PORTFOLIO
The
Ramp
Ranch
Coping, a canyon, and side ramps, the Ranch had it all. Stevo Krehn, layback tail re-entry
O
Ranchesto Debbie McAdoo wheels off the top at the Ramp Ranch.
From 1978 to the present the Ramp Ranch had evolved
into a heavy energy source. It began as a mere quarter
pipe in Debbie McAdoo's driveway. It attracted what
skaters still existed from the early days and those that
were just beginning to really get into the sport. The ramp
had it's faults, Jenny Byrd had built this ramp but hadn't
achieved the "perfect curve" in the transition. Mike
Tander who knew how to construct a perfect curve
began to local out at Debbie's and motivated everyone
into building a half-pipe. Everyone was stoked, con-
tinuous 'wall to wall' riding.
The first dimensions made up what was a perfectly
round half-pipe. It had a 10' transition with 1% of ver-
tical and featured coping and a death box for anyone
who dared to gnarl. The shredding locals were a power-
ful group. They gave no slack to anyone who was the
least bit a wheeze. So only heavy sessions went down.
Heated summer days turned into blazing, jamming night
sessions.
The locals picked up a name to intensify their feeling
of authority and individualism. They called themselves
the Rancheros and their chic was the Ranchesto. About
this time they met up with another group of skaters from
across town. The 'Decatur Boys' as they were known,
had a good ramp set up and the Rancheros frequented
their terrain often for some of the best sessions ever.
This ramp had flat botom, allowing for more time bet-
ween tricks, so the Rancheros decided that they needed
such a structure. The first attempt wasn't too successful
because instead of totally rebuilding, they just did a half-
ass job by pulling the transitions apart and laying down
8' of flat inbetween. But, finally the motivation came and
the ramp was stripped down to the dirt.
MIKE FOLMER
The new ramp was a total stoke. Taking about two
weeks to build, it had 13 feet of pure flat bottom, 8' tran-
sitions, 1% of vert, and measured 16 feet wide. The
Ramp Ranch became a total energy source with skaters
coming from all over the country, even Brazil, to session.
Then, Just about eight months ago, it was time to
stoke the ramp once again, It was expanded to it's
ultimate 32 foot width. All other dimensions remained
the same with a new feature, a 4' wide canyon, providing
the final radical touch. The Ramp Ranch had become the
'ultimate' ramp and was one of the largest ever built for
skating. Now, by this time most of the locals had been
skating for about 6 or 7 years and their bodies were get-
ting a little too abused form all this vertical sessioning.
About this time some of the Rancheros had relocated to
Florida or California.
So what about the Ramp Ranch? Well it was a way of
life for many years and it will always be a good memory,
but, it had to come down, It was the great ramp and it
had it's day. It is a shame that more skaters didn't get
their lines in at the Ranch, but skating is still happening.
There will be others. There well be better ramps in the
future, It just requires a little skill and a lot of motivation
to build a killer ramp. Go For It!!!
Many good memories to all the rancheros...Mike
Tander, Jenny Byrd, Tim Humphreys, Stevo Krehn, Jay
Tanier and to myself, Debbie McAdoo, the Ranchesto, a
big thanks for letting it flow and allowing all that
radicalness happen right in my own backyard. It was all
worth it. But there's more to come.
DEBBIE MCADOO
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