I got stung by a bee yesterday.  99 degrees in Poway, third straight week of Santa Ana winds.  Skate mission to Chino, Fontana and Upland skateparks is going down this Saturday, pics to follow.

It had been a long time since I checked out the Washington Street Skatepark, a skater-built park under the 5 freeway highway 101 in San Diego. This park was initally built by a small group as a ‘renegade’ park on city land. The city eventually put the kaibash on it for a couple years and it sat unfinished. Today, the city has blessed the park and it has been almost completely built-out.

Being fully aware of the potential for harsh vibing from the notoriously cantankerous locals, I went down at a barney-friendly 9AM on a drizzling saturday morning. The park was open, no one else was there.
The park is ingeniously situated amongst the round concrete freeway supports below the 5 freeway. It is essentially a big concrete tub, built up with cinderblock walls between the freeway pillars. Walking into the park you immediately realize how gnarly this place is.

And make no mistake this is as gnarly as a skatepark gets. EVERY wall has some vert. Even 5-foot sections have 4-6 inches of vert. If you are looking for perfect trannies, you will not find them here, although the bigger transitions are very smooth and fast . There are a lot of big walls, big bowls, and tight hips. The park is almost entirely pool coping: concrete and brick. I can’t describe how tough it was to skate this park. The guys who rip this park are animals, pure and simple.

I will hand it to the guys who built this place. They have created a gnar village to be ripped for the ages. But for those of us considering a visit – some caveats.

• There are unleashed pitbulls running around all over the place, shitting and peeing everywhere. I don’t like pitbulls.
• The locals are somewhat intimidating. Shaved heads, tattoos, and missing teeth are the norm. Be respectful, and don’t litter or talk shit, and you’ll be fine. Show up early and avoid the gnar warrior sessions, they will snake you and steamroll you if you get in the way.

More info and photos available at SoCalSkateparks and Sleestack

So I broke a kingpin the other day. Rarely happens, but my current set of trucks have been with me for at least 8 months, 2 bushing replacements, the truck worn down almost to axle.

But I still want to ride em. They are set up exactly how I like it. And since a kingpin costs 3 bucks and a truck costs 18, and If I replace one I’d need to replace two…

For those unfamiliar with skateboard trucks, the kingpin is a 3″ steel bolt which is press-fit into a 1″ sleeve cast into an aluminum block. The bottom inch of the steel bolt is ridge so as to cut into the sides of the alluminum sleeve, wedging the bolt permanently in the skateboard truck.

So at first I was able to wack out the stuck nub of the kingpin. But getting it back in was a real problem. I knocked the kingpin in almost all the way but couldnt get it past the last quarter inch. Then I wacked my finger.

As I nursed my throbbing digit, I consulted yon internet which yielded a much safer and easier method for this task. The technique is decscribed here: http://www.kingpinmag.com/default.aspx?id=600

The gist of it is – if you heat the aluminum block with a tea candle, in about 3 minutes the steel bolt will drop out or wedge in much more easily. Also, you can easily hold a small item like a bolt with a twisted rag and a pair of vice grips 🙂

Truly the end of an era. I’m just glad I got to skate it a few years back.

More Photos of the carnage

More Info…

F’d Company is reporting that skate shoe maker Axion is not more.

Savier is done. Strike 2 for Nike.

DC Shoes bought by Quicksilver for 85M!

Here