Troy Dog
Look at you and look at us getting older, slower, and in Slaw Dog’s case, DUMBER with age. The sad truth is, we aren’t kids anymore and we’ve seen generations in this sport come and go. Heck, it seems like just yesterday Jett Reynolds was on a 50cc and now he’s graduated to the big leagues on his Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki.
The video I chose this week has nothing to do with Reynold’s, but I wanted to make a remark on how fast time is going. It’s insane. This week I chose one of the first vlogs that I can remember in this sport. Yes, vurbmoto should get credit for starting the vlog phase. Ryan Walters, who as you know was one of our OG talents, filmed his buddy Tyler Bereman on his drive from California to Georgia for the 2010 Vurb Classic. This is the original Eastbound and Down moto series.
I realize I’m a little late on the Vurb Classic pump up (I’m sorry Bird Dog) but this is a cool video series to go back and watch. I first met Tyler (and Walt) separately at Oak Hill in 2010, which was only six months or so prior to this series. Tyler was posted up in the same van in this video with NCY sponsored Yamahas in the back. I remember somehow just walking past his van and Tyler got out and instantly started a conversation with me. I had never really heard his name before, but from talking with him for quite a bit and hanging out with him at that Spring National I knew he was a good dude.
That summer he went on to win the Collegeboy Championship at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch. He spent the majority of the week hanging out with the Vurb crew and he made a name for himself.
If you were to tell me 11-12 years ago that Bereman would be a Red Bull athlete and one of the biggest names in action sports I wouldn’t have believed you. That isn’t because I’m hating on Bereman I promise you that. He’s worked so hard on his bike skills and earned that Red Bull helmet and everything he has by pushing the limits in free riding. I say I wouldn’t have believed you because to make a living in the free riding world is super difficult and that’s why only a handful of riders make a living that way. I’m proud of him and his success that he’s had, especially with his Red Bull Imagination events. He’s at a place in life where he wants to give back to the sport that’s given him so much and that’s rad.
Bereman has seen and done so much this past decade that I’m not quite sure he’d remember me too much. However, he’s probably the same ol’ Bereman that got out of that van at Oak Hill and was stoked to meet somebody new even if it was a nobody like me.
Watch this series of Eastbound and Down and see the humble beginnings of an action sports star. You won’t be disappointed.
