Gliding effortlessly through the air, one...two...three...four seconds of flight. Clouds of orange dust billow gracefully behind the back tire. The coughing chainsaw noise of the gas seems to mute when he is airborne—all you can focus on is this perfect defiance of gravity. You don’t even start to ponder the landing or the danger level of the jump until he has already hit the ground.

Julian d'Usseau soars throught the air, performing a stunt called a "Supercan."

Born and raised in the small community of Fieldbrook, Calif., Julian d’Usseau is quickly becoming a well-known name in the freestyle motocross circuit. At only 20 years of age, d’Usseau has toured all over the United States and made appearances at demos and contests in Japan, Canada and Mexico. He was a qualifier in the 2003 Las Vegas X-Games, and he has been sponsored by some of the top motocross and extreme sport companies. Motocross racing is a “form of motorcycle racing held on artificial loose dirt circuits, constructed with many corners and steep bumps from which riders launch themselves high into the air” (Wordiq.com). The goal of motocross racing is to do the most laps in the least amount of time. Freestyle motocross, which developed from motocross racing, is a relatively new sport that concentrates on performing acrobatic stunts while jumping these motorcycles upwards of 50 feet.

Following his bliss

When he is dressed in street clothes, no one would guess that this young man is a force to be reckoned with in the sport of professional freestyle motocross. In his baggy shorts and skate shoes, he looks like just another skateboarder. His shaggy, dirty-blond hair and 5 o’clock shadow show the looseness of his daily existence. He sports three tattoos: Japanese symbols of pride on his hand, a redwood scene on his shoulder and an eyeball falling to earth on his leg. He drives around town in a fairly beat-up black Toyota pickup. The only telltale sign that he may ride motocross is his bike, which is almost always attached securely in his truck bed, and the numerous sponsor stickers that adorn his windshield, his glove box and his steering wheel.

In the hills above Blue Lake, d’Usseau rides on his home training course. It was first built with a shovel when he was younger; now he and his dad use tractor equipment to create an impressive motocross track, complete with a 75-foot jump. He was given his first motorbike at age 11, after years of begging his parents. His parents were both opposed to the idea of him racing in the beginning, but once they saw how much their son loved the sport, they sat back and let him follow his bliss. Now a professional for five years, d’Usseau finally has the freedom to ride and train all day and not work a second job.

“The pay is real good,” he said. “You can make $6,000 in one month, working only four days. But it’s not consistent.”

A short career

“Being able to make a living riding my bike, for as long as I can,” d’Usseau said, is his ultimate goal in motocross. The window of opportunity for motocross riders is limited. Riders in their late 20s frequently retire; riders over 30 are considered “too old” for the sport. One of the main reasons behind this early retirement is the sheer bodily anguish these athletes endure on a daily basis. According to an MXracer Motocross Magazine interview with Dr. Arthur Ting, a well-known sports doctor, motorcycle racers not only have the highest pain threshold, but also want to come back sooner from injury than athletes in any other sport.

Top motocross racer Carey Hart, who is known for landing the first back-flip during a competition, has broken more than 20 bones while riding. Motocross superstar Mike Metzger, nicknamed “The Godfather” because he is one of the founders of freestyle motocross, has broken his back three times, both his femurs, and his arms several times.

“At first you get that almost-scared feeling and then you just do it... once you’re in the air, it is a total adrenaline rush. -- Julian d'Usseau

“When you’re hurt, lying on the ground, you say ‘F--k this, I am never going to do this again’…but then you get to the hospital, get drugs for the pain and ask the doctor when you’ll be able to ride again,” d’Usseau said. He also has had his share of injuries. He has broken both of his arms, one of his feet, four vertebrae, his jaw, back and one of his femurs.

“When I broke my femur, it hurt more than anything I’ve ever felt in my whole life,” he said.

D’Usseau recovered quickly from all of his injuries. When he broke his back in January, he was only out for three months. Although he seems to be a fearless creature with a no-quit attitude, d’Usseau is not without hesitation. He has known several riders who have almost died doing the same things he does daily. His biggest fear is that he will “be hurt permanently.”

D’Usseau said that motocross racing is far more dangerous than freestyle because they are racing with 40 other riders for two 30-minute races. Races are an all-contact sport with many collisions and pileups of riders and their bikes.

“It’s way easier to get hurt in races, but in freestyle, if something goes wrong, you’re 30 feet in the air,” d’Usseau said, illustrating the fact that freestyle is not without its hazards.

When riding in Mexico City during a demo, something did go terribly wrong: his bike ran out of gas while going off a jump. He threw his body over the handlebars in an attempt to miss getting hit by his 230-pound bike. In what seemed like a guardian-angel moment, the bike crashed inches away from his head.

Although d’Usseau is in the beginning phase of his career, he knows that he should start planning for the future. His medical insurance plan runs out when he turns 23 and, if he is not doing really well at that point, he may retire then.

“My back surgery alone cost over $50,000,” he said. “There is no way I would continue riding without insurance.”

Moving forward

When he retires, d’Usseau plans to continue working in something involving motocross. He would like to either open up a shop or a track in Humboldt County.

	D'Usseau poses with his bike somewhere in the redwoods of Blue Lake.

D’Usseau, who never attended college, said he has gained real-world experience by riding professionally. He has made contacts with people all over the world and learned the business side of professional sports. Although many riders have their own agents, d’Usseau has taken on that role himself, and has succeeded in putting together a portfolio. Last year, he made roughly $27,000 from the combination of various race winnings, sponsorships and demos.

The future looks bright for this Humboldt native. He recently got the sponsorship of the well-known clothing company SMP, and is working on getting more sponsors for 2005. He has been featured in several major motocross magazines and people are still knocking on his door for more photo shoots and stories. D’Usseau is sponsored by Mike Metzger, one of his role models, and trains at Metzger’s house frequently. He is living his dream and living it well.

If you’re ever up in the mountains of Blue Lake and you think you hear the distinct noise of a chainsaw, it may be Julian d’Usseau practicing his Supercans, a seat-grab and leg-punch move, one that he is known for nailing at competitions and demos throughout the world. You’ll be lucky to catch a glimpse of him, though, because he is only in town for half the year, and when he is here, he is a reclusive character. All of his free time in Humboldt County is spent hanging out with friends, training, and skateboarding. The dedication and training required by freestyle motocross is very demanding. D’Usseau plans on continuing doing his death-defying jumps until he is financially attuned and ready to start his own motocross project for the next generation of fearless riders.