Alright this is the second in a row – VERT is back. When I was in my skate hay-day I would spend part of the summers in Virginia Beach. There were about 6 city ramps in that town in the mid-80’s. Mt. Trashmore was the tallest and the first. I heard FUD (a.k.a. John Fudala) actually designed it. It was always a heavy session after 5 o’clock every night. Every session was a jam format and he who did not bail won the right to ride the whole ramp. My friend Bone Man and I came up with a plan to get runs after 5 pm – when one of us was going to fall, we would avoid falling in front of each other and make our bodies as big as we could on the flat to take up space so no one could drop in. This plan rarely worked. Mt. Trashmore produced great riders, everyone from Scary Larry to the Guitierrez trio (all three of which still ride). There were many more that were always nice and fun to watch skate. While there for my brief visit, I pulled up to the ramp where Allen Midget and Henry were riding It seemed like old times except everybody was older. I believe Henry has learned the McTwist in the last six years. It just goes to show that you don’t have to stop learning tricks just because you’re old. I think Eddie has a family. My time was short. I didn’t have time to talk to everyone. I would like to thank everybody that allowed me to take a run in my rickety state. I sure miss having a vert ramp. I asked Henry what the average age on the deck was, and he said it was about 35.
Grover’s Video Korner #59: Mt Trashmore Vert Ramp
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18 comments
Stick Knocker Steve
A Test of Vertical Knowledge
Prickly Pete
Fun flick, Mr. Grover.
ssk
Would be so cool to have daily access to a vert ramp. I’ve only ever ridden real vert a handful of times. It took getting my parents to drive hours to get me to McGills. It was mostly street skating and miniramps for me. The craving is dormant, but still there.
mikeD
fudala still shreds the local ramps and bowls here, fud rocks!
talentlessquitter
Good stuff there.I also miss having a real vert ramp…………..for about all my life!
The first song (Bouncing Soles?) sounds like a total rip-off of that Ramones song,I don’t know the title but it’s;
“You’ve got to pick up the pieces,[etc.]……………………………………….
…….Naaaaaa na na na,my brain is hanging up side down,I need someone to slow me down……..” Anyone?
kc
Bonzo goes to Bitburg.
Great song, almost forgot about that one.
talentlessquitter
Thanks! A Phil Spectre production,I believe.
masterochicken
I actually got to sit in on the second Phil Spectre murder trail. That dude looks intense.
talentlessquitter
Spector….Been watching too many James Bond movies….
Rich
Great video old boy. GVK on point.
ssk
Learned 540’s over the age of 40! Now that is inspiration.
talentlessquitter
There is hope…
TMorrow
It’s great to see that scene is still alive and kicking. I skated Lynnhaven & Trashmore a million years ago (’88 I think) and thought it was really cool that a municipality had public vert ramps. We hit Ocean City too…
versi
It was and it wasn’t. The main reason that they ended up building public ramps was because the city were absolute assholes about tearing down all backyard ramps. My friends and I built a halfpipe in my back yard and the day after we got to the point that it was skateable, we got a notice from the city saying that we had to tear it down. Still, it was a bummer when they tore down all the city ramps except Trashmore, and even more of a bummer when it burned down. Good to see that it’s back and full of old dudes!
Eric
This is very cool, thank you. 2:01 mark is fantastic. Their current ramp looks extra tall.
aaron h
me too!
Ahhhhh, 7-11 at 17th Street!
Thoooose were tha daaays!
adam
Good Stuff. I used to make the drive to VA beach as much as possible back in the 80’s. Trashmore, Lynnhaven & Bayview are the ramps I remember skating.
john egertson
Nice post. I did an article about Trashmore in Concrete Wave a couple of years ago–it was an interview with Fudala. I’m sure you could find it online at the CW website somewhere….FUD covers alot of great history in the article.