The Big-O Pipe moves?
The Montreal Olympic stadium is one of the most awesome riding spot in Montreal, but if you read my Olympic Stadium article you already know that! When they first built the Saputo stadium for the Montreal soccer team (L’Impact) back in 2008, the Big-O pipe was use for an entrance for the stadium. Everybody that rode it, knew it would create some kind of beef at some point for having many people passing by and other trying to ride it. Even if there was schedule arranged, no riding/skating was allowed when there was soccer games. But as time went by, everything went smoothly, (I have to specify, the locals “skaters” are really welcoming and understanding, they just don’t like to have their concrete smashed, no hate, just respect).
I heard many times about planning to move the Pipe somewhere where nobody would be bitching about having skateboard/BMX riding in it, I also heard they wanted to put it down. Like everybody, I didn’t really had faith in any of these rumors, I thought to myself, if they really want to put it down, its gonna happen that we like it or not, they have the money, we don’t! But you gotta understand, the Big-O pipe is home of one of the oldest Skateboard crew in Montreal and there was no way they would let that gem go down in history like Britney Spears. After months and months of talking to the media, forming a committee to represent the skateboard community, arrangements were made and there we go, the Big-O pipe is rollin’ 50 feet down the hill to get out of the way and out of the destruction! Legend skateboarders Barry Walsh and Mark Tisson were some of those involved in the committee and the Big Thanks here goes to the skateboard crew: Embassy MTL and Mr Joey Saputo himself.
We just gotta say thanks from the BMX community for saving the pipe and keeping one of the most awesome spot in Montreal
- Pierre Gauthier
Random shot of the week
Photo: Pierre Gauthier
First shoot
I dont really like to post about myself but as funny as it sounds, its not really about me, read and enjoy.
If you know me, you are aware I haven’t rode for a couple of months since my bike is all shitty and have no money to fix it so… My roommate came back from Mexico yesterday, after a little chat I decided to hit the new Southparc. He was down to check it out and asked me if I mind trying my photo camera. He knew absolutely nothing about photography, so I started to make a teacher of myself to show him some Camera basics. After half an hour of explaining the relation between ISO, Aperture and Shutter speed, I set up the camera and showed him which angles to take. After understanding how to focus, I made him snapped a couple of shots. He quickly realized the passion behind photography, that awesome feeling when you just press that button and see on your viewer this amazing shot perfectly in focus with the right timing. This is the best example to show that anybody can take a camera and produce a great finish product if the effort is there. By the end of the coaching he ended up with some decent shots, here for you to judge, I’d say, not bad for a first time using a DSLR.
Photo: Kevin J
Breaking parts
Bike maintenance is a part of any BMX rider daily routine. If you’ve been riding BMX more then a certain numbers of years, you’ll be familiar with blowing, bending or snapping parts. We all have our stories and tales about us or a friend who blew a set of crank, exploded a wheel or bended beyond any repair a set of bars. In the world where medias is as easy as the camera button in your iPhone, no matter how many times I hear those story, they never get old. It’s as fascinating to listen to those story as to see those actual parts that have been kept as a trophy in memory of a glorious attempt. As much as I love the BMX culture, those tales are part of it and you know you’ll hear some of those stories wherever in the world you’ll meet new BMX riders.
Mike Fiz 2011 United edit by Pierre Gauthier
I spent the entire summer filming Fiz for this, after countless hours of work, here it is.
