A case of the bad photoskis! Mid-day + high speed gap to manual off that stair set = tons of motion blur = web photo! Photo: Fudger
For what reasons did you decide to spend an extended stay in Columbia?
No extension to my stay, I just planned on spending three months in Colombia so I could get my Spanish fluent and it’s much cheaper to live down here. Plus, the weather is amazing all year around.
Just how cheap is it to live on the daily down there?
It depends what country you’re in but in Colombia the dollar is two to one, so it’s pretty cheap depending where you’re at. If I had the money, I would buy a small vacation house down here.
How long have you been there and when are you heading back?
75 days, but I just found out three days ago that I over stayed the 60 days that you’re allowed to be there. I thought it was 90 days like most of the other countries I’ve been to, but I was wrong. So for the last 3 days I’ve been taking a bus all around South America.
Brad took three trips to El Toro to get the icepick up, but it just never happened. Countless close calls, this not even being the closest of them. Click the photo to see the sequence! Sequence: Zielinski
You posted on Twitter that you’ve traveled 4,500 miles on that bus. Where you headed and what’s that been like? Any random stories?
Actually yeah, there is one random story because a chick jumped on the bus and started speaking Spanish to me and asked me where I was from. I replied back in Spanish, then she said, “oh cool, I’m from Maryland, too.” That was pretty out of the ordinary. And, I got ripped off for 100 dollars in counterfeit money on the Ecuadorian/Peruvian boarder. I seriously wanted to go back and rip that dudes head off.
How’s your Spanish these days? When you’re traveling around like this, do you rely on local riders to help you out or are you on your own?
I’m not fluent, but I understand about 75 percent of what’s going on. I usually hang around all riders who speak only Spanish, so it’s not a big deal to me. Sometimes I run into little problems where I really need to express something but I don’t know enough words to put it together…that’s the only thing.
Road Fools/Rawb Wise pop. Photo: Zielinski
How are the following things: the spots, the locals, the women, the food, and the weather?
Spots are really unique down here. Locals and food are great! The women are out of this world (maybe expand a bit on the spots ‘n stuff) spots are crazy anything from big ass groomed dirt jumps to Barcelona style street set ups its hard to ride street here because every 2 minutes the hottest girl in your life will walk by and you’ll run into a horse car truck bus etc
Jumping into the shittier side of things… Snafu has been rocky for a bit, right? How would you describe the end of your relationship with Snafu?
The end to that relationship was really weird, because I got no warning or anything! Just a paycheck, a thank you and goodbye. They wanted to cut costs like a lot of companies are doing, so they’re using younger or hungrier kids who will ride and try to kill themselves for practically nothing. I don’t know, I’m living my life and I could care less about it right now. The night that I got the email, I was really bummed, but in the past two weeks I’ve been getting emails from companies, so I’m not too stressed anymore
I feel like being off of Snafu as a minor detail compared to your split with Hoffman. I know you and Mat developed quite a friendship over the years and they’ve given you the ability to travel the world, so care to elaborate on the ordeal?
Yeah, what I had at HB was one in a million! I went places that most people couldn’t fathom and I have plenty of love for Mat and everyone who works at Hoffman, but it’s a little more to things than just BMX. BMX has been my life for the last 12 years, and now my life calls for a bigger need that I’m not willing to elaborate on.
Wallride to berm shot in Arizona. Photo: Zielinski
Although I haven’t been paying attention to anything but Twitter, I guess rumors are flying about who you’re riding for…is there someone lined up?
There is someone lined up, but I am not going to say until it actually happens.
Since you’re not going to jinx it now, will you at least send me an e-mail/text before you post it up on Twitter [laughs]?
Yeah I think I can make that happen [laughs].
When you get back, are there any plans to settle down and pay some rent?
If I can afford it I will definitely be moving somewhere this year, I’ve been a nomad for almost three years now. Cali is always a good selection, but expensive like any other cool place that I want to live such as NYC or DC. I actually wouldn’t mind living in another country for a year, but I have to have someone around to film and shoot photos, so I could stay in the loop, because when I’m gone I don’t really have people to film me like there are in the states.
Anything lined up to see a little riding out of ya? Photos/vids/webbers/etc?
I guess who ever I sign to in the next week, you will see an edit coming from me shortly after. Thanks man!
Not intentionally putting Brad on the spot by showing a bunch of stuff he didn't pull, but this stuff is too wild to never be seen. Hefty uprail to fakie wall to back down. Click for the sequence and foot dab. So bummed! Sequence: Zielinski
