Big Kahuna
Administrator
- Location
- Tuscaloosa, AL
Back in mid summer of 2002 some guy that went by the name of WildwoodFx was posting about riding at some lake north of GA, I had heard of it before. Lanier or something like that. Well, one thing let to another and all of a sudden there was this ride planned. A few of us from Alabama were coming. I think some guy from Florida who had just finished painting his ski to look like a German Messersmit (not gonna even try to spell it correctly) ME109 except it was yellow. (AKA Soulman), some peeps from South Carolina, Maybe even Tennessee were all planning to show up on friday evening. Well, it was a great weekend, there must have been 30 standups there.
A few months later we had a november ride as well. A bit smaller but it was fun none the less. So, the next year we planned another ride in the summer. About the same people showed up, another great weekend of riding. later that summer we decided to have a bigger ride, we hyped it up... Kathy and John agreed to bring their house boat out and provide food (does this ring a bell). We even pitched in and paid for a ticket for HTVixen (AKA Laurel with hydroturf) to come out and party with us. This same weekend was right around the time that Riot Radio kicked off. The ride became known then as the Riot Ride. we did smaller rides that we would just call Lanier, but after that we tried to always have a "Riot Ride".
Well, one thing let to another, they started getting bigger and bigger. Then comes 2005, we decided to plan it with everybody staying at the campground across the lake. Tons showed up. But something started happening at that ride that I remember posting about that I did not want to happen, something that would change the face of it all together. The ride was getting commercialized, maybe that not really the best name but it was the start. On saturday morning my phone rang, it was stoyer telling me we need to get everybody across the cove for the build-off judging and sickest trick contest. I was like WTF??? the only time I want to be told what time to be somewhere is at a race, Not at a freeride. It was a good weekend overall. That fall we did a smaller ride, I think I had much more fun then.(plus my ski did not break on my like it did before at the Riot Ride).
Now comes 2006, Wow, what a year, Started off with the Texas ride, that was alot of fun, Kathy and Paul brought alot of food, Anita and I brought a crapload of Alabama Catfish to fry up. The riding conditions were not great, it was windy and chilly. But the whole weekend was laid back. Now the biggy, The Riot Ride, except at this time, That had changed, we referred to the ride being called the "Ronny Ride" after he and Evan had a falling out at Riot Radio. Everything is going to be at the campground, the cove that we had always used was empty. There was a raffle, lots of food, sickest trick contest, build-off etc etc etc....... But at some point for me it just was not the same. I did spend most of friday trying to get some bugs worked out of my ski (manifold had messed up where the reed cages bolted on), got it running on Saturday, had fun riding but had to spend a lot of time on the beach due to the buildoff, sick trick contest... This was just not my idea of a freeride (even though I helped plan this one, not as much as I had done the previous year). Oh, and some fool decided to unplug the RV's power supply which may have caused a relay to mess up, so we road home with no external AC - Thanks Gil), This same year was the first really big Daytona ride also. Sponsors, raffle etc etc.... It was huge.(and cold). That summer was one of the best though, I raced at all the races that Surf & Turf held, traveled all over the south east. I also found out that I would be a father in mid summer.
Well, fast forward to 2007. We had to move the ride from Lanier to Alatoona and dubbed it the SFF (Southern Fried Freeride). Same as before, did the build-off, hood racing(that was fun) and not really a sick trick contest, but close enough, lots of food, cooked catfish on Friday night, Kathy provided food again on Saturday Night. We had Izzy there for her first ride!!!!! I actually barely even had time to ride, did not have my ski ready, new hull (2 me). Rode the SXR some and that was about it. Was just way too busy helping out with the Raffle and all the other stuff that went on. Skipped the first ride of the year, Daytona, it was big like always. The rest of 2007 I did not ride much. Pretty much the same this year, went to one race and Nats. I got 3rd in freestyle but honestly, It was not as big of a deal to me like it was in 2006. My life has changed being a dad. Priorities are different.
Well a few months ago Gil starts posting about having a ride in Cullman. I got with Anita and said I would like to go, she said she had plans for Sat that I needed to keep Izzy, I was like, that is fine, but I can go up on Sunday also, she said sure. Well, her plans changed, I went up for the day on Saturday and rode. SJBrit & Suzi was there (he really one of the only guys of the original Lanier crew that was there) Keefer, Jarred, Gil and his wife, Yamacat and Steeldog, MXKris (Boy, you need to start rolling, your not afraid of the wake, I saw you bail a few good times) Garret(GDFL) and Emm, Wedoseadoo, Crammit and many others. It was a great day, rode more in that one day than I have all year!!!!!!! hung out, shot the chit, just had a really really great time. Oh yeah, I cannot forget about SHONUFF!!!!! What can I say, Mike is a great guy and someone I am proud to call a good friend. Played with his lovely daughter Sophia and hung out with Shawn (wife). But on the way back I got to thinking. This is how the rides use to be, just a group of people, friends, strangers all hanging out having a good time. Yes, like with any rides you get groups that stay to them selves. That is cool also. to each his own. We just showed up and rode, had a blast. This is what a freeride is all about. Forget the sponsors, build-off's, sick trick B.S. Lets just ride.
