Je n'oublierai jamais que vous la France

Yo!

Just a quick one, life is a'ight, although I did get quite sick over the weekend and had to work sunday (WTF?! Think of the money.. Think of the money..) so not the best start to it all, but we got the issue out and things have calmed down a little now, i'm feeling much better, I even rode my BMX down 7th Ave this morning to work, stopping for coffee and a bagel, all good! It's reet neece out and i'm looking ahead to the weekend.

Holla! To the massive representing in France, completely jealous of where you guys are at, and totally wish I was there tearing it up with you, save me a spot next year.. Even if i'm still here i'll fly out for that bad boy - know this! Nothing but love for my crew and for French BMX, all got it going on!

I aim to take more pictures than a Japanese tourist whilst i'm here and really document my trip, here are a couple.




Bless the IXUS, but I think i'm going to treat myself to a G10 once I get paid and know where i'm at financially.

Once something exciting goes down, i'll write something epic. Perhaps.

If you don't make dollars then it don't make sense!

Sheesh.. Tired! It has been a pretty exhausting 4 days in New York so far, but i have done quite a bit, seen a lot, done some shopping, hit some PB's in the gym and gotten out and about and seen some of the sights. A few laps of Central Park, lovely stuff, it's been wonderful weather too, how very, very British of me to slip that one in there..

I hit the rave up, (well rave don't quite cover it) but i had a dance and a G&T although it cost me 10 bucks.. Life ain't cheap here, i reckon i'm going to have to become some oddball recluse that hangs out by the free ads newsstand waiting to get my free fix of free shit. Oh, no ways, there's this band playing for like, free at Union Square, we should totally, like, go! How about i'd rather sit in a pair of PVC trousers filled with ice whilst listening to triple speed swedish deathcore (in fact i think that was what it was..) and stick pins in my eyes. Free ads are shit, and there's a reason why shit is free.

Unauthorized dancing is illegal, that includes a spontaneous boogie in the street, a house party, or a full blown warehouse rave that you didn't get a permit for. Some things have already really surprised me here in NY. It's so different, i'll elaborate another day, as i don;t want to blow all my pearls of wisdom in my first couple of postings.

Had a wonderful skype with Lauren and an iChat with Warren and Hannah, i really enjoyed them both, let's keep them regular My skype is partyboybmx and my iChat is danielclifford44.16 if you wanna get in touch for free (oh, it's free AND it's good!)

Today headed over to Brooklyn, sampled a few local beers and met up with my old friend Dave, he showed me the sights and I immediately fell in love with Williamsburg, cheap (ish), safe, cool bars, shops, music scene and decent tarmac. Plus some of the parks are absolutely beautiful. I think that is where i'll move to after my 2 months here is up, it's only one stop on the J from Manhattan too. Do I sound local? Even a little bit? C'mon!!?

I have taken some pictures, but i haven't got my cable so i'll upload once i receive my goods from US customs, no doubt swabbed, pilfered and pissed on.

It's my first official day tomorrow, and i'm quite nervous, but i'm sure it'll be cool. Just keep my head down, get on with my work, and hope no one asks me anything, otherwise my cover will be blown!

I <3 NY

It has been one hell of a week.. A roller coaster of emotions, mad highs and lowest of lows. Saying goodbye to my friends has been so hard, and mentally and physically exhausting. People I spend so much of my time with, and now won’t see for so long. I know a year isn’t a long time and it’ll fly for everyone, especially me, but I hate not seeing my cats for a week.. So a year seems impossible right now!

I’m sat in T5 currently, I refuse to pay for openzone to blog, so I’ll upload this later. I have about an hour and halfs wait until I get on the plane, and I’m shitting myself if I’m honest. My cool, calm exterior is just that, a façade! But deep down, its excitement, I know it is, it just has to be allowed to bubble to the top.

I’m sure once I have my stuff stowed and I go grab a bite to eat in NYC, all my worries will seem a thing of the past, I will build my bike up and head out tomorrow as the weather is supposed to be pretty good, go to Central Park, see the boulders I’ll no doubt be frequenting, go to Chelsea Pier and find where the climbing gym is, head over to Steel City NYC and meet Ken to go through a membership and then pushing some weight, I have so much to do and occupy myself with. It will keep me sane from not thinking too much about my friends and what I’ve left behind.

I’ll be super regular on the updates, with pictures and gossip, drama and excitement (hopefully) or maybe, it’ll be a really dull look into the life of an introvert in Manhattan.. Uptown living, with a downtown beat!
Gotta get my gameface on for the corner boys and the taxi merchants that’ll no doubt be trying to hustle me at JFK looking for a tip.

I’m Ross Kemp, here in New York, looking for a boiiiger, looking for a gang…

Blessed.

With incredible friends.

It's been a good week, training has been going well, putting in solid sessions and really quite enjoying testing my mental and physical being. Climbing has been fantastic, and I even conquered my first black route and a problem on the competition wall - so I was stoked! Hit spinning again, much better this time I suppose I knew what to expect and paced myself a bit more, but still absolutely exhausting! To be honest after reading my last post it's a wonder I went back at all, but I totally believe in the no pian no gain mentality!

On Saturday I hit gates at Mansfield (literally), then I headed over to Derby to ride where the Norwich lot were sessioning getting in some pre-national practise.. (ha!) Great to see them all and ride for an hour or so. Even Big Ben Forwood was in the place, looking fast on Princess out of the gate and not feared, he was having it! Joey sessioning backwards due to the wind, and just having a good time. I was pretty tired but I'd had an awesome day, plus that evening AT had filled me in with a deal regarding cheap cocktals at the Forum, a joint i'm mad keen on anyway, so I popped over to Warrens for Salmon and Mash after which OC and AT came over and we headed in together.

I wasn't all that psyched earlier on but Big W and the boys were buzzing and I started to feel like a bit of a mash up coming on! Anyway, we got to the Forum and AT walks round the corner and I follow him, and then this big cheer goes up. At first I looked at AT and said what the.. ? Thinking it was something for him I had absolutely no idea what was going on. I walked down the stairs still unsure what was hapenning, seeing familiar faces, and then I saw Lauren and my family and I knew. Damn guys! It took a lot not to start blubbering, but I was completely blown away.



I don't want to list who was there, as i'll no doubt forget someone in the haze, or sound like some big headed twat as I have so many friends (ha ha) but it was easily one of the best nights i've ever had, to have all my nearest and dearest in one place, was just unreal. And it all came down to Lauren Smith - Party Liason, you are amazing.






I feel truly blessed to have so many wonderful people around me, and i'm going to miss you all like crazy. Coming back home won't be a difficult decision to make.

I can't describe what i'm feeling, and i'm still buzzing and smiling to myself now.

Photos all over the FB, but i'll bang some on here when I get home.. If I had known i'd have taken my camera.. ;)

Final full week in work, it looms ever closer.

Best. Weekend. Ever.