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Skate or Die!
Go Skate | Grow your inner thesis
Wow, today I got back on a skateboard for the first time in a very long time. I don't mean just to cruise the halls at school or do an occasional alley session at my house. I mean in a bowl, at a park, body at risk. There's something about subversive sports that has attracted me since playing table tennis against myself with half the playing field tilted vertical. I'm inner competitive. Whether it's skating, snowboarding, kiteboarding, wakeboarding, wakesurfing, and especially surfing... sport is such a bad label. These endeavors are a lifestyle--better yet, a community. 'X'Games. X for Extreme. Games for the non-sport of it. Open-source, if you will, and much bigger than the word team. With the proper community spirit, each learned technique is shared with the whole, and over time, new boudaries are folded into the group repetoir, i.e. Felix with a dynamic bag of tricks. Though, it's not enough just to have a bag of tricks. Your moves. Worse yet, your move. There's a thing called "style" that is a bond between you and your predecessors.
For a time, you copy.
For a time, you innovate.
For a time, you are copied.
Not unlike architecture, style consists of non-spoken mannerisms that link techniques to a larger body of inquiry. Aerials, for instance. Launching yourself into the air and separating yourself from Earth by as much as 10-20 feet or more. Thesis is very similar to learning to do your first aerial, and at SCI-Arc, this means doing it in a way that is a bit counter culture. Non-Sport. Challenging the norm at every session. Challenging your norm at every session. Challenging our norm. Sessions. Transitions. Folding... into a Community.
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DIY | San Pedro Skatepark Association
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X Games 12 | Los Angeles (Aug 3-6)
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A critique on the spectacleSite 01 | Shed the protection
Site 02 | Locate a trajectory
Site 03 | Define existing boundaries
Program | Connect to the subversive
Sessions | Master your predecessors
Transitions | Script a new scenario
Folding | Share the new test
Community 01 | Become the new line
Community 02 | Open Source DIY
6 Comments
Great pics Steve -- I was down there taking pics myself a few weeks ago. The DIY spirit of that place is so vibrant. You may know more of the story than I do, but apparently the idea of a skate park in Pedro had been in the works for a long time and got so gummed up in red tape that a few people gave it the proverbial 'fuck it' and started building this park on their own (with the city eventually coming around and granting 'permission'). My favorite elements are the little bits of ad hoc artwork and sculpture -- the skull for example. They're placed so subtly, it's almost subliminal and I find something new every time I stop by to watch. The whole vibe is exciting...and I don't even skate.
Nice coverage Steve. I'm in the same boat. Used to skate a little a long time ago...then Costa Mesa built a nice medium size concrete park (sponsored by Volcom) near our house about a year ago. It's continuously packed, but I have had the chance to bust out my tattered old board to cruise the kidney bowl here and there.
Man, there are so many great parks popping up, and an increasing sense of community support, the skate rats of today have really got it made. I remember getting a ticket for $75 bucks and routinely hassled when I was 12 years old. Times have really changed.
I assume you have hit the surf over the past few days. Went this morning to NP jetties and it was clean and somewhat peaky.
Broc: Thanks. Today is the day I take the big leap... gonna go buy some new ProTec pads at Transitions in Carson, maybe run by Mike's shop first in Pedro. Screw the Freestyle shop on Western... what a joke. It's so cool having a park in town. When Nathan and I show up, there's usually someone he or I know OR someone's calling us to go down. We'll see how things go when the new LAPD station get's finished 1 block away.
Bula: Ya man, my ankles are getting stronger already--and my shins are getting slammed, too. Ouch. The best part about this whole thing is my son watches me like a hawk (pun intended). He wants to do everything I can do and I want to drop in like he can. In two hours, he started nailing his frontside kickturns. So stoked. Parks rock.
Surfwise, I'm laggin' a bit. I caught Lowers last month headhigh+ and Del Mar for two days at the beginning of the month. Hella fun and super nice beach weather. Such a good way to balance the intensity of thesis. As far as this latest swell, the wind got on it by early afternoon yesterday. I'm hoping to score a small session later on today at a semi-secret spot in town. Whether that's the park or the beach remains to be seen... hehe. I wish I had a kiteboard yesterday. This guy went around the mile marker bouy and then North to a little cove and had things all to himself. Time to start saving up. How's Newport been? The Wedge looked insane on the news.
Just broke out my board 2 weeks ago for the first time in 6 mo. I have been trying to take advantage of the early morning light by being in the water at 5:30am. Newport was clean and peaky Tuesday morning, but by 6:30 it was already crowded and it looked like the entire Newport Harbor HS was heading in the water when I was leaving. I hate the crowds there, but it's close to home/work, and affords me a short paddle for my sorry out-of-shape ass.
The wedge was churning up its standard south swell brew.
By the way, you are still the man! Providing for a household, dealing with a new born, going through an intense graduate program....and still finding time to skate it up with your son….you are truly gifted.
Been trying to get myself back out into water again as well. Humbling, but so very worth it. Unfortunately only have time for weekend morning sessions at this point. Short drive from Pedro to Bolsa Chica is nice and the "old man" vibe is definitely my speed for now.
Enjoy your weekend guys...
Bula: Dude, I'm only gifted by those around me that can put up with the intense schedule I keep. Most importantly, my wife--who has almost cracked on a few occasions. Work has become more of a priority, too (both Panelite and side jobs). These past two months have been much smoother by pulling in about $2k a month on 2 days a week. The financial aid is only used as a security for her (most of the time *wink*). I still bought a nice Nikon D50, a 1-year license of Digital Project from Gehry Technologies, and of course, quite a few books.
Don't worry about YOUR out-of-shape ass. Mine has grown to a healthy 230 lbs. Gained 10 in the last year by not surfing as much. Sucks. I've been skating my alley and trying to muster up enough balls to skate the park when it's crowded. Pads tomorrow :) Some overweight kid busted the crap outta his nose yesterday. Blood splattered all over the concrete. No helmet. Last weekend a guy over rotated his kneecap. Loud. Agony. There are so many parallels to thesis as my post alluded to... I guess my thesis advisors are kinda like protective pads. And Sept 16-17 will be the main event. Time to keep training!
Broc: Weekend Warrior mode is better than Shoebee mode. Shoebee = someone who wears shoes to the beach and walks around the pier and/or shops just to look at the people enjoying the beach. Hehe.
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