I spotted a pump track video online via Michael Brooke’s Facebook feed, but he was tight lipped about it at the time and I forgot ot follow up on it. Progressive Pumptracks makes modular pump tracks from three different materials, wood, steel, and concrete. The wooden ones seem like they would have a short useful lifespan for a skateboard, even though they are covered with a composite surface. I can imagine the repetitive “thunk thunk” sounds at each seem would only get louder and slower after a season in the rain or snow. The concrete version looks pretty fun though, although technically still reconfigurable, in reality it seems like it would be really hard to move without a good forklift, maybe two. It’s a pretty exciting idea until you realize that ARC is the company behind it. Actually, it’s still a pretty cool idea, just hard to swallow considering who makes them. A pump track is not really a “skatepark” but more like a skatespot. It looks super fun, and I love the idea of plopping these down on a disused tennis court. Videos and pics after the jump, plus a bonus video of an asphalt pump track someplace called…

The live stream from the Vans BOWL-A-RAMA™ in Wellington, NZ starts Feb. 16 at 3 p.m. PST and goes to 9 p.m. PST. There’s an embed of the live stream after the jump. I’m sure there will be commercials and whatnot, but hopefully it works. I heard last year’s was pretty good.

Christchurch, New Zealand has been rocked twice this year by deadly earthquakes. I picked up this vid from reader comments, can’t find it now. Sorry, nameless reader. Thanks for the tip. Surreal street skating terrain. Check it out after the jump.

My first summer on a skateboard was spent on a yellow plastic banana board with red urethane wheels. Soon after figuring out how to roll down the driveway and make a turn onto the sidewalk, the second order of business was drawing obstacle courses and imaginary hazards with chalk on the driveway. In the late 70’s the idea of the skateboard pinball course was commercialized as the facilites known as Skate-Ball, which seemed like an idea that was kind of silly, though I’m sure fun, but it doesn’t live up to the full potential of the concept. Enter this crazy ramp funded by Moutain Dew in New Zealand. (?) It cost about 500k (New Zealand) and has computerized sensors and software to activate the lights and notes and somehow, the scoring. The whole thing was used for an invite only contest last Saturday but will be open to the public for three weeks afterwards. Massive waste of money? You bet, but If i lived anywhere near that I’d be in line to ride it. Videos after the jump. If you’re still in the mood for more skateboarding obstacle course action, check out this old 2008 post on the Japanese game…

He’s Glenn Jones is a graphic designer and illustrator from Auckland, New Zealand who operates under the name GLENNZ, which is derived from ‘GLENN’ and ‘NZ’ concatenated. You can visit his site and vote on which of his designs you’d like to see made into a t-shirt. Currently there are four skateboard illustrations in the mix. I don’t know where they disappear to after voting ends, so I’ve archived them after the jump. – Thanks to Matthijs for the tip

Not much interesting about most no skateboarding signs, except in the case of this one from New Zealand, someone used some vert ramp clip art and turned the image upside down so the skateboard would be on the ground. The giveaway is the negative space where the coping should be. By the looks of the relative brightness of the red stripe, someone keeps adding these signs to their private collection. – Thanks to Kiwi reader Campbell for the pics. Do New Zealanders get annoyed being called Kiwi’s? I don’t mind being called a Yank, but it mostly just makes me feel pity for the person calling me that, since I don’t think anyone really uses that term actively. “That poor, out of touch dweeb” is what might come to mind. I suppose that might be happening to me every time I mention Flight of the Concords.

Now class, lets start where we left off yesterday. Can someone please tell me where the Kiwifruit comes from and what was it originally called in the West? Yes Bobby, that’s right. It was imported from China to New Zealand in 1906 and colloquially called the Chinese Gooseberry. It was briefly called the mellonette before being changed to Kiwiwfruit in the 1950’s. No Suzie, commercial cultivation didn’t start in the United States unit the 60’s. What’s that Grover? You are correct, from the looks of this hang tag, the first time a Kiwifruit got “radical” must have been some time in the 80’s near Arizona, or possibly the Moon. – Thanks to Andy Wylie for bring this in to Show-and-Tell.

I’ve got this mental notion that everyone in New Zealand is sort of nerdy but very interesting. I don’t know if Flight of the Conchords has had a positive or negative effect on the public image of New Zealand, but it’s one of my favorite shows. I’m probably annoying the hell out the guy from New Zealand who sent me these pictures by bringing it up. Then again, Eagle vs. Shark just adds fuel to the fire… Sorry Richard. Check out some DIY action from a crew in Papakura, New Zealand after the jump. I’m not down with the local lingo, so someone will need to fill me in on the definition of “splur.”