Notes from the Road

Minneapolis St. Paul, Minnesota is pretty underrated in regards to it's street skateboarding. Even before we met up with a tour guide we were able to find our way around downtown and skate various famous spots like the rainbow banks. We also kept find numerous brick plazas that were uncapped but did have roving police in full effect. We ended up coming back with a grip of footage from three days worth of "trying hard" to have a good time. Dakota and I were snapping away with our iPhones as well as Dakota's 35mm. One funny story is about Dakota and his love for ice cold beer. So, after we get done skateboarding and are heading back to the hotel, Dakota asks me to take him to get some beer. Now Dakota is 21 and if he wants a beer at this point it is his birthright. Stopping by the liquor store, which is the only place in Minnesota that has 5pt beer, Dakota is denied because there are minors in the car. So, off we go to the next store and I park in the back. Dakota goes inside and is denied because although his ID says he is 21 years old, via the D.O.B. it is still a vertically shot "Minor ID" which is not valid in the state of Minnesota. Off to the third liquor store we go where I park the car across the entire parking lot and head in personally to buy Dakota his beer, of which I was successful, but just barely. This little experience prompted Dakota and the rest of the crew to bang out the T-Shirt you see below and on the back it had a top ten reasons why, which I fail to remember now. Doubt it if it helped his score during the contest at 3rd Lair, but it was worth it as he was the first skater, taking his lines on the first day at exactly 10am. Maybe his shirt was actually right on point.

Images of a Professional

Newsflash,"Ben Raybourn is PRO for 1031," just in case you missed it. Speaking of pro, just what exactly is it that makes a professional skateboarder these days anyway? I suppose, you have to be able to skate anything and with Ben you can go ahead and put a massive CHECK in that box. When at a contest a handy trait might be the ability to completely disregard the competitive nature of the contest and just make sure that you and everyone around you are having a good time, so that's another CHECK off the list. You absolutely have to possess the ability to take a good head shot, for your non skate later-years ads and endorsements, so I guess Ben get a CHECK there as well. It is also good if you know how to never forget who your real friends are. The genuine ones that don't expect anything from you and are just happy being around you. As it seems that this skateboarder gets it, so we are going to have to award him a big fat CHECK here as well. Then you are going to have to log some serious miles on that personal odometer and as far as traveling is concerned Ben Raybourn is quickly approaching a possible flipping of his, so CHECK. Australia, to California then Minneapolis St. Paul and now on the 1031 Skateboards Summer Tour all during 2009 and it is only May. Congratulations on your new professional status, it could not have happened to a nicer, more genuine person. It's going to be a long run and everyone at Southside Skatepark is looking forward to it, so without further adue I present to you professional skateboarder Ben Raybourn!!!

Sometimes it Just Rains

A couple weeks ago David, Dakota and I went out to one of our favorite weekday spots only to get rained on. It takes a solid 45 minutes to an hour depending on traffic to get out to the spot. Dakota had a line he was trying to get and David had some things that he wanted to try a film as well. It certainly looked threatening on the drive out, but we thought that we might get lucky. As we usually go to Galveston if it is raining in Houston and it works like a charm. This time the rain finally caught up with us and no sooner than we had gotten out of the car and started rolling around the spot went from "good to go" to "soaking wet" within minutes. I just thought I would shoot a photo of it for you just to share the disappointment of the day. We have since returned to the spot and taken care of a couple things that we had been wanting to do. In fact last time Jeff Gilmer and John Danielson came along and it was a literal footage party all day. Sequences, medium format, digital, variable frames rates, double angle HVX clips, you name it, we shot it, and we'll do it again too, because Dakota happened to be out of town and will need to go back for that line.

Backtrack to Paris, France

Quick little catch up regarding our trip to Paris in late March early April. Here are a couple images that you will most likely see while visiting the most romantic city in the world. You will definitely have a cappuccino that will most likely look just like this one. It will definitely be more expensive than any other cappuccino you had ever purchased in the United States too. If you wander the streets at night, which we found to be surprisingly safe, you might catch the Eiffel Tower lighting up periodically. The local custom seems to be to sustain a kiss with your partner for the duration of the lighting of the tower. As I saw numerous couples stopping to engage in this custom that I was unaware of when I shot this photo. On your way from your hotel to the Louvre, the largest and most well known museum in Paris, you will most likely find yourself walking through some of the cities gardens which will help wake you up. There will be an abundance of original Minis tucked in on the streets here and there as well. The first Sunday of the month is free museum day in Paris, and if you go to the Louvre this is what it looks like. Kind of crazy to think about that many people crammed into a massive, and I mean massive space like the Louvre. We had a great time in Paris, the city just makes you feel good, I highly recommend it.

