This edition of drive by cellphone shots, these aren’t tank traps on the Maginot Line, rather light fixtures and car barriers at a high school in Redmond, Washington.

The California Surf Museum is having an opening for a skateboarding exhibit called “Clay to Urethane: 1965-1975” that will coincide with a book signing with Ben Marcus, the author of SSkateboard, The Good, the Rad and the Gnarly. Some skate legends confirmed to attend so far: Logan brothers, Steve Cathey, Denis Shufeldt, Frank Nasworthy, Gregg Weaver, Chris Yandall, Dale Smith, Jim Goodrich, Eddie Katz, Buddy Carr, Pineapple Saladino, Larry Balma, and more.

Saturday, August 13th from 4-7 pm.

We stopped by to check out Spohn Ranch’s modular bowl being assembled for the Dew Tour. It’s pretty impressive. Up close the individual sections don’t appear as massive or thick as you might think. There were a couple local faces in the crew which was nice to see. Word is that a Wally Holiday crew is coming in to do the finishing. Grover was ribbing the crew because some of the sections were out of numerical order, judging by the big numbers scrawled on the back. One interesting thing, the parking lot is sloping, so the whole structure is being erected on scaffolding with a giant corrugated metal subfloor. Check out the pictures after the jump.

In 1991 there was an animated series based on a spinoff novel from Ian Flemming’s James Bond series. I just watched Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for the first time in… decades, and I was suprised to learn that it was also based on an Ian Flemming novel and produced by Albert R. Broccoli, the guy who did all the early James Bond movies. Ian didn’t write the James Bond Jr book, so he can’t really be blamed for the atrocity that is the James Bond Jr cartoon. They made over 60 episodes, but apparently the toy line was more popular than the actual series. What you see here is the Gordo Leiter figure, complete with weaponized skateboard. Turns out there were two episodes that featured skateboarding.

[Sources: Wikipedia and James Bond Jr Online]

Well it’s an idea we’ve seen before, so why no build a whole brand around it? Here’s a video of the Pornstar Skateboards “factory” which you have to swallow with a grain of salt. Anyone recognize the actual factory? Watch as actress Sarah Jesse causes an awkward moment for a hapless worker who just wants her to be comfortable. Do you need a date? Sarah is available (NSFW!!) to help you “relax, unwind, and experience a range of ‘sensual delights'”. Business must be slow at Pornstar. The web site is a little bit like a ghost town.

– Thanks to Quartersnacks for the tip.

So… an “unlocked spot” courtesy of the Dew Tour:

We’ve unlocked a cool spot for all you Portland locals to skate next Wednesday 11am at the Pioneer Courthouse Square. There’s normally no skateboarding there, but we’re hooking it up for you guys.

While I applaud the idea of lifting the ban, if only temporarily, I have to laugh at the suits at Pepsi “hooking me up.” Still, that’s a novel form of social/guerilla marketing. I wonder how much it cost to “hook us up?” ( Egads that’s awkward punctuation. Any English majors out there that can tell me what I did wrong? ) The photo on the bottom? That’s Spohn Ranch’s portable concrete bowl system being disassembled and loaded up for the trip to Portland. Grover is chomping at the bit to ride that thing.

– Thanks to Craig Smith for the tip.

I missed this one, got outbid early on and literally missed bidding again by one second.

For your consideration we have listed a box of 60 original skateboard necklaces. These were a canadian product from 1976. You are buying and original display box with 60 individually packaged skateboard necklaces. New old stock from 35 years ago. A nice retro find.

I have no idea what the actual necklaces look like, but the packaging is the best. I live for this kind of thing. Hang one?