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September 2, 2008

August 31, 2008

August 29, 2008

Mr. Rogers was with it... You don't think so? I know so!

August 28, 2008

The awesome bass playing of Louis Johnson. The man has got the SLAP!

August 28, 2008

Found out that the building in Missoula, Montana will be ready around September 8th. That means I'll be building a bowl for four weeks! Slick!

Yesterday I made it out to the Mendota park and got to get a session in with Guru and the Familia.

No footy from that, but here's his part from Inhabitants...

August 25, 2008

August 21, 2008

Very Serious Business art showing at  Cal Surf was a good time.  Just thought I'd up some images of what I liked there.

Miles Mendenhall; self-portrait

Steve Krause; self-portrait

Steve said that this one was taken from an old tee-shirt, I believe it was a 70's skate or surf motif.

And the third of Steve's work. This is his nephew, taken from a photograph and redone in the 'SK-way'.

Eric Vernilyea's (of Handjob) birch hands. Very raw. Very good.

The concrete hands by Luke Hunt, the other half of Handjob. Seth McCallum approved!

80's throwback tee. Rumormill re-issue?

Thanks to Scott at Cal Surf for the space, PBR and Red Bull for the refreshments.

And on another tip, I went to see a few bands lately, something I've been sleeping on for too long. Here's some that are Ramptroll recommended!

Heroine Sheiks - massive wall of sound and the frontman with his towel, headband and goggles mystique complimented his off-kilter, sarcastic vocals. Hey Cookie, thanks for the ticket!

Detonate! I didn't even know Cookie, Dunefin, and Yvette were in this band until they unleashed their sonic assault upon my senses. Oh, and by the way, on their way to this gig, the brakes went out on the van on the highway. An accident ensued, but everybody was okay and they still made the show! 

Oiltanker, from Connecticut. Those boys proved that the east coast can produce some killa punk rock. Good luck on yer tour, dudes...

More Detonate on YouTube

Also Oil Tanker on YouTube

August 18, 2008

August 12, 2008

Yeah, the building in Missoula ain't done yet. Would've been nice if they'd-a told us first 'fore we drove 16 1/2 hours there. Anyway, we went and got the bowl from Caz in Oregon (another 13 hour drive), took it apart, put it on a truck, drank some shit with Crazy Jim, saw some shitted sheets outside the room next to ours at the motel, saw a guy get arrested at the motel, didn't skate Burnside, drove back to Missoula, unloaded the truck outside the warehouse, went tubin' down the Blackfoot River, didn't skate Mobash, drove thru Fargo, saw a building completely engulfed in flames at 2 a.m., drove back to Minneapolis. 

Hey, when the building's done, just give us a call and we'll drive on back. I'm sitting on the edge of my seat just counting down the micro-seconds.

July 29, 2008

Woody and I (Plywood Benders) are headed out west to get Caz Helmstetter's Bowl in Corbett, Oregon and bring it to Missoula, Montana. Actually we're gonna change the shape of it around a bit so it will be very similar to the Keyhole Bowl @ 3rd Lair in Golden Valley, Minnesota. There won't be any flatwall in the deep end unlike the one at 3rd. If any of you remember Jaymie Erickson that used to skate 3rd back in the day, well, it's basically her and her finance Dylan Tucker that are gonna start up a non-profit indoor skatepark out there in Missoula. That essentially means it's a free indoor park. Hell yeah! Sure would be nice to get something like that going here in the Twin Cities area, don'cha think?

So the good thing about this particular build sesh is the fact that there is a Grindline park in downtown Missoula. Holy F@#*!!!! Have you seen this place??? You can peep it here off the Skate Montana site. Supposedly it's 'rated' as one of the top 5 parks in the country. I don't know what that exactly means, but all I can say is, "Mobash, here I come!!!!"

What else is new? Well, I am working on a series of what I like to call 'Skate Cars.' I have shown a small handful of people some pics of what I'm talking about here, and, well, all I can say is when I get back in 5 weeks or so, I will be putting some serious time into developing these shred machines. 

Rumor has it that I will be building a Vert Ramp in Illinois mid-September. And we'll be adding some more to the Project Skate in Rice Lake, Wisconsin and more to the Waunakee Skate Park in Wisconsin, too. We might be visiting Kentucky and Florida as well this year. Keep your fingers crossed!!!

Handjob is dropping new shirts soon, and the Handjob HQ mini-ramp might possibly be expanded. Maybe I'll make another ramp in my yard in time for Backyard Ramp Jam. You never know now, do you???

July 25, 2008

WOW!!!

Highly recommend The Dark Knight

Also this documentary is anticipated:

Chiang Banger was McSickla!!!

Bitch City	Shortcuts	Fuck Knights
No Caption Necessary	Tarbenders	Peeps!
Fun!	Drink!	Guth!

Let's do it again next year!!!

July 21, 2008

Speaking of Gonzales'..... 

Yeah! Mark Gonzales!!! What can I say about such a legendary pioneer? I don't have to say anything. But you can get the skizzle-madrizzle low-dizzle from wikipedia right here. 

Or better yet, watch the mini-snaps...

