Friday, June 20, 2008

The Backwheel in a Riot Magnum


The Backwheel. The Backwards Freewheel. A Reverse Freewheel. The Switchwheel...No actually the Switchwheel might be a splitwheel freewheeled, now that I think about it. Yes, that's what a Switchwheel would be. This is a Backwheel.

My good buddy BK, as in Bryan Kirk, not Booger King, took these outrageous shots of me last summer (N. Hemisphere summer that is.) The stage is set at Pummel Falls on the Potomac River at last year's Po-toe-Mac-n-Cheese Fest. (No baked potatoes smothered and covered with Mac-n-Cheese were actually served at the Fest, although it was quite a good time!) I received them recently, and thought some of you cowboys and cowgirls out there might be keen on viewing them. So before we begin I'll say THANKS to Bryan for being hot on the trigger, as well as shooting them down under to me! Chur bro!


It is a common misconception about the Backwheel that it is what you do when you are scared and don't want to look as you go off a waterfall. That is what freewheeling is for. If you think about it, when you freewheel, you look down at the lip as you go off, and then look upstream...you never have to look down! Backwheeling is quite different.


This Backwheel was done out of anger, spontinuity, and curiosity. When I got back up to the top after hucking, Bryan was like..."Bro I got a picture of you doing that where you can see the whites of your eyes!" If people on the bank can't see the whites of your eyes while you are backwheeling drops, you probably aren't going to land them. Spot yer landing ya'll!!!


Patience is an invaluable tool while kayaking. The Backwheel requires much patience. At this point though, fluidity kicks in, your body un-winds and you raise the roof because just for a split second all is good and well in life.


Take that, rewind it back, the Magnum got the beat to make yo booty go CLAP!

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