RIDING THE MOUNTAIN EXTREME ATHLETES SAVOR NEW GIG.

Byline: ALEX DOBUZINSKIS

Staff Writer

VALENCIA -- Fourteen young skaters and bicyclists have no time for the summertime blues.

They're spending the season flying through the air before enthralled crowds at Magic Mountain, jumping off ramps, landing on rails and speeding across pavement.

"There's no better job than what I love to do," said Byron Paniagua, 18, an in-line skater who won a spot on the Ride the Mountain Action Sports Team at an open tryout.

With in-line skaters, skateboarders and BMX bikers, the team is made up of a motley assortment of extreme athletes.

There's skateboarder Anthony Janow, 19, who has a black tattoo written in Italian that reads "Protect the Ones I Love."

Fellow skateboarder Mike Franklin, 21, has skulls tattooed in a flowing design from his shoulder to his forearm, around which he recently had spots of dried blood where the skin was healing from a new addition.

Then there's BMX biker Mike Montgomery, 20, a devoted Christian who has traveled across the country biking for crowds in outreach shows for his faith.

Going through airport metal detectors can be trouble, since Montgomery has metal screws in his knee and five metal rings connecting an artery to his spleen, from a near-fatal biking injury.

The anterior cruciate ligament in his knee is still recovering.

"It's still torn; I get to wear a snazzy brace," he said, knocking on the brace through his jeans.

On a recent day at the park, dozens of spectators gathered to watch the team put on its show.

The crowd broke into applause as it watched Montgomery do tailwhips with his BMX bike, jumping up in the air and kicking the bike frame in a 360-degree rotation around the front handlebars, then landing with his feet back on the pedals.

The trick is hard enough, but Janow wanted more. He challenged his friend, standing out on the pavement and counting on his fingers each tailwhip until Montgomery got to 10, before the two exchanged high fives.

Seventeen-year-old park visitor Andrew Brent, a skateboarder, was hanging around the team. He plans to try out for the park's upcoming "best trick contest."

Ever the brash teen, Janow challenged Brent, too, trying to get him to skate that day.

"If you get higher than me, I'll give you the job on the spot," he said.

Despite his in-your-face approach, Janow said most skaters are friendly. He was happy to talk about the sport, too, after chatting with a couple of female fans.

"Real skateboarders aren't really troublemakers," he said.

The Action Sports Team performs daily at Magic Mountain until Labor Day.

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2 photos

Photo:

(1) Six Flags' Ride the Mountain Action Sports Team member Mike Franklin of Valencia demonstrates his skill during a show Wednesday at Six Flags Magic Mountain. Go to dailynews.com for more photos.

(2) Six Flags' Ride the Mountain Action Sports Team member Mike Montgomery of San Diego demonstrates his bike-riding skills. He is one of 14 action team members, which includes in-line skaters, skateboarders and BMX riders, who perform daily at Magic Mountain until Labor Day.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer