Transplants

glideonk2

• February 24 2005
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At some point, the following three words have probably come out of your mouth: “This town sucks.” No matter how good a riding scene is, riders are always looking for something better. It’s that magical spot where there’s fun stuff to ride, cool people to hang out with, and a vibe that’s conducive to the BMX lifestyle. You probably have an idea of where this BMX utopia exists, but having the balls to pack up and move away from all that’s familiar is much easier said than done.

The following riders each took that risk and moved away from home for the sake of riding a 20″ bike. Whether this kind of move is for you is something only you can answer, but as Ed Nussbaum put it, “Life is short; you only get one chance so you have to make it count.”

***

ROB DARDEN

Originally from: Concord, California

New home: Greenville, North Carolina

Did you move away from Concord right after high school?

I actually moved to Ukiah, California, for high school. It’s about two hours north of San Francisco. I lived there with my mom for high school.

What did you do after graduation?

I moved back down to Concord to live with my dad and started painting; he owns a painting company. I did that for two years.

What made you decide to move to Greenville?

I took a trip out there for a month to stay with John Reed and while I was there I rode every day. Then when I went back home to California, I only rode about two weeks out of the month. After that I just packed up and moved out to Greenville since it was such a good riding scene.

Why weren’t you riding that much in California? Was the scene slowing down or were you working too much?

It was because of both the scene and work. The scene was slowing down, the Ramp Club got torn down, the trails were getting torn down…

Did you know other people in Greenville when you first got there?

I knew Reed, Ryan Nyquist, Colin Mackay, and Allan Cooke. I had met Jeremy Fanberg a couple times and met Josh Harrington once.

Was it weird at first?

No, it was great. Everyone rode all day and had fun, and it was all new places to ride for me.

Who did you live with when you first moved there?

I lived with Reed for six or seven months. Then Josh graduated high school and was looking for a roommate to move out with. Reed only had a one-bedroom apartment and I was couch surfing it, so it worked out perfect.

When you told your parents you were going to move back East to ride, what was their reaction?

My mom’s side of the family was happy for me. During high school I had jumps in the backyard, so they all knew that was what I loved. My dad… He was always about me getting a job, but I had been telling him that I was leaving so he just took it (laughs).

Do you think you’ll be in Greenville for a long time?

I would imagine so. I don’t see myself leaving anytime soon.

What is about your scene now that you like so much?

It’s just friends and riding; it doesn’t get any better than that. And there is no commuting traveling to spots. In California, I was driving an hour to the Ramp Club each way, and the Alameda skatepark was 25 minutes away. Plus, when you’re driving, you’ve got a bunch of monkeys with you and they don’t want to throw down for gas. The farthest commute I have now is to the trails, which is about eight miles.

***

RYAN SHER

Originally from: Boston, Massachusetts

New home: San Diego, California

When did you originally leave Boston?

I left Boston when I was five. My parents moved around a lot; we moved to Oregon, North Carolina, and Arizona. They moved back to Boston in1999 and I moved to San Diego in 2000 by myself.

Why did you move to San Diego?

Well, to be honest, the whole time I was growing up I wanted to be in the magazines and stuff, so I figured California would be the place to do it (laughs).

Any regrets? Was it hard for you to move away on your own?

No, it wasn’t really hard for me. Since we moved around so much when I was a kid, I was ud to it. Plus I like Southern California, so I don’t have any regrets.

Do you ever get the urge to try somewhere else?

Yeah, I’m planning on going to Oregon in the springtime. I liked it there when we lived there when I was a kid and I want to try it out again.

Do you know a lot of people there?

Yeah, it’s actually funny. The first person I ever saw do freestyle on a BMX bike was Shad Johnson, and he still lives up there. I went to elementary school with Ian Munro, too. My dad hated him and wouldn’t let him in our house when we lived in Bend, Oregon, from 1991-95. My dad said he was a bad influence because he had a crazy haircut and he was always in trouble.

When you told your parents that you wanted to move to San Diego to ride, what did they think?

They weren’t too happy because I was just going to ride; they obviously wanted me to go school. Once they realized there was no way I was going to go to school they supported me. My dad even gave me some cash to help me drive out here.

When you got to San Diego, did you know many people?

I knew a handful just from riding; a couple guys who were on Kink at the time lived out here, so it wasn’t too hard. I had known Jared Souney (former Ride Associate Editor) from when I lived in Massachusetts, and he had just moved out here, too.

And with BMX, it’s pretty easy to find more friends.

