NORTH
U S
101
There's nothing to skate." "My scene sucks!" "I'm bored." Sounds like it's time for a...
ROAD TRIP!!!
Photos and Story by Kevin Thatcher
The call went up and the boys gathered at
Carrozzi Burgers, a drive-in on the El Camino Real
in San Mateo. Carrozzi's is a repro-
duction of the 50's style burger
joints that your mom and dad hung
out at when they were kids. The El
Camino Real (pronounced Ree-Al)
is the real thing. It's a road, dig,
the King's road, U.S. Route 101,
the main vein connecting Northern
and Southern California. It show-
cases both beauty and the beast
as it runs down the western edge
of America, playing tag with earth-
quake faults and ocean swells. It's
a state treasure full of landmarks
and in direct proximity to hell of
skate spots. I had traveled the
route many times over the years but had never
stopped in any one place for longer than a quick
meal. So what the hell, we rounded up a posse
and rode south to find what was left of ole'
mother 101 and any skate spots along the way.
Incident Number One
After an escape from S.F. we
(me, Blackhart, Tom Guerrero,
Keith Cochrane and unofficial,
unlicensed historian, illustrator
and blues specialist Tumbleweed)
were hankerin' for some hard skate
action. As we approached Adobe
de San Jose in the waning daylight
we veered slightly off course for a
visit to Buena Vista pool near Wat-
sonville. Perhaps the oldest still
active skate spot, Buena Vista has
been ridden for the last two
decades. We barely made it in time
for twenty minutes of skating with
a bunch of locals including the effervescent
Doug Smith. Tumbleweed took up with an easel
and a brush and commenced slappin' paint.
LUSTRATIONS BY KEVIN ANCELL
We hooted into the dark-
ness as the boys kept
smackin' the shallow end.
Upon departure we left
burning sticks of incense
as a blessing to the fine
transitions. A good pool is
like a good meal, pure
satisfaction.
The Mission Trail
Highway 101 started as
a foot trail connecting a
Sign of the hook and bell-the roadsigns
and the hook and bell mark the route that
Father Junipero Serra used to establish
a chain of missions along the coast.
Jeremy Dietrich hurricanes a grind where
asphalt meets pavement, California
Street, Ventura.