Speaking of progression , does it get harder to keep up with the progression as you get older ?
Dude , have you noticed I haven ’ t been keeping up ? [ laughs ] I turn 34 this year and I ’ ve been riding at the highest level since I was 17 - and I think I ’ ve pushed a lot of limits . Sometimes I sit there and wonder ‘ is my time up ?’ I ’ ve definitely lost the drive that Harry , Sheeny and Pages have , and I ’ ve accepted that I can ’ t keep up with them anymore . But now my goal is to stay relevant , at the top of my game and operate at a high level . But on a day-to-day basis I ’ m definitely more scared about s ** t : family life changes your outlook and how far you ’ re willing to push it .
I was just about to ask – does having a kid change your mind set at all and make you more risk averse ?
Absolutely it does ! That ’ s the biggest thing for me . Unfortunately , I ’ ve lost a lot of friends doing what I do and it ’ s scary . There ’ re images and pics that stand out in my head , and one that haunts me is when Eigo died and seeing a pic of his son at his casket . That killed me and haunts me to this day .
Basically , I ride freestyle for two reasons : I love it , and I have no other skills to make money and support myself and my son . But honestly , if there was another route , I ’ d probably take it , as seeing and thinking about things like that image of Eigo ’ s son messes with me a lot .
At the same time , Blair gives me a lot of drive . I want to provide for him and give him a great life , and this is how I know I can make that happen .
You kinda touched on it earlier , but you ’ ve been around for a long time . I remember first seeing and hearing about you in 2004 , I think it was .
Yeah my first freestyle event was 2002 and my first X Games was 2004 . That ’ s a long time to operate at this level . It goes by pretty quickly and at the end of the day I still feel good . I do want to keep doing this sport , as it gives me a sense of purpose and value . It makes me feel like I ’ m working hard towards something . u
“ I love where the sport ’ s
at in the way the riders treat each other and aren ’ t hesitant to help each other out .
.................................. I ’ m Adam Jones
HI , I ’ M : Adam Jones I ’ M : 33 I LIVE IN : Reno , NV
I RIDE A : Yamaha YZ250 . There ’ s no point learning how to ride a 450 this late in my career .
I DRIVE A : 2017 Ford F-150
I LISTEN TO : Anything rock related – 80s , heavy metal , Parkway Drive , whatever – it ’ s all good by me .
AND THE LAST MOVIE I WATCHED WAS : Star Wars with my chick , but every night I ’ ll put a movie on and fall asleep .
IF I ’ M NOT RIDING I ’ M : hanging with my son , working out at the gym , eating healthily , playing guitar and playing Call of Duty .
IF YOU SEE ME AT THE BAR , BUY ME : a Coors Light if you ’ re being nice , or a Coors Light and Jamieson if you want me blackout drunk .
Adam Jones