Wouldn’t is suck to be the one family in this neighborhood who didn’t have their own backyard pool? I mean, you’d still have a very nice roof over your head, but still… This is a detail from a Vincent Laforet photo. It’s number 20 at his page on the Young Gallery.

MC should wear a Miss Skatepark Oregon sash when he skates Pier Park. This is his third appearance in a Portland based periodical skating Pier Park.

Aww, to hell with it. We’re already on a bunch of content blocking filters. Vintage Skateboard Magazines has a bunch of ads archived. On the left is a 1979 Dogtown advert from a US publication, where you can only show the cleavage. On the right is an advert for Olympic Skateboards in an unnamed UK publication that is a lot more cheeky. Love that site. Daniel has a standing invitation to have the archives hosted at Skate and Annoy if he ever decides it’s time for VSM to give up the ghost.

Hello, I have recently developed these unique performance wheels. They are pictured being track tested by professional rider Josh Rolf at speeds in excess of 50mph. Aside from being really fast, and incredibly sweet looking, they also drift, and slide predictably and comfortably. This wheel system also allows riders to inexpensively swap out their tires in order to change appearance, and durometer. I believe this awesome wheel system would be an excellent addition to your outstanding product line. I look forward to hearing from you, and hopefully we can work something out.

First of all, this is not a new idea. You may recall there was a company that sold the same type of system for short boards in the early 2000’s (Dang! Do I write the ’00s instead?) I can’t remember the name, but Grover actually tried a set and found them craptacular. They would spin on the hub. That seems like a problem that would be easy enough to fix though. Second of all, I swear I read the word “inexpensive” in there somewhere, but at $300 for the rims and $20 per tire???? That’s not inexpensive. Good luck with that patent.

Skateboard rack shots are a dime a dozen, but this one is pretty damned funny. Check it out on Bowl Freaks and say hello to Hans Moleman. UPDATE: Bowl Freaks domain expired and has been taken over by spammers. Link deleted.

OK, trying to tie up some loose ends. It’s getting hard to keep trak of everything around here. Here are some shots of the blue fiberglass ramps from the 70’s that found their way to Thrasherland and The Roxbourough in Philadelphia. There’s also a video clip of a modern day ramp using some pieces salvaged from Thrasherland after the jump. If you’ve sent me some Thrasherland/blue fiberglass ramp shots and I’ve failed to post them, please let me know. Same goes for Skateball shots.

Team Pain is cranking on the Ed Austin Skatepark in Jacksonville, Florida. There’s an article in the Florida Times-Union that talks about the situation a little. It looks like they might be getting another street plaza in Arlington as well? (“When the new site is completed it will be about 6 miles away from Ed Austin Skate Park.”) Maybe it’s a typo in the article, and “Skate Park” should read “State Park.” I’m no local… but Martin Ramos, the owner of nearby Kona displayed some astonishing character when asked about competition from a nearby and assumedly free skatepark: “What is good for skateboarding is good for Kona.”

Swank Zine – the Anarchy issue doesn’t have a date on it, but from the record reviews listed, it dates to early 1886. Typical Swank Zine fare, high contrast photos and arty drawings, incoherent Swankisms littered throughout. Short and sweet. Other issues of Swank zine are numbered, but this one isn’t. Thanks again to John Drummond for making this available.

By: Tod Swank
Photos: Tod Swank, J. Grant Brittain

Featuring: Dave Swift, Josh Nelson, Bill Danforth, Britt Parrott, Monty Nolder, Lance Mountain, Steve Rocco

Spots: Delking, Delmar, Upland, Oceanside

Highlights: A recounting of one of the Godoys spitting on Stan Hoffman’s face after getting kicked out of Upland (for?), Swank using his zine to pick up girls via personal full page messages (Denise, call Swank!) There’s a back page ad of Kevin Staab that’s manipulated in such a way that it makes him looks like a sulky young girl.

Check out: Swank Zine – The Anarchy Issue, comments in the gallery.

Well, March was good, but April was even better! I feature 49 items, of which 14 went for over $1,000. There were no $3000+ decks this month, but still, lots of good stuff changing hands. There was a lot of cash being thrown around. Maybe tax refunds being spent? And just wait until the stimulus checks hit!

Check out: eBay Watch – April 2008

I skate pools because Thrasher told me I in so many words that I was supposed to. I can’t remember the first time I read it, but I know the idea occurred to me originally because I would read about it Thrasher in the Mid 80’s. Each new issue of Thrasher used to be an all encompassing event for me. There simply was no other way to connect with skaters across the country, and across time. Reading Thrasher left an indelible imprint in my mind that roots skaters, real skaters skated backyard pools. As a result, I skated some pretty crappy pools in central Illinois. These weren’t exactly backyard, but more like municipal pools and hotel or apartment building pools. None of them were anything to write home about, and yet we pressed on.