We spent the day yesterday on the salt flats doing spot number 2 of this round of Fuel on air promotions. This one featured nigel sylvester doing his thing in the surreal atmosphere of mlle marker 10 on i80 west.

I am in Zwolle, in The Netherlands at lego world shooting for Ethan. Some pretty crazy constructions here. It's inspiring to see people so passionate and dedicated to their hobby. I'm here for a few days, then my wife and I will have a few days vacation in Amsterdam.

“Freedom of Space” our film about street skateboarding/public space played at the STREET ZINEMA film festival in San Sebastián, Spain. It is an honor to play in such a hip film festival that celebrates street culture. Click on this link and you can watch the whole film on your own personal computer. Enjoy.

It looks like a band photo, but it's not. Steve, Nigel and Keith, post session. Brooklyn NY.

Mikey Aitken BMX 1998 from oi documentary services on Vimeo.

Mikey took a bad fall and is in the hospital right now. Go to the 5050 site to make a donation. Steve and I threw this video together of old footage steve shot of mikey when he was 15 years old. Get well soon Brother.

Finishing up the Nigel Sylvester Firsthand in Barcelona, Spain. Nigel is here with the Nike BMX team shooting their video. This town in unbelievable in many many ways. We filmed and rode all day in downtown and did not kicked out of a single spot and the spots are amazing. Also on the trip are Mike Spinner, Dennis Enarson, Garrett Reynolds, shooter Glenn P. P. Milligan and Nike team manager/photographer Mark Losey. (photos: Nigel by the sea and Mark shooting Dennis Enarson)

While in New York City we are staying with the Bennion girls in Brooklyn. A very New York setup, tonight there will be 7 of us staying in this 2 bedroom apartment. All of Nigel’s friends are super impressed that we are staying in Crown Heights. In this photo Louisa is showing us her Brian Kershisnik painting and the painting of Brian she did as a kid. Thanks Bennions sisters.

Another good day in New York City with Nigel and his friends.

Lately I have had a few interactions with real negative people in my life and it really gets me down. So when you meet someone that is positive and has some sunshine it their soul it such a treat. Nigel is that way. I think of one of my hero growing up, Bob Hedrick, he was a super positive person that was quick to smile and always lifted you up. Bob always found beauty in life, he just ruled. So we are all smiles here in New York working with such a peaceful guy like Nigel.
(iPhone photo: The first thing we shot in NYC was Nigel getting his haircut by his barber Pepa in Queens)

Following Nigel through the streets of New York City in the middle lane going the wrong way on a one way street it hard to get this song out of your head...

Las Vegas, Nevada.
OK, We just started a Firsthand with street BMXer Nigel Sylvester from Queens, New York. After the trade show in Las Veags it is off to New York City and then Barcelona, Spain. He is an amazing guy, a very positve person, a creative rider and a pleasure to work with. More later...

We just got back from a New Pollution shoot in Chicago.
The kid was brilliant, CJ an 11 year old skateboarder.
Funny cool kid and a great skater.
Chicago a super cool city.
Warp Skatepark a great park and the owner Rob rules.
But as usual with New Pollution shoots we get to meet a cool family with super supportive partents.
The Mom super cool and sweet.
The sister, a cool kid, a snowboarder.
Okay let’s talk about the dad, Joe Kelly.
An old punk rocker, skater, funny man, former member of the band
Minisrty and all around cool guy.
He drove us around for 4 days, told us 6,000 funny stories, showered us with gifts, and just kept us smiling.
Joe is bit of a Chicago legend and his current band “Beer Nuts” is a cult favorite party band.
Joe gave us a CD now I can’t get “Woke up tied up to the radiator” out of my head.

We just did a New Pollution shoot in Chicago with 11 year old skateboarder CJ Kelly.
Thanks Kelly Family and Warp Skatepark family.
This photo is from a contest they had at the park while we were there.
Our host Matt Beacham is in the pink shirt and next to him with the surfboard is CJ Kelly.

Yes the Salt Lake City Dew Tour is always a good time. It is like a family reunion of sorts. We get to see all the folks we have worked with over the last 10 years or so. Cam White is now in first place in BMX dirt and likes tacos. Al Cook landed on his face in BMX dirt. (Al, I am going to get you a full face helmet for Christmas.) Maybe they should bring back the football helmet for BMX. I asked Al if he knocked out his teeth and he said ”yes” and added that it was no big deal because he just knocked out the fake ones.

Steve and I are shooting at the Dew Tour in SLC this weekend for the Weekly Update folks at Fuel.



This is Fake Ryan Sheckler. You can see him in the top right corner. I can't figure out what his deal is. He looks like a younger version of sheckler. He is totally playing the part, red bull hat on backwards, elbow brace on, oakley wrist band, the whole nine yards. At the Vert prelims I saw him in the stands and people were constantly asking for his autograph and he would reply that he wasn't ryan. But at the Park comp, he was on the floor and after, I saw him outside mobbed by this crowd so I snapped a pic.

