Spooky Skate

At high noon on Halloween, trouble was brewing. A crowd began to gather around the unusual spectacle in Union Square. From the looks of things, it appeared Mickey Mouse would join forces with a heavily bearded rabbi, a kung-fu master, a mime and a gorilla in a tie…This unlikely team of super freaks was accompanied by about 15 assorted costumed skateboard punks, and two bikers incognito… The Halloween Skate 2009 was surely to be a day to remember. We took off and circumnavigated all of mid-downtown Manhattan. It was an epic skate.. . during this skate I began to realize how hot it can get inside of a cheaply made gorilla suit. But a little, or in my case a whole lot of sweating, was a necessary sacrifice for the joy and terror we brought to thousands of unsuspecting tourists and denizens of this fine apple. It was one of my favorite Halloweens of all time.

Broadway Bomb Pics and Video

Four days after the legendary longboard push race, my adrenaline is still pumping. Aside from the rush of defying most laws of physic and the flabby arm of the law, the race is a great chance to meet people who you haven’t seen or skated with nearly enough as you should. I met two cool cats from Oregon who discovered the race and some of the best spots to ride in the city from The Brooklyn Barbarosa. That was a great feeling to have been able to reach out and connect the global longboarding community as it should be. Here is Part one of three of extra footage and photos from the event. If anyone has any other great shots they want to share with the interweb and all its minions, send them my way. Also, be sure to check out Bustin’ boards and their blog for a great account and overview of the 2009 Broadway Bomb.  This HD video I found on youtube is pretty damn good. Enjoy.

Although silent, this video gives you a great idea of just how deep we were rolling…

This one has a great first person perspective, shows you just how long and serious the race can be, and has some good shots of the Naked Longboarder.

Broadway Bombed- Longboard Frenzy Leaves Smoldering Rubble in it’s Wake

October 10, 2009- I woke up at ten, snapped some new Swiss Super Six bearings into my Earthwing Superball 76’s, said a quick prayer to Hermes as I donned my winged hat, slammed a coconut water and rolled down the block to Riverside and 116th. You could feel the madness brewing long before you saw the massed skateboarders. I would estimate slightly less than last year, but still over two hundred skaters from around the country and across the globe were waiting eagerly, chomping at the bit….Bustin Boards was distributing a dope Bomb tee, and it looked like they had recruited an Army of blue warriors on wheels.

The race started promptly at noon, and the scene was chaotic as usual. The first few blocks was so thick with boards you could barely push…. However things soon cleared up, and the pace was elevated to grueling (If this race had been on the Oregon Trail, everyone would have died from typhoid/dysentery).

Times Square wasnt nearly as bad as predicted. I took my slight deviation, and saw many opted to simply pick up their board and charge through the corwds on foot. Rounding the corner at Union Square, my hat flew off and I was forced to turn around and risk my life to retrieve it. Things were the most insane on the last quarter of the race- the final uphill push from Canal to Chambers was rough, and the host of obstacles that lay in the last ten blocks of the race was unpredictable and intense. Giant cement choppers, hoses, gridlocked traffic and irate traffic cops made the homestretch the most perilous.

The front pack was made up of the fastest longboarders on the East Coast. The record set by Theseus Williams last year was shattered by MARK SCHAPEROW, doing the entire 8.2 mile run in just under 27 minutes. Second place was a huge surprise, as a dude named Colin came out of nowhere . Apparently just having moved here from Austin, he was playing with his son in the street when King Solomon and a few Bustin Riders cruised past. He flagged them down, talked to them, and heard about the race. Colin hit up Paragon and purchased a Loaded Vanguard a week before the race. This guy is fast, and the only reason he didn’t take the whole race is that he was unfamiliar with the route and was simply following the guys in first.  Notorious speedster Casper was controversially thrown off his board by police just blocks from the finish line…Thus, third was a tie between Theseus Williams and Jimmy Soladay, and fourth was either King Solomon, Michael Poli, or Adam Crigler. I cruised down and patted the bull  with a time of just under 40 minutes, placing somewhere between 30-50th.

The adulation and raw energy at the finish line was incredible. Soon everyone took off for the BBQ by the river, the awards ceremony, and the consumption of many beers. The day after the race I felt like a well trained squadran of midgets with iron cudgels had mashed my legs into banana cream pie.  On a more grim note, there was some serious pedestrian injuries, including one very elderly woman. Now we all know peds are assholes, and don’t know how to react to an Army of longboarders bearing down on them, but we still need to be very careful not to let them injure us or themselves, lest the police try and shut us down next year.  Fortunately, the longboarder that smashed the grandma to the ground and tried to flee was promptly tackled by angry onlookers with a convenience.

More exclusive Brooklyn Barbarosa pictures, interviews, and videos to be posted later this week. To recap- the race was fucking amazing. Great comradery, lots of wildly innovative boards and riders, and a great display to NYC and the world what longboarding is really about.

Concrete Wave Evolutions DVD 2009

I know if you’re in NYC, you have seen the excellent trailer for the new Bustin’ Boards Concrete Wave Evolutions 2009 DVD. However, since this blog has a new and utterly captivated international audience, I had to spread the NYC  stoke and share this tight longboard video trailer. It features some of the nastiest riders in New York City, reppin’ RatRod and screaming Bustin’ Bitches! Enjoy, and pick up your official copy soon….

