Stow &
PHOTOS BY
LANCE
CALGAR
NO TURNING BACK...
A FEW MONTHS AGO, received a call from
Foundation team manager Mike Ballard inquiring
if I would be interested in going on the road and
documenting the Foundation/Toy Machine tour.
He explained how they had wanted to try a new
approach towards touring. Instead of going only
to shops (where fun is usually had by most, but the
obstacles leave a lot to be desired they were also
going to be doing demos at kids' houses (where
they take us out and let us skate their spots). Bal
lard explained how Foundation had a contest in
which kids wrote in explaining why they think the
team should go ta thair town and what obstacles
they have to skate. For some of the winners it wes
dream come true and for others it would be their
worst nightmare Ballard also said the tour would
be split up into two separate groups at two sepa
Clockwise from right: Steve Olson, 180 nosegrind on a
b-ball course in Vermont, Chad Musko commits a huge
360 Rip. After many hours on the road, someone was
bound to flip out. The Hotel Chelsea, where Sid offed
Nancy, Heath Kirchart takes a bite out of Mike Ballard
rate times. The first group consisted of Frank
Hirata, Steve Oson, Chad Muska, Ed Templeton
and Jamie Thomas. The second would be com
prised of Paul Sharpe, Josh Beagle, Heath
Kirchart, Donny Barley, Panama Dan and Steve
Berra, and I'd have a chance to get photos of
them all, Before I had a chance to contemplate
the offer he said, "'ll see you there The next
week I had a ticket to Savannah, Georgia, where
they'd pick me up. The following is what it's
like on 3000 miles away
from home when
there is no turn-
ing back
On June 17th, 1packed my bags and headed
out on the friendly skies to the sticky South It
was there that they were to pick me up. Upon
arrival, had an uneasy feeling because no one
looked familiar and I hadn't talked to Mike since
he left two hours earlier. I soon ran into some
Southern police interrogation (the local police
thought I was a runaway). frantically called
Foundation, where Miki answered the phone, I
told him of my situation and he said that he
would do whatever he could do to rect
fy the situation. Five minutes later I got
a call saying to wait out front for a
white van As the hom started blaring
began to feel relieved, they were finally
there was greated by an apologetic Mike
Ballard, Frank Hirata and Steve Olson. I threw
my belongings into what would be my home for
the next two weeks the tour van. We head
ed out to the demo to meet Ed Templeton,
Jamie Thomas and Chad Muska
As soon as we stepped out of the van I
poticed a scurrying of skaters. It seems that
the part of Georgia is off-limits to skaters and
they will arrest on sight. We all gathered in the
van and headed to the winner's home where
we would decide upon our next move. It was
there that we decided the pool hall would be
the call. At the pool hall Mike insisted that
have a few beers with him to forget about
the airport fiasco. Three full pitchers later
seemed to forget about the whole evening,
The next thing knew I woke up in North
Carolina We had a 3pm demo at a park out
side of town. After searching for a place to
buy some socks fa necessity on the road we
made it to the park on time. The weather
seemed stickier than yesterday but the team
our five hour wet journey to Winston-Salem, (t
was there that I witnessed the most incredible
home video ever. It seems that this winner has
a friend who has nothing better to do with his
time than make videos of himself in the process
of satisfying fruit and various other sexual
exploits, I think the one we premiered was
called "Enema Man." The weather hadn't let
up and we started getting bored. The winner
suggested that we head out to the local bowling
alley where they had an arcade. We all peaked
outside to see if it was letting up end finally the
sun made a break. So we headed to a local spot
instead. As soon as we arrived Mother Nature
had her way and the rain fell again. That's when
Mike insisted we get the hell out and
then proceeded to charge the van,
straight into a mud-filled pit. You
should have seen the look on
his face. The van was sub
merged in mud and we
were stuck. He pulled
his socks off waddled
through the mire
and ran down the
street in the
rain in order
to buy us
a tow
rope
The
CHELSEA
dea was
to pull the van out
using Jamie's Rodeo. After that attempt failed
we had an idea to get everyone together and
adjusted to it and skated to their fullest.pull it out. A tug of war ensued and we were vic
torious. Not to leave the contest winners empty
handed for helping us out Muska had a prod
uct toss in the pit where the van once was. A
mud bath ensued and no one left the party
After bidding a farewell to
the local skaters, we started