I'm by no means a BMXer, but since I can't MTB while I am deployed I had my awesome team Mojo Wheels from Denver, CO ship me a couple BMX bikes to play around on to blow off some steam when I'm not on mission looking for bombs and bad guys. This was some moon dust right outside our tents that I slid into :)
Selected by Matt Wragg - What better way to relieve the stress of running missions in a dangerous area like Afghanistan, than to smash some skids in the dust!
Im from canada, but i have massive respect for anyone serving the well being of their country. All the time young men and women are putting their lives on the line, to serve their country and provide freedom, and protect their family and fellow people.
To this soldier, Salute from canada, happy new year, and may god shed safety on you and your team in Afghanistan.
@sk8erstrt i cant believe you dont have any respect for these troops protecting their country, and fyi, hes not on a trail, hes in the middle of the desert if you look real close, you dunce
Thank you all for all the comments...I'm sitting here in my tent right now and all of the sudden I'm getting email after email in reference to this pic and wondering why so I get on here and see it's POD I really appreciate all the love and support from not only the Americans following this, but all others outside of the US giving me shout outs..I feel so honored to serve for the freedom of our great nation that allows us to safely enjoy riding bikes. This is a BMX, but what I love the most is DH. I ride for the most amazing team ever, MOJO WHEELS, and will be racing CAT 1 this upcoming season after I return from this awesome place of chaos. Again, thank you for all the love and support...shred on...u can also follow my DH endeavors on youtube if you search for Matthew Dzuricky...God bless
ok JOs w your slogan non sense GTFO......I just ETSd last 9 months at FOB Joyce so I imagine you too probably look at all those crazy mountains wanting to ride..best part of pic is seeing a SFC getting to it on a bike! Awesome stay safe....
my brother just joined the marines about 6 months ago. before that, we didnt have anyone in our family currently serving..
i must say, it has opened my eyes in ways i never thought possible. all my life ive had this little brother looking up to me and wanting to be like me (which is a horrible idea), now my little brother is my hero and i look up to him. (as well as anyone serving.)
17 years of service, 16 years for your wife, and 8 tours between the both of you! My wife and I cannot thank you both enough for your service. As we sit here on this New Years Eve relaxing on our couch, I can't help but think of you two and I'm overwhelmed with humility and gratitude for the sacrifice you both have made to aid in the freedom we enjoy tonight. God bless you both and may you both have a wonderful and happy new year!
Was about time someone ain't all "thank you for your service for my beloved freedom"... From what i heard of some Canadian over there in mission few years back, they were more destroying freedom and protecting "strategic area"(read economicly benefical area for north america)... Still...this kind of picture remember me that what ever your political/military/economic/whatever toughs are, we all belong to the mtb community.
My personal opinion on war is that it is only just when its civil to be honest, but they are the most brutal wars of all. Otherwise from a political viewpoint then if your cold hearted then yeah war is good. Ultimately the old empire system worked, and it did bring progression to so many countries. Its the current start shit then pull out attitude i have no respect for or understanding of. (now i know my wording can be off sometimes, so dont neg prop me if something comes across wrong, ask me about that point and i will try to explain my thinking on that. if you dont agree with that then feel free to neg prop that haha)
From what you heard from some Canadian over there...now stop right there please...ONE, you will never catch myself nor any of my Soldier's demanding anyone's thanks for anything, but it is apparent you fail to understand who we are as a whole. We, Soldiers, do not chose our paths, they are chosen for us. We serve selflessly leaving our family and loved ones behind over and over and over and over to walk the path that we were ordered to walk. It baffles me when I come across such negativity from people that have never been a Soldier that know so much. My men and I do not walk around with our hands out looking for freebies or pity from a single sole. I will tell you what we do though. We roam the streets of Afghanistan looking for roadside bombs hoping to find them before they find us or another innocent victim. I have been two Iraq twice, and here once doing the same job. I am not here for any personal gain, and definitely not here for financial gain. Do not attempt to compare the motive of a Soldier and a government as one. Soldiers are far more different than any government official. You seem typical though, you base your opinion off of something you heard not something you know. Do you fall for all the propaganda passed around on Facebook too? Instead of glorifying someone putting someone down why not keep your negative comments to yourself. War is inevitable, it has been here since the beginning of man, and will continue to be here until the end. I would appreciate it if you attack the decision makers if you disagree rather than the innocent Soldier that simply says send me year after year after year. How about you take a selfie and just maybe you will get POD, but in the meantime keep flapping your jaw about people you don't know at all.