My Uncle Scott introduced me to snow. I lived in California and had never really spent any significant time around it. Scott lived in Utah and worked at Alta ski resort. I think I was around 10 or 11 when my parents sent me to stay with him and his wife Marcia for a few days. They taught me to ski and I caught the bug. It was a pretty important crossroad in my life because it eventually led me to snowboarding, which led me to go to college in Utah and started me on the path for my career which involves a lot of filming in the snow.
My Uncle Scott passed away tonight from Pancreatic cancer. Thank you Scott and Marcia for pointing me in that direction.

Steve has 3 more fuel spots for us to do and we shot the first of them yesterday just outside of Boise. Ronn Seidenglanz helped out with the location and talent. We had Brandon Christiensen shoot it for us. Lots of things fell right into place for this one. Drove to Boise on monday night. Got started around 7am tuesday, wrapped at sunset, hit the road and got home around 3 am. Good Times.

It's always a good time shooting Jeff. We got the chance to do some more work with him the other day.

Had a good time at the Deer Creek Open Water Swim Marathon.
Big thanks to Jim for another good year.
Big thanks Jason Von Reamair for being my paddler for the entire 10 kilometers. I figured I looked at Jason over a 1000 times as I took breaths on my right side. Leave it to Jason to shoot video, snap photos and still come up with over 100 unique obscene hand gestures and super crude verbal one-liners to cheer me on.
Jason you are a special friend.

Got the chance to work with Todd again. Last summer I helped him shoot some fire training stuff for mine workers. This year it involved a mock terrorist scenario complete with real swat teams and rubber bullets flying. Here's a shot Todd snapped of me in the thick of the swat guys.

This video made me think of my friend Brent from Salt Lake City Bicycle Company.

Got to go to Toronto this weekend to shoot Wakestock. It was a bonus to see some guys that i haven't seen in a long time. This is Danny Hampson and Keith Lyman doing an autograph session.

For now no comment.

My good friend Brent Hulme just opened a bike shop in downtown Salt Lake City.
Salt Lake City Bicycle Company
2nd South and 2nd East.
Brent has been in the bike industry for over 20 years.
He is good dude. I am happy for him and his family.
He carries Trek, Gary Fisher, and super hip Swobo bikes.
It is a big shop, but I know Brent will treat everybody with bike needs like family because that is the way Brent is.
Anyway, I am super excited about bikes right now.
I could not think of better time in our lifetime to open a bike shop.
Bikes are the answer to a lot of things.
Go to Brent’s shop and tell him Steve from Ranch Exit sent you.
Enjoy a bike ride.
Peace

This is Shonka. I met Shonka years ago on one of the Liquid Force/ Lake Powell Shoots. I just remember that he was super hungry to learn everything he could about film making, he was asking me questions all week about shooting 16mm and documentary style film making. I was inspired by his unique combination of tenacity and kindness.
Fast forward a few years and Shonka is working at oakley and he gives me a call out of the blue to ask if I want to go to Bali to shoot some stuff for them. Tons of other oakley gigs have followed. I finally got to work with him in person again at the hood shoot last week. Huge thanks Shonka!
The shot is a frame grab from a shot I took of him on a RED one.

Last day of the shoot here at High Cascade. The rider is Nicholas Mueller.

I have to admit that when I started getting out my snowboard gear for this gig I was a little bit disgusted at the idea of snowboarding in July. But as soon as I got on the hill, I was having a blast. All the folks at High Cascade Snowboard camp are super fun folks. It's been a blast to see the kids that are so completely stoked to be here. It's been inspiring.

I'm at Mt hood this week shooting for Oakley. It's been super fun so far, We are documenting Nicolas Mueller and Gretchen Bleiler hanging out with the campers at
High Cascade Snowboard camp. Riding, swimming in the lake, dodge ball, skateboarding, all around summer camp fun.

Okay Utah People!
The second annual Deer Creek Open Water Swim is a little more than a month away. This year they have added a massive 10 mile swim and a very doable one mile swim. I did the 10K last year and it was a good time. Come swim with me and if you don’t want to swim maybe someone needs a kayaker. Look they put me on the poster, cool.
Peace,
SO

lego bricks rule.
ethan vincent rules.
ethan has a gig with lego and brought me along. We got to film adults and kids who get crazy creative with legos. Thanks to ethan and the lego folks!

My Family and I just back from Lake Powell.
It was a great time.
We are rediscovering the joy of water in the desert.
We are doing it our own way,
no house boat, no jet skis, no ski boat
just a 30 year old cruiser boat, some kayaks, some sleeping bags, a camp stove and the kid’s urge to explore.

I had a gig with PIC last week in Hawaii. The gig was to do some instructing at an HD seminar at the University of Hawaii.
I had a Lay over for 3 hours in LAX. I have a tradition that Steve introduced me to whenever I have a layover in LA for 2 hours or more. I walk out of the airport and down to the in and out burger. It's about an hour and a half round trip if you are taking your time. You can do it in an hour if you hustle. I always find it refreshing to get the legs moving in between flights instead of just sitting around. Any of you who have been there know that it's right next to the landing strip of the airport and it feels like the planes are going to land right on top of you.