Rob Roskopp
Tony Magnusson
Tuesday afternoon I go to the airport to
pick up Neil Blender, Billy Ruff, and Mark
Rogowski. We go to baggage claim to find
Ruff's new wheels dirty and Gator's board.
missing. Blender gets on the courtesy
phone and starts calling some hotels. Fi
nally Gator's board arrives and we depart.
After a half hour drive we arrive at the
ramp to find a jamming session in progress.
After a short session a hotel room is found
at the Hill Top Inn. This room is like a small
apartment with a kitchen, dining area, and
a bedroom-it's great.
Now, back off to the airport to meet up
with flight 1112. I am surprised to see so
many skaters on it; Jeff Phillips, Tommy
Kosel, Lester Kasai, Tony Hawk, Lance
Mountain, Steve Steadham, and Tony
Magnuson; McGill shows up to pick up
Hawk; Steadham and Mountain and I get to
take the rest home to my house. When I ar-
rive I find many have come in from out of
town and want to stay.
We arise Wednesday morning to a nice
sunny day, just the way it should be in
Florida. When we arrive at the ramp a
snake session is already in progress and
excitement is starting to flow. I go to pick up
those at the hotel and find them preparing
breakfast in their own kitchen.
During the day and evening carloads
from Texas, Ohio, Nebraska and Tennes-
see start to arrive. The Hill Top Inn. starts to
get crowded with rowdy skaters, the man-
ager (dubbed as Ghandi) starts to get frus-
trated with this disorderly bunch.
Thursday morning is gloomy and cold
and it starts to rain heavy. Soon boredom.
sets in and a few hit the mall for some fun,
the thrift store is mandatory. Ruff, Mountain
and Caballero dye their hair strange new
different colors. Fausto's room is turned
into a gymnasium as some try to break, and
do flips off the walls, beds, chairs and what-
ever else is available. Caballero ends up
tweaking his back while flipping around. As
the evening sets in more people from South
Carolina, Ohio and Georgia arrive. Lots of
brew is consumed by all and Lady Margrot
Davis appears. Lady Margrot smells like a
distillery and says she's from a royal family
and her son is a millionaire, with a mansion.
Lady Margrot is kind enough to tell us of the
facts of life and starts to kiss and hug some
skaters. Then she tells us that she has to
leave because her lover is waiting. Ghandi
decides that 40 people in a room with Lady
Margrot is no good, and puts a stop to our
entertainment. Trouble starts to brew as
'Scarecrow' breaks a bottle and has Ghan-
di chasing him around the parking lot. Now
the Texans, and a few more, must vacate in
the morning.
Friday morning is very cold, but at least it
is not raining. The ramp is slow and soggy
due to the heavy rain. A large session
starts to brew as this is the last day of prac-
tice. Myself and a few others build small
dams and bail out the alley to save boards
ST. PETE JAM
By Paul Schmitt
29