MOONS, ER MIAMI
Let's see now, where to start? OK, there's this city centered
around the island life, only it's not an island. It's kind of like the
first and last stop, no matter where the final destination lies.
Playing host to big names with matching egos, and watching
them claim native status. There's only one true native to this
land, and they were nearly made extinct by our naive forefa-
thers while on their quest for dominance and self-
UNrighteousness. Only it would be an insult to them to be
referred to as American or Indian, seeing how Christopher
Columbus, prior to attempting to steal their lands and souls,
sold himself out. The boy was so lost geographically that when
he arrived in Florida, he assumed it was the Indies. Hence the
word Indians. Speaking of fake causes, let's get something
straight: Miami couldn't give a fuck if Will Smith is getting
jiggy or if Sly spends millions on a game of golf. Madonna is
more real than ever, and maybe the Bee Gees can make a
comeback. Realistically, there's a lot more to Miami than
Liquid, Felix, a defunct clothing line called Pervert, or the
transparency of the modeling and media industries that thrive
to exhaust our vast supply of beaches, sun, and the patience it
takes to stay here and put up with the Babylon that they are.
turning us into. On that note, bienvenidos a Miami.
I remember once dwelling in a city where people were true
and harmony amongst brothers and sisters echoed from
every corner and alleyway. Well, there's still unity between
races, but the humble crowd is running thinner than four
pound monofilament fishing line. Down here is the only place
where people descended from the wildest backgrounds can
come together in a flux without upsetting the equilibrium God
equipped within Mother Earth and the whole human race.
Whether it's Latin, Island, Asian, or European bootie you're
after in life, there's no reason to go any further. Come winter
you'll see heads from all around the world here seeking
refuge. And why not, seeing as Cali is over-saturated, and
New York is...well, it's safe to say that NY will always be NY.
Referred to as the "melting pot" even though you can openly
see that nationalities don't really mix, but rather stay isolated
in their own designated havens.
We know it as "season" and it starts at about October and
lasts till something like February How "cool" Miami's status
is this year will determine how successful of a season the
retail shops, hotels and hostels, restaurants, night clubs, and
camera production crews will have this year. It seems as if
everyone with a good body loses loyalty and dips out from
their hometowns throughout the world, and Miami then flour
ishes with culture, skin tones and attitudes from every race
and gender. Oh boy. I bet y'all are thinking that this would be
a good thing, but unfortunately with all the money that enters
our economy guaranteed each year, the community leaders
still have yet to furnish us with a public skate facility. So, to
war with rent-a-cops and five-o's in downtown we go, and yet
they have the audacity to say that we are the bad guys.
But wait, isn't this an article for a skateboard magazine?
Yeah, but I just wanted to get a couple of things straight. Like
the fact that we aren't the Skatepark of Tampa or their clones
who recently built a park twenty minutes away from
Clearwater. What ever happened to the respect for being pio-
neers? Just to make it official, Brian Schaefer's SPOT was on
the map first, even when skateboarding, hard-to-find shell-
toes, and spacious pants weren't "cool."
It's all about the effort and heart that one puts into some-
thing, which can only make the accomplishment that much
more rewarding. I'm talking about when Jamie Thomas and
the rest of the Zero stunt crew came into town. It was fun to
play tour guide and take them around to all the shit I wouldn't
even think of jumping, sliding, or grinding. These boys killed it
and never jumped without at least a camera or two turned on,
so keep an eye out for the upcoming video. They were pissed
though because we roll thick down here, and getting kicked out
before really even getting a chance was the norm. Two
Americans, a Nicaraguan, and me the Cuban was all it took to
make Jamie feel uncomfortable and want to ditch us. I under-
stand that for people like him it's all simply "work," but I could
have sworn I remembered the days when skating was about
being surrounded by a good group of friends and having good
old-fashioned fun.
All in all, it was a tight session. Hands were shook,
smiles swapped, and nuff vibes were shared. But as soon
as they left the city, the true stunts commenced. That
night after a cypher at Edgewise and
tacos from San Loco, Ozzie began
running and butt-sliding in the rain
across the roofs of the most expensive
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY MARK GARCIA
"Butt-sliding in the rain
cars we could point out to him on Washington Avenue.
No, no, I'm talking about caved-in hoods and scratched up
ceilings. As sure as Science Fair loves to skate naked,
Caine and Tobias will swear that they're not from
Florida... Ozzie will destroy!
A perfect example would be how he attempted feeble
grinding the divider of a six-lane highway to late 360° flip
(into oncoming traffic) while doing 70 mph on Halloween
night. Definitely an evil night; however, this one would be an
exception. Presumed dead on arrival, he was found asleep in
the backseat. Luckily for him he was not wearing his seatbelt
and that was the reason he survived. He, as well as the rest
of us, knows that it was the Lord who spared his life. Much
love and respect!
As for skating, unfortunately we all don't rip like the
kids in the videos. We amplify more with personality and
character, rather than switch hardflips to nosegrind
alley-oop big spin McTwist out. Yo, but don't try us.
Let's see if y'all got the motivation to go skate in the
summer in the kind of humidity that you could bounce.
off, and then find the drive and desire to do it again the
next night (not day). We're nocturnal down here because
night's when the climate and atmosphere are most
lenient. "I don't just flip shit kid, 'cause anyone can do
that man, I stick to landing." Quoted from a freestyle off
some mixtape-in that meaning staying true to yourself,
your peoples, and always looking onto the world with a
positive attitude towards anything encountered in the
path. Peace... Myami Whammy Won Love
across the roofs of the
most expensive
Right: Mark Garcia
gets up, up and
away over this gap
and pole snap.
cars
78 THRASHER