Monday September 10, 2012 – BMX or some such

Monday September 10, 2012 – BMX or some such


The hill that I camp myself on as you face east towards Neches St. is secured and held up by a retaining wall. To the right of me, facing the condemned house is another retaining wall securing my hill. In front of the retaining wall along Neches St. where a side walk should be, the wall is reinforced by concrete against the wall down to the street at about a 45 degree angle. This is not a walkable situation as one is just as likely to twist an ankle as make it to the other end of the walk.

Being a Monday night, it is the slow, off night for the bars, and thus there is less demand for parking spaces along Neches St.. But not to let the time and engineering marvel go to waste, the BMX bikers made a show of it, although I’m sure if some parents knew what their kids were up to some restrictions would no doubt be forthcoming.

At first three teenage boys showed up on their bikes. They were maybe 14 to 16 years old, and for the most part didn’t do anything too dangerous other than ride along the concrete embankment and a few jumps where the corner meets the road.

Then the older boy brought his bike up to the top of the wall and jumped the bike down onto the concrete embankment and onto the street. I could see he was starting to push himself into skill levels he was not quite ready for. Now understand … They had absolutely NO protective safety gear on. No helmets, No elbow or knee pads – Nothing. He then took his bike up the street about 30 – 40 yards and peddled downhill, gauging his speed, and then turned straight into the embankment attempting to jump to the top of the wall. Most times he failed. Twice he managed to land with peddles on the wall, and then jump the bike back off the wall and down the embankment. It was obvious he had received some physical punishment for his efforts.

Two older boys showed up, about college age. One was obviously the designated photographer. Cell phones are great for that. The other boy, young man, was obviously the experienced biker. He quickly went up the hill, peddling down and turned straight into the embankment and up and over the wall, landing along the ridge of the wall at 90 degrees to his approach. He then pushed his bike pass me, walking it down the drive to my left. He continued in his attempts to jump the wall, but none was as successful as the first. After a dozen or so tries, with varying degrees of success, he too apparently felt the pains of the exercise, gathered his backpack, checked the pictures out and the boys went on their way, peddling west on 8th St..

And even though it is a Monday night, parking is still needed here along Neches St... I saw a guy getting an amplifier out of his car, carried it across the street and had his girlfriend wheel it down to the bar. Well … he had to go back to his car for his guitar … Seems perfectly natural to me. Of course, when they returned, he wheeled it back and she carried his guitar.