And now for something completely different.

What a weekend?!

Friday night we were all worried about rain, but the morning turned out great for the Push It event. Great job Kim! Unfortunately, the rain came in a couple hours in to the event and we were all forced to scatter.

Lew and the rest of the Fickle crew from Cincinnati, Ohio along with the En Joy folks didn't make it before the rain, but they did make it.  After a quick lunch we met up with the Fickle guys and En Joy at Midtown Skate Shop.

 

It was a great opportunity as Lew got to meet skate enthusiest and Lucero band member, Brian Venable. Lew, as only Lew can, told Brian about Fickle Skateboards.

When the rain stopped, the squeegee and towels came out, and then the skating started again.

And the rest of the weekend was ON FIRE!  The Fickle guys were killing it. Wrex was killing it. I nearly killed myself (just kidding, mom. Total safety first, all weekend).

Early Sunday morning. Pre-session.

Sunday brought more rippage with an appearance of Jungle out who gave us a sideways acoustic jam.

And some proper skateboarding (in a mask).

Who is that masked man!?

Luchaskate 4

Open publication -  publishing - More europe

been a while

Here is the deal. I haven't been blogging because I've been too busy skating and working on Common Criminals the book (anthology) we have coming out just around the corner.

Write for the damn thing.

Hit up West Point, MS last weekend.

This is an old picture of me at West Point.  I've grown my beard back (thank God), and I've retired the worn out Outlaw El Bandito deck.  I'm now rocking the fickle punk point 8.5  Believe it or not...I googled West Point MS skatepark and this was the first image that popped up.  Stoked.

This week I've been really into curb/street skating. No comply tricks and slappys and kickflips etc etc etc...

fickle punk point

 

This morning started off on the wrong foot.  Yep.  That is my rear view mirror taped up.  

There is a pot hole in the middle of our street.  The city has put what looks like a plastic saw horse over it, making my street divided and, because of this, very narrow.  It is doable, until of course, somebody parks a car just in front of it.  So, the street is now too narrow in that spot.  So, as I left for the skatepark, I had to drive on the wrong side of the street to get around the car and divider.

What happens next?  Just as I make the decision to drive on the wrong side of the street, a car pulls onto the street from the opposite direction...I panic a bit and try to deep as close to the divider as possible (which would have been fine had my rear view mirror not suck out further than the body of my car).

 So, I went and rode this new fickle punk point (with Mariachi graphics) at the park until my hands hurt from the cold.  Stress relief thy name is fickle.  Notice the stocking cap on the nose of the board.

Hand prints on the top of the deck signify the hand made love that went into the deck.

sans cap.

cap where it belongs

stoke.  8.5 inch punk point. fickle skateboards.

D.I.Y. Skate Co.

Chris J. of Rufus Skates is making me a new deck.  I get a text asking what size I want.  I gave him my specs (width, wheelbase etc...).  I sent him my specs and he replied, "we can do whatever you want."

I ask you this:  How many skateboard companies tell you that when you email them what you'd like in a deck?  Yeah, not too many.  That is one of the things so awesome about companies like Rufus and Fickle. Look for a review and in depth report on the process of getting a board from Rufus Skates.

What else is great about D.I.Y. Companies?  You're helping someone that is a skater continue to provide the best quality product possible.  I've been riding an Outlaw Skateboards El Bandito deck for well over a month.  I have knocked it into curbs and ledges.  It has flown out of a bowl while I bailed.  I have thrown everything I can at this board and it is still holding strong. You help a skater continue, and you get quality product.

Lucha inspired graphic on the El Bandito

Last, but not least, these guys are doing cool things.  What Luck Skateboards has the re-kruzer project.  Check it out. They are donating a board to a kid for every cruiser you buy.  How rad is that!?

What Luck Ad from the last Luchaskate.

West Point Grand Opening

This day was a blast despite a few minor setbacks.

1.  It suddenly became fall (for real) this weekend producing a rainy pre-opening Friday with temperatures dropping down into the 40's.  If you were sittin' you were cold.  Get up and skate!

2.  We got pulled over and Kris (I wasn't driving) got a speeding ticket right at Tupelo.

Busted!!!

3.  Somehow I got dog crap on my grip tape.

Dog Crap on my beloved Outlaw El Bandito

 4.  For some reason the people at the bbq joint we all went to after the opening didn't want me to eat which pissed me off (more than) a little bit.  Of course, as soon as I gave up, and walked away they had my food ready.  It was good.  Worth the wait?  If I weren't starving, yeah, it probably would've been.

Set backs aside, what a blast.  Little Rock was well represented, and Matt Clark hooked me up with the new issue of their 'zine, Chaos Ninja, which features a little somethin' somethin' I wrote about the bros over at Fickle (who also sponsored the grand opening, thanks Lew).

Chaos Ninja Skate 'Zine

Some of the highlights of the contest portion was seeing old dog Mike Lasiter grinding 13 pool blocks to win the longest grind contest, all the groms who learn so quickly, Zach Galinas backside tail slide revert in the deep end of the bowl (& his 10 pool block grind), and the trophies that Catfish Chad made with his own two hands.  However, I think my stoke of the day was (and I could kick myself for not getting a pic) was when Zach gave the deck he won for best trick to one of the groms who needed one. Good job, Zach. The stoke spreads.

The smile says it all.  Mike Lasiter. Long grind king.

Special thanks to all the sponsors (I know I'm gonna leave somebody out, my apologies): Silly Girl, Fickle, Assault, Dream at En Joy, Tork Trucks, Iron Horse, ATM Click, Old Man Army, Chaos Ninja and anyone else that my tired brain can't think of...

Also:  Special Thanks to the people at West Point Parks and Rec, Kim Cook for her tireless efforts, Wrex Cook who donated decks from his own collection, Catfish Chad for making the trophies (why don't I have a picture of those!!!!), and everyone who came out to make the day special.

Pat "The Rake" Rakestraw killing some Tedder's Pool Coping

This Weekend!

Poster image stolen from Kim Cook

 The grand opening of the West Point, MS skatepark!  Built by Grindline Skateparks including Wrex Cook who will be at the event.  It is going to be a rad event!

https://www.facebook.com/events/354013901348943/

Sponsored by tons of great companies including Fickle and Luchaskate.

Also, check out local Memphis board shaper rufusskates.com.  They've joined the Lucha Alliance.  For more advertising info on luchaskate check out www.luchaskate.info.

Read Issue 2 Here

Here it is folks:

Issue 2 of Luchaskate Magazine.  Read it.  Download it.  Print it.  Embed it on your blog or website.  Email it. Share it and like it on facebook.  Spread the stoke!

Open publication - publishing - More d.i.y.

One correction in this issue: Dustin Dattilio rides for Shipwreck Skates NOT Shipyard Skates. Sorry, bro!

Fickle Mayhem

Got the 8.6 fickle deck with a Mayhem graphic via UPS yesterday.  Extra goodies?  Yeah, Lew hooked me up.  Not only were there a ton of stickers in the box, but Lew sent a frugal lunch and the actual smock/shirt he wore while gluing and shaping my deck.  Now, that is customer service.  Ready to ride the massive concave and steep kicktail on this fickle (but, no, I ain't giving up my Outlaw).

Noodles shrink wrapped in

There is history (and tons of glue) in this shirt

Barney Mayhem