Alien Workshop"Mind Field Tour" Descends on Houston

So, as it turns out the Alien Workshop crew rolled through town packing such heavy hitters as Jason Dill, Arto Sarri, Mikey Taylor, Grant Taylor, Dylan Rieder, Tyler Bledsoe with TM Chad Bowers and photographer from the Skateboard MAG, Rodent. Local destroyer David Langston was making his bones, skating live in front of some of the team for the first time. The TM was siked on Davids skateboarding and so was Arto, which gave me a sigh of relief. The demo was solid, with Arto requesting the most 80's music we could play throughout the session. Everyone skated the event, we are not sure if it was the park itself being so inviting or if it was the fact that most of their "Mind Field" tour stops had been in-store signings up to our stop on their schedule. I do know that the team managed to pop out of the van after driving 12 hours from El Paso with Dill throwing sparks on every feeble grind he did on the granite ledges. Grant Taylor picked up and NBD with a backside ollie air from the smaller 6' quarter clear over the bank to wall and into the 8' quarter. It may have been the loudest roar I have heard all summer out of a spectating crowd. Of course, that's not to say that the crowds have not been into it at previous events because they have. Somehow after the demo, drinks and dinner at a nearby sports bar half the crew still wanted to go street skateboarding. Guru met up with us and proceeded to show us around town since he knew everyone better than David and I did. Looks like we ended up striking gold at this red bar spot, which Dill took a liking to. Rodent shot a great photo, which made him feel a lot better since he is under a lot of pressure to produce a featured tour article and possible cover oppurtunity for the Skateboard MAG by the conclusion of the trip. Arto brought the Arri's while Cory the Alien filmer and I filmed the clips. I doubt my stuff will get used but it was hard not to internally fan out on finally filming a Jason Dill clip and line as I had been a fan since his early video part in the A1 Meats Wheels video and have eagerly anticipated the release of all videos he's been in ever since.

Characters of the Skatepark

I thought I would take a second to share some of the characters of the park with you. The first one is of this crazy kid we have in our day camp this week. Every Wednesday we take a field trip to a small local free park, eat at CiCi's or Jason's Deli, then skate Strawberry Park for our street spot. It just so happens that we noticed that the "wild one" resembled the kid on the poster behind him. It is kind of hard to tell since the kid is a little bit small, but if you have ever seen this kid snaking you and barking at you at the skatepark then you will get a kick out of this poster. I don't think we have any plans of letting him forget about this either, we all had a big laugh over lunch. The next image is of the man who started it all for Southside Skatepark back in the late 50's early 60's when he started buying up all the land available for sale in South Houston. I know he looks a little sketchy right here, with his swollen shut eye, but I can assure you he knows what he is doing, most of the time. According to him, he says he was weed eating one of his building when something hit him in the eye. He said that,"It hurt like a son-of-a-bitch, but I kept going to finish off what I had to do." Turns out that when he and his wife when out of town it flared up, sending him to the ER in Louisiana. Upon closer inspection it is really red and irritated but luckily it seems as though he is going to make a full recovery. He should be at home resting but instead we are running around messing with his buildings all over South Houston. The final one below is of a friend of the park who just came in to skate after getting a haircut and style, and I do mean style. Just look at this ridiculous hair, this is just not normal, at least not for most skateboarders. We usually hate hairspray, gets all in your eyes when you skate as you sweat. Looks horrible and something that reminds you of a real jock mentality. Lucky enough for me, he just pushed it up to mess with us, I think, but maybe not, let's hope so. Just thought I would give you some examples of the type of characters we have to deal with on a daily basis at the park.

Deathwish, Baker, Shakejunt, Brigada August 1st

So, hopefully you were smart enough to make the trek over to Southside to check out one of the most epic demos of all time at the park. We raised $900 towards to Make a Wish Foundation Savings Fund, through our usual $3 donation for spectators. Of course, if you happen to skate the park prior to the demo and paid your usual fee to come in, the demo was just an added bonus with no extra charges. At this demo Southside had the pleasure of hosting Antwuan Dixon, Erik Ellington, Andrew Reynolds, Slash, Sammy Baca, Brian Herman, Jeff Lenoce, Lizard King, Figgy, Moose, Furby, Theotis Beasley, Reno, Shane Heyl and Alex Neck. I could go on and on about how amazing the music, skateboarding, crowd, locals, beer, signing, tour shirts, free product, homies, mic skills of the Shakejunt, BeagleONEism, was but I think I am going to just let the images do the talking, just too much to to explain everything that happened thoughout the day and night. Check it out, oh and Antwuan has a seriously gnarly toe, considering that he is only 20 years old and his feet look like they are 80 something, stay tuned, see below.

