Leaving on a jetplane!

Woof, it is hot up in here! Soon, though, I shall be jetting off outta this sweltering, bubbling, amazing place to head home for a minute, then onwards to South Africa for the BMX World Championships in Pietmaritzburg. Exciting times ahead!

New York has been ridiculous lately, triple figures in the heat department, the hottest day being on Monday with a badboy 104.f  which was the hottest day on record since August 2001. What I love about this place though, isn't the smell of rotting garbage on the streets, or the smell of the sewers beneath the hot concrete, or the piss stained streets in desperate need of a cooling storm to wash away its woes. No, what I love is how there seems to be an increase in community spirit when the temperature rises and not like anywhere else if I have ever been. Last Summer I never really got to see this as it didn't bake like this tiem around, but the kids playing in the streets, letting off the fire hydrants on every street corner, washing cars for a buck, people hosing off the yoots near their homes, gasping for the cool refreshment, it's amazing. On Tuesday night I rode to Daniellas in Harlem  and as soon as I got out the top of the park, literally ever fire hydrant was popped and it was beautiful. People would sit in a deck chair, in the middle of the street under the full intensity of the hydrant, and these things ain't shy! It's like sitting beneath a waterfall, i took every chance to get soaked and cool off on my ride uptown to the boogiedown.

I <3 New York.

But I am so excited to be coming home, seeing the Family, my friends, riding my bike at the sacred ground as RB.com so rightly put it. Bolehills, i'm coming back baby! So excited, and of course, what the last intense 6-8 months have been all about, South Africa.

My buddy Johnny P put it poetically, if you ain't making it out, take 'em out. That's my new motto. I'll be running hard for this one. My last race before I go is this weekend at New Paltz, the track is nothing to get hype about, but its gates and rubbing elbows, so it's all prep in my book. Then next friday night it's homeward bound. I got the redeye so I land in the am of the 17th of July, breakfast with the Familia, then take it from there. Beuno!

The back is feeling good, i'm positive and training smart, just nailing the sprints and making sure after each session it gets iced and cared for. It is a non-issue.

I took a little time out with my back and enjoyed the beautiful weather hit the beach, the pool, the rooftops, and watching the World Cup, I thought it was all going to be about Germany, but Spain proved that experience and desire outweighs youthfulness and desire. Smashed it.

So hyped for the next few weeks!