Steve Caballero and Steve Van Doren

So, for the Vans RV tour this years legendary pro was Steve Caballero. Accompanying the group was Steve Van Doren, the original owner of vans, "the man that started it all!" Caballero skated our two spined bowls and let me know that the spine was absolutely perfect. He was really enjoying himself and was handling the transition with that buttery smooth perfection that has kept him pro for the last 25+ years. After skateboarding for a while Caballero came in to check out the shop and spotted some kids Halfcabs, of which he was unable to get at the warehouse as they had been out of stock for some time. His daughter and son wore a child's size 11 and 2 and what are the chances that the last two sizes we had were exactly that. It was kind of surreal pulling the two pairs of kids Halfcabs out of the back and selling them at full price,"the only way they would have it" to the founded of the Vans brand and the namesake of the shoes themselves. Thanks again Vans for including Southside Skatepark on your Vans RV Tour. It is always a good time and a nice chill day at the park.

Volcom "Wild in the Parks" Meets Potential...Finally!

We just wrapped up Volcom's "Wild in the Parks" Qualifier which qualifies seven skateboarders from each age category to skate in the finals at Cowtown, AZ for an opportunity to take home a piece of the $20,000 prize purse. As you can see it was quite a turn out with 186 participants and who knows how many friends, parents and girlfriends were in attendance. Volcom treated everyone to free hot dogs, chips, cookies and drinks. Everyone was able to kick back and relax on the skateable grandstand under the 24' fan and enjoy the 3 zone jam format action. In the Pro Am category David Langston, winner of the finals Pro Am in Arizona last year, repeated as this years top qualifier. Dakota Roberson qualified in the number six spot and finally lived up to his own potential in a contest which is something I had been waiting a long time for. Southside Skatepark's George Karvonus and shop friend Zach Hemphill placed 2nd and 3rd in the 14 and Under category. Also in the Pro Am Kyle Walker who was actually claiming Texas, even though I could of sworn he was from Oklahoma, came in third. Remember my potential article a while back, well after a eight year contest hiatus Brian Gonterman decided it was time to step up and represent. Some friends of his started a new board shop called "Select" in Friendswood, which might of had something to do with him placing 2nd. Not to be outdone, or left at home, Chris Luring qualified as well. With this many skaters we know qualifying, you know we are going to rent a van and drive out to the finals for sure. Congratulations everyone and thanks to Volcom, all the skateboarders who entered the event and the Southside Skatepark staff for all your support.

Welcome Aboard George Karvonus

Southside Skatepark has a new team rider, and we don't take that lightly considering that the entire team is a whopping four people and two flow status guys. The images below are of our first out of state team trip to 3rd Lair in Minneapolis, MN with George Karvonus, David Langston, Ben Raybourn, Dakota Roberson and shop friend Sean Villars. We love Sean Villars, just check out that wedgie control in the first pic, amazing style don't you think? So, we were sleeping six people in the hotel room with the hotel only knowing of four when things were starting to get a little boring. So I suppose the guys decided to have a little fun with the Sharpies and consequently George was slightly hazed. David went ahead and put a mustache on in the morning just to even the score a little bit for George. It would be funny, George would start shit with the crew and they would give it back until he cried a little bit, but it was like a fake cry half laugh. He would be trying to get all upset and turn on the tears but he couldn't stop laughing. The black foot, wedgie and mustache are just the tip of the iceberg of what insued over the course of the trip. All in all we had a great trip which allowed us to skate a great park and skate street in Minneapolis and St. Paul for three days. We also found a great tour guide Daina and really made the most of life outside the park and our teams 14th place finish out of 35 shops. Most likely we will be going back next year, but I don't know, I guess it all depends on where things are at.