Archive for the 'Street' Category

Skate and incarcerate
Monday, December 31st, 2007

Yad Lebanim

This spot is called Yad Lebanim, and it’s in Jerusalem, Israel. It’s a memorial for soldiers killed in the IDF, or Israeli Defense Force. Something tells me that any skateboarding on the premises would be met with a swift response. Something more forceful than what happens when dipshits in the U.S. decide to skate on war memorials, no matter where they might have gotten the inspiration. Seth Levy sent in these pictures after seeing the Yad Kennedy spot check. I guess “yad” means “memorial” in Hebrew then.

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Brazil in your face. Spot check continued.
Tuesday, December 11th, 2007

More Brasil

Ryan Hass hipped us to these shots, dude. They were taken in Rio at a pedestrian underpass south of the Flamingo Park. You can see full frame enalarged versions at Ramp Locals Only. Brasil - Brazil… Next thing you know we’ll have to start calling it Myanmar instead of Burma. I mean, George W doesn’t bother, why should we? (Warning! You have just experienced sarcasm.)

Curitiba, Brasil spot check
Tuesday, December 11th, 2007

Curitiba, Brasil

Our friend Tom Miller writes:

Just back from a work trip to Curitiba, Brasil. Conahan asked to shoot photos of anything interesting skate-related. Just when I was thinking I wasn’t going to see anything of note, we arrived at the Oscar Niemeyer Museum. The museum structure is novel, but skaters are going to be more interested in the walkway.

I couldn’t help but think if you call it “art” the dollars come running at you. If you call it “50 feet of mini ramp at Ed Benedict Park” suddenly the budget doesn’t allow for it until the mythological “phase 2.” We don’t need any more skateparks. We need public art that coincidentally accommodates skateboarding.

Nuff said.

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It takes a village…
(to let a wife know her husband’s in the hospital)

Friday, October 19th, 2007

Aaron eats it in a garage

Late tuesday night I got a call from Chris Stevens, whom I never hang out with and have never given my phone number. Turns out he was bombing a parking garage with some of the Eastside Longboards crew. Our (Eastide) paths almost never cross, except when I’m covering the odd slalom event, which as happened exactly once. Anyway, back at the parking garage, Chris basically met Aaron in the elevator on the way up to bomb the parking garage. Somehow my name got mentioned. On the way down there was a tussle that lead to Aaron colliding with a parked car at speed and blacking out for something like 20 minutes. Maybe there were convulsions? I can’t remember. Chris Stevens’ almost immediate 911 call got the ambulance there quickly and the paramedics left with him. Aaron was only on a first name basis with the guys he was skating with, and nobody had his phone number or knew where he lived. Chris somehow remembered my last name and called 411 to get my number so I could notify his wife, who was very, very grateful to Chris for calling the ambulance and calling me so I could let her know. Who knows how long it would have taken for her to find out otherwise. Aaron had his helmet but was without ID, and was not coherent when he left. Because of Chris’s quick thinking, Aaron’s wife Virginia was able to arrive the hospital as he was being checked in.

[Photo: Unrelated shot of Chris Stevens from Eastside Longboards]

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Not so mysterious NYC street spots
Monday, October 15th, 2007

NYC Bubble Banks

This appropriately named spot is called the Bubble Banks. A reader named Mark W. pointed out that it was near the mystery spot that we found through the Disciplinary Architecture Anti-Sit Archives post. The Bubble Banks photos are from Quartersnacks.com, a NYC-centric web site that even has an online guide to various spots, complete with location, occasional direction, bust factor and visual aids. I guess in a city as big as New York it’s not a big deal to spell out all the details on spots because they are all probably blown out already. It’s not like posting an online map to something as fragile as a pool ecosystem. Check out Quartersnacks.com, named after those Little Debbie snacks you can buy for a quarter, I guess. There’s a lot of content and it looks like they put some effort into the design and concept.

Montreal Drift
Monday, October 15th, 2007

Drift

Everyone has their favorite scenes from the Bones Brigade Video Show. For me, one of the standouts was always the downhill slide sequence featuring Cliff Coleman I believe. Just typing this subliminally triggers the opening wild animal sound effects in my head. If you can imagine that sequence amped up on today’s equipment, sounds and video technology you might get the trailer for the movie project Drift. Drift was actually supposed to be released on October 10th, but it has been delayed, perhaps indefinitely. The film is being made by a few key members of and with help from the downhill scene in Montreal, Canada. Watch the whole thing and you’ll be pleasantly surprised. The camera work and editing are sharp, and the music fits well. Even in today’s polarized climate of what is and isn’t cool, I’ll feel sorry for you if don’t get stoked by Drift. - Thanks to Jace Samikov for the tip.

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Mystery NYC street spot
Saturday, October 13th, 2007

New York street spot

Nestled in the pictures from yesterday’s post about the Anti-Sit Archives is this mystery spot allegedly somewhere in New York City. This picture shows the banks deserted at lunch time, but don’t ask the author where it is because he’s not flowing. I’m sure it’s not a mystery to the locals. Is it possible to blow out a spot like this, never having been there, not even knowing where it is? Oops! Surely this has appeared in a magazine before. Looks fun.

Update: Quartersnacks comes through with the 411

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Government issue street spot
Tuesday, September 25th, 2007

Titan missle silo

This Titan missile silo complex located one and a half hours west of Spokane Washington is for sale. $1.5 million dollars gets you 57 acres, three missile silos, thirteen other underground buildings and the most expensive street skating spot you can find. At least you won’t go to prison for barging it. Looks like a great spot for a photo shoot.

[Source: Gizmodo]

Switch Mongo upright dog
Friday, September 21st, 2007

Switch Mongo upright dog

This is part of our never ending quest to bring you the best street skating coverage. Sure he stands upright and is riding switch, but he’s got no style! Animal retard or genius? Is that a third eye? You be the judge, after the jump.

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Perverted thinking
Friday, August 24th, 2007

London skate plaza

Remember that cool London subterranean skate plaza project we covered a while back? Skate Daily alerts us to the fact that it’s open only to skaters under 18 except for a couple of hours one night a week. Bullshit! I bet the thing was organized and built by skaters over 18. Sign the petition and tell them why having older skaters there would be a good idea.

(Closer to home, the St Charles County skatepark in Near St Louis Missouri also has very restricted access for anyone over the age of 18. - K.Ed)