Caballero executes overhead frontside and
backside "rocket-airs," precisely calculated
stiff-legged "Madonna-airs," flies "frontside
lien-airs" like no eagle can, and practices
some "ho-ho plants" on the roll-out deck.
Roskopp impressively maneuvers a crudely-
named trick, the "nose-picker" as well as
linear handplants and "frontside footplants."
Nearing 2100 hours, it is just beginning to
get dark. The sunset over Monza is the kind
you could write home about. Then, Lance
beefs a big-time Mr. Wilson and kawhacks.
his head very hard on the flat bottom. He
doesn't feel very good for some time. Up until
this point, he's been riding in excellent form.
This man gives elasticity a brand new
definition.
Jean Paul, from Torino, arrives upon the
scene. There is much commotion, as he per-
sonally knows Mountain and Steele, having
met them in Denmark the last time the
Americans toured Europe. All reunited foreign
friends celebrate with good Italian wine.
Finally, it is too dark to skate. The mosqui-
toes come out and everyone is hungrier than
coyotes in a henhouse.
In the back of Jean Paul's tour van, the Milan
locals yell a skater's name then dogpile him.
"STEVIE CABALLERO! YAAAHHHH!"
CRUNCH! CRUNCH!
At a pizza restaurant some very strange
eating behavior occurs. One must quickly learn
not to ask a skater to, "Please pass the....
anything," unless you're ready to catch. Pizza
is not the ideal thing to have zinged at you
from the other end of the table. Surprisingly,
the waitresses are quite friendly.
Hoping to be further accepted into the group,
I've, on occasion, attempted to drive a skate-
board and have peppered my dialogue with
their interesting jargon. Duncan's skateboard
is frequently available when he's not pushing
himself along with his crutches. Of course,
I take my share of gouges and lacerations.
It's all part of the game, and I'm beginning
to admire it.
Throughout the twenty-four hours spent in
Milan, Stephenson has been candidly snap-
ping photos. I don't like it and can see why
Sean Penn likes to clobber photojocks.
ROME
The group is greeted at the train station by
Jekkyl, one of the very few Roman skaters.
Christ wants to know how Jekkyl knew the
group was coming, let alone when they were
to arove Jekkyl becomes the unofficial tour
guide and directs the group to an inexpen:
sive Pensione run by an old wife and her hus-
band. Upon seeing all of the group's American
passports, the wife advises the group not to
stay out too late. She informs us that the day
before the American embassy was bombed.
Steve Caballero suggests the group speak
"Cholo" when out and about. "Cholo is a
slang dialect common to some Hispanic
neighborhoods in the States. It works perfectly
Attend dinner with Jekkyl, Roskopp,
Caballero, Duncan, Mountain and Steele at
a restaurant across the street from the Col-
osseum. We learn about it's history from the
head waiter.
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Twenty wheels across Rome's cobblestoned streets.
It's construction began in 72 A.D. by
emperors of the Flavian family and was com-
pleted in 80 A.D. under the reign of Titus. It
has since been declared the most distinc-
tive and imposing of the city's monuments
and the accepted symbol of Rome and her
eternal destiny. The four-story architectural
masterpiece could hold as many as 50,000
spectators for gladiatorial contests and the
staged hunting of ferocious beasts. At times
it was flooded for great naval battles. Over
the centuries, earthquakes (the worst of which
were in the 13th and 14th centuries) crumbled
much of the outer wall, providing material (over
the following centuries) for builders of the Mid-
dle Ages and the Renaissance. The Palazzo
Venezia, the Cancelleria and the Ripetta gate
were made from this rubble.
Pope Benedict XIV brought an end to this
practice (between the years 1740-58), declar-
ing the Colosseum sacred because, according
to tradition, many early Christians got wasted
in its arena. The waiter added that the tradi-
tion has not been historically proven.
After the advent of Christianity, social
thought/values changed and the people
weren't digging the bloody combats anymore
Emperor Honorius brought a halt to the
gladiator stuff in 404 A.D., although the hunting
of beasts continued 'til the 6th century.
The waiter said that, according to legend,
Rome got it's name from one of two sources.
One, from the word "Rumon" which was the
name of the Tiber River" at the time the
city was founded (April, 753 B.C.). Some
scholars think it came from the word "ruma
which means "breast" in Latin. This is the
name given to the Palatine hill that resembles
the form of a breast. (I'll believe the latter.)
While street skating in the Piazza Venezia,
a few of the group learn that they're "grind.
ing" curbs directly beneath the balcony used
by Il Duce for one of his rousing speeches.
The group moves to another part of the Piazza,
to the steps of the Altar of the Patria, also
known as The Vittoriano (after King Vittorio
Emanuele II). In the interior of the altar is the
tomb of the unknown soldier.
Without much thought, the skaters session
the shit out of it's sacred steps. Thomas'
knowledge of the Italian language comes in
handy when a car marked "Carabieneri,"
which means police or something, pulls up
and its passengers.instruct the group not to
skate there and direct them to where they can.
As soon as the cops are out of sight, Christ
does a wheelie grinder for over fifty feet across
the top step.
I
Further sightseeing tales: Dick Steele, Rob
Roskapp and myself are denied access to
the Vatican because of typical California
apparel, namely surf trunks and sleeveless
t-shirts screened with skulls and monsters.
was wearing borrowed skate attire, due to
a lack of washing facilities. Roskopp verbally
assails the Vatican security, stating, "You guys
are hypocrites for denying us entry! You're
wearing yuppie sport coats, yuppie slacks and
yuppie topsider shoes with no socks. Hell,
Jesus only wore a robe and sandals!" That
tactic does not open the door either
Caballero, Lance and Christ, on the other
hand, wearing sweatpants, gain access to
the Vatican. They get to see Michaelangelo
stuff, ja, his frescoes. (The Creation of Man,"
Original Sin and Expulsion from Paradise,"
"The Last Judgement") on the Sistine cell-
ing, and his sculptural genius in the statue
of "Moses."
They also claim that they saw a sculpture
which cleverly shows a skeleton looking up
someone's dress.
We hang out in front of the great Fontana
di Trevi. There are thousands of dollars in coins
at the bottom of the fountain. According to
local tradition, if you throw a coin into the foun-
tain, It has the virtue of ensuring your return
to Rome. Everyone forgets to throw one in,
solguess we'll never go back to Rome. Dick
will probably die here, though, because he
climbs in and takes some out to buy a pack
of smokes. ►
CODE NAME:
VIPER
LEFT: Anarchaic expression on the Roma ramp, from the
school of Mountain. TOP: Duncan, with fresh leg cast,
overlooking a topless beach in Southern France. Things
could've been worse. MIDDLE: Moments after Roskopp
posed for this tourist photo in front of marvelous St.
Peter's square, he had a run-in with the Swiss Guard.
BOTTOM: On the grounds of the "House of the Vestal
Virgins" (the proto-type for present-day monastic
convents), Thomas, Caballero, Christ and Roskopp pose
upon pedestals where honorary statues of distinguished
vestals once stood. Seconds after the shutter clicked they
were confronted by the Forum police.
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