July 20, 2008

Steve Nesser officially introduced me to Rob Gonzales awhile back (Cal-Surf 20th year anniversary party), and I was hyped because he's a mellow guy that rips. Click for some footy...

July 19, 2008

So, since we missed the turn to hit that spot up by the King of Diamonds, we just kept on keeping on until we hit the Menomonie, Wisconsin skatepark. Why hadn't I checked that place out before??? Because I have been guilty of Road Trip Failure, that is, I always have some other BS keeping me from getting on the bullet train. I was gonna go to Weston yesterday with Michael and Hesh Joe, but Woody and I had to retrofit the tool trailer with shelving so we don't have gear meltdown when we arrive at the build site in Missoula. Anyway, and of course, there were the loc's that sat perched on the ledges that we wanted to get at, there was the loc that would try and do our lines and show us how much more dialed he had the place, and yeah, there were the 70's style wave bank roll-ins there that were all but flowing. But we made a good time of it somehow. I lost 5 bucks to Pale because I thought he couldn't do a flip off of the swing set. If Pale says he can do it, he probably can. Dusty always came up with interesting variations, which is nice, and those local kids asked me if I was sponsored because I did a fs nose blunt and a nose pick. I generously let them down with a resounding, "No." I thought it was kinda McRadical that this place had these 'flatbars' that were just pieces of angle iron with footings welded onto them, and the skatepark rules sign had this sentence in it that made me chuckle to myself. It reads "Skulls, Bones, and Concrete can be a Harsh Reality." Hells-yeah!!!

Then there's my bathroom that I gutted, soon to be remodeled. My house that I rent is 100 years old, and it was moved to its present location from somewhere in the neighborhood many, many years ago. It has the old school wood lathe in it and weird, funky plumbing. 100 year old dust - got that respirator... Asbestos tiling and siding of course. My roommate has been renting there for like 12-13 years now. Second place he's ever lived; he moved in on his 17th birthday. Hey, at least the rent is cheap cheap cheap!!! I need to convince the landlord that the kitchen is McFukkled, too!!! Peep my biffy-room!

So yeah, I have to use the downstairs toiletski in the meantime, which is OK, but I always seem to be reminded of good ol' Gertrude that lived there for 16 years and fully croaked on the kitchen floor last fall. I think she was there like that for a day or two or three.. She would always tell me that she was on medication that made her feel like she was going crazy. Couldn't keep her zone very clean; she would just open her door and this foul, foul stench would permeate my nostrils. Yuck city. Maybe that's the reason why we had a cockroach problem toward the last couple of years that she lingered.... And that smell is still faintly there. Needs a paint job so bad and the landlord wants me to do it. I've been making excuses......

I also was perusing the Skate Illinois site and there was a link to this. Yeah, BaKu!!!! I know, it is 16 minutes of skating barriers, death metal, satanic video clips, and..... METAL, but it kinda made my morning.

***BONUS***

So I came across the first year of Thrasher issues from their site, and I thought I should totally poach these Ramp Plans that Mike Folmer came up with in 1981! These are outdated yet classic!!! Click it for a kinda readable version....

July 18, 2008

Oh, snap!!! New Dreamland park in Weston, Wisconsin! Here's a link to the newspaper article about it.

Can't wait to rip it!!!

July 17, 2008

Everybody I know seems to be interested in skateboard art. Well... maybe not everybody, but at least a good portion of them do understand that the skateboard deck is a great medium for artistic outlet. Not all artists are skateboarders, and not all akateboarders are artists, per se. But somewhere in-between, there is a connection that binds these two in a suggestive collaboration.

Let's take Steven Harrington, for example.  I'm not sure if he actually skates, but he has created some graphics for Element. If you peep this little video for his gallery showing in Paris, entitled 'Our Mountain,' you might catch a glimpse into the connection I speak of above.

Here is just a taste of his work:

Other than that, you might want to check out Chiang Mai Thai's 1st annual BLOCK PARTY this Sunday July 20th from 2-10 p.m.!!!

July 16, 2008

Sometimes the best cure for the sweltering heat of a Minnesota summer day is a short trip to the beach. 

The beach at Lake Nokomis - I like the fact that there are lots of trees in the background and not lots of condos. Plus there are concessions (cash only) and bathrooms (not port-a-potties). Lifeguards are on the big beach but if you don't want to experience a bunch of high-schoolers triggering the whistle, go to the small beach on the other side of the lake.

July 15, 2008

So I decided to check out Rudolph's in uptown last night to hear some reggae after the sesh at Eric's ramp and fully have to say that the service there gets 2 out of 5 stars. Sure, the bartender ladies there are cute and all, but if you don't look like a cock-jock or are black, you don't get paid any attention to. At least I didn't. I ordered a happy hour coupla beers and a bacon cheeseburger, and after almost an hour, got my burger. It was good and FINALLY hit the spot, but out of the three girls running the bar there, one took my order and disappeared to the other end (actually she asked me a half hour later why I didn't get my food yet; I should've been asking her why I didn't get my food yet), and the other two had some kind of snob gear on. Then there was this dude who came with his lady and sat to the left of me at the bar. He got his drinks all promptly by the snobs. Then when he finishes his first drink, pushes the empty glass in front of me like he's some kind of fucking champion. I like 3 Kings Soundsystem and all, but if a monday night there at Rudolph's is gonna be like that, you can count me OUT...

