https://www.kunstform.org/

Re Print: Mike 'Hucker' Clark - Trail Reflections

"they didn't want to watch me ride 'cause I was so sketchy. It kind of bummed me out."

2 Apr 2015

Hucker bmx portrait D98 -AW

By Andrew White Additional photos by Wes McGrath and Hadrien Picard / Originally published in DIG 98 "Blood, Sweat & Trails" January 2014

I built little jumps in my backyard when I was really little... But my first time ever actually seeing dirt jumps that somebody else built was a week after my 12th birthday when my mom and sister took me to Sheep Hills. I'll never forget rolling in there, there was probably 50 dudes there. Everybody was shredding. Shaun Butler was on a purple bike and was the smoothest dude I've seen in my entire life. It was at that point then that I was absolutely hooked.

I think Robbie Miranda was actually the very first guy who called me Hucker... When I was 14/15, even when I was younger than that, I was the sketchiest kid at the trails. I would just eat so much shit and get up laughing. I'd try to do tricks over jumps that I could barely jump. Tricks that I couldn't even do, I'd try and just eat so much shit. Everybody started calling me Hucker. I'll never forget, for a year of my life I'd go to the trails and a lot of the dudes would tell me to go home because they didn't want to watch me ride 'cause I was so sketchy. It kind of bummed me out. I'll never forget a couple different times dudes actually left when I wouldn't go home, they wouldn't watch me ride 'cause I would just die. They were terrified of my riding, it was just so squirrelly. No bike control, going as fast as I can. I used to hate my nickname especially in High School with all of the haters. There were people who actually thought my real name was Hucker. Ever since then I just stopped worrying about it.

There's nothing like hauling ass at a jump and being in the air and floating... There's ways to do it riding skateparks and street, but there's nothing that flows that good. Building something and being able to ride it just makes it that much better. I'd rather ride trails than just about anything else I can think of.

https://shop.digbmx.com/collections/all-clothing
Hucker bmx Saavedra Backyard 2006 -HP

Hucker, early dipped 3 learnings in Mike Saavedra's backyard. Circa 2006. Photo by Hadrien Picard

Most trail riders are scared to go do a gap, most street riders are scared to go ride trails... I definitely think there's a lot of respect for dudes who build and maintain trails. It's a lot of work. They're digging the same or more than they're riding. And a street rider or park rider goes to a spot and they can shred. It's just a whole different world riding trails, you know?

It would be totally different if I grew up on the East Coast... I grew up in California where there's not really trees and it's windy and everything is out in the open. The dirt's not good, and we don't even really have seasons. It doesn't snow half the year. I would definitely have a whole different approach. If I grew up on the East Coast I'd be living in the woods somewhere with trails. Realistically that's what I want to do out here. If I had the schedule I'd love nothing more than to do that.

Hucker bmx 3dreamline 2013 D97 -WM

Dipped 3 progression, 2013. Originally published in DIG Issue 97 as part of the DIG 25 feature (Hucker was 23 on our list for the year). Photo by Wes McGrath

I did this thing with Red Bull, it was called Urban Rhythm... Basically Red Bull hit me up with this idea to create something out of nothing. Bring in art, music and BMX all together, just because Houston doesn't get any BMX love being so close to Austin. The whole idea behind it was to make something out of nothing, and for me it brought me back to my roots: making jumps with wood pallets, making the sketchiest setups and having the most fun ever on it in a parking lot. Everybody that came out was super psyched, a lot of dudes came out for the art and they were just as stoked for the BMX, and vice versa.

Out of every place I've ever ridden in my entire life... I still think to this day Sheep Hills is probably one of the hardest places to ride, because it's all about pumping on flat ground that's not smooth and perfect. You don't have hills and gravity to give you the momentum, it's all based on your pumping and your pedal.

