SKATE TOWN
PHOENT
STORY BY
Left: Working out at
High Roller, Todd
Joseph perfects his
layback airs. Below:
Layback variation #2,
unknown redirects under
a warm evening sun.
Photos: Glen Buckles
BRIAN BRANNON
he sun sin
against a pale, painted sky
contingent of wild riders congregates at a bone
concrete wash. A red headed, bespectacled skater cruises
by the tribe, his feet forward on a backside corner carve
around the ditch. While others struggle to toe the same
line, his is one smooth motion, style bred in another time.
Twilight is mercifully cool and a hefty wind blows desert
birds from their courses. Other skate rats attempt tricks
that seem unnatural here. These tail round banks
are built for speed, slides and carves? That is the
way nature meant it to be,
Sam Esmoer, another old smoothie, tracks a run.
The Ez juices a 540° turnabout via Bertleman and
backs it up with a lapping frontside grinder. Sam
has been there too.
This ditch is but a small slice of the mighty fine▶
Inset: Richard Zucharello hucks a
frontside boneless at Thrasherland.
Spread: Paul Lellig-same park. Killar
name, killer place. Photos: M.Fo