77-Roller
TRUCK
SUBCONSCIOUS
Pat Ngoho
Model
Photos
Wison
Progues PO Box 5997 Santa Monica California 90405 (218) 476-4857
ASK THE DOCTOR
With Rick Blackhart
The Doc in Los Altos pool circa 1976. Photo: Darlene Sporn
I remember how skating was when I
I wrote my first column in the eleventh
issue of THRASHER. That's almost nine
years of hardcore skating and constant
progression in skate technology. It's
amazing though, with all the changes,
how much it's still the same. The adven-
ture of seeking out and skating a new
spot is just as exhilarating as it ever was.
Once you've tasted the thrill of master-
ing that long snapback grind, doing more
than three 360°s, or racing downhill with
friends in that multi-story parking garage,
you can't get enough. That's the thrill of
skating and that's why Thrasher has
been around this long. I like to think we
help maintain the memory of why we all
started skating: because it feels so damn
good. Personally, if I can relate to some-
one what I think skating is about, that's
great. The more people who know and
remember what skating is and should be,
the better skating will be overall. I don't
mind being the one for the job because
I really don't care if you agree or not.
There are just too many wimps out there
and somebody's got to set them straight.
The funny part is we were all wimps at
some point. We only became "cool"
thanks to the bigger kid down the block.
who taught us how to skate. Once again
I'd like to thank all my readers and all the
skaters who Ask The Doctor, regardless
of their symptoms or my prognosis. Live
long and skate always!
WRIST OFF
I have sprained my wrist 17 times and
broken it 3 times skating. I have gone
through four pairs of wrist guards. What
would you recommend for a thrasher who's
hard on her hands?
Hard on Hands
Pt. Richmond, CA
Yeah, wrist damage. I've got a bad one,
too. Get the proper wrist guard, prefer-
ably one made by your doctor shaped.
and molded exactly to your wrist, then
tape or Ace wrap that baby before each
session. Otherwise, wear some kind of
protection at all skate times. Remember
to relax and roll with those bails. Absorb
the shock with your whole body instead
of sticking out your arms and landing on
your wrist.
PAD ATTITUDE
Do big riser pads make a difference? I
mean, do big risers help you ollie higher?
Confused with Risers
Lahaska, PA
The old riser confusion, eh? Boring. In
my opinion, the only real use for risers
is to keep your wheels from rubbing on
your board. What I do instead of risers
is tighten my trucks to the point where
the wheels can't rub. I think it's easier
to ollie without pads because your tail is
closer to the ground, allowing you to slap
it up via the tail. Some want more rise
because you get a better angle on your
pop off the tail. In the long run, it's just
a matter of personal preference.
BUBBLE TROUBLE
Recently a group of friends (including
me) constructed a half-pipe. Our original
riding surface was " plywood, which
worked well until it rained. Then the wood
warped massively so we nailed down the
warped parts and painted the surface. Once
again it rained and once again the wood
bubbled and warped. We nailed the messed
up wood and this time we bought masonite,
which we glued and screwed into place. The
masonite, you guessed it, bubbled like all
hell. We ripped it off and bought new stuff,
which we glued, screwed and painted. It has
just rained and now the masonite looks like
crap, and is unrideable. What do you sug-
gest we do to make a rideable ramp? We
are out of money and ideas.
Team Warped
La Grange, IL
Sounds like you're in for major renova-
tion. Strip the ramp of it's surface
material, once again replace the " ply
and 4" tempered masonite and then
cover the ramp whenever you're not
skating. Tarps (you know, waterproof
plastic) work well and they're not too
expensive. The hot set-up is to build a
roof over your ramp. This costs much
more, but your ramp will last for ages.
BAD TRUCK LUCK
I'm an average hard thrashin' skater with
a slight problem. Yesterday me and a friend
were sessioning and I pulled an ollie to grind
when my wheel popped off. The bolt was
still on tight but I was missing a bearing.
When I later investigated the problem I
found I could take off the whole axle...
which is surely a bad sign. My trucks are
approximately a year old. Is there something
I can do about it?
Keith (Keiber) Sanders
South Bend, IN
Old trucks are exposed to factors such
as rust, regular wear and tear, etc. Check
out warranties before you buy trucks, and
don't hesitate to send them back to the
company if they bust on you. Ask your
shop owner what he can do for you.
CASHED HOPES
I asked my parents if I could buy a
skateboard if I earned enough money. They
said okay. Now I have enough money. I told
them I was ready to buy the board and they
said no because it would be a waste of
money. What do I do?
Kevin Wood
Athens, TN
Dude, don't be lame. Go buy yourself
a board. It's your money, right? Tell them
that fancy ties and hairspray are a waste
of money. Maybe you can prove to them
that you really want the board-offer to
mow the lawn or do some other chores
to show how serious you are.
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