Dont get me wrong, I think the donations are a great thing. But, I feel that the spirit of the "Freerides" has changed when you have all of this other stuff. Granted, this is not my first time to voice this, nor will it be my last. The minute you have to start getting permits, well, it just becomes a commercial event at that point, much like the original "The Jam" that Patrick Mell use to put on where you had to pay to ride.....
A few months later we had a november ride as well. A bit smaller but it was fun none the less. So, the next year we planned another ride in the summer. About the same people showed up, another great weekend of riding. later that summer we decided to have a bigger ride, we hyped it up... Kathy and John agreed to bring their house boat out and provide food (does this ring a bell). We even pitched in and paid for a ticket for HTVixen (AKA Laurel with hydroturf) to come out and party with us. This same weekend was right around the time that Riot Radio kicked off. The ride became known then as the Riot Ride. we did smaller rides that we would just call Lanier, but after that we tried to always have a "Riot Ride".
Well, one thing let to another, they started getting bigger and bigger. Then comes 2005, we decided to plan it with everybody staying at the campground across the lake. Tons showed up. But something started happening at that ride that I remember posting about that I did not want to happen, something that would change the face of it all together. The ride was getting commercialized, maybe that not really the best name but it was the start. On saturday morning my phone rang, it was stoyer telling me we need to get everybody across the cove for the build-off judging and sickest trick contest. I was like WTF??? the only time I want to be told what time to be somewhere is at a race, Not at a freeride. It was a good weekend overall. That fall we did a smaller ride, I think I had much more fun then.(plus my ski did not break on my like it did before at the Riot Ride).
Now comes 2006, Wow, what a year, Started off with the Texas ride, that was alot of fun, Kathy and Paul brought alot of food, Anita and I brought a crapload of Alabama Catfish to fry up. The riding conditions were not great, it was windy and chilly. But the whole weekend was laid back. Now the biggy, The Riot Ride, except at this time, That had changed, we referred to the ride being called the "Ronny Ride" after he and Evan had a falling out at Riot Radio. Everything is going to be at the campground, the cove that we had always used was empty. There was a raffle, lots of food, sickest trick contest, build-off etc etc etc....... But at some point for me it just was not the same. I did spend most of friday trying to get some bugs worked out of my ski (manifold had messed up where the reed cages bolted on), got it running on Saturday, had fun riding but had to spend a lot of time on the beach due to the buildoff, sick trick contest... This was just not my idea of a freeride (even though I helped plan this one, not as much as I had done the previous year). Oh, and some fool decided to unplug the RV's power supply which may have caused a relay to mess up, so we road home with no external AC - Thanks Gil), This same year was the first really big Daytona ride also. Sponsors, raffle etc etc.... It was huge.(and cold). That summer was one of the best though, I raced at all the races that Surf & Turf held, traveled all over the south east. I also found out that I would be a father in mid summer.
Well, fast forward to 2007. We had to move the ride from Lanier to Alatoona and dubbed it the SFF (Southern Fried Freeride). Same as before, did the build-off, hood racing(that was fun) and not really a sick trick contest, but close enough, lots of food, cooked catfish on Friday night, Kathy provided food again on Saturday Night. We had Izzy there for her first ride!!!!! I actually barely even had time to ride, did not have my ski ready, new hull (2 me). Rode the SXR some and that was about it. Was just way too busy helping out with the Raffle and all the other stuff that went on. Skipped the first ride of the year, Daytona, it was big like always. The rest of 2007 I did not ride much. Pretty much the same this year, went to one race and Nats. I got 3rd in freestyle but honestly, It was not as big of a deal to me like it was in 2006. My life has changed being a dad. Priorities are different.
Well a few months ago Gil starts posting about having a ride in Cullman. I got with Anita and said I would like to go, she said she had plans for Sat that I needed to keep Izzy, I was like, that is fine, but I can go up on Sunday also, she said sure. Well, her plans changed, I went up for the day on Saturday and rode. SJBrit & Suzi was there (he really one of the only guys of the original Lanier crew that was there) Keefer, Jarred, Gil and his wife, Yamacat and Steeldog, MXKris (Boy, you need to start rolling, your not afraid of the wake, I saw you bail a few good times) Garret(GDFL) and Emm, Wedoseadoo, Crammit and many others. It was a great day, rode more in that one day than I have all year!!!!!!! hung out, shot the chit, just had a really really great time. Oh yeah, I cannot forget about SHONUFF!!!!! What can I say, Mike is a great guy and someone I am proud to call a good friend. Played with his lovely daughter Sophia and hung out with Shawn (wife). But on the way back I got to thinking. This is how the rides use to be, just a group of people, friends, strangers all hanging out having a good time. Yes, like with any rides you get groups that stay to them selves. That is cool also. to each his own. We just showed up and rode, had a blast. This is what a freeride is all about. Forget the sponsors, build-off's, sick trick B.S. Lets just ride.
Dont get me wrong, I think the donations are a great thing. But, I feel that the spirit of the "Freerides" has changed when you have all of this other stuff. Granted, this is not my first time to voice this, nor will it be my last. The minute you have to start getting permits, well, it just becomes a commercial event at that point, much like the original "The Jam" that Patrick Mell use to put on where you had to pay to ride.....