Yeah, it’s really easy. All you have to do is go to the skatepark and you’ll meet ten new people the first day-it’s awesome.

***

Chris Doyle

Originally from: Cary, North Carolina

New home: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Cary, North Carolina, and then when I graduated from high school, I moved into Raleigh, which is only five minutes away.

Why did you move to Raleigh?

I moved there to go to college at North Carolina State University, but I only ended up going for one semester. I stayed in Raleigh because I liked being near the city, though. I lived there for two years and then I moved to Erie, PA.

Why did you move to Erie?

I basically moved for riding, and because there were people there who were into the same things that I was into. In September of 2000, I went up to Erie and stayed for a month with Kris Bennett. I ended up really liking it; we just rode all the time and hung out at night laughing and having a good time. Before I left at the end of the month, Bennett and Mike Szczesny told me, “Come back any time,” and I was like, “I think I’m going to move here (laughs).” When I went back home to Raleigh I just sat around and rode by myself a lot since all my friends had full time jobs or were in school, so I basically made the move to Erie to ride more and have people to ride with.

Did it take you a while to get used to the new surroundings?

It was really hard to leave at first; it’s hard to leave someplace that you’re so familiar with. The first month in Erie was pretty rough not knowing where anything was, and not knowing all of the riders. I remember riding the skatepark and people were saying, “What are you doing here all the time now?” I’d say, “I live here now,” and they’d go, “Oh… weird (laughs).” I wouldn’t say it was scary, but it was definitely different. I lived there for almost exactly one year.

What happened next?

After Erie I moved to Pittsburgh. Things in Erie seemed to be slowing down quite a bit. I lived with Bennett and Czerny, but Bennett was moving to Philadelphia and Czerny was moving back to his hometown, so I wasn’t going to stay in Erie by myself. Todd Walkowiak said he had an extra room open at his house in Pittsburgh, and I thought, “If Pittsburgh doesn’t work out I can always move back to North Carolina.”

How long have you been in Pittsburgh?

I’ve been here for almost three years.

Does Pittsburgh feel like home now?

Yes, it does. It’s weird because I know all of my neighbors now, and I know the area really well. It definitely feels like home. I could live here even if I didn’t ride.

What would you say your requirements are to live somewhere?

I just need some good friends. Lately it doesn’t seem to matter where you ride as long as you have your friends there and you’re having a good time. As long as you have some good friends to ride with, then it’s cool.

***

ALLAN COOKE

Originally from: Martinez, California

New home: Greenville, North Carolina

When did you first leave home for BMX?

Right after I graduated from high school, I went on the Specialized 415 tour, so two days after graduation we drove to New York and I never really moved back home. My brother was the Specialized tour manager at the time, and after the Gravity Games in ‘99 I started staying at his place in Huntington Beach, CA (475 miles south of Martinez). I stayed on his couch for four or five months, and when one of his roommates moved out, I started paying rent and lived there for a year.

What took you from Huntington Beach to Greenville?

During the Raleigh, NC, CFB in 2000, Scott Wirch and I were saying that we didn’t have places to ride at home. He was bummed on Chicago and I was getting bummed on Southern California. We were just chatting and I mentioned that I was thinking about trying Greenville for a few months, Utah for a few months, and maybe Texas for a few months. We both decided that we would move to Greenville at some point, and not too long after that I woke up one morning, packed my stuff up, and took off. I had a flight to a contest in Columbus, OH, but instead of flying I just drove to the contest and then kept going to Greenville.

What keeps you in Greenville now?

It’s inexpensive to live here, and there are so many other riders in town-it’s just fun. When I moved to Greenville all that was really here was Dave Mirra’s vert ramp and Jaycee park, and that’s what was going to keep me here for a couple months. Then, all of a sudden, Justin Bland built his ramp, Ryan Nyquist’s ramp got Skatelite, Wirch bought a house and built trails, I bought a house and built a ramp, and then Dave built a warehouse… There are always new things to ride so I haven’t felt the need to leave yet.

Do you miss your family?

I see them all the time because a good portion of the contests are in California. They always come to the comps so I see them a lot.

Do you think you’ll ever wind up back in California?

I have feelings for Northern California and I want to move back there eventually. This was never going to be a permanent move.

You had a fortunate situation with a paying sponsor when you left home. If you had no sponsors, do you think you would be in Greenville now?

