Grizz Trails- Kalamazoo MI

Michael Lawless-grizzfather
interview/photos- www.tbvophoto.com

 When and why did you move to Kalamazoo MI? 

I moved to Kalamazoo in Late August 2004 to attend college at Western Michigan University. I was raised in Marquette, Michigan in the Upper Peninsula, on the shores of Lake Superior.  I chose Western Michigan because of its business school and for the fact that Kalamazoo has great riding terrain.  During my freshman year of college, I was engulfed in a heavy BMX scene with some of the best riders from all around the state who were also attending school at WMU.  I couldn’t have been happier.  Those guys turned out to be some of my favorite people. They heavily influenced me to become the person I am today.

When did you decide to build your own trails?

People moved away and we needed a new spot to build and ride. Kalamazoo has great dirt. Pat Kempany, Dave Moon and I started a set of jumps called “The Trail Builders Union” or “The Union” for short. We all had jumps in our hometowns, but we came together to build a new set in Kalamazoo. The first set went through a V branch in tree. We had a couple jumps, a fast berm and some rollers within the first month.  But the property owner found out and made us tear them down for liability reasons. 

   I was motivated to build another spot because from experience I understand the importance of having a place to call your own. I knew of a set of woods across the street from our college house with amazing dirt. The next spring (April 2006) I started digging there.  At first I just wanted to build a pump track, but after the first few rollers I went all in a started building the original mainline known today as “Heart and Soul” (a white knuckle downhill line). I built and rode that line almost totally solo for the first year and a half. Then Jeff DeGryse moved back to Kalamazoo and he and I formed “The Grizzly Trail Blazers”.  We would always dig and chew Grizzly for fun and the name just stuck.

Can You Describe the Woods?

The Grizz is a located on a slanting piece of property about an acre in size on the north side of Kalamazoo.  The openly spaced paths in the woods allowed for multiple line options.  We have one main start point that filters into several options.  The two main lines are "Heart & Soul" and "Jurassic Park". In total there are 17 different lips, 13 landings,  5 transfers, 7 berms, 2 dirt spines, 1 roll in, 1 tree stand, 1 fire pit, 1 bow and arrow target range, 1 hammock, 2 walrus’ (hybrid landing stacking method), 150 yards of watering hose, tons of underground drainage and hundreds of empty Grizz cans. 

Did you map out the line layout in your mind, or did the lines form themselves as time progressed?

The lines defiantly formed themselves. We had a rough idea of where we wanted to end up, but we used the natural layout of the land to dictate the flow. I believe it is important to use the land to your advantage, working as a team with Mother Nature. 

Lawless laying it flat on JPs

Was there a large group of builders involved?

No, the first year and half I built almost totally solo, with the scattered help of one or two others. My close friend and true U.P. native Phil Crabb moved into the house during the first full summer of digging. We both had jobs roofing in Kalamazoo and after work we would drink beers and dig at the trails. I have to hand it to Crabby, because he dug all summer knowing he would be moving 8 hours north at summers end. The second year Jeff DeGryse aka The Savage moved back to Kalamazoo and wanted to come help dig. To be honest, at first I was a bit skeptical because no local ever really helped me dig for more than a few days. But that proved to be the first and last time I would ever doubt D-Gryse of anything. That dude has some serious motivation to “Get sick with it” as he calls it. Jeff and I formed an epic duo that pushed one another to build bigger and better trails with each session behind the shovels.  After the end of that second year, D-Gryse convinced a dude named Dan “Tractor” Dorinski to move across the state and join the G.T.B. “transforming the scene into a triple threat”. Believe me if someone nicknamed “Tractor” wants to come help you dig your trails, expect big things. The three of us dug or rode almost every day for the next 2 years. Towards the end of the trails’ life D-Gryse, Tractor, and myself lived together in an apartment coined the “Grizz Den”. We lived a non-stop life of digging and riding trails accompanied by the religious viewings of every Detroit Red Wings hockey game. 