Hucker bmx 3dreamline 2013 unused -WM

Dreamline 2013. Perfect 360 table. Photo by Wes McGrath

That's the most asked question when I'm traveling on an airplane. What do you do?... I say I ride bikes and they're like, motorcycles? No, BMX bikes. Most of them say alright and turn their shoulders. But it's pretty awesome. Some of them are actually blown away that riding bikes has brought me all around the world. It's a dream come true, I never thought in a million years I'd be a pro biker. Let alone travel the whole world. I'm so thankful for everything I have, I feel so blessed man. It's amazing.

I live with my parents. I moved out about three years ago to San Diego for the first time ever.... I bought my first car when I was 22 and moved in with Dennis Enarson. It was awesome; it was different. I lived there for about eight months then I broke my neck in Australia. Then I ended up moving back home. I honestly love living at home, I've got awesome parents, and I'm home so little I don't want to waste money on a house when I'm not there. I'd rather save up and be smart.

The dipped three one footer came about on accident actually... I remember I was in school, probably 15 or 16, and I remember Mike Aitken and (Corey) Bohan did them at the time and I was blown away. It was the sickest thing ever and thought I got to learn it. Whenever I was first learning it for the longest time I would get so scared, my foot would just come off for some reason and I'd land one footed. Then one day I just put it back on and it started working. It's crazy in that it almost works as a parachute. I remember Robbie Miranda back in the day, he'd three a big jump and if he spun too fast off the lip he'd take his foot off and it would slow the rotation down. When you spot your landing you put it back on the pedals. Once you pull it it's the most fun thing in the world.

Hucker KTL-2014-BY-Hadrien-Picard

Hucker with a move that Dave Carnie would refer to as "motorcycle sky dancing". Getting wild at the 2014 Kill the Line event in France. Photo by Hadrien Picard

Previous

Next

Soundtrack - Mat Hoffman Mixtape

15 of the Condors all time faves

Related Content

Dig Texas Toast Photo Gallery - Part 2
Dig Texas Toast Photo Gallery - Part 2
Dig Texas Toast Photo Gallery - Part 2
Dig Texas Toast Photo Gallery - Part 2

Dig Texas Toast Photo Gallery - Part 2

Seriously though, what the fuck Hucker?

23 Oct 2014
Cam WOOD BMX SLASH SNWBRM UT ADJ

Re Print: Getting Creative With Cameron Wood

"People can call it what they want. We're not really skiing; we're bike riding"

29 Jan 2015
Panamoka trails bmx burning tire KT

The Life and Death of Panamoka Trails

Love and Hate in New York State through the lens of Keith Terra

11 Feb 2015
Screen-Shot-2014-10-23-at-1.03.45-AM
Play Button

Navi Arm/ Texas Toast Highlights

Another Toast video? Yep, and the one you should watch.

23 Oct 2014
decoy-trails-dig
Play Button

Decoy Jam 2014

Trails, bowls and pump tracks..

17 Sep 2014
Jay LONERGAN BMX BERMRAOST POSH RD

Re Print: Jay Lonegran - Over 30 and Still In The Woods

A dedicated soul who has found something more to BMX than just doing tricks on a bike...

5 Mar 2015
Devon Hutchins - Unseen Works
Devon Hutchins - Unseen Works
Devon Hutchins - Unseen Works
Devon Hutchins - Unseen Works

Devon Hutchins - Unseen Works

2011-2014

8 Sep 2014
Villij trails BMX 04 mn 1

Rekindled

How Case Magazine's Mike Netley fell back in Love with Trail Riding...

25 Nov 2014
Texas-Toast-2014-Dirt-Finals
Play Button

Texas Toast 2014 - Dirt Finals

The finalists go to town on the jumps in Austin...

20 Oct 2014
LaSourcetrails-saavedra-tent-DB5A0935

The 10th Annual Jam De La Source

​It's not every day that you get to be part of an International Trails Jam.

