ARIZON
Frontside Into the upper quad. Scott. Photo: Mike.
Evan Jones on a commercialized desert slab somewhere in AZ INSANE!!
THE STORY
I dunno, I suppose school is a good place to write this since (1) it's
such a contrast (and a million light years away!), (2) I blew off
everything to skate yesterday so I might as well be watching Green
Acres (with the sound off) today (), and, finally, (3) desert pipes, for
anyone who has ridden them, will certainly be responsible for more
than a few flashbacks and SPACINGS
It was in this same hazy and disoriented state yesterday that I
awoke to the annoying sound of an early morning phone call.
"What?"
"Don, it's Scott. Are you going?"
"Fuck."
"Don, are you awake?"
"Chickenbutt wouldn't tell us," I offered groggily.
"Don't need him," Scott continued. "Wanna meet at your house?"
"Yeah, okay." Click. I went back to sleep. When I was again
conscious, two full carloads of skaters, including two girlfriends
(whose unthrashed car, complete with tunes, proved highly
indispensable), plus various skate assault and support equipment
(skates, pads, chips, coke, bob, cameras, etc.) were assembled.
Seeing the other car's occupants shredding down some donuts, I
beckoned for one. Scott backhanded one towards me, but it sailed
over our car, well out of reach, landing on the sidewalk. Knowing that
the donut was my only shot at breakfast, I retrieved it and sat back in
the car. But "unbeknownst to me, some old lady walking her poodle,
which was all decked out in nail polish and rhinestones (and
undoubtedly has a Buick or Caddy sitting in her garage), saw the
trajectory of the ill-fated donut and watched with horror as I rescued
my breakfast off the cement. As she passed, I muttered, "The dog
would've got it." Her glare intensified. We were bustin' up. On that
note we somehow managed to "shove off."
There were chickens at the gas station.
Plans had been made to make it out to the pipes a week previous,
but when people are involved, there is the ever-present threat of a
double-cross.
"You'd think we could've at least counted on him not lying!" one of
the passengers thought outloud.
Our group had craved the knowledge, because we are skaters to
the bone! We have always searched and skated, no matter what the
mags said, and we always will! So regardless of our apparently
obvious betrayal, "We went out and found the fuckin' thing."
There wasn't a sign of "trendy-checkered-shreds of anything in
either car.
Who was found at the pipe didn't really surprise anyone.
The pipe itself blows minds. Kinda like a big (20) "Baldy." except
the transition to flatwall is smooth in all four comers.
The pipe's surface is perfect, and the aforementioned transition to
flatwall is rideable out to the "way-shallow environs. Also, the pipe
runs downhill, with no seams (the old downhill desert pipes had gaps
between the sections, which caused the harshest of beefs!).
The crew, already assembled there was blazing and didn't seem
surprised at our sudden appearance, that is, except for "Chickenbutt."
The crew consisted mostly of
guys from the old days, they
were "piperiders." Some of
'em from the old desert pipes..
They blew minds back then,
but the old mags only shot
their pros
I'm sure some construction
worker is going to wonder
what the "J.F.A." sticker
means at 11 o'clock high and
how it got way up there.
Today seems way colder
for some reason....
-Don Pendleton
TENNESSEE
NASHVILLE SKATE
By Wendell Elrod
June, 1977, Skate Fever strikes the area. Parents don't understand
it. They don't understand the obsession with the wooden apparatus
and think maybe it will go away.
Famous last words. Since that time some years ago, many things
have happened. Some good, some bad, but the fever is still here. We
had our skatepark, and although it was poorly built, it was ours and
we skated it every day. We had our fun; Mickey the manager was a
cool guy and did the best with what he had to work with. The park
closed though; it had to because that's the way it goes. We continued
to skate the place for almost two years before the blade got it.
Rivergate Skatepark's existence was short, but for several skaters
more vital than most would care to admit to. We didn't realize it then
but our skating had just begun to take off.
