Austin vs. the hip.

Austin is a beast. Every time i think of Austin i think about Mat Hoffman saying, "if you’re gonna have fun, you’re gonna be woken up unconscious pretty often, if you’re gonna have fun the way I like to have fun.” Austin may not air 15 feet on a vert ramp but hes the only person that I've met with the same mentality as the Condor. They don't warm up, if they are on their bikes they are going all out. The most prime example of this is a few years back after a 3 hour long trip to an indoor park in the dead of winter. Austin had not ridden in weeks. He gets out of the car, pays his entry fee and does a 540 air 4 feet above coping on a 6 foot quarter. On this occasion it was the hip.

Shady doesn't begin to describe the concrete sand castle atop the bumpy mounded asphalt hump that is our local street hip. It is more or less a roller with a bank on top that is just too absurdly steep to make any kind of logical sense. Every inch of its face is bumped and concaved in a different and unflattering way. To jump this concoction is to spend the entirety of your air fighting the g forces that want to send you into an unwanted back flip.

The first attempts came out of the blue and without any warning, the way they always do. Austin usually turns his ideas into a reality before he even has time to tell anyone what kind of storm hes brewing in that crazy head of his. I watched about 5 tries before my eyes started to actually believe what they were seeing. This is when i grabbed my camera. The problem was, the faster you go, the greater the g forces try to loop you out. Had this lip been better constructed i know he would have gone much higher. Austin Finally overcame the sheer physics with brute strength and will. Here is the result.

Just hagin around.

Party time photos from the AH house. Ready? go.

Erik Is Legend Interview.

Quick little interview with South Jersy's own Erik Sammartino. AH.- So what's up right now? Erik- Sitting at home, just got done watching the Flyers beat the Hurricanes 2-1. AH.-You a hockey fan? Erik- Yes. I played hockey for a good 10 plus years until i tore my ACL and missed a few seasons. AH.- Does anything you have learned through hockey been applied to BMX and your riding? Erik- Hockey is more of a team sport. In hockey you have to listen to your coach, in BMX you you have no rules and there really is no rights and wrongs. You can just go ride your bike and have fun with your friends. AH.- What or who got you into riding? Erik- I remember watching XGames one year and seeing Scotty Cranmer killing it in the contest. I just thought that it was rad that a young kid from NJ was on TV killing it and representing.

AH.-I noticed you still run a 36 tooth sprocket,which i admire. Any reason for that? Erik- My first bike i built had a 36 tooth sprocket and i never was a person to change something that wasnt broken. Now i dont think i can even find a 36 tooth anymore. I am currently riding Kevin Little's hand me downs from when he was 16. AH.-You mentioned earlier that in BMX there are no right and wrongs,but it seems today that the current scene involves everyone hopping on the internet to see what style and tricks are cool. I guess this isnt a queston haha. Your thoughts on this matter? Erik- The internet is cool. I love and hate it. Without it we wouldnt be doing this interview. I hate the fact that companies will only make web edits now. I feel that videos mean more to yourself than just filming for a web edit for the internet. AH.-With that said, you wanna share your favorite video and favorite video part? Erik-Video:Lotek mixtape. Video part: Gary Young-Drop the Hammer. AH.- What's the scene like in South Jersey these days? Erik-South Jersey kinda has it's own cliques. Some are young and some are old, but we are all friends. AH.- So what does AH mean to you personally since you are a "sponsored" rider haha? ERik- Amateurhourbmx is rad. I think it's awesome that i am part of an awesome group of friends. AH.-Any plans for the upcoming year? Erik- Yes, i actually just got a big boy job. I'll be laying underground cable and wire lines. Other than that, hopefully riding my bike and going on as many trips as i can. AH.-keeping it on the underground? No better way to end this. Any last thanks or words? Erik- I would like to thank Ed's Bike Shop, NubTv, my boss over at Dolfin Dock for giving me days off to take trips to TN to visit "yins", Jeffy for letting me stay at his house,and amateurhour for this interview.

Last 3 photo credits to Matt Crowne.

Jon Hartsel picture time

I stumbled upon this pic today. The clip is from the latest I.B. video and after looking at this pic i dont think credit was given. This is big. Photo credit to somebody...i dont fucking know.

Party at my house saturday night

Come getcha ping pong on!!!

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All the cool kids are doing it.

Bike riding eh? Well, alright.

Its cold outside. I miss all my NJ buddies. Here is some pictures austin took last time everyone was down right before it got colder than a witches titty in a cast iron bra on the shady side of a glacier.