RB ASK THE DOCTOR
WHO'S HOT & WHO'S NOT...
Dr. Rick,
I have a collection of SKATEBOARDER
mags from 76 to 78 and as I was thumbing
through them I noticed on the "Who's Hot"
section there was an 18 year old Rick Blac-
khart who rides for Tunnel products. Is that
you back then or some other Rick B. If it is,
I dig those mirrors on your board. Please
tell me the answer in the next issue.
Thanks.
Jay Pizzo, Santa Cruz
Well, I'll tell ya, you were right about
the first part, it was me in the "Who's
Hot," but you seem to be just as mixed
up as Skateboarder Mag was. For one
thing, it sure wasn't my board that had
the mirrors. I don't even use riser pads
and I'm sure not gonna put any other
trash on my board, even for a photo ses-
sion. Second, the mirrors were on Mike
Goldman's board, and you saw that
photo in a "Who's Hot" on Mike Wil-
liams. So now, the mixup that
Skateboarder Mag made, that got you
mixed up, has gotten me mixed up as
well.
It seems that your letter along with
many others I've gotten lately, are turn-
ing back, or looking back into skate his-
tory to find their roots. Which brings me
to an old saying that I find appropriate in
this case, which is "Old Skaters Never
Die, They Just Teach The Next Genera-
tion To Put Your Balls In Your Back Poc-
ket and Go For It."
BULL...DOZED
Dear Dr.
I was wondering about the skating scene
in Florida. Where ramps or park are lo-
cated? Is Kona and Sensation Basin still
open? Has Clearwater been bulldozed? If
not, can you skate there? Anyway, your
mag's cool and...Reagan's a fool.
Signed, wondering
Marti Korpi
Sweden
We were wondering about the skating
in Florida also. Kona is open. Sensation
Basin is closed and bulldozed. Clear-
water has been history for two years
now. Who need parks anyway.
Dr. Rick,
My friends. Sporticus. Marsh and I were
skating to a Flipper gig when Marsh-head
had a brainstorm zip some fish to flap to-
gether to Flipper.
We head for an open-air fish market in
Chinatown. Right when we we snag some
king size karp. I get kicked to the street-
from the side. These four orientals were
fully flailing with feet flying. It must have
been pop's shop or something. They
weren't Bruce Lee. they were Joe Boys.
John and Sport were swinging and block-
ing with their sticks, but we were losing
bad. I took a shot to the temple and saw
stars. Then I saw a handful of Chinese
teens running down the alley at us. This
wagon was the first to wheel. Luckily they
were Wah Chings which proceeded to do
battle with their arch rivals. This allowed us
all to bid a hasty retreat
Sport lit an M-80 as we split. As we
turned the corner I heard a couple of sharp
cracks and burst of automatic weapon fire.
Some say it's better to die than live a lie
What do you say. Doc?
Dick Wagon
Hayward. Ca
Sometimes the answer to that ques-
tion can only be answered in death it-
self. Life is the question, death is the
answer. As for living a lie, and whether
it's better to die or not, only you can
answer that for yourself. Until then.
think of skating as just another avenue
into the absolute realm of oneness. In
other words, probably not.
ZIPPY, SID AND THE JERK
Dr. Rick
I'd like some professional advice My
father is renting a place to conduct his bus-
iness and Sid, my halfpipe is located there.
Some jerk across the railroad has been
complaining and threatened to sue the
owner of the property because of the
noise?
The ramp is located in a business area
and there's no where or no way to move the
ramp. We don't play our "elevator music
too loud and he still complains. What I want
to know is, can he sue the owner for "noise
pollution if it's in a business district?
What do you think about doming the
ramp for all-weather skating and maybe cut
down of noise?
Well, Zip, I'll tell ya,
Zipp
Danville, CA
It has been known that some people
will go as far as to threaten with lawsuits
if they don't get whay they want. How-
ever, I don't think this guy would actu-
ally want to spend the time or money to
go to court. Also, it seems that the noise
Dr. Rick Blackhart
of a ramp would be miniscule to that of
a train. Especially if it's located across
the tracks.
Doming the ramp would be the ulti-
mate thing to do. If you can handle it fi-
nancially. Just make sure it's well venti-
lated. I recall my own experience with a
pool that had a bubble cover on it. After
a few days of good, hard skating, the
stench soon overcame the urge to
skate, or for that matter to be anywhere
within two blocks of the pool.
Dr. Rick & THRASHER,
I'm a radical skater, but I'm quite out of
place. I am living in the Napa State Cracker
Factory. I feel that being a skateboard man-
iac in a conservative family can be very
stressful when all your friends are into the
Dead Kennedys and Ed Clark and my sis-
ter
is a Chola. My mom doesn't like the idea
of grinding curbs and sneaking into the
Jungle bowl at 6:00 am. It's great having
friends into punk and skating, but family
support is also important at adolescence or
at any age.
I think the idea of girls and minority.
groups skating great! I think that girls that
skate are sexy and should get more cover-
age.
My shrink says I can have a board and
ride it in the court yard here. But my rela-
tives won't get me one because they say
I'm too old to skate and be punk. Is 17
OLD?
If you have any suggestions on how I can
get a decent board for free please send me
a letter or info.
Flipper Rules
Rainer Campbell S-9
Napa State Hospital
Imola, CA
First off, I know it's very hard to be
into something like skating when every-
body around you puts you down for it.
That's when I become most rebellious.
Because I know what I want and I want
to skate, and nobody's going to stop
me. So just do your own thing and let
everybody else f.k off and die. Of
course, family support is important, but
if you know that's what you want. I'm
sure they'll eventually come around.
Anyway let's move on. I also would like
to see more photos of babes on skates.
But if we can't find them, we can't take
photos. So, it's up to the ladies out there
to send in and contribute photos and
other info for the first up and coming (no
pun intended) booty on boards article. I
also agree with your shrink and think
it's imperative for you to have a skate.
As far as the free board, you should
have it by now, thanks to Thrasher's
Editorial Assistant, L.S.J.
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