Our History

When I sat down to work on the History section for the website I started by discussing how we got involved in skateboarding and BMX. As the page filled up I knew that people didn’t want our life story but maybe wanted to know how we got to where we are today. As anyone who has ever stepped onto a skateboard or even ridden a BMX bike knows, once you make that choice, it is something that sticks with you forever. Some people may have only done it a few times, but I can guarantee that if they see someone riding a skateboard or bike there is something about it that forces them to watch. Those who have ridden for many years can tell you that it goes far beyond an activity, but it is also something that creates a bond between people.

Even today my friends and I talk about the great times we had, are still trying to have, and the people we met while riding. When you meet another skater/BMXer for the first time, it feels like you have known this person forever. These are activities that hide the differences in people and give them a common ground to interact. Along with social skills skateboarding and BMX also teach many life skills. Let’s face it. These activities are not easy. So to learn new things and progress it takes a lot of practice, hard work, and dedication, all of which are needed to be successful in anything someone chooses to do.

As a school teacher and involved with kids on a regular basis, I noticed that the kids in our area who are interested in these activities are lacking some of these skills. Is it because the kids are not capable of learning these skills, or is it that we as a community have not provided the environment for these skills to be learned?

In our conversations we always talked about Kids’ Mountain Skatepark and how it helped point a lot of people in the right direction. It offered kids in the community a safe and fun place to hangout, meet new people, and participate in skateboarding. Having a legal place to ride meant a lot to the kids and helped produce productive members of the community. Since Kids’ Mountain closed several years ago, a stable facility has yet to take its place. The hope of bringing this problem to an end is why The Blair Bike and Board was created.