This afternoon, I hosted my first Google+ Hangout with rally driver, Gymkhana icon and  DC Shoes co-founder Ken Block. Considering I didn’t know what a G+ Hangout was three months ago, I think it went pretty well. But after logging this first one, I have lots of ideas for how to spice up future hangouts and how we can get more fans and multiple athletes involved.

This Hangout — which is essentially an online conversation broadcast over the web, at Google+ and YouTube — happened because tickets go on sale for X Games Los Angeles tomorrow (Fri, June 21) and Block’s Gymkhana racing series, Gymkhana GRID, is making its X Games debut in LA. So Block, XGames.com editor Brian Tunney and I chatted about the Munich Games and Gymkhana, and reminisced about Los Angeles. If you’re a fan of rally or of Block, I think you’ll enjoy the conversation. You can watch it HERE on XGames.com or HERE on YouTube.

I’m looking forward to doing more of these in the future. I think they’re a cool way to give fans the opportunity to interact with their favorite athletes (or any celebrity willing to Hangout) and to listen in on long-form interviews in a really relaxed setting. And as someone new to interviewing folks on camera, today was fantastic practice and a lot of fun. My only fear is that much too soon, this is the only way we’ll interact with anyone. #scarythought