66 T
Above Digger shifties a mean backside above the old
Thiebaud romp complex extension
Sequence. The Marin School wall gets a healthy dose
of Phil Shao Pass the test and noseslide to fakie.
ruling it. Joel was muscling sick stand-up grinds
the whole bar, and Dave was hitting the cleanest
backside ollies, one foot out. For my money, Joel
and Dave were the most influential figures in the
East Bay during this era. If forced to categorize
them, I'd say Dave was the more lean, light-footed,
finesse-type, big air guy, and Joel the heavier,
power-type skater. In retrospect, though, they
were just a couple of dirty, smelly, hairy guys from
Richmond who loved skateboarding. And partying.
And free food. And cartoons.
Back then none of us had cars, so we'd hit all
the little shit sprinkled throughout the area.
Besides the Tennis Courts, the main three were
Tech, Art Museum and Alcatel. Tech was a long
asphalt bank running down behind the bleachers
at Oakland Tech High School. Get stoned and
while away the long, hot days of summer. I am
convinced that during jump-ramp days, Joel
invented the transitioned kicker sticking out of
the bank ploy now commonplace in most street
obstacle fields. The softer landings saved many
a problem knee. Also we had the UC Art Museum,
always good for a midnight barge. Grass Valley
School had a pretty ripping blacktop bank too.
And of course there was Rube's other favorite spot
(after the Courts), Alcatel
Alcatel was a little shithole fish pond in an
abandoned miniature golf course located next to
a liquor store. The only really good thing about
that place was this quiet kid named Charles who skated there. Charles was shy and he'd only skate if
there was just a few guys there he was comfortable with. He had the greatest style. Once they dozed that
place, I never saw him again. Charles is the only part of Alcatel that I miss
Besides all the little bank hits, a bunch of ramps started crapping up. There was Brant's, the
Albany ramp, some stuff out in Orinda, Joe Lopes down in San Leandro, an early incarnation of The
Widow, and some other little stuff scattered around. The ramp I need to tell you about, though, was
built by Joel Chavez. Joel's ramp was in his mom's back yard and the final version of it ran up the
side of her house. In order to increase its width, Joel built a quarter-pipe plug which fit flush into the
laundry room doorway. He also built a slightly bowled end piece which extended from the outside cor-
ner of the house. The ramp was built entirely from salvaged materials Joel Chavez: evil genius. I
think we lost a part of Joel when the neighbors made him tear down his masterpiece. We all lost a lit-
the momentum when Joel's came down, and I don't think we got it back until Blind School and the
0-9 ramp started happening at the end of the decade..
By that time, the street ollie had revolutionized skateboarding. Over in SF, the whole EMB thing was
going on and it pulled a lot of the younger street guys over there. I guess Shamil Randle and Mike York
really blossomed during that time.
In subsequent years, even more stuff has opened up in the 510. We've had at least one pool going for
the past six or seven years. For ramps there are Max's, Andy's and Jim's. The Tennis Courts are still there
and, for extra spice, you can go downstairs and do battle with the bar-of-death. Marin School is popular.
So is Virginia School. And there is a rad wailie-the-hip school off Oakland Avenue, as well as the Richmond
pipes. Lately some metal pipes have been popping up. I know I've left out a lot of stuff. For example, I
don't know much about the Walnut Creek/Danville/Concord area, but I do know there is a world of stuff hap-
pening out there. And of course the hills of the East Bay rise up behind us both alluring and mocking in
their silent dignity.-Curtis Hsiang