High road repair

Did you organize any jams?

The first jam we tried to organize, almost no one showed up. We couldn’t believe it! So we never really had any jams after that for a long time. We just kept our secret underground, reaping all the benefits for ourselves. I had worked for Red Bull Energy Drink on WMU’s campus marketing the brand to students when I got the idea to host a branded BMX Jam at our trails. It turned into a statewide jam at 3 sets of trails with the final session at the Grizz. For the first time in 2 years we had more than 4 people out to ride. That was one of the best days of riding at our spot. Ted and Jeff both trained 360’s over “Soul” the biggest double at the trails to end the 2008 season. It was by far the sickest thing that ever went down there in my mind. This past summer, our close friend and former Michigan destroyer Dan Closser got hitched and everyone from college was back in “The Mitten” in attendance. Before and after the wedding we jammed out the Grizz for one final time with “Old K-ZOO Crew”. It was great to be able give back to all those guys who accepted me into their scene so many years ago. 

How did the trails affect your studies @ college? 

Savage pulling back on HEART

I was a pretty busy student in college. I worked 20 hrs a week supervising in a cafeteria on campus for all 4 years. I also worked 10+ hours a week as a brand manager for Red Bull. I always had a full time schedule in the business school and a great girlfriend throughout college. I found myself digging at night a lot with Jeff and Tractor in the spring. I could almost always ride all weekend if I wanted to, but spent the majority of the days digging. I don’t think the trails ever affected my studies in a negative way. I was always pretty good with time management. However, the trails did affect the way some students in my class perceived me. Sometimes I would ride the quick mile and half home in between classes in the fall and take 10 quick runs through Heart and Soul, then ride the mile and half back to my next class on campus. I would always show up sweaty, panting, and usually dirty as hell.   It was awesome to know that 30 minutes prior I was flying through the woods like a bird, flowing trails while my peers were trying to find a place to park their Mustang or worrying about what party they were going to later. I think having such a positive hobby like BMX makes you appreciate the finer things in life…like pulling back on a set of dubs. 

Why after the completion of all the lines did you decide to move away?

This was by far the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make. How could I leave The Grizz,  after 4 and half years of digging. It seemed like I had everything, great trails that were finally finished and an awesome girlfriend of 3 years. Well if you are familiar with Michigan you will know that its hurting pretty bad right now with the economy. It was exactly the wrong place for a recent college grad with a business degree to be living. I had taken numerous trips to the Pacific North West and became absolutely intrigued by the forests and mountains out there. Michigan rules, and it’s a great place to raise a family but I found it very hard to land a job I was stoked on. I recently bought an Astro Van, loaded all my belongings inside and hit the road in search of something fresh. Letting go of the trails was a major decision, but they will always be with me in spirit. I can close my eyes and imagine hitting all the lines, because I’ve done it so many times.  In a way it’s kind of cool to work for years at something and one day put it to rest. 

Are you a Grizzly Trail Blazer for LIFE?

I will always be a Grizzly Trail Blazer. 

Tractor finding his flow...

Thanks?

Jeff DeGryse, Dan Dorinski, The Van Orman brothers, Phil Crabb, Jaclyn Bolinger for always being so supportive, Cale Christi, Pat Kempany, Dan “Steamer”  Anderson for being the best dude to ever live next to trails, Range-you old kooky bastard, Luke Mc Gerry, Dave Moon, Dane Beardsley, Dan Closser, Jenna Ulmer Ludeman at Red Bull, Glenn Seals, Bryce Harron, Sean Newton, Jeremy and Jarred Ball, Ken Ball, Grizzly, Pabst Blue Ribbon, anyone who shot photos at the Red Bull Jam, and all the cops who knew about the trails and didn’t give a rip. Cheers to all the builders out there who let me have a go on their home turf throughout the years and in the future!

BMX is about BUILDING your own scene!

To many talkers out there

not enough builders

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