SOGGY
BRAIN'S
WEIRD UNNATURAL FREAKISHNESS
UND TO WRECK YOUR DAISIES
BOUND
FEAR OF
What trick is Ron Chatma
Mr. Tony Hawk reels back in after some in
The first person to mail or
on Chatman doing on the edge of the pipe?
ten bucks. Photo: M.Fo
with this hefty stalefish 540°.
Photo:
Bill Thomas
in the finals
LOAFING
IN
DEL
MAR
Catching a plane at the last possible moment is a pastime second only to things like midget tossing and long distance
spitting. There's nothing like the satisfying fulfillment of having that airplane door smack you in the butt as you come
sauntering through. Mental Memo: start petition for awards to people who can catch planes by the skin of their teeth.
Luggage, bonus mileage, etc. The flight was okay, only they didn't serve cocktails. The stewardess said, "The bar.
isn't open this early," but I think she recognized me and my faithful traveling companion, Big T, for the mangy troubadours
that we are. The black leather motorcycle jackets, denim, Doc Martens, Converse, and mirrored shades probably.
tipped her off. Mental Memo: One bad mark against United. One hour later, we're flying up Interstate 5 from the Sant
Diego airport with the Del Mar Fairgrounds parking lot as our destination. It's funny how hundreds of dollars are laid
down in traveling, lodging and nourishment for the sake of hanging out in a parking lot. It don't figure. But, TV. game
shows and Geraldo Rivera don't exactly make total sense either. A quick check of our vehicle's sound system is in
order, so the Marches and War Songs tape is slammed in and cranked up to ten. The miles fly by like seconds, and
we're powersliding through the correct area of the fairgrounds parking lot in no time. Big T comments on the excellent
steering and braking of our staff car as we slide by on our first pass. We catch our first glimpse of what we're in for:
A large structure that looks like a blurry, incomplete hull of a 17th century Spanish galleon. Since we know that we
didn't come all this way to see a half-done, boat, the possibility of it being a halfpipe comes to mind. Beyond the
structure, lay a bunch of overturned rowboats pointing in different directions. Could be street ramps. A second pass
confirms all suspicions. Controlled practice sessions are active on the ramp and the street course area. All in all
there is little activity. It's only about 10:30 a.m., and most skaters don't emerge from their holes till one or two in
the afternoon. The sky is overcast, and the overall scene slate grey. These signs promise rain. -
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