NOTES FROM COCO'S HOMECOMING
I just got back from beautiful Puerto Rico. What a special
place, where overworked skaters can retreat to an island that
offers a thriving skateboard community and supreme street
skating terrain in the capital city of old San Juan, as well as
delicious Puerto Rican soul food, extremely beautiful women and
leather back burning sun. We spent six fantastic days with close
friends and new ones like Roberto "Bol, our tour guide (thanks much).
Boli took Salman, Jake, Julien and myself all over San Juan's skate
spots, even two ramps. Then, in pursuit of a more tranquil setting, we
headed through the jungle, past Arecibo to Isabella, and over to Jobos
Beach, where we wined and dined ourselves into oblivion. Three days
was enough to give us many permanent memories of the island and
people of Puerto Rico. And now that we have returned home, we won't
forget the places we saw and friends we made. -Coco Santiago
Downtown San Juan has all kinds of rails, stairs and banks. Salman Agah
(opposite top) felt at home enough to nollie flip the bank at the Lottery
building. Little guy Javier (above) noseslides a rail. Coco Santiago (below)
keeps cool at Jobos beach in Isabella. When the locals told us about the
Ditch of Death, we had to go. Up in the mountains, we stopped at Juataca
reservoir (left), and checked it out. Two skaters died there in the seventies,
hence the name. A half-mile downhill run with fifty-foot-tall smooth walls,
the Ditch of Death definitely lived up to its rep. Julien Stranger (opposite
left) hit the wall at the top switchstance, then took the drop backwards.