Skateboard Mecca - March 27, 2008

I live in San Francisco, America's hilliest metropolitan city, which coincidentally makes it the skateboarding Mecca of the West Coast. Up until three years ago I had no idea how to really skateboard, then PETE of the Jo-Tel got a board and actually decided to use it. Hip E and I shortly purchased our boards, and thereafter we were taking on the streets of the city, scraping our knees against the gritty asphalt, alluding dogs, dodging Audis, and tearing up tennis courts.

It was awesome. We would go out after the streets had cleared of commuters, and begin to trail blaze the best paths in Russian Hill, Pac Heights, and the Marina. We would skate for hours at a time, take intermittent water breaks, and constantly push our talents, or lack thereof. Often times I’d find myself after three hours of traversing the paved sidewalks and pot holed streets exhausted, but wanting to go on into the night. No matter who hard I fell or how many times I had to change band aids, I was relentless. I skated to work, back home, to go to parties, to grab dinner, anytime I had a chance I would skate.

Unfortunately, PETE moved to LA, which disrupted the group, and my skating has curtailed. However, after watching “Fully Flared” last night at Mezzanine (thanks to Sosia), I’ve been inspired to get back on the board (sorry Mom and Dad). Here’s the intro clip to the movie: