Journey into the Crack Week 3

Week number 3 is here. I am coming up quickly to the first month. I have been making daily progression with many lessons along the way.I have taken what Lee "HUCK" Edwards has told me to do with my hips and started to use them properly. I have also started to try and learn the ride in from Steamroller. I have seen it done many times and it looks very easy but its not a easy maneuver. This week by the time I got home and got ready to ride it was very dark outside and it had rained so the ground was very wet. I kept slipping off the Pegs. If I get the chance I will re shoot this weeks video in the day time. As you can see I made another step in the right direction and I am controlling my crackpacker longer with each session. Its not consistant yet but it will be with enough practice.

Keep on Riding!!

Crackpacker Explosion

It seems that many more of my friends are learn and working on this trick now. I heard from my friend Jake that Scott Byrd and Chris Armstrong had a new video up on You Tube related to their Crackpacker progression. Its does my heart good to see such fast progression. I am stoked to see this video and wanted to share it with everyone else.
Today was the Pre Jam for the Texas Flatland Round Up 4. I got the opportunity to work with a Crackpacker Master. Lee Huck Edwards. He showed me some things that I could be doing better. I was coasting much further tonight than I ever have. It felt really good and I am looking fwd to doing another progression video shortly. Thanks Lee for the tips. Its really making a difference.

Keep on Riding!!

Journey into the Crack Week 2

Today is week number 2 of my Journey into the Crackpacker.
Its truly amazing how much you can push your self when you set a goal and you step into the spotlight. When ever I am working with the crackpacker I keep thinking about everyone that is watching me and it pushes me even harder than if I was doing it alone. I usually spend less time doing tricks that I don't know and doing tricks that I do know how to do. Since I made the commitment to learn this trick I have pushed my self harder and harder each day that I can ride. Before the camera came on I had a couple of really good glides in inside circles. I got 1 full rotation in. It felt good but I was just rolling to slow to keep it up. I don't have the balance or the knowledge to pump as I slow down to gain speed. When I can coast a crackpacker and feel comfortable enough to switch back to a wheelchair I will then start to work on the ride in and ride out. I played around a tiny bit with it today but I really want to learn how to roll in the position first.
Specail thanks to my Family for helping with the photography and the videography. My wife shot the film and my son did the photography. We are truly a flatland family and they both support my efforts to keep push my own progression and keep pushing flatland into higher ground!
I will be attending the ATL Jam in Atlanta,Georgia on November 15, 2008 with several of my friends from the ATX Crew. It would be very cool if I could ride in by that time. Extra cool if I could ride out by that time too. But I am just taking it a day at a time. There are still a couple of days to vote. Please vote in the poll that I have made.

Keep on Riding!!

Painting a Fence

It was once said by a very wise flatlander that learning a trick is like painting a fence. You start at one end of the fence and make your way to the other side. You paint one plank at a time. You don't do it all in one day either. You want to make sure everything is covered because you don't want to go back and do it again.
I painted another plank today. I struggled with my riding over all but I had some progression. I got comfortable with my roll and was able to almost pump it. I don't pump any trick but I was moving my feet around in such a way that I was feeling the balance point. I was only able to do it once before I needed to move on to another trick. I have complete faith that I will master this trick its just a matter of how long it will take.
I started a Poll to see how long it will take to learn. Lets see if the poll is correct. The only way will find out is if many more people vote. Please take the time to vote if you have not already.

Keep on Riding!!

The Crackpacker Epidemic

Yes, its becoming a ((((WORLD WIDE)))) epidemic. Since I publicly announced that I was going to learn a crackpacker. I have found many other riders out there that are working on the same trick. Its funny when you think everyone in the world can do something except for you. Then you realize that your not alone. I got a real treat today when riding with Alex at the O.G. He has been working on Crackpackers also. He has this uncanny natural balance. He has made a TON of progression in the months that we have gotten to ride together. Here is Alex and his crackpacker.


