We jokingly predicted it over a decade ago. As it usually happens, I go looking for one thing and find another. What’s the going rate for worn out decks meant to be up cycled into jewelry, furniture, assorted appliance handles, phone cases and the like? Apparently it’s $19-$33 a deck, depending on where you shop on Etsy. At this price point it’s cheaper to buy crappy Chinese blanks and skip the part where they get skated. Of course, that skirts the whole saving the environment bit…

I added a category for Department Store Catalogs to the Skate and Annoy galleries. Right now there’s only 10 catalogs spanning 19964-1966. The biggest reason is my OCD I took it upon myself to also add images of the skateboards found in those ads, which turned out to be quite time consuming. I plan on continuing this through the 70’s, but as soon as they get impossible to identify I’ll probably stop adding the real life photos. Check out Department Store Catalogs.

Rockstar Energy Drink wis in town last week for a free contest at the riverfront in Portland. I’ve been to that before, it’s free, fun, and everyone rips. I didn’t make it this year, but GVK was going to apply for media credentials again. I’m not sure if he made it either. For some reason, (OK everyone knows the reason, marketing and money…) Rockstar (via Powell skater Christopher Heitt) went to a Portland Timbers match. You can watch the whole thing without snarky commentary on Instagram, but since you’re already here, just remember that Skate and Annoy is your premier site for MLS crossover action!

The New York Times has a column titled Modern Love, and a promo for this one keeps coming up in my Reddit feed. Now sure, I’m old and out of touch, but hopefully nowhere near as out of touch as this short story is. It’s got a typical skateboard stereotype and seems like it’s written for a young adult audience instead of the New York Times. But what do I know? Angela Cravens is getting paid to write for the Times, while it costs me money to keep Skate and Annoy going.

Mad House Comics #108 was published in August of 1977. It’s another fine example of the Archie Comics group. There’s nothing on the cover but there is a 1 page story or gag at least, and a whopping 3 different sales club ads featuring different skateboards you could have earned by selling crap.

Mark Conahan dug up some of his own old photos from 1978 while he was in the process of helping me identify the skateparks in a different pile of old photos. All of these were taken in 1978 at Skateboard World in Torrance, California. It’s mostly MC and Kevin Anderson, plus a bonus shot of a wee Eric Dressen.

Thanks to Cody Custer for allowing the repost of this extremely well preserved Hobie Super Surfer and the box it came in. Looks as if it shipped directly from Vita Pakt only yesterday… Interesting that the wheels appear to be two separate colors. Vita Pakt did sell wheels in sets under the Super Surfer brand and not Hobie. Look at that box! Ok, Ok… The board is not too shabby either. Model 1466, dontcha know?

Thanks to Dan Hakes for allowing this repost of some old photos from an unnamed skatepark in 1978, possibly in the San Bernardino county area. Concretes Disciples list two dead 70’s skateparks in that county, Colton Ranch, and Skate Crater. If you know, drop the name in the comments. Update. It’s two different parks. The snake run and half pipe have been identified as Skateboard World in Torrance and the bowl is The Runway in Carson, thanks to MC.

The staff of Skate and Annoy recently held a corporate retreat across several locations in South America, compiling a list of the most adorable B&Bs in Peru that I’m dying to tell you about… Nope, that didn’t happen. A friend of mine sent in these pictures while visiting. So in case you’re wondering, it’s legal to skate in Lima, Peru, at least on the bike paths. Or just maybe this is vigilante signage.

– Thanks to Stephen B for the pics.

Legendary San Francisco skate spot China Banks is no more. The spot was apparently not popular with the community but oddly enough it had nothing to do with the skateboarding and more to do with the use of the rest of the space. Makes no difference now… Video from KPIX after the jump.