24 Sep 2014
Nutter Trails BMX shark bite PA 08 RD

Re Print: When Nutter Got Bit By A Shark

“It was just one of those things"

26 Feb 2015
Screen-Shot-2014-09-10-at-11.51.17-AM
Play Button

Vans - Kill The Line 2014

Did you see that Nyquist 360 tree nose bonk yet?

10 Sep 2014
https://shop.sundaybikes.com/collections/sunday-frames?utm_medium=banner&utm_source=dig

Latest Content

C0 G Unj H b I4hqdefault
Play Button

MIR NG - "TAIWANS GOT IT"

DIG LOCALS

8 May 2025
Xz0 VK8 Pt2zshqdefault
Play Button

'CHICAGRE'

Grenoble, France

7 May 2025
Renato relapse thumb
Play Button

RENATO RANCSO - 'RELAPSED' | LUXBMX

Welcome To LUX!

5 May 2025
7 JQEG Vlz Iq Ahqdefault
Play Button

TOM MARSH - INTERVIEWS EP3 - BMX Direct Thailand

Scotland in Thailand

5 May 2025
It Hsd B Fav Qkhqdefault
Play Button

Dennis Enarson Game of Bike: Jason Watts Vs. Kevin Peraza

High level heaters at Clairemont

2 May 2025
Michael dickson x dig thumb
Play Button

MICHAEL DICKSON X DIG

Whip it real good

1 May 2025
HR55 De6 DEQ4hqdefault
Play Button

Sietse van Berkel - Thread - 2025

Signature style from one of the best.

1 May 2025
Zqqpc P1 Xpu Ehqdefault
Play Button

KINK - Best Of THIRTY Compilation

Choice cuts

1 May 2025
Lqi T5 W Wue Gkhqdefault
Play Button

Launch Box - Spring 2025 - A Profile Mixer

Spring season randomness

1 May 2025
Upa XUT1r Ctkhqdefault
Play Button

CONCRETE PARADISE

ft. Jack Hennicke, Willem Jorgensen & Kevin Bass

30 Apr 2025
Kx6 Pew BD2 V Ahqdefault
Play Button
Mt1 Zn6 N Go Uhqdefault
Play Button

Radical Sabbatical - NorCal Mix

Off the job training

28 Apr 2025

DIG Partner stores

More Dig This

Vans 11 27 21 014 Bruno Gap wall

BRUNO HOFFMANN INTERVIEW - 'FOREIGN'

"I think the scene is doing good..."

21 Apr 2025
RIXIN BIG APPLE ANGLE RAW ON WHITE 2500

PRODUCTIVITY - RIXIN Big Apple Frame

Billy Perry's signature frame - Built around what he needed.

8 Apr 2025
Rad teaser

Rad Day 2025

Anniversary movie screenings and RAD documentary release.

18 Mar 2025
Expert Top 3 Roll On crop

REPO: Keeping it local at the UK 'ROLL ON' Flatland Jam

"My desire was to give something back" – Mike O'Connell

5 Mar 2025
Snow Fight – Naoki Gaman2

20 Tips For Surviving Simple Session 2025

Check yourself before you wreck yourself!

20 Feb 2025
SS finals samples 4

SIMPLE SESSION 25 WRAP UP

Highlight videos, results and more

19 Feb 2025
Street station graphic

STREET STATION RETURNS for 2025

"Not your average BMX jam"

18 Feb 2025
Stack

DIG BOOK #2024

AVAILABLE VIA THESE BIKE SHOPS AND DISTROS

30 Dec 2024
New dig apparel main image

NEW DIG BMX APPAREL

Available now

27 Dec 2024
30 YRS POSH BOOK MNTN V V 004

(Almost) 30 YEARS OF POSH WOODS

Now available

24 Dec 2024
BSD Grime Safari Reed Stark Austin 6

Reed Stark - A Photo Safari

Safari Forever...

6 Dec 2024
Et FW24 Dig Magazine Collab Shoot 031

Introducing the DIG X ETNIES Collection

Celebrating a 25 year partnership

7 Nov 2024