Atlanta '09 Skate

I stopped in Atlanta on my way back down to Savannah and hung out with my friends Jeff and Kate. Before I hit the road on Sunday, Jeff and I went skating at this park located 30 miles north of the city.

We were there a little more than an hour before the heat got to us and we called it a day.


The park is 4 pools of smooth terrain.

The shallow pool.

A grind to mess around with in one of the pools.

One of the deeper pools.

Louisville, KY, Skate Park

I've never been very fond of Louisville, KY, but I must admit their skate park is a blast. It's absolutely free and listed as one of the top 15 skate parks around the country. A free park is a beautiful thing when riders take care it, while this photo doesn't justify the litter problem, in Louisville people throw trash everywhere but in the trash bins surrounding the entire park.

Here's a clip of a kid named Will pulling a back flip out of one of the many bowls at Louisville Skate Park.

Here are two clips that'll give an idea of what the park has to offer.

I got into it with this little shit who wasn't even skating before I left the park, because he threw a glass bottle off the huge halfpipe for no reason other than to shatter something.

"What was the point of that?" I said up to him.

"Why is it any of your business?" he snapped back at me.

"If I'm skating here, it's my business. You're taking the blame if I pick up any glass!"

Roommates

Sometimes friends and family will ask why the three of us didn't just remain roommates in our first house at 527 E. Park Ave. The answer is because Dillon, Jeff, and myself had what some might consider to be too much fun.

Luckily, we're all reasonably productive people.

It was always a creative environment, though.


Borderline stupid, at times.


We found ways to entertain ourselves. Obviously, using the least amount of necessary stitches along the way.


Dillon and I even managed to find a way to make the best out of community service.


These aren't real.

When we did get arrested it was for littering and disorderly conduct. It was 10 a.m and we were listening to metal music on our way out to the beach to go surf. At the time, it seemed like a good idea to throw the empty glass bottle of a Starbucks frapaccino at a speed limit sign. Apparently, someone else on the road called the cops and told them we were throwing beer "bottles" at "signs," plural.

We made it all the way to the parking lot next to the pier, suited up, and were running toward the water when the cops showed up. Dillon and I were arrested. Once we were sitting inside our cell in Tybee Jail, all we could think about was that annoying squeak echoing from our wetsuits rubbing against the uncomfortable cell-beds.


When Jeff wasn't involved in the trouble he was usually behind the camera catching those precious moments before and after you hear it.

"Bail, dude!"

Pre Surf

Here is one of Beard's photos of a bunch of us getting ready to paddle out, that's taken with his homemade panoramic camera.

Turner Parking Lot

The parking lot behind Turner House is one of the few skateable hills in downtown Savannah. Usually, it's crowded with parked cars, but if you can go when it's empty there is more open space you can utilize.

It doesn't offer much more than some smooth pavement to mess around on, but that's enough to practice aggressively switching from regular to goofy stance while moving downhill.


A drawing by Leah Aripotch.


The handstand trick started here but developed into more. Eventually, Jeff got to the point where he could do it on a smaller board and even flip the deck with his hands right before landing his feet on it, then ride away.