Week 30 Journey into the Crack

This was week 30. I have been to busy to ride let alone make post and updates. I got a free moment today. I am more than ready for the ride out now. I just got to figure it out now.

Thanks for taking this Journey with me :)

Keep on Riding!

Some one TURNED on the light!?!?

During JoMoPro we played on a hill seeing who could roll down it the longest. Scott Byrd did a crackpacker all the way down until he was out of momentum. I thought I would give it a go. I made it down the straight part of the hill, I could not make the turn.
When I got home I started back further than I ever had and held it all the way to the center of the court. As I turned to the left I made it about 1/2 way and I fell out of the crackpacker.
I started in what was my normal spot and coasted a short distance and fell off as I started to turn.
All of a sudden it hit me like a TON of bricks. I can't TURN!! That's why for the past 4 or 5 months it felt like I was not making any progression at all. I would always start about the same place and expect to keep going in a circle but I alwasy fell short. The fact is that I can coast a crackpacker for as long as I have momentum in a straigh line. I really need to work on the turning portion of it now. I have consitiantly coasted over 100 feet in a crackpacker.
I am also in the process of trying to learn the ride out. I have talked with many people about this and I need to commite to learning one of them. the journey is slowly reaching a turning point...Pun Intended!

Keep on Riding!

Getting so much better!

I am at the point that I am comfortable with the rolling portion of a crackpacker. I have not started trying to learn the ride out. I have a okay ride in for now. Its now how I want to do it but I can do it from time to time. Thanks for taking this journey with me!

Keep on Riding!

Journey into the Crack Week 26!

Yes its been 26 Weeks! Wow what happens to the time. After the visit from Terry Adams. I have found new motivation. I was slowly becoming depressed trying to keep up with my progression but I kept regressing. I was loosing ground instead of making progression. At least visible progression. Now that it's light longer out side I can get to some riding more often without the added pressure of trying to get this done after work in 5 minutes. So hopefully we can get back on track and keep making steps. I have pretty good control of my glide now. I need to work on the ride in and the ride out now. That is going to be key to my success. I have been taking suggestion from many people on the ride out. I wanted to step back over but I really don't see that happening anytime soon. Maybe a little latter on in my riding. I am going to go with the swing of the frame. I think I can handle that one.

Thanks for keeping up with my progression. The Journey Gap is closing!

Keep on Riding!

Back at it!!

Hey everyone,

Thanks for keeping up with my progression with this trick. Now that we have more light during the week it will get abundantly easier to make more post. After I get my bike operational again...this week. I will show you were I am at with this trick. Its not going to go as fast as I was hoping but I am still making progression. I have had a few good rolls and gaining more control. I am hoping this Friday my bike will be back and I will make the long awaited update.

Thanks for everything!

Keep on Riding!

Journey into the Crack Week 12

Wow its been another week already. Yeah the weeks are coming around quickly and its almost Christmas. It would be nice if Santa brought a nice new Crackpacker out of his bag. Anyhow its week number 12 and the progression is starting to happen again. I learned from last weeks not to lean fwd at all. I have been working hard at not leaning fwd and it has been helping a lot. Yesterday at the O.G. I was able to coast the longest Crackpacker I have ever preformed. I knew right then I was ready to film again.

With the weather being colder and getting darker much faster its been a challenge finding time to go outside and ride. This past week I was able to ride 2 times for about 1 hour each time. I really want to take the time to study my riding in film and see what I am doing right and wrong and make corrections where they are needed. Please feel free to make comments here. One of the reasons I started a blog was so everything during this learning process will be documented in one location. It also gives me the motivation to keep the Blog Updated and keep my progression going. I bet you if I make a new post and had 10 new replies I would try even HARDER next time. I feed off your energy.

Keep on Riding!!!

Back in the Crack Week number 11

Hey everyone its been awhile since I have been able to make a post. Ever since the Atlanta Jam I have been on the road and not much riding time between all the travels of Jams and premiers. I am trying to get back on track. It seems I am at the same place that I left off with back in the first part of November. My son has noticed that even though I am in the same spot I am riding much smoother than I have in the previous weeks. My new slogan for the next year is in 2009 the Crackpacker will be mine! It was pretty cool at the end of this week when I bailed off the bike my bike was still standing. I also noticed when I fell off that I was leaned far over the bike. The next time I go out I will try my best to stand straight up and use my knees even more so. I really only got back on the bike consistently this week. I am hoping this can be a trend that I can keep going in the up and coming months ahead. Possible for Crackpackers at Voodoo? I will have to go into overdrive to reach that goal but anything is possible. Thanks for keeping up with my journey. Keep on Riding!!

Mark