Santa Ana

Santa Ana days

Jason Corley sent in a couple shots of Santa Ana California spots circa 1984:

I was just cruising around the site and thought you might appreciate a photo of what was probably the best natural ditch in Orange County back in the day. This is/was Flower Street. Located at the end of Flower Street in Santa Ana, CA. I took this one morning back in 1985. This is what the main section of this amazing ditch looked like. Thing was that it split into a “Y” at one end and further down the ditch maybe 60 yards was a smaller height transition with a long roll in, about 8 feet of flat ground that when coming down the roll in you could carve the smaller bank and then have access to a natural extension that just reached vert. I feel so lucky to have been able to slate this gem from 1983 to around 1987. Santa Ana also was home to the killer Lloyd’s Bank about 1/2 mile away. I also attached a shot of Lloyd’s Bank, the front portion. Not my best trick but I was 13 years old…

Santa Ana Flower Street Ditch

Santa Ana Flower Street Ditch

Santa Ana – Jason Corley at Lloyd’s bank.

Santa Ana - Lloyds bank

Discussion

26 thoughts on “Santa Ana days

  1. cool ass pics, reminds me of doing the streetplant thing back then. we had duane’s drain in sunnyvale, ca, featured a little in h-street’s shackle me not. somehow, spots not made to skate were more fun than today’s skateparks, actually those are preety fun too, just doesn’t have the outlaw factor anymore.

  2. looks fun. that ditch lip looks grindable.

  3. Cool pic, I did a street plant today.

  4. “spots not made to skate were more fun than today

  5. and they still are.

  6. i skated that ditch! it was a blast, ditches are so fun i grew up on them jan ree ditch in salem random cali ones i skated indian school and some loco ones just outta el paso on a solo roadtrip a few years back man i love me some ditches!

  7. Nice pic of Flower St.Behind you was the “Rat Bones” ditch than “the lip”.And across the off ramp at the end was the “BFD” big flower ditch.I lived off LaVeta and Main in Orange.I skated here everyday,and broomed it everyday.I can still hear the horns from cars flying bye the roll in.I brang in parking blocks,slick with surfboard wax along the ditches,except at “the Lip” it didnt need it.I made it skate-able again lol,after Caltrans sprayed tar then gravel over the cement at “the Lip”.”Lloyd

    1. where exactly is that ditch ? is it gone ?

      1. Flower Street is long gone, but there are still ditches to be had in O.C.

        1. uh flower street is still there but theres proabably no ditches left in O.C.

      2. Marv Sauer on June 25, 2021 - Reply

        That was not Flower St., but the Laguna Pipeline, near Tustin High. Ditch is gone.

  8. Pete =A.S.= on December 30, 2007 - Reply

    Those were the days! The Madrid days. Glad to hear your still going. Wish I would have taken some pics at the LIP. Great memories. Thanks for bringing them back!!!!!!!

  9. thanks jason for posting these. there are few photos of flower and even less of lloyds. i was here everyday as well, sweeping with randy and jason. randy has some photos on myspace and ted wetzel has some on facebook.

  10. Jesus on May 20, 2010 - Reply

    woah! wait so is this still there today, and what are the 2 cross streets close by?

    1. Marv Sauer on June 25, 2021 - Reply

      Lloyds Bank put up a brick perimeter around the planters, so they can’t be skated. Building is still there.
      The ditch is gone. The 5 Fwy. got widened and the ditch was eliminated.

  11. Ronnie Harlak on June 22, 2013 - Reply

    I grew up skateing flower st. Broke my arm there. I had two walk home two miles and explan it to my mom. Lol. Lloyds Bank too. We got chased out of there alot
    The good old days!

  12. jon farley on June 22, 2013 - Reply

    corley , whats going on man, great photo’s get in touch with me.

  13. Ronnie Harlak on June 22, 2013 - Reply

    How about the halfPipe someone build further down the tracks. I have a picture but not sure how to post it.

  14. I have another shot of Flower ditch how do I send

    1. Yeah Phil, lets see those Pics! Hope you and your brother Mike are doing good! K.C.

  15. Beatnik Daddyo 73 on July 8, 2015 - Reply

    I grew up in O.C. My friends and I skated these spots and many more. Sadland’s (moon park) in Anaheim was a favorite. Great memories. Thanks for sharing these pics. None of us ever thought to have a camera and document the times. Fading memories are all we have.

  16. lburger69 on August 6, 2020 - Reply

    Cool Man, Brings back a lot of good memories, I was on it back in the day, I grew on at Lincoln and 17st, Cant even count how many times we set the Lloyds bank alarm off, I’m surprised I never broke the glass because the glass was flush with the cement on the ground, Bad deal for the bankers but great for skaters, If the security at Lloyds carried guns they would have shot us thats how much we pissed them off hahaha. They probably had bad dreams about skaters.

  17. Marv Sauer on June 25, 2021 - Reply

    The ditch pictured on the left, was called “The Laguna Pipeline”. The big wall on the left was the sound barrier for the 5 Fwy South, near Tustin High School.

  18. Shawn Mcglone on March 13, 2023 - Reply

    Farmers insurance parking lot down from lip other side of flower at off-ramp with the super slick curb and all the orange trees on other side of curb

  19. Shawn Mcglone on March 13, 2023 - Reply

    Yeah, that 6 foot tall half pipe they would hit it with the bulldozer tearing down all the time they go, steal wood from strip mall and build it again

  20. Daniel Boyle on January 11, 2024 - Reply

    Hell yeah. I skated that ditch for 10 years until they tarred and graveled it . Met Dave Duncan, and Eddie redigue (however his name is spelled) there for a sesh. Along with local named pon. That old bearded homeless dude at the lip section used to buy us beer if we got him stoned. Fuckin great times.

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