One of the lynchpins of the BMX vs. Skateboards in skateparks arguments is that BMXers are always leeching of of skateboarders efforts. Well, that’s not always true. The first half pipe I ever saw, rode, or photographed was built by BMX kids in the woods of suburban Naperville Illinois, some time around 1984-85. The skaters (all three of us) were definitely riding the coat tails of the BMX guys. More pics, bad fashion and words after the jump.

5-Minute Project: Drill-Powered Skateboard is a D.I.Y. project on the Instructables web site. It was a lot cooler before I realized that you were basically dragging the drill on the ground as the fourth wheel. I’m guessing battery powered drills won’t last long under the torque required to move an adult. I can foresee rigs with long extension cords and beer for a racing circuit. [Source: Zedomax.com]

Taylor, with his short haircut and businesslike demeanor, doesn’t fit the profile of the average skateboarder, who’s often a teenager with stylishly long hair and a devil-may-care attitude. Taylor’s more the Tony Hawk type, a guy in his 30s who can make money doing what he loves. He doesn’t fit the stereotype, but they still used This dude’s rad boards ‘feel right’ as the headline for an article about Drifter Skateboards, a small D.I.Y. skateboard manufacturer. Hmm… sounds familiar. Other than that, this article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution is OK, just brief. Hold on… of all the interesting parts of the process involved, they chose a picture of owner Ryan Taylor shrink wrapping an unidentified object. Someone fire that photo editor. Those graphics remind me of a certain Blockhead era. Update: Drifter web site.

Oh great, now I’m not the only wannabe skate-photog lurking in Portland. Hey Rich, how’s that new camera working out for you? Pretty good, huh? Just don’t get in my shots man, or I’ll sic Lil’ Pimp on you. Everyone is a photographer. Why not make the deck a little more crowded by checking out How To Steal My Job by Transworld photographer (I assume, because I don’t have a subscription) Scott Pommier. It’s lenghty and humorous piece filled with good practical advice. Lastly, when you look at the above picture of Chris Nukala, make sure you are humming speed metal and not Blink 182.

Haven’t you heard? Because it rains during the winter in Portland. Egbert’s got a micro-miniramp in his garage, complete with a low ceiling and pool coping. I swear this thing is less than 3 feet tall. Sometimes the amount of fun you can have is inversely proportional to the size of the transition. Pics after the jump.

Dear Sleestak, I know I haven’t been around much lately, I’ve just been… Well, you know, busy. Ever since I started updating Skate and Annoy on a regular basis I haven’t had time to hang out over there very much. Listen, I think we should see other people and still be friends.

photo: Rich Burton The Donald bowl is one of my favorite things to skate. Last weekend I planned an excursion that avoided Pier Park. Marek, Smay, Rich, Fendick and I planned to skate West Linn skatepark and then some of us would continue on to Donald.

These are a couple of old images from 2004. The spot is (was?) at the home of half of Shrunken Head. Enlargements and two more shots after the jump

We can all agree that prefab ramps in skateparks blow, but what about for home use? Prefab ramp kits have been around in various forms for a while. They are usually pretty expensive, especially when allow for shipping. Personally, I’ve never quite understood the appeal of them, but for the mechanically challenged or just plain lazy, it takes the guesswork out of the critical aspects and drastically cuts down the actual build time. What’s new in the world of prefab ramps for the home? Computers. CNC (Computer Numerical Control) means that these kits can be cut out by a computer attached to a router instead of by hand, allowing for the possibility of cheaper and better designs. Compare two ramp kit companies (products, not ad models!) after the jump

Saturday there was snow in the big bowl. I heard that it was dry on Sunday. I went Monday afternoon. Nice sunny afternoon but the park was wet everywhere the sun didn’t hit. It was mostly unskateable. Smay went to West Linn and found the same thing. I skated the pipe for a while, then I went to get a weedburner. I wasn’t going to get shut out like that again.