"We had to sacrifice a board to the great
pipe god," said Screaming Lord Salba. His
well-skated cue served as an offering of
thanks and appreciation from a group of
reverent riders.
The smooth, circular cavern seemed to
have no other reason for being than to lend
itself to the rolling release of pure and in-
tense energies. To the south, darkness
gathered, while a lingering shaft of sunlight
illuminated the northern mouth of the ma-
jestic inverted siphon.
The sacred cylinder sat a good fifty feet
below the Sonoran desert, about seventy
miles south of the Mexican border-town of
Nogales. Life-sustaining liquid would soon
flow through the tubular transitions, where
skaters would have previously flown. The
cool, clear water would quench the thirst of
many thousands of Mexican peasants and
farmers.
In the meantime, a fine session was
underway, way, way underground.
Eric Dressen, Chris Robison, Steve Alba,
Tim Galvin, Steve Keenan, Michael Cor-
nelius, Dan Moped and Fernando Francisco
Fernandez stood in awe of the circular crea-
tion. Twenty-four feet of beckoning beauty
had brought these ride-hards on a hearty
South of the Border trek.
Tall and smooth, the long underground
pipeline awaited their wheels to tap the
power contained in its walls.
Flawless transitions led to a four-foot wide
stretch of untouchable flat top, suspended
at twelve o'clock. Work on the magnificent
PRECEEDING PAGE: Silhouettes against invading
sunlight. Skaters take a break in the cool con-
fines of a desert oasis. THIS PAGE TOP: Vertigo
and beyond. Eric Dressen with one hand at ten-
thirty and the other poised for a G-force journey
back through the belly of a cement snake, then,
a pause to ponder inside the huge drain.
NEXT PAGE: Flirting with the devil, Brian Brannon
tangos his board in an over-vert skate dance.
curve began slow and easy, with speed
emerging from solid lines.
For a rider to reach the vertical regions,
he had to employ circular reasoning in a
concrete fashion. Each pump had to answer
the one before and query the one to follow.
This chain could accelerate as the pipe man
rose higher.
He might choose to revolve around the
same spot with backsides answering
backsides, or to travel the great length with
alternating long frontside thrusters with high
backside skyers.
Any altitude was obtainable as long as
flow and motion remained one. What began.
as a battle of man over pipe soon became
a battle of man over mind, confidence,
speed and style were the keys to the
stairway.
Chris Robison used his tall stature to his
full advantage, surging & soaring ever
higher, while he stretched ever closer to the
top.
Mike Cornelius, bassist of JFA, rode
where many other musicians probably
could not. Skaterock be damned.
Eric Dressen stayed tucked in a ball of
style and speed, flowing throughout the
pipe in a study of four-wheeled grace.
Badlands boy Tim Galvin reached up and
over vertical on each ride, his long hair rose
and fell with his body motion.
Steve Keenan shot a few photos, concen-
trating mostly on the cylindrical symphony
that surrounded him.
Dan and Fernando simply savored the
sweet shape as only skaters in tune with cir-
cular vibrations can.
They all rode the humongous transitions.
until their legs quivered like raspberry Jello
and their bodies radiated heat, sweat and
exhaustion.
Pipe master Steve Alba shredded
belligerently. His barking slides echoed.
through the hallowed hollow hole, while he
maintained consistent gravity-defying
heights based on his centerrifical force.
It was then time to kiss the cool concrete
good-bye and return to the harsh and irreg-
ular world above. On the way home they▸