Definitely. I think if I were going to move anywhere and not have a sponsor, it would be here. It’s such a small town and we know so many people, like guys who own gas stations, apartment complexes, furniture stores… We know so many people, so you can get a job where they let you be slack sometimes with contests and stuff. And it’s half the cost to live here compared to California…

***

ED NUSSBAUM

Originally from: Somerville, New Jersey

New home: Toronto, Canada

Why did you decide to move away from New Jersey?

I moved because of the weather and my passion for BMX. I started riding pro in 1996 when I was halfway through college. All I wanted to do was ride but I wasn’t sure how that was going to happen, so I stuck it out for two more years and got my degree in archaeology. While that was all very entertaining, I knew there was something else to be taken care of, and that was flatland. I took a trip to California in the winter of ‘99 and had an amazing time. Something about that trip woke me up to a part of life that I had been unsure of. That was when I knew that I could do whatever I wanted and no one was going to be able to stop me. The next winter, I planned another trip to Cali wfinitely feels like home. I could live here even if I didn’t ride.

What would you say your requirements are to live somewhere?

I just need some good friends. Lately it doesn’t seem to matter where you ride as long as you have your friends there and you’re having a good time. As long as you have some good friends to ride with, then it’s cool.

***

ALLAN COOKE

Originally from: Martinez, California

New home: Greenville, North Carolina

When did you first leave home for BMX?

Right after I graduated from high school, I went on the Specialized 415 tour, so two days after graduation we drove to New York and I never really moved back home. My brother was the Specialized tour manager at the time, and after the Gravity Games in ‘99 I started staying at his place in Huntington Beach, CA (475 miles south of Martinez). I stayed on his couch for four or five months, and when one of his roommates moved out, I started paying rent and lived there for a year.

What took you from Huntington Beach to Greenville?

During the Raleigh, NC, CFB in 2000, Scott Wirch and I were saying that we didn’t have places to ride at home. He was bummed on Chicago and I was getting bummed on Southern California. We were just chatting and I mentioned that I was thinking about trying Greenville for a few months, Utah for a few months, and maybe Texas for a few months. We both decided that we would move to Greenville at some point, and not too long after that I woke up one morning, packed my stuff up, and took off. I had a flight to a contest in Columbus, OH, but instead of flying I just drove to the contest and then kept going to Greenville.

What keeps you in Greenville now?

It’s inexpensive to live here, and there are so many other riders in town-it’s just fun. When I moved to Greenville all that was really here was Dave Mirra’s vert ramp and Jaycee park, and that’s what was going to keep me here for a couple months. Then, all of a sudden, Justin Bland built his ramp, Ryan Nyquist’s ramp got Skatelite, Wirch bought a house and built trails, I bought a house and built a ramp, and then Dave built a warehouse… There are always new things to ride so I haven’t felt the need to leave yet.

Do you miss your family?

I see them all the time because a good portion of the contests are in California. They always come to the comps so I see them a lot.

Do you think you’ll ever wind up back in California?

I have feelings for Northern California and I want to move back there eventually. This was never going to be a permanent move.

You had a fortunate situation with a paying sponsor when you left home. If you had no sponsors, do you think you would be in Greenville now?

Definitely. I think if I were going to move anywhere and not have a sponsor, it would be here. It’s such a small town and we know so many people, like guys who own gas stations, apartment complexes, furniture stores… We know so many people, so you can get a job where they let you be slack sometimes with contests and stuff. And it’s half the cost to live here compared to California…

***

ED NUSSBAUM

Originally from: Somerville, New Jersey

New home: Toronto, Canada

Why did you decide to move away from New Jersey?

I moved because of the weather and my passion for BMX. I started riding pro in 1996 when I was halfway through college. All I wanted to do was ride but I wasn’t sure how that was going to happen, so I stuck it out for two more years and got my degree in archaeology. While that was all very entertaining, I knew there was something else to be taken care of, and that was flatland. I took a trip to California in the winter of ‘99 and had an amazing time. Something about that trip woke me up to a part of life that I had been unsure of. That was when I knew that I could do whatever I wanted and no one was going to be able to stop me. The next winter, I planned another trip to Cali with Erin Donato. We rented an apartment in Long Beach for three months and rode all day every day. I decided not to go home after the winter and instead went to Europe for a month.

How difficult was it to move away and start over?

At the time it seemed like no big deal. I knew where I was going and what I was going to do. California seemed like the best place to blend in with the masses to accomplish what I wanted to accomplish. I really wish I had done it sooner. If I knew then what I know now, I would have chosen to go to college in California rather than Jersey.

As a rider, how hard was it to meet new friends?

