows in Texas lately what has that been like and who have you been doing shows with?

I HAVE BEEN DOING SOME SHOWS WITH THE UNITED FREESTYLE STUNT TEAM. THEY ARE BASED OUT OF FORT WORTH TEXAS. ATOM BAKER IS THE OWNER AND GREAT GUY. HE NEEDED AN EXTRA PERSON FOR A SHOW ONE DAY AND CALLED ME UP AND THEN ABOUT A WEEK LATER I WENT DOWN TO HOUSTON TO DO A SHOW WITH HIM! ITS ALOT OF FUN, I LOVE DOING SHOWS WITH HIM!


I know you work with a lot of young people at your local skate parks and you are a great role model when it comes to push the younger generation to ride....what kind of things do the kids ask you?

CAN YOU DO A BACKFLIP?? THATS PROBLY THE MOST ASKED QUESTION! OTHER THAN THAT THEY ASK ALOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT MY BIKE, ARE YOU SPONSORED?, WHATS THE BEST TRICK YOU CAN DO, JUST STUFF LIEK THAT! I LOVE HELPING KIDS OUT AT THE SKATEPARKS. I HAVE HAD A FEW PARENTS COME UP TO ME WANTING TO GIVE LESSONS TO THIER CHILDREN. THATS ALWAYS ALOT OF FUN. WHO KNOWS.. ONE DAY ILL SEE ONE OF THESE KIDS ON T.V. AND ILL BE LIKE, WOW... I HELPED THAT KID START RIDING!


What advice do you have to the young generation trying to progress and get sponsored?

BE PATIENT!! NOTHING HAPPENS OVER NIGHT! TRAVEL ALOT AND BE HUMBLE!


If you had enough money to do anything you wanted in or for Bmx what would it be?

TRAVEL AND RIDE!! I LOVE TRAVELING! ROADTRIPS ARE SOO FUN!


Your career in Bmx is taking off what do think the future holds for you and what can we look forward to?

I DONT REALLY KNOW BUT I HOPE ITS SOMETHING GOOD!


I appreciate you being a part of Flatmonkey Bmx and everything you do for us and I congraulate you on your recent success....any final thoughts for our readers?

THANKS CHRIS! AND ALL I CAN SAY IS JUST RIDE AND HAVE FUN!

Our Hearts goes out to Stephen Murray and Family

Stay Stong Brother!

Flatland Circa 1998

Mike Spinner Pulls Quad Tailwhip

Mike Spinner has out done himself and pulls quad tailwhip on the Resi at the famous Mirra warehouse in the Carolina's..........http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DYQFn3Fekc will we see this on the AST Dew Tour this year?