40+ONEWHEEL Rider Spotlight - "Bart Miller"
One of my favorite people in the Onewheel Community is unequivocally Bart Miller.
Everyone knows Bart Miller. Even if you think you don’t know Bart Miller, you actually do. Simply search for “Bart Miller Onewheel” on YouTube, and you will be taken to the most viewed Onewheel video clip of all time!
I remember my first interaction with Bart in 2020. I had just started riding, and like many of us, began to film my progression. I was so proud of my first video, but I wouldn't dare post it to any of the Onewheel Facebook Groups! I was a nobody beginner rider. There was nothing “stokeworthy” about my clip. It was just me riding around with a stupid grin on my face.
But one day, I posted it anyway… I fully expected to be mocked or ignored by the internet, but that’s not what happened. The very first person that showed up to acknowledge me was, of course, Bart Miller. In my video description, I remember making self-deprecating statements like, “I don’t know who’s gonna watch this thing, but here it is.”
But that’s when Bart chimed in saying, “Kyle, I loved your video. Keep making them. And even if no one else watches them, I WILL WATCH THEM!”
And that was my very first interaction with my friend Bart Miller.
Honestly, I’ve always wanted to author more “Rider Spotlights” delving more into the lives of riders. But I also knew that the first profile I ever wrote would be on Bart Miller and what he means to the Onewheel Community.
I could write about Bart’s fun-loving nonsensical approach to life or how he's known for riding with an ever present Bud Light in his hand, but I won't... I'd much rather highlight another side of Bart that you might not be aware of.
January 7th was my birthday. And while many people wrote “HB2U” on my Facebook page, Bart chose to reach out to me directly. There sparked a discussion between the two of us. In that conversation, I asked Bart if he ever gets tired of being a raging ball of energy at all the Onewheel Events he attends. I took a screenshot of his answer:
“Thank you Kyle. I take a tremendous amount of stress from the events and the people that are there. I create an environment for them to laugh and feel welcomed and loved. They walk away from me with a big smile on their face and a fresh hug to go along with it.
They then take that and share it with the next person they see. A few people doing this nonstop will change the entire dynamic of an event and can potentially make all the difference to quite a lot of people who came for exactly that ‘feeling’. How could I not give you all I have?”
When I read his text, it solidified for me that, “Bart Miller is my dude.” We think similarly and make life decisions for many of the same reasons, albeit Bart does it with much more flamboyance and flair than I ever will. ð
It is often said that the best part of Onewheel is the community behind it. Bart Miller personifies that community. With so many people attending events chasing their own stoke and happiness, how many people are out there like Bart? Whose first concern is making sure every rider, regardless of skill level, feels welcomed and embraced by the community?
“We have to be good shepherds for the flock because the wolves are out there and there's a hell of a lot more em out there than there are us. I live my life one hug at a time. I truly enjoy the people I meet. I am grateful there are others like yourself who project and protect this beautiful way of living. Thank you ð”
For full transparency, I have NEVER actually met Bart in person. We have never talked face to face or ridden together side by side. I have yet to receive one of his famous “hugs of eternal friendship.” But that just speaks to how large Bart’s legend is, and the kind of presence he brings every day to the Onewheel Community.
Onewheel could and should be a One-Love Community where all of us can come together and experience a life-changing stoke in a safe and welcoming environment.
I believe that Bart Miller is destined to lead that epic charge heading into Onewheel’s future.
And my plan is to simply follow along… as long as I don’t nosedive first. ðĪŠ #onewheel #futuremotion #deftpunx
