We showed up to the shop and saw
Scott arrive. So now he was back.
Let's go skate.
The park in Phoenix is always
good, with smooth cement and
smooth skating by Alan and Karma.
We sweated out a few pounds and
then gained them all back with bur-
ritos courtesy of Cowtown. It's too
hot in Arizona. Everyone just
seems to smoke and swim there all
day. We spent the next day doing
nothing until about seven, when we
went to this crazy place in the mid-
dle of nowhere. Thrasherland was
the place. A huge fullpipe and a
crazy snakerun-like thing made out
of fiberglass right next to a
bumper-car racetrack. After skating
for a while, Richard whooped the
owner in a bumper car race and we
were off to barbecue hot dogs and
veggie burgers.
Austin, Texas lay ahead, and so
did one of the longest drives of the
trip. We jumped right on it, with
Casey at the wheel and a storm in
AP goin' demo in Austin.
Backside ollie transfer.
the distance. Now, the drive
through New Mexico and Texas
can do a number on your brain,
especially if it's during the night.
There is nothing out there, man.
Three AM rolled around and I
couldn't drive anymore. Scott pulled
Matt's truck onto some dirt road.
which led us to these huge water
tanks. A few of us climbed the tanks
and slept in fear of coyotes and rat-
tlesnakes. It was a beautiful night. I
pondered life's questions once again.
and came to no conclusions so I
tried to get some sleep.
After Sargeant Bourne had every-
one up to watch the sunrise, we were
back on course to Austin, where we
got our first taste of what the South
is all about: humidity.
The skies were gray as we headed
out to Houston. I was sweating and it
was raining. We got to the South Side
park, and it was sick. Jack pulled
some big transfers and we stayed at
some girl's house. Richard shaved
Scott's mop and it was nighty-night.
Karma serves up a tasty frontside ollie dish in AZ.
The drive to Alabama was another
long one. A long night of drinking
ensued, with well over a case
between four people in the van. Tim
and I sat and laughed as we filled up
a gallon jug full of pee and threw it
out the window as the van rolled
through the corner of Florida up
into Alabama.
It was four in the morning and we
were setting up camp in Dothan,
Alabama at the skatepark. Right
when we were laying our sleeping
bags out, four cop cars came
screeching up. It was like the
movies, brodies and all, man. They
were freaking out on us but we con-
vinced them it was cool and cheered
them on as they all peeled out of the
parking lot.
Nashville, Tennessee was our next
stop. The Triple X shop had an
indoor bowl that everyone ses-
sioned. We watched new videos and
Rich told me that if he ever saw
Muska he was going to throw Dre
Dog in his ghetto blaster.
We bailed up to Knoxville beneath
the milky twilight and got two hotel
rooms. We awoke to a newly shaven
Karma skull and another demo. The
boys did their thing and we were off
to stay at this dude's house where
there were too many games to
count. We drank moonshine and
played games until late.
North Carolina is beautiful. The
rain finally stopped for us as we
entered Greensboro. We hung out at
the Crunchy skate shop for a while
and then went off to some party.
The next thing I knew I was jam-
ming surf rock with these dudes in
this house. Schlitz was being divvied
out to us and I met Stanley, who's a
Vietnam vet.
The following day was a complete waste.
Karma, Scott, and I judged this stupid contest
all day at this retarded park. Alan had to leave
back to California for some of his own business
as we departed from the park to Raleigh.
The money situation had been tight. The
shops had been giving us a couple bills, but
that's tough for eleven people to live off, not
counting gas. I had only brought seventy bucks
for myself. Matt hooked up a demo in
Wilmington and we were off to stay with
Aaron and Katrina, but not before a quick stop
at a shop called the Back Door.
Tension was beginning to mount in the group.
"WE FILLED UP A
GALLON JUG PULL OR DEC
Katrina works at a strip joint and could get us
in for free, so we went for it. This didn't relieve
any tension really, just got our minds off the
road. Rich and I aren't twenty-one so they
made us wear these stupid red shirts. I figured
if I had to look like an idiot I might as well go
out with a bang, so I pulled the shirt up over
my head and watched the girls strut down the
runway. Our stay in North Carolina was getting
old; we said our goodbyes and hit the road. We
stopped at grocery stores and ate peanut but-
ter and banana sandwiches. Mmmm.
Washington, DC was conquered in tourist-
like fashion. We walked to the monuments in
AND THROW IT OUT THE WINDOW"
Bailey with the evidence.
Casey Lingstrom adds to the
Austin heat with a tall 50-50.