In December of 1980 the Hendersonville ramp came into existence
due to the efforts of Jay Cabler, Wendell Elrod, Ray Underhill, Lyle
Donoho, Billy Saunders, and a few others. Made in the form of the
Hollywood ramp that Ray had visited, it was super hot. Sixteen feet
wide with ten feet of flat and two perfect eight foot transitions, it was
blazed daily. With steps, platforms and real pool coping, it was
shredded by the likes of Mike McGill and Shawn Peddie. Our abilities
rapidly increased while on a trip to the 1982 KONA/VARIFLEX
Summer Nationals. After the trip to Florida, the Hendersonville ramp
was taken down and appeared again in the form of the MAD RAMP.
The Mad ramp was the best ever. At twenty-four feet wide with ten
feet of flat and two perfect nine foot transitions, one foot of pure
smooth vert, it was flawless. And like the Hendersonville ramp, it had
platforms and real pool coping. It even hosted a small contest in
October of 1982 which, for the first contest we had ever held, came
off pretty smoothly. As it turned out though, it was too hot for its own
existence. On a cold night late in November 1982, a non-skater type
burned it to the ground.
On January 1, 1983, Wendell, Billy, and Ray marked off the area
for the new ramp in Billy's backyard. This ramp would be the ultimate.
Through the hard work of Lyle, Britt Parrott, Ken Bowles, and others
the ramp came into being. With a total length of forty-two feet, and
with a width of twenty-four feet, it is a monster. The ramp has nine
foot transitions, twelve feet of flat, one foot of vert, and new pool
coping as our other was destroyed in the fire. It has six and eight foot
wide platforms with sturdy benches and a good staircase. For night
skating it has two 1,000 watt quartz lights and four flood lights, one
on each corner which Newton was heard to remark about: "These
lights are better than some parks." For the summer season an
electronic bug zapper and a Coke machine are standard equipment.
Other features include full electrical outlets and two new side ramps
complete with platforms. The main ramp also has one eight foot
section that rises to only about eight and a half feet. This feature
along with the side ramps, aids in learning new tricks aside from
being just plain fun to skate, just ask Lyle.
Many things have happened since the ramp was first built. When
word of the ramp spread, many of the old skaters from the park
returned. Hot sessions soon began and things were moving. The
guys from Oak Ridge/Knoxville came down, skaters from Ohio,
Indiana, KY, GA, MS, and AL also came and the ramp was well
accepted. Then, in the spring we found out that THRASHER wanted
to sponsor a pro contest on the ramp. We were totally blown away
and said, "Yeah." Everything was go until just before the contest time
when the insurance company of the property owner said, "No." The
insurance company was the one that stopped our contest (a mind is
a terrible thing to waste). The property owner tried to help us but there
was nothing any of us could do. TO THRASHER AND OTHERS: We
are sorry that we couldn't work it out. After that disappointment we
quickly rebounded with a visit from the THRASHER Summer Tour
crew. Thanks go to John Gibson, Jeff Newton, Gerald "goat man"
Burris, and Craig Johnson. They were great company and even
though tired, they blazed.
Hovering backside under the lights is Jay Cabler at a Nashville night session, Summer '83.
With winter here we are still jamming. Ray is on Powell/Tracker
now and blazing, Lyle, recently picked up by Gullwing and hopefully
G&S soon, blazes equally as strong if not stronger, Britt (Brand X/
Indy), Wendell Elrod (not sponsored yet but seen frequently at the
local mall trying his best to get picked up), Ken Bowles, Ken Mayo,
Billy (boarders as well as rollerskaters), Paul Patterson, Tony Cook,
Matt White, Scott Binkley, and others skate better every session. A
recent trip to CA for Wendell and Tony also helped. Thanks to Billy
Ruff, Keith Stephenson, Tony Hawk, Lance Mountain, Mike McGill,
and others too numerous to mention. Thank you for creating this
great sport for us all to enjoy. Anyone reading this should know that
they are invited to and welcome to skate our ramp anytime, just write
for directions. Your trip won't be a disappointment.
Wendell Elrod
346 Thelma St
Madison, TN 37115
Skate N' Stuff
cio Ray Underhill
767 Cages Bend Rd.
Gallatin, TN 37066
Skatenn Mag
c/o Britt Parrott
314 W. Hutchinson
Smyma, TN 37167