'Nuff Bitchin... I should also note that after a complete gear meltdown the last time I skated Eric's ramp, I officially laid out the comeback kid strategy. Advice is - Don't show up with a skinny assed art-board and old shoes. You be blowin' it!

Oh yeah, I updated the links page.

And now it's back to tearing up my bathroom for the remodel. That shit was getting horrid....!!!

July 12, 2008

PEEP

July 11, 2008

White Trash and Red Bull

What is the connection between Karla's "White Trash" party and the Red Bull "Illume" party at the Guthrie? I dunno.... But both were pretty much bangin'!

Johnny Cash White Trash Folsom Prison Solo Jam. Dude just straight charged it. It was a hand clappin' foot stompin' party favor!	This is Karla and it was her going away party. Off to Europe for a year. Shame that this one is gettin' away!!! The theme was "White Trash". I think Karla and I should rent out a trailer as soon as possible and crank out some little brats! Damn we look GOOD!	Ran into this random dude on the street; DEFINITELY White Trash!
The Guthrie	Kevin Beacham effin' ROCKS A PARTY	Guthrie art
TROUBLE!!! Benji mode...	"Yo, What???" Ill-Tuckerisms on tha Dancefloor	Kool Hanz Luke and his girl
I think the Wizard found the rave! Or the rave found the Wizard, that is...	Eric and Wizard escalator sesh. What goes up must come down? WAAAAAANNNNGGGG!	The English take pictures with their eyes closed and also use their thumbs instead of the index finger when pushin' the button. It's true!

Oh, and for the ender, I'm gonna try and get something together so we can all have some fun with this:

I'll let you know what it's all gonna be about, but for now, enjoy these!

July 3, 2008

Go Skate Day 2008 Minneapolis

Took me awhile to get at this particular post, as I was in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, building a miniramp in a backyard. I'll get to that here, too.

Danny Jensen BS 180 Switch Nose Manual	Eddie K Nollie 180 Heel Switch Manual	Benji and Wizard's Launch Ramp
GSD Crew - ROLL DEEP	Fargo Tom - "Don't Film Me!!!"	Thanks, Red Bull Girls!!!

I think there were about 200 skateboarders in the critical mass ride from downtown to uptown. Woody and I rolled up to 26th and 3rd with the gear and saw all these kids just CHARGING. It was absolutely amazing and words can hardly describe the magic of that moment. So we pulled into this abandoned parking lot (which was smooth), and everybody cheered when they saw that we brought a couple ledges, a couple rails, a launch ramp, and lots of Red Bull drinks for everybody to enjoy. I think we got an hour or two to session that spot before we called it quits as it was a renegade barge and the cops did show up on a trash complaint. Needless to say, we left the lot as we found it and everybody had a great time.

All, in all, GSD 2008 Minneapolis was a HUGE success. You should thank London Luke for what he does for our scene. He's an amazing guy who gives 110%. 

O.K. now on to New Jersey...

I built a 5' tall by 16' wide miniramp in 90 degree weather with crushing humidity. But it was well worth it when it was all done and I got to ride.

This is a view of the front of the house where I built the ramp. Can you say 'Bangin?'	The ramp turned out great. I subbed the work from Chad at Resi Ramps. Thanks, Chad!	They had a really nice pool in the backyard, too. There's tranny in it!

The second to last day of work, the power in the neighborhood was out; a tree fell and knocked out some powerlines. So I got a little time to go to Denny's and eat a full breakfast. That was nice. Power was back on in under two hours. Back to work.

Then on the last day, the security alarms were going off in the house. Well, at least that's what the housekeeper thought. She is from Poland and doesn't speak English so well, but wanted my help to reset the alarm. That didn't work out so well, as I accidentally triggered the fire alarm and the Fire Dept. and the Police came!!! The nanny returned as well, as she was 'in charge' while the home-owners were on vacation in Italy!!! Come to find out it wasn't the security alarms that originally went off in the first place; one of the four air-conditioning units in the house would drip water down onto an electronic smoke alarm detector, which set it off. Alarms were going off for three hours! I was just there to build a ramp in the backyard, but somehow got involved in the melee!! I thought it was rather funny, but Marta, the housekeeper, was either in fear of losing her job or losing her mind because she couldn't get anything done with all the loud noise!!! Classic!! Heh...

I skated with Anthony and his friends for an hour or two and that felt super good after sweating my biz-alls off to build the ramp. It took eight days, in 10 hour shifts, and I had to haul all of the lumber from the driveway on the other side of the house to the backyard by hand, by myself. Damn, I'm tired!!!

After I got back home to Minneapolis, I decided to go and rent 'Harold and Kumar go to White Castle.' The weird thing was, in that  movie, Harold and Kumar  go to Cherry Hill in New Jersey to get some sliders. I had no idea that it was set in the same neighborhood as I was just in!

Coincidence??