When I started riding Flatland BMX back in 1986. The very first trick that I wanted to learn was a Decade. Rick Moliterno was on the cover of the very first Freestyln issue I had ever purchased. He was doing what seemed so impossible at the time. He was captured mid Decade. It looked so very cool and I really wanted to learn how to do it. I didn't have a clue on how the trick was preformed but I knew I could figure it out. I wanted to be the first on out of the crew to pull a Decade. I started the process trying to figure it out. This photo was taken when I was about 19 years old riding on my Mongoose FS1. I had a small idea of what was supposed to happen but it never really translated to much. The first trick I ever pulled on my Mongoose was a Endo then I learned how to do back wheel hops. Decades at that time were just to far out of my reach. No matter how hard I tried I never could seem to get over the head tube. After joining the Army in 87 bike riding went to the bottom of priority and eventually became just a memory somewhere around 92. I had never complete a Decade and didn't ever seem like it was going to happen.
Rad Dad Photo from 1986
When I started riding again in 2003. I thought back to what was going to be my very first trick. I thought to my self at the age of 36, I wasn't able to do it when I was 19 how can I do it now? I had a ton of encouragement on a site I visited regularly http://www.vintagebmx.com/ I had a ton of tips and things to do and what to try while doing them. So I started this process all over again.
2004 Jumping from the ground
I kept trying this over and over again and again. I was getting better and getting closer but still 2004 and almost done with 2005 before that magical day happen. It was Thanksgiving day I had invited Jim McKay over for thanks day dinner. After dinner we went to my local riding spot and we had a session and did some filming. I had tried to pull a decade on film that day for what seemed like 50 tries and I was close but I was ready to stop for the day. Jim said come on Mark just a few more tries. Then it finally happen.
November 24, 2005 My First Decade.
It has been 5 years now since my very first Decade. Out of all the tricks I have learned how to do. This one still gives me great joy when I can complete it. It is still not a dialed trick for me. Now at the age of 42. jumping over the head tube is exhausting. But I can still do it. It felt so good to be able to take this off my list of tricks to complete before I stop riding because of not physically being able to anymore. I encourage you if you have a goal of a trick you want to complete and other people have done it already, don't give up. It may take some time for you to get there but you will get there when you are ready.