26 Nov Northern Embassy Recruits: Connor Campbell
Headlining our NE Recruits project, Connor Campbell hails out of Calgary and has been killing it for as long as we’ve been seeing footage of him. Constantly putting in work, Connor was stoked to take on a Recruits section for us with pal and legendary Calgary filmer, Austin Odegnal. We chatted with Connor about a bunch of things including his summer, filming for this video, and currently being in Barcelona. Photos by Austin Odegnal and Matthew Macleod.
Name, age, where you’re from, and where you are currently?
My name’s Connor Campbell. I just turned 21. I was born in Calgary, Alberta. I’m currently on extended vacation in Barcelona, Spain!
What sparked the Barcelona trip? Who are you with?
I’m pretty sure the thought of going to Barcelona sparked when I was around 14 years old. Just seeing the city in almost every video part, the culture and spots were always appealing to me! The homies and I have always talked about it and we could never get a plan together, but here we are after very minimal planning and one-way tickets just living. So it’s myself, Jay Park, Kaiman Stanjeck, Matt Macleod, and Steven Humeniuk. 5 dudes in a tiny Airbnb, but I think we’re managing pretty good. Haha. All of us get along really well so I wouldn’t change it for anything.
That’s awesome! Are there filming plans while out there or more just vacationing and taking it all in?
A little bit of both. We’ve gone out filming almost everyday, but with no stress behind it. We have just been exploring the city and we get down on whatever we come across. Which is just about every block. Haha. Everyone’s been stacking so far and it gets me hyped! As far as vacationing goes, the beach has been the place for that which is always a good time.
This is my first time travelling overseas so obviously the scenery, but I’d have to say how hyped everyone is on bikes out here. The local riders and people around the city love it. We have only had one encounter at a spot where a guy wasn’t hyped. He started throwing rocks out of his apartment at us, but that’s just part of the experience I guess. Haha.
For the most part, yeah. The fall weather in Calgary is interesting because it will be t-shirt weather during the day, then you feel like you need a winter jacket as soon as it gets dark. Haha. So I think we picked a good time to get out of it. Definitely gonna be in shock when I get back though. Haha.
B-line has been great to say the least! It’s grown the scene a lot over the years and there is always a session to get involved in. Before B-line was around, we would either go shovel Mills (local park) or go ride whatever was dry. You could only do so much when it was the middle of Calgary winters. I’m very grateful to have an indoor to ride when it’s -30°C outside.
One of my friends from back in the day actually got me into riding. We always saw people riding around our area and it looked super appealing to me. So we both went out and got bikes. Lots of people that I grew up riding with have fallen out of it, but I’m glad to say the people that stuck with it are still some of my best friends till this day. Love y’all!
As of now, I’m planning on being out here until the end of November.
What do you do for work anyway?
Since I was 13 years old, I’ve worked in the office moving business for my dad’s company, but I’ve been working landscape construction since May.
I started filming for the video in March I believe and finished it up in late September.
Oh man, everyday is all jokes when I’m out with the boys. Haha. I’d probably have to say one that sticks out was we were all out filming behind the train tracks and some fool walked up to me and started showing me a rock that apparently had a bunch of different animal faces in it (there wasn’t any faces). We ended up chatting for a bit and then by the end of it he asked us if we wanted to buy a couple used vibrators off of him. It was definitely one of the weirdest things I’ve been offered in my life!
The wall ice was one I was hyped on for sure! It was my first one I ever did and the spot was too good not to do it. It is also 5-minutes from my house so it worked out perfectly. Another one that I’m really hyped on was the nosebonk t-bog. I wanted to get that one done really bad and it worked out perfectly.
That wall ice and nose t-bog were so perfect; the predator 360 too and everything else really. So sick man.
Thank you dude. It really means a lot!
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share my shit. I’m super glad the Embassy is up and running again. Canadian BMX really needed this! I’d like to give a big thanks to B&P Cycle and OGC for keeping me rolling and being dope as fuck, and pretty much anyone who’s been involved with me over the years. 403crew 4L. I love you guys.
