again, like always, 20 years later, out moves
the nicer folk to newer and greener pas-
tures, while there goes the neighborhood.
Nowadays, 80% of Fontucky's residents
are either gangbangers and/or speed vic-
tims (San Bernardino County is known
throughout the US as the #1 speed-making
capital of the world). There are still a few
good sections of town, but the walls are
crumbling faster than you can fix 'em,
which is a perfect situation for a pool skater
casing the concrete jungle.
Rialto
What was once another proud city is now just a
shell of its former self. Half of the city is gang-
infested, with low rent, low income, welfare-living
inhabitants now. But I do have to say that the
other half is still pretty killer. They have a huge
country club complete with a golf course in its
northern quadrants, and a revitalized housing
boom is in progress at this very moment. On the
flip side, Rialto has become pool heaven for those
of us interested in emply cement ponds. HUD
housing is readily available (HUD keeps its pools
drained at all times!), and most of the lower
income families just look the other way when we
barge into abandoned backyards to skate emply
pools. Some families even welcome us with
open arms as long as we bring 'em a 12-pack of
Bud or a little smoke.
Are You Down For Your Town?
The Inland Empire officially is the area east of
the LA County line where Claremont borders
Montclair, Upland, and Ontario, and extends all
the way along Interstates 10 and 60 towards the
ww
AIRCOND
WIGWAM
MOTEL
POOL
A TEE PEE
AM FM
BEDS
15 Freeway all the way to Palm Springs.
Are you down for your town? Well, all the fools who live east of the 15 definitely believe
in this credo, for 3/4 of the jailbound are tatted with "Inland Empire." You know the types:
skinheads who always wear Docs or boots and usually have it tattooed between their
shoulder blades or forearms in olde English; or the typical dirtbag, long-haired, '70s, bell-
bottom, scrungy speed bump victim usually attired with some kind of metal shirt, a Levi
jacket or vest with patches sewn all over it, light pants, and tennis shoes. But don't let this
fool you, the Hell Angels have it, the Chicanos have it, the gangbanging brothers have it.
It's a weird phenomenon, a mutual thug alliance. The whole area is very freaky because
of all the different people now. High schools have metal detectors, the police are pre-
sent at all times, they have these special all black gang unit cars, the guys are so gnarly,
Welcome to
Rialto
just the whole attitude and tempo of
life has changed since the early years.
Rialto had the #1 murder rate per
capita in the US for two years in a
row, now it's San Bernardino. Crime
is everywhere, and 80% of it is drug-
related with 3/4 of that being either
speed or crack, depending on the
neighborhood. So, the place is really
a melting pot now compared to the
years before when this wouldn't have
been allowed to happen. Drive
around one day and tell me how
many "For Sale" signs you see.
That's why it's good for us; right now
I couldn't have lived at a better time.
20
KODAK 5054 TMZ
00001
Desperation Avenue
Route 66 in its prime provided a vital lifeline to the territory of San Bernardino and
its outlining communities. But, as time wore on, and the region lost its economic vitality,
so did Route 66. The lustre it once had is gone, forever replaced with other freeways and
highways that make the trip to Los Angeles easier. All the grandeur of Route 66 dimin-
ished. After lime, and with it memories and good times, businesses and everything relat-
ed to it took a big shit. This was reflected all through the empire in socio/economic pro-
portions. If you drive around through the cities today, you can see lots of vacated
structures, houses, hotels, and motels with emply swimming pools, abandoned storefronts,
and the like. Route 66 is now a historical throughway, and its untimely demise is a
blessing to skateboarders everywhere who await the potential gold mine of skateboard-
related architecture spread amongst its ruin.
Clockwise from top left: More of the bounty. Kale Sandridge muscles
through the tight shallow end of the Flower Shop. Salba keeps 'em
coming. How many people have ever stand-up ground over the shal-
low stairs frontside? The only one possible is Royce Nelson.
AK 5054 TMZ
KODAK 5054 TMZ