Today I had some really good rolls. I was able to get about 15 to 20 feet a couple of times today. I am feeling more comfortable each day. I get tired easy so I go back and forth between the Crackpacker and other tricks.
Even thought I didn't make a new post yesterday I did ride for about 30 minutes. I was surprised that I found the time to ride. I am eager to show a new video of my progression and another picture. I am finding the balance point much faster than I was on the 30th of September. I am coasting much further now than I was in the first video as well. I will need to switch gears and start working on the ride in as well as a ride out too.

Keep on Riding!

October 2, 2008 Progression Report

Okay this is day number 3 and I am feeling the pressure to make this trick happen. I am still working on learning how to roll it. I got a very cool unexpected phone call from Alan Young and we talked about some more tips. I took the tips that he gave me along with great tips from from Global Flat.

This group of tips from ondo stood out in my head when riding today.

http://www.global-flat.com/smf/index.php?topic=18418.0

Some advices:
If you are entering them from stems-
O You have to keep the tire almost straight, don't lean it down a lot.
O Get over bars quickly, as it is hard to balance in that point between stems and cracks.
O When you are pulling the first leg(which is one the peg), take the hand of the bars.
O The motion is like when you lean the tire little bit on the circle inside, so you can easily put the leg over(and with put I mean, that you just SWING the bars behind your leg, when you have the leg forward.)
O That is the hardest to balance in this point. Hold the seat straight, because if the frame isn't standing straight, it will be hard for the balance.
O First leg will be easy to get over bars, the second is harder. Experiment, what is the smoothest and the fastest way to get it over the bars.
O Always bend in your knees a bit.
O It is also easier to go in large circles.
O When you just got into the crackpacker, take seat closer to you, so you aren't touching the bars with your butt.
O Remember that you are holding balance with the seat.

I had 2 decent rolls that I was very happy with. One was about 10 feet and the other was very close to 20 feet. I wanted to get to good length rolls today. I also noticed if I am pulling up on the seat while I am scuffing in the wheel chair that I have more control faster in the crackpacker. It still tires me out quickly but I am getting used to the muscles that I have to use.
On a slightly different note. Some one was asking me who took the pictures and video of me. That credit goes to my son, Caleb. He is very good with the Camera and has a natural eye when it comes to photography and video.
I will most likely not have time to ride tomorrow so I plan on updating the Blog on Saturday after our O.G. Saturday Session.

Keep on Riding!!

My Insperations

In my very first post yesterday I mention two riders as being part of my inspiration for wanting to learn this trick. This is one of the riders, Alan Young. This photo was taken during the Straight Out of Indy Jam hosted by Mid-West Flatland. I was invited by Jake Jackson of Indy to attend. I have known Alan for about 2 years now and his progression has been most impressive. To my surprise he was gliding this crackpacker with a lot of control. I had a idea that he was working on it but I had no idea how smooth it was and under control. It was very cool to see such fast progression from him in just a short amount of time.

The other rider I mention is Cristiana Miller. I had the pleasure of riding with her and the Texas Flatland Roundup 2. I recently saw a picture of her doing a Crackpacker, Photo by Fat Tony! I was so impressed and I was already thinking about working on that trick next, that sealed the deal for me. I was more than ready to take on this trick and ready to share with the rest of the world my journey crackpackerackpacker.


Today during my session I worked on gliding this portion of the trick. I pushed off in a wheel chair and stepped down into the gliding position. It felt more natural today than it ever has. I also learned that if I bend my knees a little bit more I have even more control over my glide. I keep thinking its a double footed steam on the other side of the bike. I coasted about 15 feet today. It felt good go that far. Much further than I did in my first video. I know that my second video has to be much further and glide. I got much needed advice Crackpackers today on Global Flat and some words of encouragement from many other places. I know that it will take a lot of work but I am ready to put in the effort. I will do my best to make updates regularly and make things interesting and educational. Thanks to taking the time to visit.

Keep on Riding!!