It depends on how you look at the situation. The best thing about being a rider has always been having friends wherever I go and sharing a connection with others. As a pro flatlander, though, it can be very hard to relate to people on some levels; at least for me it is sometimes. I’m passionate about what I do and sometimes I feel like no one else in the world understands that. Then other times I realize that most of the friends I’ve met who don’t ride respect me because of the passion and dedication that I have. That’s when you know you have some real friends.

Where are you living now?

Ever since I moved to California and traveled to Europe, I’ve wanted to live all over. Why stay in one place when you have the opportunity to travel and live in other parts of the world? Last April I decided to move to Toronto, Canada, to be with the woman of my dreams. There were lots of considerations in making this decision, but I knew it was the right thing to do. Life is short; you only get one chance so you have to make it count.

Do you think you will ever move back to your hometown?

No way. I can always visit and I have some of my best friends there, so I don’t need to live there. My friends and family know that I’m there at the drop of a dime. I always say there are people with roots and people with wings. I’ve got wings, and that’s just how it goes. It might not always be by choice and it might not always make sense, but that’s how it goes.

Do you have any regrets from your moves?

I like to think I live without regrets. As much as I live spur of the moment I also have resolution in my mind so that the decisions I make are the right ones. I wish I could be everywhere all the time, but I feel as long as I’m learning from where I am, I cannot regret it.

STEPHEN MURRAY

Originally from: Newcastle, England

New home: Riverside, CA

When did you first move away from home for BMX?

I first moved away when I was 18, and I came to California for six months.

Were you finished with school?

Yeah, you graduate school in England when you’re 16 and then you can do whatever you want. My parents made me go to college until I was 18 so I could get a free ticket to go to America (laughs).

What made you decide that California was the place to go?

Videos, magazines… everyone who raced from England who went to America came back with stories that were too good. I was like, “Man, I have to go to America-especially Sheep Hills.” When I watched the Soil video that was enough. I had to be there.

When you first came to America, you were mainly a racer. When did you become more of a dirt jumper?

Pretty much when I was 19. From riding Sheep every day I got more into jumping and I thought it was sick. And with racing… I was weak down the first straight and I used to get pulled, so I was over it. Jumping was way more fun.

How did you wind up staying in America?

At first I didn’t plan to come to America to stay here. I was just coming over for six months, and then I was going back to England to go to university to get a degree in Sports Science-that was the big plan. But after the first six months of being in California, I went home and told my mom, “I’ve got to go back. I can’t go to university. This is whatt I want to do.” I didn’t think I would do this for a living. Whether I was going to be a hippie traveler, a BMX guy, get sponsored-I didn’t know what the deal was. While I was in England I went back to work in this vegetable factory for three months to save money, and then I planned to come back to California for three more months. Luckily enough, somehow I got sponsored by Nirve and they gave me a two-year contract. It was a chance of a lifetime so I had to take it.

You’ve been able to travel all around America. Is there any other place you’d like to try living?

No, I think California is the best for me because of the weather and the lifestyle. Man, it’s great-snowboarding to surfing to BMX to whatever you want to do. People are outdoors all day and that’s what I love. It’s just perfect, man.

Did it take you a while to get used to things when you first got here?

Yeah, when I first came out here no one could understand a word I was saying (laughs). They couldn’t understand a word, or maybe they would get one in four. It’s such a big change from Newcastle, England, to Huntington Beach, California; it’s like the farthest change you could ever make. People are so different; the things they like, the way they speak, the way the way go about things, and it’s really hard to read people. When I first met Nasty I was like, “Who the f*** is this dude? Is he for real or what’s the deal (laughs)?” But you get to know him and you understand that people are from different places and they grow up differently. There are some awesome people out here.

Erin Donato. We rented an apartment in Long Beach for three months and rode all day every day. I decided not to go home after the winter and instead went to Europe for a month.

How difficult was it to move away and start over?

At the time it seemed like no big deal. I knew where I was going and what I was going to do. California seemed like the best place to blend in with the masses to accomplish what I wanted to accomplish. I really wish I had done it sooner. If I knew then what I know now, I would have chosen to go to college in California rather than Jersey.

As a rider, how hard was it to meet new friends?

It depends on how you look at the situation. The best thing about being a rider has always been having friends wherever I go and sharing a connection with others. As a pro flatlander, though, it can be very hard to relate to people on some levels; at least for me it is sometimes. I’m passionate about what I do and sometimes I feel like no one else in the world understands that. Then other times I realize that most of the friends I’ve met who don’t ride respect me because of the passion and dedication that I have. That’s when you know you have some real friends.