The Force of Nature

Ever wonder at what force your trucks inpact the cement when sticking a particular trick down a gap primo? According to the Soletech STI labrotory it is a force 17 times greater than the weight of yourself as a human being. The images below illustrate the shear force of such incidents and the destruction associated with it.

Of course, it isn't like it is anything that a little bondo couldn't fix but I just thought you should all have a look for yourselves. I wonder how many new tricks have been learned and taken to the streets on this set over the last two years? With any luck quite a few, I do know that I witnessed a kid land his first kickflip over them during Southside Skatepark's Quinceneara Go Skateboarding Day Celebration. He must of been all reved up on candy that was dropped out of the two pinatas that we beat the crap out of earlier in the day. He was super hyped on making the trick, and I do mean hyped as he was really young. He was all puffed up about it, but since I don't really have the ability to kickflip off anything I suppose he ought to be as the four block is no joke.

Skaters on the Beach

I hate the beach. Simple statement, just a fact, I pretty much can not stand being out on the beach. It is hot, I burn easily, I don't have a six pack or at least not exactly. Just look at us, does it really look like any of us belong on the beach? Do we look like we are having a good time? Does it actually seem as though we are comfortable? The beach tracks sand all into your car and you head home begging for a shower as soon as you can. The only thing good about the beach is just going to go. You know that feeling you have after you are done doing something just to say you did something "more" with your day. Just look at Dakota, after these photos were taken, his forehead was oozing for a week and then began to peel. The guy in the green hat, Cory Wilder, looks right at home doesn't he? Covered head to toe working on his buzz in an attempt to make things a little more fun. Anthony Morris used to be a surfer, a really good one too but he quit and decided skateboarding was a lot more fun. Might of had something to do with the fact that there really isn't a whole lot of surf in Texas. When I get asked about the surfers down in Galveston I always say the same thing,"Well, they've got a lot heart, don't they?" Look at me, you commentator, do I look comfortable with my jean short black high top combo? NO!

Bruised Like a Banana

David, Dakota and I are currently running our first summer camp for the kids up at the park and one of the gnarlier kids had some bruised legs that I thought were interesting. This picture really doesn't do it justice. If I didn't know this kid or his parents I would think that maybe he is being abused at home. His legs are so blackened that it reminded me of how haggard my legs used to be as a kid. Trying numerous tricks over and over again, slamming them into my shins over and over again. It is a time in a skateboarder's life where you are too young to understand the technique behind what you are trying to do, or even how to do it for that matter. I will have to admit that this kid has really improved a lot over the last year, as he was in our camps last summer and I was teaching him how to ollie. Since then I would have to say that he must have taken a liking to smashing his board into his shins. Hopefully during this week's camp some more technique works it's way into his train of thought on how to approach new tricks. He does have the ability to learn anything, but at what price?

Down on the Island

So, a couple friends of mine headed down to Galveston Island for a session at the Johnny Romano Skatepark, couple of street clips and an after sesh warm down on the beach with a few brews. To my dismay the porta-john that I chose to relieve myself in had a gut churning sighting that I felt would need to be brought to your attention. Not sure why someone would want to make sure to not only leave their feminine napkin in the toilet paper holder for some unknowing patron to touch, but also to drip dry the blood down the front face of the seat itself. Now luckily I was just in for a quick vertical urination, but had I not noticed either the feminine napkin or the blood I might have sat down and proceeded to loose my lunch in more ways than one. With that said, if you are ever down on Galveston Island, beware of the porta-johns, not everything is on the up and up once inside. Of course, Dakota used it before me and completely missed it, I wish I had and you probably are wishing you had as well, sorry!