Public exposure

I didn't learn to ride a bicycle until I was twelve years old. For some reason one day I just decided to teach myself how to do it, really don't know why. Very shortly after learning I went to a national BMX race and saw one of the racers do a trick called a rock-walk. This is a sequence of flipping the bike 180 degrees on the front tire, immediately followed by 180 degrees on the back tire completing the 360 and allowing you to continue riding in the same direction. I had never seen anyone do that before and it absolutely floored me. At that moment I committed that even though I could barely ride a bicycle in a straight line on both wheels, I would learn how to do a rock-walk.

I became obsessed with that and over the next few weeks I figured out how to do it, and a whole lot of other cool stuff as well. At this time a friend started taking me to watch other people ride. Even though I could already do some pretty good stuff, I would never ride around anyone else. I just sat and watched. The reason? They were better then I was and I wouldn't ride around anyone who was better then I was. I just watched, and I absorbed and I went home and practiced every night for hours and hours. I then got to the point where there wasn't anyone substantially better then I was in the entire state. Then a guy moved to Arizona from California, once again, I was awed by his abilities and once again wouldn't ride around him. But I watched, and I absorbed and every night I went home and practiced what I saw. I learned, and I learned fast but I learned in private.

So why am I bringing this up? Well, something strange has happened. I've developed a new interest, one I'm hoping to someday be good at, but I'm not hiding it. Even though I'm not very good at it yet, there's something about blogging that has driven me to be more open then I usually am. What I'm talking about of course is photography. Over the past few weeks this site has served as a log of my development as I explore the tools and techniques that are all new to me. Once again, I look at other peoples work and am in absolute awe at their ability. My natural inclination is to not post anything until I can equal their skill, yet I've still been posting my own attempts. I'm somewhat perplexed by this and I'm not sure I like it, there's a lot to be said for stealth development. However, blogging changes you in some way. Maybe it's one of those things you'll look back on with regret, maybe with humor and maybe not at all. Regardless, we charge on.

Posted by Kimbro Staken