Although I’ve met a lot of unique individuals for these articles, our interviews have had a few inevitable common themes. Interestingly, one of them is that the sport in question is always compared to football. Perhaps the easiest way to explain a unique sport to outsiders is to compare it to the most commonly known sport in the country. However, none of my subjects until now can claim, in a way, to have NFL experience. Jeff Jones and his BMX company Hell on Wheels can claim just that thanks to their many halftime performances, including one at the big game itself.
I first saw them at Piscataway, New Jersey's National Night Out celebrations the last two summers, and again at a concert event in Clark last Fall. They will even practice outside their compound at many local skate parks.
But even the biggest enterprises start somewhere. Jeff became a pro skateboarder at age 10 and traveled around the world in the 80’s and 90’s doing what he loved. He eventually retired and opened a few skate parks. Then he decided to start Hell on Wheels because he and his friends, “were just trying to do anything to not have a job”. Originally they more or less goofed off but over time came to build up a big following, growing the business and gaining big sponsors in the process. It’s ironic, Jeff pointed out, that running the business he created to get away from working, “has become a fulltime job”.
Said time is mostly spent promoting, booking, and marketing Hell on Wheels. Physically setting up the show? They’ve got that down to a science. Their ramp, which used to be small and pulled by a golf cart, is now a $50,000 vehicle that can travel up to 60 mph to get into position and is modeled off an Abrams tank. This and their other equipment are carried in an old NASCAR tractor-trailer. So what looks like hours of prep actually only takes a few minutes.
Although they’ve primarily focused on bikes over the years, Hell on Wheels is starting to work in skateboarding and other stunt sports. “We’re trying to do everything,” said Jeff. “We’re gladiators,” in these sports, all the while promoting a safety first attitude. Football makes a great comparison here as well: Jeff argues that BMX is actually a lot safer than football because, “we don’t like big hits. With us, people are happy when we don’t get hurt.”
Certain tricks the audience might be scared of might not actually be that difficult. For example, Jeff said that while crowds look at the back flip in awe, “once you learn them, they’re easy”. Riding backwards and other small, technical moves can actually be much more difficult even though they look simple.
These moves are on display at any Hell on Wheels show, from Stelton Road in Piscataway to the Jaguars halftime show in Jacksonville. For the later-size show, waiting to come out can be intimidating. “When you’re in the tunnel it feels like two hours,” said Jeff. But once you get out there, “it’s just us and it’s great”. Even the mascot did a jump!
But of course, Jeff isn’t the only person in Hell on Wheels that makes this dynamic operation possible: he has a staff and a steady flow of young talent. Where do new riders come from? Often the seed is planted when a young kid attends his or her first Hell on Wheels show. “You see it in their eyes,” said Jeff, “when they see the show and get inspired.” It ignites a fascination with the sport that they’ll want to pursue.
One of those kids was Eddie Rovi, pictured. Now he’s 13 years old and is already standing out from an already talented group of young riders. Jeff envisions him as the leader of a “new wave” that could one day take Hell on Wheels by storm.
So be sure to see Hell on Wheels when it rolls into your town. Check out hellonwheels.com to learn more about them and look out for their new clothing line. In the meantime, Jeff encourages everyone to find a local skate park, give it a shot, and be safe!
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