Thursday, November 25, 2010

Fading But Not Forgotten: The Baboons

Fading But Not Forgotten is a piece that I write about some of the older riders that might not be in the scene anymore...but are not going to be forgotten anytime soon. It's also for the newer riders to learn about some of the pioneers of the sport who paved the way for them.





Chances are when I say “Baboons”, you all think of an animal with a bright red ass. However, some of the older riders in the sport associate the word “Baboons” or “Boons” with a group of riders from Lake Tahoe, California. Who might be fading, but are not yet forgotten.

The Boons were commonly recognized as, Jonny Yocum, and Sean Turner. Two close friends who shared a deep passion for Scootering. However there were usually a few other riders that were part of the Boon family at one point or another. Some of them are Kyle Turner, Sean's little brother, Blunt USA Pro rider Erik Feenstra, and Boogs, another chill rider. Before they faded out of the scene, they were all really well known and their riding was loved by many, however it didn't start that way at all. Jonny's first video for example is extremely hard to find and most likely isn't even online anymore. But it showed a rider that had potential, but wasn't the best by any means. The community wasn't too welcoming, and showered it with harsh comments and criticism. It didn't really phase Jonny though, who in time would show that he had one of the most chill mindsets in the sport. He just kept riding, him and Sean.

They started to push themselves more at their local skate park featured in almost all of the Baboon videos that are in this piece. It wouldn't be long before they were boosting everything and hitting new gaps and transfers in every new video. While their riding started to separate them from everyone else, so did their attitudes and outlooks. I've personally rode with Baboons on more than one occasion, and riding with these guys is a real experience. There is so much positivity around these guys that it almost radiates off of them. They are constantly supporting one another with tricks they are trying, and congratulating each other when they land those tricks and if you are at the session, they will be supporting you as well.

It's just how they are. They were so easy going and some of the few honest and down to earth guys in the sport. You'll also probably notice in a lot of these videos, they are usually wearing sweat pants, as opposed to the more common “Jeans” that everyone wears. This was just another thing that set the Boons apart from everyone else. I mean, they had their own language..you simply will not find another group of riders that speak their own made up language, and are the reason that some people in the sport to this day still say "Dank". They were just a group of guys, who loved to go out and ride their scooters. Fame, Sponsorships, Contests, all of that was secondary to The Baboons.

While The Baboons have for the most part vanished from the online scene, and possibly from the sport all together. The memories and videos they left behind have not. I'm sure that everyone who has had the pleasure of riding with these guys like myself, can all say that you walk away from it feeling really lucky to have rode with some truly good people, and amazing riders. They showcased what riding was really about for a lot of us. Just being with your friends, having fun making videos. Supporting each other when you ride, and not being so competitive that it takes all the fun out of riding. Even now, I think some of the new school riders can learn something from these guys.

Felkin Belbelns Beltch.



Written by Steven Tongson




Jonny Yocum MDS 2 Part


Sean Turner MDS 2 Part


Baboon Weekend Video


4 Year Old Baboons Group Video

25 comments:

  1. legends. great post

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  2. i still remmember the babbooons

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  3. my cuzin used to ride with one of them i think johnny but cuzin doesnt ride anymore but ithink there still friends

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  4. jonny ripped his sleeves off at thrillzone 06
    and let me use one of them as a belt to hold up my pants.. haha i still have the peice of shirt!!
    would love to ride with the boon crew once more

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  5. Hell yeah Jake!


    And Jordan...don't lie....You checked this post because you saw it on my Twitter right!!!!! =)

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  6. haha i check i.s like ever 5 seconds on my computer thats why i read it haha and realy my cuzin rode with them they called him scooter johhny i think cuz they bmxed and skated then my cuzin rode ima ask him whathappend to them sense he knows them last time i herd johnny still rode on ocassions :D

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  7. hell yeah miss these guys good article

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  8. I totally fucking use the word dank still. <333

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  9. Hmm long hair flying around?, manuals?, turndowns? That isn't jonny yocum that's alex steadman... oh wait did I see a bri flip? Nevermind, it's not hahahaha. Amazing relic here. I wasn't around for this era but these guys seem like real OG's.
    -Tyler Jones

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  10. Steven,
    Thank you for this article today on Thanksgiving. My boys (9-7) and have been around the sport for a short time. We have become real passionate about the sport of scootering. We really enjoyed reading your article and watching the videos it reminds us of how important it is to respect those that have been there before us. Because of them we enjoy rapidly improving equipment, more frequent competitions,and acceptance in most skateparks. In our short time with in the sport we have been treated very well by the "Old School Scooters" here in the ENDUB. So today on Thanksgiving I want to personally thank those OG's that paved the way.

    Also it helps reinforce what I preach to my boys.

    Work hard..
    Respect the Sport..
    Honor those who paved the way..

    Thank you again
    Korey Kier
    NW SCOOT

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  11. This is what I think of when I think of scooter videos. Steven, you should do a Fading but not forgotten on Matt Pate or Silas Henderson.

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  12. hell yeah, these guys are serious os.
    original scooters.
    sick riding.
    -justin lacosse

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  13. I clicked my IS tab today when I woke up, and as soon as I read the title for this article I was ecstatic hoping that this might mean another comeback for a group of old school riders like CSC. Sadly it was not, but it is a great tribute to the sickest sweatpants wearing guys in the sport.LONG LIVE THE BOOONS!
    MOAR!VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfTPhmhP6TU

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  14. they were the most encouraging and chillest guys ive ever met, i had just barely started taking riding seriously when i met them, and they were killin it way back then! they would always tell me what i was doing was sick, even though it was actually really lame. you couldnt find nicer people

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pq0bXlnsIFI

    this riding would be above average today... check the date

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  15. Amazing Article Steven. Miss those guys

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  16. Korey, thank you very much, that means a lot to hear.

    Same for the rest of all of you. Glad you guys appreciate these pieces.

    Jon, of course I will do Silas and Matt...two of my closest friends in this sport back in the earrrlyyy years haha.

    Thanks again guys...and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

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  17. dude, awesome, u think these would be the z-boys of scooters??

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  18. any chance of getting in contact with them and see whats going on?

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  19. korey said it. the baboons are soo legit.:)

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  20. Big up to tha boons !

    nixon.

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  21. redneck shit right here..

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  22. My friend goes to school in Cali with Jonny and apparently he was riding his scoot flat one day and my friend said oh my friend Jake Hershey rides and he was like WHAT?! YOU KNOW HIM?! Hahaha this was very recently too so I do not think they have faded completely! Definitely NEVER forgotten <3

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  23. we say people like codie or terry are legends but the ones who are nearly forgotten seemed to have had the biggest impacts.i guess you dont appreciate anything till its not there anymore.

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  24. This makes me want to post the Video I have of them rapping in their car.

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  25. Id its more of a trio with Kyle.. Kyle Going not Turner. And KG is riding like never before right now, thats hella funny you give them credit for the word dank! But if you were to put a face on dank it would be the baBBoons

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