Hey Seamus, how are things?
Things are well man. Hanging at home with my lady and the dogs, healing and relaxing for two seconds. Life is non-stop right now.
What’s been going on?
At the beginning of the year I started a new job building mountain bike and hiking trails. I’m out of town with that four days a week. I work with other BMX'ers so we have fun and get into plenty of trouble in whichever town we’re staying.
More often than not lately I have a commercial screen printing job waiting for me at home that I handle on the side. I also print shirts to raise money for our concrete park we are working on, the Goatpen. Sales have been really steady on there so I’ve always got orders to fulfil every weekend too. Once all the work is done for the week I either try to squeeze a session in somewhere or work on the park depending on what the squad is getting into.
How is "The Goatpen" coming along? That must be nearly finished?
We have some great momentum flowing right now. We are making great strides toward closing in the first section of the park with a gnarly doorway carve. To be honest, we’re not even close to being completely finished. The first section being closed in will at least provide one workable bowl and something for us to enjoy for a while, FINALLY. However, that is only about 1/3 of the space we plan to use and I don't foresee an end in sight. Hopefully before I'm completely arthritic.
I have had to prioritize working on the park and actually cleaning up and repairing the facility to make it not only livable but a more functional screen printing operation lately. I live an hour away from the park so getting closer is a major goal. It's kind of funny that printing the shirts to raise funds is actually starting to get in the way of the actual work on the park! Good problems to have.
I have to extend a huge thank you to anyone who has helped, donated, bought gear, or just shown us love. The crew that we have assembled out here can move mountains. The biggest thank you goes out to my family. And Trevor Biggs. All of this would be a literal pipe dream without everyones support.
You were riding for FBM for some time and unfortunately they had to close as everyone knows. We’ve known each other for a while though 4Down/United and even managed to get a good trip under our belts already. How has the transition to a new brand been for you?
Yes sir! You were the most gracious tour guide when Crandall and I came over. We had such a sick trip and I really respected the way 4Down represented FBM and took care of us. I was into the products and people involved. I really just hit you up to buy a frame at first. You guys were stoked, I was stoked, It only seemed natural to keep it in the family. Can't wait to come back!
Although FBM is no longer a bike company, it has never been about the bike parts. Crandall has always been a beacon of light to me, his gift of selflessly bringing people together and just simply making the world a more enjoyable place has certainly helped steer my path. I will always back and be a part of whatever FBM is or becomes. Major shoutout to Mike Erb, John Lee, Corts, all the riders, family, and the FBM skate team.
What’s your new United setup feeling like, you went for the Prime Mover frame, how does this feel compared to your last set up?
Man, I can't tell you how excited I was to get this thing. I haven't had a completely new setup in years and let me tell you, my bike was hurting. My bike is pretty much always in rough shape due to my own negligence, so none of my friends even believe I have such a clean rig now.
The frame feels so comfortable on any terrain you throw at it. I love the green, and I must say it looks damn good with the white bars. This thing is sleek but tough.
What’s your favourite part on your new bike?
Though I'm hyped on all the parts so far, I must say that I am super into the Union tires. Front and rear for 4x4 action.
You were on a recent trip with Meseroll bike shop, how was this?
Every trip to NYC to hang with Andrew and the Meseroll crew is a whirlwind. The best food, spots, terrible jokes, too many beers, and unmatched hospitality. I love hanging out at the shop and seeing the awesome scene Andrew is nurturing. We intended to have the anniversary party for the shop but the Covid outbreak really got crazy that weekend so we just kept to ourselves and got some awesome riding in. It was nuts seeing a city like New York start to empty out. We actually behaved ourselves pretty well on this trip. Can't thank Andrew enough for everything. Keep an eye out for a little video from the trip soon.
I saw that you had a bit of a mishap - what happened?
I hadn't been on a riding trip in a while, so maybe it was a mixture of rust and over-excitement, but man I ate shit a lot on this one. I started every morning barely even being able to walk, and then by the time 4 or 5 cans got downloaded I was ready to go again. A couple days in, I got into it with this trick thats been haunting me for a while. I seriously got soooo close, like slid out on the fakie. Then like two tries later I crashed, put my hand down like I was playing piano and my finger tweaked on impact. I pulled it back straight and gave it another try, but by then my entire hand was swelling and it was over. I should mention that at the spot before that I missed the top of a ledge, flew over the bars and cut my head open. Fully defeated. I sat the rest of the trip out and made it home to find out that I definitely broke a finger. Could be worse, but what an annoying little injury!
How are you dealing with the current Covid19 pandemic?
I am one of the lucky ones who is still able to work, so its essentially business as usual for me. Combining the pandemic with my being injured, its been a great excuse to get stuff done at the Goatpen without the temptation of riding and weekend travel. Honestly, my bank account is looking nice with all the pubs being closed right now too. It will be great when we can all high five again though.
What’s your most essential product for a lockdown?
Sierra Nevada Brewing’s “Hazy Little Thing” IPA.
Do you have a favourite movie or show for such situations?
Curb Your Enthusiasm is great for any situation. Been watching a lot of music videos lately too. And Loveletters to Skateboarding.
What are your plans for when things are back to normal?
The only thing on my mind right now is getting this bowl finished. Once we can have some full-force work days again we will assemble the army and knock this thing out. At this point in my life, I am basically a slave to the fundraising and growth of this skatepark and I will see it through to completion. Other than that, I'm looking forward to healing and filming some new stuff for United. It's been a while since I've tried to film a video part and I'd love to do it again. I can't thank you guys enough for hooking me up and giving me a chance to be a part of United! Means the world to me.
