ERIC: Rolling. Hand. Off
jump ramps. Without hands.
Aaron Murray, with his 'hand
on the ground variations' has
really impressed me.
What's the best way to
approach this kind of riding
NATAS: Don't get stuck in a
rut. Move your feet and
hands. Have a fast, open
mind,
ERIC: Not caring if your
board gets trashed.
Why attack straight-on
vertical, 90° transitions?
NATAS: So many. So
accessible. So possible.
Besides, wouldn't it be rad to
ride straight up a wall? Think
of it. It's fun, and no one else
was doing it.
ERIC: It's a challenge.
Blow people's minds. You're
doing something that most
would never try, or think could
be done. It's fun and you don't
have to look very hard for a
wall. Mastering environment.
What kind of feeling, i.e.
attitude, drive, instigates
this style?
NATAS: I'd say a pretty
aggressive person with an
open mind.
ERIC: A skater that will
skate anything, doesn't hold
anything back. Creative.
Skating everything in sight.
Ripping it up.
NO-HAND. SORTA
LIKE...
Natas Kaupas offers a bit of
insight.
"Pop up the wall: Pull,
strain way up. A lightning
quick direction change.
Free-fall down."
Cafe Lafayette "When first
riding that wall, I was doing it
no-handed. A large group of
people were watching. I
figured it was because they'd
never seen anything like it
before. Naturally, I assumed I
was the first. Then later-still
no one else was doing it. Then
I saw Eric Dressen do it, and
up to that point, I knew he'd
never seen me do it.
The hand on the ground
deal, I know, was made up by
Christian Hosoi. So I took it
upon myself to make up other
wall-ride tricks. Then, later I
saw Tim Jackson go up the
wall, with his hands on the
ground, pop off the wall and
spin on two hands. I figured I
should come up with a better
wall trick, so I ran with my
board and jumped on the wall,
like I did when I was ten years
old. But back then I did it on a
fence and landed in the sand,
so it didn't count.
Perhaps it was Ray Flores
who had inspired me, while I
was checking the surf. He was
hurt and he told me stories of
people riding walls.
Maybe they were lies, but it
inspired me just the same.
Call me a youthful optimist,
but it made it all so possible.
I've heard so many stories
about so many people doing
so many different wall rides,
BUT I'VE NEVER SEEN ANY
OF 'EM."
WELL
There you have it.
54
Tomis
NES
RAND
MATTO
KAND
AD
ORK
ORK
JESSE MARTINEZ
55