I have served over 17 years to my country, and will always stand tall. My wife has served 16. We have a total of 8 deployments between the two of us. We have a beautiful daughter who just turned 12. We have a great love for people, yet we are not doormats for foolishness at all. This picture was not intended as a political statement. It is what I do no matter where I am and that is ride bikes because I feel free when I shred. Keep your stanching political crap where it belongs, and that isn't here. What a slap in the face your comment was ole Gabe. Happy New Year homie....
Nicely put Matthew. Have a safe new year out there.
There's a time and a place for political debate and it isn't here. Any more unsolicited, ill-informed opinions will be deleted.
I appreciate it Matt. I try to not let myself get personally involved in any debates politically, especially on the internet, but I have been through a lot of ups and downs the past decade fighting these wars. I have lost many close friends, and had to police up a lot of limbs off of the ground because of the job I do so it hasn't always been full of glory. I don't expect everyone to understand what we do or go through, but I hope for people to be a bit more humble and understanding of what they think they may know. Long story short, the media has a very manipulative way of twisting the truth to win votes for this or that 24/7, and we are thrown under the bus for things we have absolutely no control over. The world we share is definitely changing a ton so I'm just glad I have an escape into the mountains away from all the foolishness that has recently become acceptable. Soon I will retire and have a sweet manly beard. AWWWW, let the good times roll...
Right, I've deleted a few comments now, on both sides of the fence. We apparently have a wonderful forum where you can chat about politics to your hearts content, should you so wish.
Amen, mdzuricky, you're a well-spoken man. Many thanks to you and your family, stay safe and know you're incredibly appreciated. God bless and Happy New Year
Thanks Matt-W, saw this topic-landmine about to explode a mile away. Can't we just give the guy an internet-high-five and thank him for serving this country and leave it at that??
Matt, I want to thank you for censoring (deleting) my comment in regards to my fellow serviceman. I, a marine, was merely giving gratitude to my fellow brother, and you chose to delete my comment.
I USED to come to pinkbike because it was the ONE place I could go without having to deal with politics, censorship, picking sides. but you, Matt Wragg, ruined that for me, along with that poorly written "letter to america". I get it, you were TRYING to be cheeky, but you failed, MISERABLY. If it were actually funny, it would've been a good read, but it was not.
hey! that is a job well done! Thank You for your service and for this shot too. The numbers have probably already turned 2014 in where You are, so best wishes for the coming year, be safe around bombs and bad guys and keep on shredding!
PS: wonder if You come across any Estonian unit in Afghanistan, wish them well from home too!
Matthew, for all of us that have deployed, whether in peacetime or not, there are times when you just need to go out and blow off a little steam... Glad you can shred a little dirt now and then. Be safe on this deployment, wish you and yours the best Season's Greetings and a quick return home. Semper Fi.
I like the one where he is falling as well. Nothing political about it, just shows men having fun when they can. I would post the image number, but it's hard to find while on the mobile.
Now that is a soldier for ya, where there is a will there is a way. Improvise... Now if he could just fond a way to mount the SAW!
signed 2WZ vet! Tear it up!
I meant to say the BEST photo but unfortunately I was ever so slightly intoxicated when typing the above. never mind Happy New year and God Bless you all
When I was on a long vacation out of country I bought myself a BMX bike rather than a mountain bike because it was cheaper and there were no real MTB trails around where I was at. BMX is less maintenance and easier for transport too. All I had was flat ground around me and time to kill, so the BMX seemed like a good option. The plan was it would help me develop new and different bike skills. But I am in no way a fan of a rigid jump bike, they are very hard on the upper body.
Dude, your progressive disdain for the military is showing... He's a better man than you could ever hope to be. On this forum, just let him be a fellow biker. Go elsewhere to hate on war and the brave men who fight them.