Aaron, that seems a little unnecessary. Why do you think that what I've said is based on me being washed up or bitter about what did or didn't happen with my bike riding? I'm certainly not the least bit bitter about the time I spent riding. I like it and still ride sometimes. It's not like I missed out on some huge Nike contract or something. Flatland as a U.S. professional sport has been dead for years, and it's not like there was huge opportunity even when it existed.
I don't think I've ever met many of the Austin guys, from what you say they obviously they don't fit what I was talking about earlier in the thread, so no one should think I'm talking about them.
I can tell you though that I've seen so many crushingly sad stories involving riders my age continually making decisions either directly or indirectly related to the "flatland lifestyle" that screw up their lives. It upsets me so badly I don't even want to ride sometimes, because it makes me see this fun, positive thing as an incredibly negative thing. It's not everyone, but it's a big enough percentage of people I've known to be a concern, especially as we get on towards middle age. Maybe it's not bike riding specifically, but the people drawn to bike riding, I don't know.
You're right though, if someone is happy to only do time machines over and over again straight on into their 60's, not bothering anyone else, but at the expense of all other areas of their entire lives, then whatever, good for them. They're adults, they can make their own decisions. But most reasonable people wouldn't think that's a great decision though, and it's hard to sit here and smile and nod and act like it is.