Here’s the latest news from the windy, and very cold Columbia River Gorge skate scene. A backhoe broke ground one week ago on the new bowl. Mark and Graham are both diligently getting it done by working the landscape into submission and laying out the design. Now for those of you that need to see it from the horses mouth you can watch a video of Graham explaining it after the jump.

Weather looks good for Saturday. Nothing official, although we have a couple of decks and some t-shirts we might be persuaded to part with. I’ll head over sometime around lunchtime.

Our old buddy Eugene Lardizabal writes from Kansas: Finally took my screws out on Monday. Now I should be able to land that 540… Check out the hardware they took out. He says there was a broken screw missing from the photo. Best wishes for a speedy recovery Eugene. You should use those screws to build a ramp.

The Marginal Way project is having thier annual BBQ and fundraiser this weekend, but their generator gave up the ghost, so be a local hero and contact them if you have a temporay generator hookup for the event. If you can’t bring a generator, bring your board and support the scene. Oh yeah it’s that time again, the end of the summer Marginal Way Skatepark 2nd annual BBQ. Come down and see the progress of the park. we have been doing some cool stuff over the past year. hopefully this next year we can continue to make more rad shit. the BBQ is going to be fun food, skating, game of CRETE (our version of SKATE) and music. Plus our pal Quincy Quigg illustrated a cool new shirt for us that will be for sale during the event. come down and see what going on at your local Seattle DIY park and help us celebrate and make some money for the start of Fall 07. Marginal Way Skatepark BBQ SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2007 1:00PM SKATEBOARDING, MUSIC, FOOD GAME OF C.R.E.T.E (REGISTER AT 10 AM) SUPPORT SEATTLE‚S D.I.Y. SKATEPARK

The Skateboard Archives has two pages of pictures from Sleestock 2007 that look like they were taken around the same time mine were.

I went to Sleestock 2007 and I only took four pictures. Two of them are butt shots, and one is of a local that who was definitely not into having his park invaded by the likes of the Stak, or probably anyone else for that matter. I took five pictures actually, but one was a bail. “Why have you forsaken me?” you ask. Well I can’t answer that. It certainly wasn’t for lack ripping or interesting subject matter, and the turnout was good. I felt like taking it easy while not wrecking myself in the bowl. And I forgot all my stickers. I was, basically, useless. There were plenty of other cameras there so we’ll keep you updated. If you post pictures drop me an email and I’ll put together some links. Until then, you can view SnA’s massive coverage after the jump. Thanks to Bobcat for putting it all together again.

Just got the sad news that our skate buddy from West Linn took his own life over the weekend. No details to share, but plenty of sadness to go around. Our condolences to friends and family. Sequence of Wes grinding over the stairs at West Linn before the Trifecta last year.

…has been Glenhaven. It has been amazing how empty Pier has been. Too many times in the last week I have been in on my own private session, praying that I don’t get seriously hurt in the 11.5″ abyss. I can only imagine the wrath of the local kids as they heckle my bloody carcass. Trying to talk them into hauling said carcass out of there wouldn’t be too fun either. I can’t skate Pier every day, especially not by myself. It simply hurts too much. I am no Mark Conahan. I wish I was, but I am not. I need to take a couple of days off between sessions at Pier, and Glenhaven has become a perfect filler. The mini bowl is great for somebody like me (old, fat and not very skilled) as it reminds me of my Masonite mini-ramp youth. The hip in the center is pure butter. The pool is gnarl, but less gnarl than Donald. There are always great sessions full of kids who are tearing that thing to little pieces. It’s great to see kids half my age able to appreciate (and destroy) pools. I thought that tranny was dead, right? Dave Viera came…

Our pal Rich Burton has been taking some great skate photos. He has collected his Monday Covers on a single page of his website Earth Patrol Media. Check out how many he has done already. Congratulations Rich!

I met Wee Ming Wong at Pier a few weeks back. He was on his way home from a road trip to Southern California. He is posting a travelog – including some great shots from the Baldy pipeline. invert photo of Wee from the Skull Skates 70s gallery