Once waded, now invaded; a NorCal low side gets the high ride from T.G.
HIR MANSIONSINAR MAHE
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Cooksie creaks a cruel one in the Napa Bowl.
Though your average pool monger prefers a fine, wide
deep end, there are those who would rather make love
to something a little tighter. Tommy Guerrero is one who
digs the challenge of a quicker trip to the lip. "I guess
because I'm smaller I can fit in there better." Guerrero
speaks highly of the shallow section once found at a
pool near Walnut Creek, CA. It had a carve line over
the stairs and a pocket in the corner.
The best shallow end ever was found in the original
Dog Bowl, claims Dave Hackett, crowned "Shallow
King" by Gerry Potado. Hackett says the second best
was found in Marina Del Rey skatepark's Dog Bowl
duplicate. He fondly recalls carving around the deep end
and ollieing over the hip into the shallow end.
Not all shallow end scenes are squeaky clean. Some
have less transition than a city curb. Perhaps this is
where cats like Jesse Martinez got the idea for wall rides.
But look out. If you play, you pay, and the fast trans
can leave you hurtin'.
Steve Alba, a shallow end vet whose desires run deep,
says this, "It'll eat you up if you ain't careful. You have
less time to think before you slam. In the shallow end
you either make it or break it," says Salb, citing a higher
incidence of broken trucks in shallow climbs.
True, there are better odds of crunched ankles and
a quick impact in that three-to five-foot depth, but there's
a certain stoke in grinding where the cope lies low.
"Anyone can look good in a deep end," says Arizona
pool meister Kip Dent, "but it takes style to look good
in a shallow end."
Bryce Kanights will tell you he's always looking to go
over something shallow, whether it be hip, steps or death
box. Kanights scours every wall possible, but favors front-
side cess slides on the shallow side.
Likewise, ace axe weilder Ron Emory craves "going
up and smacking them," on the hips of tiny trannies.
"Harsh," "slam," "less tranny than yo mammy,"
"hateful," "baloney sandwich," "unkind," "too quick,"
"jive turkey," "dry" "not happening," "so low you have
to climb a ladder to kiss an ant's butt," and "poo-poo
platter," are but a few phrases used to describe the not-
so-deep end.
It is a fact that there could be no deep without the
shallow end, but low walls still hold little appeal for some
heavy-duty boardsmen. "Shallow ends?" says
Skatemaster Tate, "I stay away from them."