Sunday Break
by Chris Swainston [chris@slugmag.com]
Issue 239 / November 2008 More from this Issue
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Photos by Chris Swainston
Word of a new spot residing in thesouthland had been circulatingaround the city for a couple of weeks.Anticipation was high and curiosityhad peaked. Rumor had it that thespot was somewhat like a Europeanmasterpiece. Visions of Barcelona’sbeautiful well-sculpted architecture,butter smooth marble and crack freelevel ground fluttered through my mind.Exactly the kinds of things skatopiandreams are made of.
It was another Sunday morning whenthe crew decided to mount up and sailsouth to a divine land of skateboarddelight. Mark Judd led the entourageon his motorcycle with EJ, AdamDorobiala, Kendall Johnson andPanda close behind. Cody Comrieand myself slowly trailed in the back.Judd was the only one that had skatedthere before and everyone else wasclueless as to what kind of greatnesswe were about to experience.
We exited the freeway and continuedwestward into a well-developedneighborhood. I was confused, Icouldn’t picture such an amazing spotexisting around all these houses. Thenall of a sudden, emerging like an oasisin the desert, there appeared a bunchof grey sculptures set in a line in themiddle of a small park. Everyone wasstunned and jaws dropped. Couldthis actually exist in Utah, just for us toskate? From the road you could see anextra steep quarter pipe followed by alarge arc resembling the back shapeof the Loch Ness monster. I felt likeI was hallucinating. Next to the LochNess hump was a dragon tail doublearc leading into my favorite part of all,a curved angled bank you could skatelike a ledge and transfer back into thetranny. Down from that was a long,whisper quiet marble ledge.
Skating started immediately. Therewas no need for warm up. MikeHays, Dave Law, Omar Budge andAshley Bloxam were already at thespot ripping. Everyone adapted theirown style of skating each thing. Theobstacles were so unique and versatilethat my mind opened up to exploreall types of ways to shred. There wassome controversy amongst everyoneas to whether the spot was built forskating, or built as a unique creative park. After skating it for a bit it became obviousthat it was just too perfect not to be there forskating. Somebody really did their homeworkby taking a good look at what it is people enjoyskating, rather than following the normal pathof building a typical light grey, fenced in skatepark,the designer created an open-air streetstyle line for everyone to rip. Pure genius.
Unfortunately, my skating was cut short due to abroken board, but with all bad things somethinggood will emerge. The light was fading to goldand everyone had started destroying the place.Power hour was upon us, it was time to startrecording. Panda threw down on the dragontail. Adam surfed around with exquisite balance.
Omar snatched up a technically craftyline. Kendall powered through, destroyingeverything as usual. Everyone skated untilthe sun faded behind the mountains andour legs gave way. The day had beenconquered and some spectacular skatinghad exploded out of everyone. This wasonly the beginning though, more amazingskating will soon be blossoming from thisplace.
Word of a new spot residing in thesouthland had been circulatingaround the city for a couple of weeks.Anticipation was high and curiosityhad peaked. Rumor had it that thespot was somewhat like a Europeanmasterpiece. Visions of Barcelona’sbeautiful well-sculpted architecture,butter smooth marble and crack freelevel ground fluttered through my mind.Exactly the kinds of things skatopiandreams are made of.
It was another Sunday morning whenthe crew decided to mount up and sailsouth to a divine land of skateboarddelight. Mark Judd led the entourageon his motorcycle with EJ, AdamDorobiala, Kendall Johnson andPanda close behind. Cody Comrieand myself slowly trailed in the back.Judd was the only one that had skatedthere before and everyone else wasclueless as to what kind of greatnesswe were about to experience.
We exited the freeway and continuedwestward into a well-developedneighborhood. I was confused, Icouldn’t picture such an amazing spotexisting around all these houses. Thenall of a sudden, emerging like an oasisin the desert, there appeared a bunchof grey sculptures set in a line in themiddle of a small park. Everyone wasstunned and jaws dropped. Couldthis actually exist in Utah, just for us toskate? From the road you could see anextra steep quarter pipe followed by alarge arc resembling the back shapeof the Loch Ness monster. I felt likeI was hallucinating. Next to the LochNess hump was a dragon tail doublearc leading into my favorite part of all,a curved angled bank you could skatelike a ledge and transfer back into thetranny. Down from that was a long,whisper quiet marble ledge.
Skating started immediately. Therewas no need for warm up. MikeHays, Dave Law, Omar Budge andAshley Bloxam were already at thespot ripping. Everyone adapted theirown style of skating each thing. Theobstacles were so unique and versatilethat my mind opened up to exploreall types of ways to shred. There wassome controversy amongst everyoneas to whether the spot was built forskating, or built as a unique creative park. After skating it for a bit it became obviousthat it was just too perfect not to be there forskating. Somebody really did their homeworkby taking a good look at what it is people enjoyskating, rather than following the normal pathof building a typical light grey, fenced in skatepark,the designer created an open-air streetstyle line for everyone to rip. Pure genius.
Unfortunately, my skating was cut short due to abroken board, but with all bad things somethinggood will emerge. The light was fading to goldand everyone had started destroying the place.Power hour was upon us, it was time to startrecording. Panda threw down on the dragontail. Adam surfed around with exquisite balance.
Omar snatched up a technically craftyline. Kendall powered through, destroyingeverything as usual. Everyone skated untilthe sun faded behind the mountains andour legs gave way. The day had beenconquered and some spectacular skatinghad exploded out of everyone. This wasonly the beginning though, more amazingskating will soon be blossoming from thisplace.
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Posted on November 8, 2008 by panda
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