Where are you living now?

Ever since I moved to California and traveled to Europe, I’ve wanted to live all over. Why stay in one place when you have the opportunity to travel and live in other parts of the world? Last April I decided to move to Toronto, Canada, to be with the woman of my dreams. There were lots of considerations in making this decision, but I knew it was the right thing to do. Life is short; you only get one chance so you have to make it count.

Do you think you will ever move back to your hometown?

No way. I can always visit and I have some of my best friends there, so I don’t need to live there. My friends and family know that I’m there at the drop of a dime. I always say there are people with roots and people with wings. I’ve got wings, and that’s just how it goes. It might not always be by choice and it might not always make sense, but that’s how it goes.

Do you have any regrets from your moves?

I like to think I live without regrets. As much as I live spur of the moment I also have resolution in my mind so that the decisions I make are the right ones. I wish I could be everywhere all the time, but I feel as long as I’m learning from where I am, I cannot regret it.

STEPHEN MURRAY

Originally from: Newcastle, England

New home: Riverside, CA

When did you first move away from home for BMX?

I first moved away when I was 18, and I came to California for six months.

Were you finished with school?

Yeah, you graduate school in England when you’re 16 and then you can do whatever you want. My parents made me go to college until I was 18 so I could get a free ticket to go to America (laughs).

What made you decide that California was the place to go?

Videos, magazines… everyone who raced from England who went to America came back with stories that were too good. I was like, “Man, I have to go to America-especially Sheep Hills.” When I watched the Soil video that was enough. I had to be there.

When you first came to America, you were mainly a racer. When did you become more of a dirt jumper?

Pretty much when I was 19. From riding Sheep every day I got more into jumping and I thought it was sick. And with racing… I was weak down the first straight and I used to get pulled, so I was over it. Jumping was way more fun.

How did you wind up staying in America?

At first I didn’t plan to come to America to stay here. I was just coming over for six months, and then I was going back to England to go to university to get a degree in Sports Science-that was the big plan. But after the first six months of being in California, I went home and told my mom, “I’ve got to go back. I can’t go to university. This is what I want to do.” I didn’t think I would do this for a living. Whether I was going to be a hippie traveler, a BMX guy, get sponsored-I didn’t know what the deal was. While I was in England I went back to work in this vegetable factory for three months to save money, and then I planned to come back to California for three more months. Luckily enough, somehow I got sponsored by Nirve and they gave me a two-year contract. It was a chance of a lifetime so I had to take it.

You’ve been able to travel all around America. Is there any other place you’d like to try living?

No, I think California is the best for me because of the weather and the lifestyle. Man, it’s great-snowboarding to surfing to BMX to whatever you want to do. People are outdoors all day and that’s what I love. It’s just perfect, man.

Did it take you a while to get used to things when you first got here?

Yeah, when I first came out here no one could understand a word I was saying (laughs). They couldn’t understand a word, or maybe they would get one in four. It’s such a big change from Newcastle, England, to Huntington Beach, California; it’s like the farthest change you could ever make. People are so different; the things they like, the way they speak, the way the way go about things, and it’s really hard to read people. When I first met Nasty I was like, “Who the f*** is this dude? Is he for real or what’s the deal (laughs)?” But you get to know him and you understand that people are from different places and they grow up differently. There are some awesome people out here.

is what I want to do.” I didn’t think I would do this for a living. Whether I was going to be a hippie traveler, a BMX guy, get sponsored-I didn’t know what the deal was. While I was in England I went back to work in this vegetable factory for three months to save money, and then I planned to come back to California for three more months. Luckily enough, somehow I got sponsored by Nirve and they gave me a two-year contract. It was a chance of a lifetime so I had to take it.

You’ve been able to travel all around America. Is there any other place you’d like to try living?

No, I think California is the best for me because of the weather and the lifestyle. Man, it’s great-snowboarding to surfing to BMX to whatever you want to do. People are outdoors all day and that’s what I love. It’s just perfect, man.

Did it take you a while to get used to things when you first got here?

Yeah, when I first came out here no one could understand a word I was saying (laughs). They couldn’t understand a word, or maybe they would get one in four. It’s such a big change from Newcastle, England, to Huntington Beach, California; it’s like the farthest change you could ever make. People are so different; the things they like, the way they speak, the way the way go about things, and it’s really hard to read people. When I first met Nasty I was like, “Who the f*** is this dude? Is he for real or what’s the deal (laughs)?” But you get to know him and you understand that people are from different places and they grow up differently. There are some awesome people out here.