Aldens was a mail order catalog based out of Chicago from 1899 (not a typo) to some time shortly after 1982. This is a page from their 1978 Christmas calendar with three skateboards. I can’t ever remember seeing an Alden’s catalog despite living in the Chicago suburbs during their last gasp. Two of the models are familiar plastic boards, the Free Former (forerunner of the bidirectional popsicle stick!) and the GT Coyote II. There’s got to be thousands of Free Formers in landfills across the country. The Spinner is made from oak or kapoer [sic] which might actually be kapur. Good luck finding anything about Spinner Skateboards on google.

Check out this design for a simple DIY skateboard rack from Instructables. It’s super clean looking and pretty easy to make, I just wonder how sturdy it would be. I’m imagining my kids cracking it after a month or so. It’s pretty clever though. – Thanks to Kathleen Conahan for the tip. UPDATE: Well Crud. Posted the same concept 2 years ago.

Andrew sent me a picture of this box some two years ago, but it was pretty blurry so I resolved to try and find one in a store, but never did. In the meantime I found some good scans online via Mr Breakfast and Flickr user Jason B. This is a limited edition box of “Rockin’ Xtreme Colors!” Fruity Pebbles with “amped up fruity take!” On the back you get a full color illustration of the Bedrock Extreme Skate Park. – Thanks to Andrew Wahl for the tip

Based on the name I would have thought this 70’s skateboard patch was French, but the emphasis is LEO-motif and not Le Motif. Turns out it was made in Leeds, England. This guy looks like a hastily drawn villain in the background of a Speed Racer cartoon. Speed must join forces with the Skate Acrobatic Team to sneak onto the Mammoth Car and retrieve the GRX engine! It’s either that, or some sort of disco football player illustration grafted onto a skateboard. Grandpa, is that you? – Thanks to David ODK for the tip.

Like the Turf before it, a section of the previously thought to be decimated Del Mer Skate Ranch was briefly uncovered and skated earlier this month. I’m actually surprised that this didn’t make bigger rounds on the Interwebs, even if it was a hoax, and I don’t think it was. You never can tell with Tony and his hoverboard videos. The photo below is of another legendary spot that gets dug up every 5-10 years and skated, despite each “last time” being the final demise. The spot shall remain unnamed because, you know, it’s a big secret. Which of you have skated the bottom spot? Leave a comment if you have.

This Frog House ad marks the last of the adverts from the Summer 1975 issue of Skateboarder Magazine, billed as Volume 2, Number 1. This was the first issue after Skateboarder took a few years off when the industry lumped in the late 60’s. There were only 38 ads in that issue, but V2 #2 would see a sizable jump in number of pages. I’m about 2/3 of the way through posting all the ads in the December 1986 issue of Transworld Skateboarding. After that I think I’m going to tackle a 90’s issue of Thrasher.

A short video from Urban Skate Project about what inspires Clayton Graul. Motivational/inspirational videos about DIY are not in short supply, but this one is worth watching if only for the wealth of spots it shows.

It looks’s 60’s art direction and the seller says 70’s, but you never can tell with a button. Halftones in the image makes it look like was offset printed instead of digitally, so it’s likely it’s of the pre-desktop printing era. Simpler times in some ways, but then again making this button would have been more costly in that era. The “Badge-a-Minit” stamp on the back has a LaSalle, IL location and now these they are located in Oglesby, IL. Badge-a-Minit has been around forever.

Gross… right? I couldn’t resist. That’s what she said…. OK, Stopping now. Check out these four stickers for Concord Skateboard Lubricant. Concord Lubricant will allow you to go faster, go smoother, jet down the pipe, and slalem [sic] with ease. 70’s era judging by the equipment, although could even be early 80’s. The lot sold for the very reasonable equivalent of $5. – Thanks David ODK for the tip

Changing times ahead for Burnside with new construction within spitting distance. It will interesting to see if the locals can make it work with their new neighbors, who are undoubtedly going to be used to a less Burnsidey atmosphere. The property taxes are definitely going to give the owners some clout with city hall. In the meantime, Burnside needs lights, and they’ve got quite a ways to go to reach their target, so consider donating.