THE NORTHERN EMBASSY

06 Jan

Posted at 09:13h in archive by

tumblr_mywu867GTh1sfcwbso1_500

Even though issue four was just released (and making its way to bike shops across the country now), Brad Hill has made a digital copy of the final issue available online. While it doesn’t compare to actually getting to physically hold the paper in your hands or hang the posters on your wall, you can flip through the pages and zoom in to read some of the articles on your computer here if you can’t wait. If you live somewhere remote or don’t have a strong local bike shop that deals with Ten Pack Distribution, you can still buy a copy for the price of postage in our online store. You can click the image above to take you to the issue or flip through it below.

05 Jan

Posted at 09:42h in archive by

I’ve never heard of DEO or really know what it is or about, but this just came through to our inbox. Filmed in Truro, New Glasgow, and Halifax, Nova Scotia. That last clip of the hop looked like it hurt.

03 Jan

Posted at 10:09h in archive by

Kerr put together another dope Victoria edit and wrote this which couldn’t describe it better:

“I haven’t put out a BMX video in quite a while now, truthfully I haven’t felt much like posting any videos. These last couple weeks I’ve been feeling pretty nostalgic and been thinking a lot about this past year. Victoria’s lost a lot of riders this year, it’s weird going to the park and not being able to ride with people you’ve become good friends with and known for a while. There’s a few of us still out here though and with the recent revival of One Six there’s a tonne of kids on BMX’s at VW which I haven’t seen since I started coming to Victoria. Earlier in December (on Mason Prouse’s birthday) a few of us met up at to ride the One six ramp since the weather had been shit. The session got pretty heavy so I pulled out the camera and we banged this out. I have a few other videos saved up that I’ll be dropping over the next few weeks, 2013 was sick but 2014’s going to be even better, StreetJingle Vol 1’s almost done but I could always use more footage so anyone that’s been itching to film or just ride Vics street get at me. Thanks to my friends for making this year the best yet….Stay for 2014.” – Kerr Bilsland

02 Jan

Posted at 11:40h in archive by

2013 in review

Overall you could say 2013 was a tumultuous year for BMX. The industry has had its ups and downs, brands seemed to be have had harder time than ever, pros had (and have) a difficult time to just get by, scooters seemed to be everywhere, and there’s so much of the exact same stuff being regurgitated in the realm of media. With all that said, scenes and BMX communities in places throughout Canada are still thriving. Riders are still out in the parks, in the streets, and people are still digging to keep their trails alive. Riders are banding together to produce DVDs, edits, and mixtapes that represent their scene and friends that are uniquely their own . People are taking more pride in their immediate realm of BMX, where they live, and who they ride with, which is an amazing thing that hasn’t faded (i.e. World Deece, DWOK, BMXFU, Presence, Business, Imported, Da Peg Show, Repset, Curb Wizard, ICC, Ant Life, etc.). Riders are still traveling, putting on jams, attending contests (where there are any), filming, taking photos, and more. When these core things of what makes BMX so strong start to erode it may be time to worry, but for now I think BMX in Canada is still stronger than ever and we feel its our duty and privilege to share that with our audience.

2013 for us was a great year. We added some new contributors to the site, and while our readers and viewers have grown we have shared more of the best of Canadian BMX with you. Similarly our readers, fans, and friends have supported us more than ever this year and sent us plenty of videos, photos, and content. You have purchased the limited products we do make that help make running this site and the projects we do possible. We’ve put on more online contests with our sponsors for some great prizes (both big and small) and you guys have entered and responded in a huge way. We truly thank all the readers that have visited our little corner of the internet in the last year, and make the hard work that we put in to this site worthwhile.

Traditionally we have compiled a list of the top 10 most popular features/videos that we’ve brought you in the previous year, based on our web analytics and statistics of how many views something has gotten. This year we’ve decided to go a different route and bring you a review of all the great exclusive features that we’ve worked on and shared in the last year from us and the editors and filmers that are involved with Northern Embassy. Take a look below where we track the last year on Northern Embassy from last January to December, and we look forward to doing even more in 2014.

