What have you been up to lately?
Austin:Been getting accustomed to the sweaty Florida weather and working on some video projects here in the Miami Area. Dabbling in Real-Estate and shredding everyday!
Can you list the places/countries you visited since the beginning of the year 2011?
Austin:
Los Angeles, CA (4 Times)
Montreal, Quebec
Boston
Woodward Camp, PA
New York City, NY (3 Times)
Paris, France
Tom's River, NJ
Greenville, NC
Shanghai, China
San Francisco, CA
The Bahamas
Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Fl
Woodward West, CA
Austin, TX
I think I got 'em all in there.. haha
Tell us a good story from being on the road?
Austin: Before I moved all the way south to Miami from Greenville, I decided to take a road trip the farthest north in North America I had been. So I loaded up the Audi Wagon with as much BMX, Camping and Snow Gear I could pack and drove north to explore the mountains north of Montreal Quebec in -25 F' weather. When I got to the Canadian Border, the Border Patrol saw a California ID, a North Carolina address, and Chinese Currency from a previous trip in my car and didn't believe my road trip story. I think they thought I was a spy. They emptied all my luggage onto the ground and stripped the car while I stood and watched nearly at gunpoint. I almost froze. Calm down Canada, I just like road trips.
What was it like being on Times Square for a BMX contest?
Austin: The Air in the Square comp was amazing! At 42nd St and Broadway at Times Square in New York City, you kind of feel like you are in the biggest arena in the world. In an area of the city so rich with history and media, you kind of feel like the whole world is watching you every time you drop in. It went even better than everyone anticipated. and on top of it all, the "tough New York crowd" loved BMX!
You recently moved to Florida. What’s it like living at a place with a swimming pool and ramps in the backyard?
Austin: Florida is awesome. I really think it might be the only other place a Southern California native should be living. By the time I moved out of Greenville I was definitely ready to be back near the metropolis. I was headed back to LA originally, but Mike Spinner and I started talking a bunch and I ended up at his place. The scene here is hands down amazing. Its hard to believe I have my bedroom, the pool, my friends, and the skatepark all within 50ft of each other. On top of that, the most famous beach spots and music venues in the world are all within a 20 min drive. I've been schmoozing around South Beach lately and having a great time. There's so much to get in to. If we could turn down the heat, humidity, and mosquitoes a little bit, it almost feel like Southern California haha.
What does a perfect day for you look like?
Austin: If I'm in town, I'd wake up at 12…ish. Prepare a big breakfast; fresh fruits, eggs, ground coffee. Its hard to get those things on the road prepared the way you like them. I try to stay busy with lots of small projects anything from real estate to party planning, so I'd then hit the computer desk for a bit and chat on the phone or handle any emails or business. Then its off to the beach with friends, or a book, to take a nap, or all three. In florida it stays pretty warm during the day so the sessions happen in the late afternoon. I'd ride around 5 till sunset, hit the shower, grab dinner and invite some friends over. If I'm out of town the perfect days include a passport, a plane, a train, a cafe and meeting a smiling new face.
Do you feel like you’re living the dream?
Austin: Depends on who's dream we're talking about.. haha. I'm not sure the 54 year old accountant down the street ever dreamed of doing 3 flips in his backyard. Mine? absolutely.
You’ve been commentating at BMX comps before. Is that something you like doing? Is this something you would like to keep doing in the future?
Austin: I enjoy the commentary a lot.. I always try to have fun a contests but with all the things going on, sometimes its easy get stressed out. Doing commentary allows me to step out of the roll of being an athlete, become a fan again and pass on that excitement to the listeners. If I can't psych people up about BMX by riding it, watching and talking about other guys shredding it is the next best thing. I think I'll do more events.
What’s your take on the Megaramp events that are popping up more often?
Austin: Megaramp is an event I didn't really understand at first. It always seemed unnecessarily dangerous to take ramp that was originally designed for "stunts" and have a competition on it. But if you think about it, thats pretty much how all ramp contests started. After I rode the Mega Ramp, I gained a different perspective. From the first Mat Hoffman and Danny Way videos I saw I thought it was a silly, terrifying beast. And after seeing it in person, there's no way I would of guessed I'd be seasoning and competing on it. After the initial fear is gone, it really is a fun ramp, and I see a lot more potential for growth. Like any kind of ramp riding, you have to know your boundaries, respect the ramp, and take the right precautions. After that, game on its all fun from there!
You could basically ride at any contest out there whether it’s Park, Street, Dirt, or Megaramp. How’s your flatland these days?
Austin: My flatland definitely needs some work, but that's not going to keep me from entering a comp if someone told me I could haha. One of the reasons I got into BMX was because you could ride it over almost anything obstacle, anywhere. I grew up watching guys like Dave Mirra, Jay Miron, and Rob Nolli take the word FREEstyle to heart, and I thought that was awesome. I figure if riding 1 thing is fun, riding 5 different things will be 5 times more fun. I never try to limit myself, maybe racing is next? Totally kidding, ..although I think I can pedal pretty fast..
Thanks for your time Austin. Any shout outs?
Austin: Freddie, Jeanette, and Nick Coleman. California Dreamin.
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Pics provided by Austin Coleman from Jeff Brockmeyer, Vital BMX, DEW TOUR and private collection.