ASK THE DOCTOR
With Dr. Rick Blackhart
A Thousand Greetings. O Soothsayer,
Could you please bestow upon me the
answer to the following question which
has haunted me for ages: Why, exactly.
are clay wheels called clay wheels?
They're not made out of clay. What are
they made out of, plastic?
Garry Davis
Cincinnati, OH
That's a good question, Pizza Deck
Breath, and I have the answer. After
searching to the far ends of the
Universe to locate the substance of
which you speak, I finally found a good
specimen in Del '13's museum of
Skatology. For those of you who don't
know, "clay" wheels were the standard
in skateboarding until the urethane
breakthrough in 1974. Originally
designed for rollerskating, and still
used in roller rinks, those old Chicago
and Sure Grip antiques were and still
are made out of clay. Also called
"composition" wheels, this substance
is much like the clay you get right out
of the ground. The plastic look is from
the Polymer Bonding Agents used to
hold the whole unit together. Another
example of this is particle board,
where wood and glue are mixed to
form wood.
Dear Dr. Rick or Anyone,
I've been going to school in Hartford.
Conn., since September and have yet to
find any good skating terrain. The streets
are fine, but I'm looking for pools, ramps.
or any kind of vertical. Boston's skate
scene is very alive but there's nothing
here in Hartford. I would appreciate any
information from you or any (if any?)
skaters from the Connecticut area about
the skate scene here in Hartford.
Paul Benney
Hartford, CT
For one thing, you should have
checked out the skating possibilities
before you decided to go to school
there. No, seriously though, since you
are already into heavy street radicalism,
keep it up. Expand the possibilities of
street riding to near vertical realities.
Handplants, footplants, grinds, slides,
all are possible and are being done in
the streets today.
I do sympathize with your dilemma
though. Being born and bred on
vertical skating myself, I know exactly
what sensations you crave. Your first
duty is to find skaters with like interests
and begin searching out possible
vertical localities. For pool locating
techniques check out Bob Denike's
"Pool Mercenaries" article in the
November issue of THRASHER.
Dear THRASHER MAG c/o Dr. Rick,
I picked up three issues of your radical
magazine while I was attending a free
skateboarding and surfing movie, which
was one of the hottest movies I've ever
seen. No talking was used in the film, just
jammin' music and knarly surfin' and
skateboardin'. The good thing about the
movie was that it wasn't all Professionals.
It jumped all over this great land of ours.
The only way I think I could get across to
you how hot this movie was, is to give you
the title: Inside Out.... Pretty HOT, ah?
Also, I need a second opinion on a
question that has been lingering in my
mind for weeks. It pertains to whether or
not me and my local skating fanatics
should put a lot of flat bottom or none at
all on a half-pipe we are building. The
pipe is about 10' high and 8' wide. I would
appreciate an educated answer.
Mark Ball
Orlando, FL
Definitely flat bottom! As much as
you can get! A big myth that ruined
skateboard park design was the belief
that a smaller, tighter pool or half-pipe
was what skateboarders needed.
Totally WRONG! You want a wide open
area for skating. Somewhere you can
really let out those thrustrations. Your
ramp can accommodate up to 50 or 60
feet of pure flat bottom, providing that
you have enough room, and still carry
a thrust. I would recommend between
10 and 25 feet of flat between walls, or
whatever your budget can handle.
AGGRESSION APPRECIATION...
The 100% Aggression issue was killer.
The Operation Infiltration story mauled.
Also, the Alabama coverage was kick ass.
Too much about oldtimers though. The
second generation skaters rule Alabama.
We shred downtown Florence. There's
nothing there we don't rule. The Alabama
Skate Report is worth reading. I play in a
Skate Band (The Ditch). Your Mag Rips.
The Chromatics terrorize.
Jeff Tippett
Florence, AL
FLORIDA SKATE DIRECTORY...
This is Paul Schmitt (Stix) writing you
from Florida, asking your help. I would like
all Florida skateboarders to unite and
reveal their ramps and skate spots so as I
can start the Florida Skate Directory.
Please send pictures and maps to: Shmitt
Stix Inc., 5250 Tennis Ct. Cr., Tampa,
Florida 33617.
I am sorry to say that Rainbow Wave in
Tampa was destroyed in September and
that Solid Surf, Ft. Lauderdale, will be
destroyed to build an Arby's Roast Beef,
"yes sir," Restaurant.
Please, let's all support our remaining
skateparks, Sensation Basin in Gainsville
and Kona in Jacksonville.
Sincerely,
Paul Schmitt
Tampa, FL
DITCH TO RAMP TO STREET...
I am blown away at the magazine's
outlook, it's just like the early years
(75-78). I am a skateboarder living in
Torrance now but for the last five years
I've lived in Hawaii. Over there it's fully
rad, you can decide which drainage ditch
you want to ride and then ride it. On
Saturdays the ditches actually get
crowded.
Well now that I live here in California I
realize how the sport has faded. When we
first moved here I built a ramp, almost
everyone on our street got new skates.
That was a couple of months ago and
since the cops wasted our ramp we've
taken it to the streets with full-on downhill
luge boards. My BMX friend was so blown
away that he's into it now. On our second
day we were hitting 60's in Palos Verdes.
Good luck and keep Thrashing.
Chris Ruddy
Torrance, CA
HOT, HOT, HOT...
I recently received the November issue
of the mag. Let me compliment you on the
tippest (Huh?-ED) issue I've ever read
of anything.
The pics were hot. The articles were
hot. Even the advertisements were off this
planet.
I especially crave the way you guys get
stories from all over the country. Keep up
the good work.
Lay-tah
Mark Duane
Port Washington, NY
P.S. Any other skaters in Long Island?
If so, let's hear from you.
P.P.S.S. Don't forget to tell me when
my subscription wears out. I don't want to
miss a single issue.
MAINLINE...
Here in Phoenix the skaters always.
thrash. Even when the parks closed no
one stopped. Every ditch and pool is
mapped out and used to the fullest.
Thrasher is the only publication that
gives the mainline to the hardcore skate-
addict. Your November issue was the talk
of the town when it hit the streets. Keep
up the good work.
Chicken Butt & J.F.A.
Phoenix, AZ
B.S. ON BIG BOYS...
Well, Tucson finally got mentioned in a
skateboard mag. And it took Thrasher to
do it. But when my first issue came in the
mail (100% Aggression), I read through it
and came upon "Wild Riders of Boardz"
and it said that the "Big Boyz" pulled into
Tucson for a gig. B.S. I go to all the gigs
at the Backstage and they have never
been here. But they sure would be
welcome to come and play a gig here. All
the punks here know us skatepunks, so if
they ever come to Tucson, ask for Doug,
Brian, Woody or Jon. We'll take you to the
One-Hit Bowl. Up in Phoenix they got a
hot skate-thrash band called Jody
Foster's Army (JFA). Super fast, loud
music and they're all skinhead skaters..
Oh yeah! Don't forget about the 22' pipes
out here in the desert.
Please print this so everybody will know
Arizona skateboarding still thrives and
with no parks it's still Fun!
THANX,
Doug Henke
Tucson, AZ
P.S. Thanx to Steve Olson for showing
us the "way" to have fun.
P.S.S. WE SHALL SURVIVE!
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