(more…)

31 Dec

Posted at 01:06h in archive by

Damn, there’s something in the water in Winnipeg. Da Peg Show is back with this banger 5 minute mixtape. Even fresh off the heels of the Colin ‘N Franz edited from a few weeks ago, these guys produced an amazing new edit. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, Shawn Franz is a name you should remember. The hop 5 at the 5:00 mark was a move of grace, and you either have grace or you don’t. Lots of great riding from him, Louelle Smith, Colin Thiesen (butt slide at 1:07), Wayne Hartman, and plenty more.

30 Dec

Posted at 01:02h in archive by

Hip Table

Joe Prisel – hip table

With the demise of the Igloo and the closing of Skatebarn in Washington, the Northwest has been left with a shortage of indoor parks for more than a year. Rainy street sessions and, maybe more commonly, snowboarding have been the norm. This situation is about to change. Over the past few months, Joe Prisel has been building a masterpiece in a highway-side warehouse in Northern Washington.

The older crowd may know Joe as an original Chenga local who rode in the BS contests around the turn of the century. Joe had a long riding career in both BMX and mountain bikes, but perhaps more impressive is his career as a park builder. Joe is the man behind the Lumberyard in Portland, the Flow Skatepark in Columbus, and many of the features at Ray’s Mountain Bike Park in Cleveland and Milwaukee.

Burlington Bike Park follows in the footsteps of Joe’s past work, but this version has an excellent twist. It’s an indoor dirt park, and it’s one of the first in the world. The park itself is what you would expect from an experienced builder with the resources to build whatever he wants. Although the park accommodates all skill levels, the main section of the park features landings stacked eight feet tall and seemingly endless transfer lines.

If all goes according to plan, the park will become a cornerstone of the Northwest scene. The Northwest has long been a region where riders have much in common, but are fragmented by borders and distance. With the quality of the current build, the project’s potential for growth and its central location (about 20 minutes South of Bellingham), the park has the potential to bring riders from across the region together for epic sessions for years to come.

READ THE INTERVIEW

28 Dec

Posted at 07:04h in archive by

39730023
Ben Kaufmann with a long toothpick on a living room ramp.

It’s cold everywhere. You’re full to the brim with food and booze from the past week. Why not party indoors? I dug up this old photo of Ben Kaufmann from three years ago doing just that at the 39C House Jam in Ottawa. Take a trip down memory lane with a video from that party below by Rob Lando, and if you haven’t seen it before maybe it will inspire you to party indoors with your friends this winter.

24 Dec

Posted at 05:08h in archive by

IMG_4339

The fourth and final issue of Union Press is finally complete and now available. Those that aren’t familiar, Union Press is a Canadian BMX newspaper with photos, profiles, stories, and drawings by Brad Hill and Prashant Gopal (myself). After a few hiccups with printing, we’ve finally finished our latest issue, which will also be the last. We’ve put out four issues in the span of two years, and thousands upon thousands of copies in to the hands of riders all over the country. Putting together a paper of this size and scope is not an easy task, but it’s been an incredible learning process the whole time, and a small way to give back to a community and sport that has motivated and inspired us all these years, and all the publications and independent projects that have come before us. While it’s bittersweet to end a print project, shutting it down will allow us to concentrate more energy on our other projects (this website being one of them).

The issue will begin shipping January 2nd, 2014 and be available for free across Canada in better bike shops and is distributed by Ten Pack. Inside you will find a profile on Greg Henry’s Bridgespot, Mike Fiz’s favourite things in Montreal, a joke column from Greg Flag, and a whole lot more from various contributors such as Charlie Coombs, Zach Rampen, Luke Santucci, Charlie Crumlish, Matt Bosco, Riley McMaster, Trent Barker, and Dave Scott. On top of 4 broadsheets full of great photos and content, you’ll also get four fold out posters on the backside from MacNeil, Eclat, BMX Gallery 4130, and BMXFU.

For those that don’t have a reliable bike shop in close distance, or live outside of Canada, you can also order a copy from our online store, which will also come with one of three limited edition stickers. Check out some more photos from some of the spreads below, and look for copies in your local shop soon.

(more…)