downtown oaktown

ken goto photo

..this one never gets old.

dual carb stroker
barger

it's a beautiful day to be alive

happy turkey day

some words......

Haven’t been writing too much on here lately…


Once
A long ago I asked Mark Gonzalez to paint me a painting, he turned to me and explained that for him, painting has to done be done at the right time, the right time being a time when he is inspired to paint. I’ve always held onto this moment I shared with him. I was young and a fan of Mark, and I just wanted some artwork of his to hang on the wall. The crazy thing was Mark had come to visit me, to skate my ramp, and to just hang out. This would be a dream for most skaters, and it was for me, but somehow the idea of him making me a painting was like some sort of stamp that would solidify this new friendship. Looking back I realize how much I wanted from people in my early 20’s. The man-child times of my life could be so damn confusing. I think Mark saw that I was some sort of idiot savant…. I locked myself in my warehouse and just skated. I over focused on it, ate right, stayed in shape and obsessed over skating. It was pure and from my heart, but in ways it was almost sick. A young man should live and let the world challenge him, but my challenge was skating and pushing myself. I would travel far and wide in those days but it was more just to get to skate something new, it was foolish of me not to see the experience of travel in a bigger picture. It took me a long time to find myself and to let me be myself. It took distancing myself from skateboarding for a certain amount of time, it took me submerging myself in night school classes, and a huge awakening was learning how to build my first motorcycle from the ground up. It was me alone in the garage struggling mostly, fucking things up at times and succeeding at times. It was a proper and much needed balance. Though it was just about a decade ago, it was a different time as far as building a bike goes, now there is such a network through the computer with other chopper enthusiasts, and “how to” information. I see nothing wrong with this, and to judge it would only point out my age and insecurity. But I would never change a thing about the way I got to experience my first build. I was inspired by others at the time, but you know there is that feeling when something really finds you that is so deep, it’s like falling in love, it’s unexplainable. It grabs you by the heart and by the nuts and it drags you around. It’s someone else’s first rock show that made them become a musician…or the first time you held a spray can to a wall and you knew you wanted to be an artist, maybe a photographers first look behind a lens. That feeling when those chills run up the back of your neck and into your brain, and you look around and ask your self if this is an ok place to scream at the top of your lungs. And when you get it, you are just so thankful it found you. It may not be forever, it may transfer to something else, but you welcome it and you grab onto it. For me it’s been skateboarding and motorcycles…. I don’t have to prove it by saying for LIFE, it’s just the things that have found me. I’m not just passing through, but at anytime I would welcome something that would challenge me and consume me the way that they have. It is a personal trip…and we are individuals, no matter how hard others will try to box you in. Recently I had an older friend that I look up to tell me “you know man I just can’t figure you out”…. I took it as kind of odd when he said it because, first off what the fuck are you doing trying to figure out someone you have already accepted as a friend. Days later looking back on it I took it as a compliment. I don’t really want to be “figured out”. I enjoy individuals that keep me guessing and surprise me. Shit I can’t figure myself out most days. I’m the only one that lives inside this head/body so I don’t think anyone can truly figure anyone else out. I couldn’t really figure Mark out back then, and why he just couldn’t paint me a painting on the spot. Now of course I get it and the lesson is learned. The funny thing is Mark and I skated my ramp that night like two men gone mad. I tucked myself into bed that night around 11:00pm and at 6:30am I heard a tapping on my door…..
“hey Maxi, I made something for you” mark whispered

when I went downstairs Mark had painted me a painting on the wall next to my ramp. It was fucking giant. Ten feet high and about Twenty four feet wide. After our skate he was feeling inspired. Thanks for the lesson Mark.

.....this life.

grab the bolo by the horns

my friend lil sara has
started an etsy store:
sundown special

-4th annual 69 mile ride-

wanted to thank all of you that came out.
definitely the tightest pack that ever rode
out there. a whole crew of girls, "bro's" from
LA. young men, old men, brisk weather, brandon
officially rides a motorcycle now, cassandra
is still a maniac on her bike, johnny=sales,
sacto ronald made an appearance, grown ass man
makes another year, sacramento= thank you, a chubby
sober nerd even got some action, pommier= murphy's law,
it was a good time.
"thank you so much for doing this, i've been waiting
for it all year"..... is the best.
till next time.


i don't got too many photos.

so I'm going to -do it-. this saturday.

it would be awesome if you came.
bring any bike you want.

i'm going to have some shirts for sale
with the image below.seriously.

-depends- will be written across the back
of the shirt in "old english"
or "old engrish" if you come from japan.




get gas for your "hawg" before the ride leaves.

the lingo.....

you got your first beard
and your denim vest.....
now you got the lingo.

gonna try to do this this weekend sat or sun depending on the weather.

tons of free shit
and a massive amount of sponsors.
Awards:
longest doo rag.
shortest dong.
bloodiest burn out.
best crack

bike awards:
newest old school
&
oldest new school

-dennis hopper-

every rose has it's thorn

you got gold.

out in the desert.

took this photo the other week
when we skating palm springs.

wire 1977

yas&yas

these guy's came by
are were such good dudes.
yas-1 has the company "HWZN BROSS"
the make all kinds of cool chopper
shit. he was tattooed in japan by
freddy corbin 12 years ago... so jason
did a good tattoo in him and i did a fucked
up one. good times Yas.

Yas-2 has the magazine frontend
he does it all himself and puts
out a real good magazine. super
chill dude. so good to hangout with
you guys.

--sonny--

me an sonny barger 2004

....some shots from sunday.

..it's a -duncan- kind of night.

-freddy on vice-

my friend and brother
freddy corbin has a really
cool video interview type thing
on vice magazines website for
their -tattoo age- series.
CHECK IT OUT HERE

just finished this pain-t job.

brandon from mullins chain drive
made this amazing little tank for
my friend alex.
i just finished painting it.