Surrounded by jungle-like overgrowth, the
"Avo bowl" is a prime example of a "secret
spot."
"Kona Bowl Revisited", Sonny Miller carving a
relic of skate history.
This was unlike any other activity on
land, parallel only to surfing, to which
many in this day participated hand in
hand.
Some say that it was here (not exactly
this particular spot, but this general global
geographical location) that the dormant
activity of skateboarding re-entered into
being. It was spots like this one, Kona
Bowl, the Concourse, Char-Bowl, San
Marcos pool, V.C. (that is Valley Center,
not Viet Cong) Reservoir, the Soul Bowl
(named for its soulful mellow laid back
atmosphere), the La Costa Downhill,
Toenails Ditch and dozens of other
unnamed and unrelingished hot spots that
delivered to the world the vastly fresh
physical activity of skateboarding.
Frequently avid participants in this
heyday included Brucie and the family
Logan, Greg Weaver, Murray Estes,
Marty Smith, Russ Gosnell and his little
brother Wally, Tom Colvin, Gunnar
Haugo, Sonny Miller, Chris Strople, Brian
Visser, Jeff Hunt, Tom Netherton, Jeff
Tatum, Dennis Martinez, John Hughes, D.
Saladino, Bob Skoldberg, Bad H, Rodney
Jesse, the Marechals and No-Face,
among a host of other hot nameless and
faceless ripsters of the day.
These forces to be reckoned with set a
pace that prevailed mainly with a fluid
surf-like existence. Soon was to come the
controlled atmosphere of the skatepark,
the first of which was located in Carlsbad
by the renowned raceway. Finally, a legal
spot to congregate and session was at
hand. But alas, it had rules. Still, the
activators conformed and kept organics
and personal habits for before and after
(not during, as was accustomed) ses-
sions.
The infectious phenomenon grew and
soon more controlled atmospheres
sprouted across the skin of San Diego
County.
Texan John Gibsons' association with the
Caster skate crew brings him to the North
County quite often. Early release, Hinickers Ramp.
Tom Innouye partakes in the local industries of surfing and skateboarding.