RAMP
RAGING
Hebert's half pipe. Calgary, Canada
Rich
Frontside air variation, Brent Beatty, Calgary, Canada
A single sheet of plywood is
bent in a semi-circle and nailed
down on two more sheets which
are standing on end about four
feet apart. An odd assortment of
2x4's and 4x4's make up an
awkward support for this strange
looking wood structure. To the
ignorant, this abstract work of art
might look very peculiar. But to a
group of local youngsters who
roam the streets in a very modem
manner, this represents endless
hours of healthy athletic enjoy
ment
The youths are skateboarders
and the plywood-plank structure is
their ramp. When they're not on
the street, shredding curb grinders,
or out on the school blacktop
practicing freestyle etc. they can
be found gathered around the
ramp. It could very well be that
the ramp represents the closest
thing they have to vertical riding
Probably most of them have never
even stepped into a pool, so this is
all they know. Unless they have a
locally provided skating area
these kids have learned almost
every vertical trick imaginable by
skating the ramp every day.
Although sometimes it may give in
to the strain of constant everyday
pummelings, a little repair session
sall it takes to render it skateable
once again
The above description is only a
sampling of the kind of energy
being unleashed on homemade
ramps. There are many reasons
why ramp skateboarding has
become the most widely practiced
form of vertical expression
lotely
Due partly to the fact that many
skateparks have been shut down
and destroyed already expe-
rienced verticalists are now using
sophisticated construction tech-
niques to create pool-like frans
itions in their own backydras
Ramps provide the some vertical
rush that can be so commonly
found in a park or pool type situa-
tion, but without the hassle of
dealing with irate money minded
park owners or officers of the law.
It's free and it's legal The only rules
are your own.
Rich Rose
Photo Deano Me
13