Let’s go Sadlands
This is from the April 1990 issue of Poweredge Magazine, hot off the scanner. And if you think that’s hot, there’s a contest going on right now at Upland. Wait, Del Mar? Help me out here…
First and last pages can be enlarged.
Photos and words: Jay Vonesh.
Photos: Sal and Rodney Cassell by Kosick
Photo: Anthony by Vonesh
Photos: Vonesh
They rebuilt it about 5 years ago. I actually got to skate the new one with Neil Blender, some random reunion session… Kinda funny.
I know im commenting on this a *bit* late, but where is it? i cant find any info on the rebuilt one.
I never skated it but it was photographed so much it feels like I have.
An amazing place. I started skating there in 1973 until 1986. It was a few blocks from my house. Blender, Kasai, and many other pros started out skating there. Sadplants and many of todays tricks were invented at SADLANDS.
KC – Break out the photos!
A replica of the original Sadlands ‘craters’ was poured at a public skatepark in Leander, Texas. Here’s a photo of the reproduction at the Leander Skatepark.
http://bit.ly/GC3Yo
WR
skated Sadlands a lot in the early 80s (went to jr. high right next to the park) and off and on til ’90. it was truly an amazing place. super smooth transitions on the big and small side and great rail-slidable planters. plenty of great sessions with well known skaters, but daily runs with outrageous local rippers like Danny Butterfass, Kenny Clark,Lynn Cooper,Jerry etc. The Spada brothers usually made the few block trip down to the park. Truly a tragedy that the city just flat out destroyed it. interested in seeing the re-creation at the Leander, Tx park
I lived there ~83-84.I remember watching a lot of the locals. I learned to skate there.At first I would just watch people like Danny B with those huge frontside ollies on the small side and 5 second judo plants on the big side. Greg Hernandez and Danny B. ripped that place up there but so did others (besides Lester and Blender and the sure grip guys like Lynn C. and Eric Zepeda etc). Shawn Doyle, K.C., Ed and his bro Elken (member those guys?), Mohawk Jeff, Donnie and his bro, Bucky Green (see him in the photo) Mike Palm (Agent Orange),etc etc(sorry if I missed any names as there were many more). I couldnt skate worth beans back then so I would wait til later and spend time with people like Gary Pell trying to get better by moon/lamp light.By the time I left Salazar and Jon Jon were owning the place.
does anyone know what happened to Eric Zepeda sponsored skater in the 80’s I think with suregrip but not sure :)?
I know Eric very well nowadays he
He still lives local and is doing well 🙂
If you know how to get a hold of Greg Hernandez—he MIGHT know.
Great place I never got to experience, grew up in the corner apartment complex. The demo of the planters happened when I was about six, but I still remember it.
The adjacent community pool was a great spot until they built a newer apartment complex over it. Oh yeah, it was also in Dogtown Z-boys.