The Science Channel’s How it’s Made program featured skateboards as one of the items that they show… how they are made. For some reason they chose the skateboarding segment to include some gratuitous “history of” narration and crappy animation. None of the other products got the extra dog and pony show. The skateboarder in the picture above seems to be caught in some sort of time-space wormhole anomaly where he is forced to dress like the late 70’s but ride a skateboard that looks like it was designed in the 50’s. Every skateboard manufacturing process seems to vary a little, but the basics are the same. If you’ve never seen this type of thing before it can be interesting. These guys are using the heat transfer process to apply the “decorations” as they call it. The video does not show how the heat transfers are printed (similar to printing t-shirt transfers, colors are printed in reverse order on a flat substrate.) but does show them being applied. The shapes are cut out by hand using an interesting shaping template and what I think is a planer. I’ve never seen it done that way before. Actually, a factory using heat transfers…

“Sadlands on Steroids” was my second choice of titles for these pics of Plaza Bellver in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. This has got to be, what they call the shit. Possibly the best not-made-for-skating skate terrain ever? Dean Tyrell sent in these pictures (and more) after seeing the post on the French artsy fartsy skate spot. You can see more (and larger) pics of Plaza Bellver and a few legit skate spots in Palma de Mallorca Spain in the feature.

The Dallas Morning News has a surprisingly lengthy article on the older crew of skateboarders in Dallas that are still getting some, not only in local skateparks, but in less than legal pools as well. The article, titled These guys haven’t slowed down, talks a little about balancing their adult lives and responsibilities with skateboarding, and is thankfully short on the “Rad Dad” rhetoric. Here’s a good quote: Now he wears a tie every day. But underneath the suit, he remains a skater punk. Mr. Stubbs says he has had to explain more than once to co-workers and clients why he has pus oozing through his slacks. Reminds me of my friend Shawn who went out to skate on his lunch break, ate shit and had to spend the rest of the day explaining the holes in his fancy work pants and bloody knees. Now he carries an extra pair of work pants in his trunk. Not a prophylactic, but prophyl-slack-tic, as in “slacks.” Ba dum bump! Take my wife! Please! Uh, yeah. What else? The Sonya Hebert/DMN photo above has a quality that makes it seem more like an advertising shot from a prescription drug company or a financial…

Dateline: Englewood Florida. Headline: County wipes out good, clean fun Overmonitoring, irregular hours and high fees mar new skate park Eric Ernst wrote a piece for The Herald Tribune about micromanaging the fun out of the new Englewood skatepark that Team Pain built. Here in Oregon, most of our parks are free, open from dawn to dusk and unmonitored. And for the most part, this works out great.

Amazing! I was going to put this in the “Found Terrain” category, but it’s actually a purpose built skate spot in France! I had to (try to) read the sign, but it appears it was made for skating (and roller skating, inline skating, and BMX). Le Craddle du 13e was paid for by the City of Paris Cultural Affairs Department of Art in the City. That’s some bureaucracy I can get behind. There are a few more shots on the Skatepark de Paris flickr stream. OK. It’s a success as far as public art goes, but let’s take a step back and evaluate the skateboarding terrain. It’s fenced off, I think to keep pedestrians out actually. The approach looks really short, and where are you supposed to go when you come off that high wall? Looks like they want you to carve a continuous loop. No kickturns allowed! I still give it an “A” for effort though. Circular skate spots are the rage. [Source: Skatepark de Paris]

It’s another case of designers with too much time (or LSD) on their hands. This time it’s Acconci Studio with their concept for a skatepark in San Juan Puerto Rico. I came across this in Dec/Jan 07 issue of Dwell magazine. It was on a page talking about the Cooper Hewitt 2006 National Design Triennial. The design evokes a 70’s snake run mixed with a waterpark. It may be fantastic to look at, but it shows a complete lack of practical skateboarding knowledge.

So here it is, a too long and boring GVK18. It was a slim crowd at Holly Farms for the 1st Saturday, but we had fun as you can see via the video. The average age of the crowd was 30 years of age and the average weight of each person was 200 pounds or more maybe. We finally got “Bacon Master” Collin to ride and boy were we surprised. Who knows, maybe he will ride more with us. I know he is a business man who make tons of money off his skateboarding empire. I also know he is a skater now. It was good to session with him and Tim. Peace OFF Grover

Untold True Story has an interview with Grant Brittian, former photo king of Transworld and present king of The Skateboard Mag. The interview is over a year old, but it’s still an interesting read. Afterwards you can head on over to Grant’s site to check out some of his work, both skateboarding related and otherwise.

The signs next to this public space say “Interdiction De Monter Sur Le Mur,” which I’m pretty sure means “stay off the wall.” This French spot is labeled as La Vague du Parc Clichy/Batignolles. I don’t know where or what (ou, quoi) that is, but the spot looks rad. I imagine a curb will go up at the bottom of that soon. There are few more pics on Skatepark de Paris’ flickr stream. Thanks to German reader Michael Pfister who originally saw this on SkateAndDestroy.de.