There is no Race like the Broadway Bomb

With the most intense longboard race on the East Coast less than three months away, its time to get serious. For those unfamiliar with the prolific race, it is an unofficial 8 mile sprint Manhattans’ 116th Street to the Bull at Wall St. One must compete against over three hundred longboarders from across the country, buses, cabs, cops, tourists, pedestrians, bikers, garbage, man-eating rats and everything else you wouldn’t expect. The race is highly sponsored, with lots of boards, trucks, wheels, gear and cash for the top placed riders at stake. This race is a great event for riders of all skill levels, because even if you aren’t gunning for the title, meeting people and their unique boards as you cruise down the length of the island is priceless. Check out the maps section to familiarize yourself with  the full course. And for a serious breakdown analysis of the Outlaw skater psyche, and the debate over the race skitch, check out Mike Dallas’Bustin Blog.

Now as much as riders from all over the US and the world are encouraged to attend the Bomb, let it be known that New York is taking this race, hands down. Word on the interweb is that a lot of people are stoked and talking some refuse, so I will gently remind everyone of a few facts. This race is not some relay through a cornfield in Iowa, or some killer downhill drop out in Cali- this is blasting off through the most insane traffic in the world, on the most unpredictable streets in the world, and against some of the hardest riders in the world. The New York style oi longboarding is in a class of its own, having to contend with a unique array of elements found nowhere but here.

The entire Bustin crew is pumped and training more intensely than ever. Last years champion Theseus Williams (finishing the 2008 race in an astounding 30 minutes) must defend his title from Kasper (2007 Bomb champ, 2nd place in 08 and fresh off his record breaking victory in the Central Park Race a few months ago), and hundreds of other hungry speed freaks out for the title and the glory of being the fastest longboarder in NYC.

Pic not from NYC or the Broadway Bomb, but still pretty fucked up

Some things to consider before the Race
1. Times Square- With the new setup of forty-deuce, Broadway no longer slices through the Square. All of the blocked off areas are filled with tourists in folding chairs, making this part of the race a massive stumblefuck, and very hazardous to your speed and safety. Riders would be advised to check it out and determine your own way through or around the bullshit.
2. The Fliz- Because this race is unpermited, cops will try and hassle you for disturbing the delicate flow of traffic. Last year myself and ten other riders in the front of the middle pack got yolked up by the police and each received bullshit summons for disorderly conduct, riding in a group of more than five people. If you do get stopped, be calm and courteous, and know that as soon as you walk into court your case will be dismissed for its ridiculousness. However, it does mean your racing dreams are over, and you should head directly to the after party.
3. Cabs- They do not give a shit about skaters, and one dude got nailed last year, so when blasting through red lights, keep your eyeballs peeled for a deviant cab out for some homicide.

My new crib is right by the starting line, so if anyone wants to do a dry run, I am out there daily- holler at me. And to all perspective racers, Good luck!

From Brooklyn to Ontario

Thanks to the infrared force field built around New York City, Al Gore has manged to curb the alleged global warming conspiracy and keep the city abnormally tolerable this summer. Consequently, tis the season to skate your balls off. I see more and more longboarders surfing down the streets than ever before. and it seems like there’s a new skating event every other day. I was helping a friend move and missed Block Star in Brooklyn, but judging by the pics, it was a great success. Awesome photos by Jennifer Willis of Uptown Skate School.…and you know how much love I have for uptown.

And for all my people from the Great North aka America’s hat, there is a sick show tomorrow night in Ontario Canada at the Funktion Gallery. It features live music, live art, and showcases longboard art with over 10 artists, including longboards by Chris Dyer. Put down your maple syrup and get out to the show….any questions hit up longboardliving@gmail.com.

The Barbarosa Heats up Harlem

Rumor on the street has fled frim Brooklyn and returned to the Island. Thats just simply not ture. I tactfully retreated from G-pnt aka ‘Lil Krakow  and triumphantly returned to Manhattan, unable to resist the lure od its appealing curse…Note to self- next time before breaking up with my girlfriend whose apartment I am living in, find a new apartment first. While crashing on a friends couch in Inwood, I came across  a new sweet ride down Broadway and ending at my favorite 24 hour chicken spot in the city.  The hill is long and steep and a fun fast ride.

Check out the new map for the best ride to John’s Fried Chicken

I found a sweet basement apartment on Broadway and LaSalle, just south of 125th, and am loving the new hood. My block is great, with a sweet and smooth deserted road ideal for big carving and sliding. Plus its nice to hop off the train at 116th and bomb eight blocks down Broadway to the crib.

Check out the new map for the Sakura Slide

And speaking of Broadway, I find myself poised at the starting spot for the Broadway Bomb, the most epic longboard race on the East Coast. This eight mile straight shot from Columbia University to the Bull on Wall Street is insane. Unable and uninterested in securing permits to close the streets, you battle buses, cabs, tourists and cops all the way down. Last year there was well over 200 longboarders from around the world, and this fall looks to be even more promising. Here is the exact route and topography, so start training now.

Check out the new map for the Broadway Bomb

Aside from that, I am painting non-stop and selling as much of my art as possible, so check out my Picasa Web album and make a bid….invest in art by a blind man now, because the dollar could very well be obselete in a few years. Also, check out my new blog, Michael Jackson is not Dead…

And if you are in BK tomorrow, check out Block Star. Block Star is a Mobile Theatrical Skateboarding competition that will have a script, props and actors but the skaters skateboarding will change the out come of the Show by how well they do in the competition.

The event is on Saturday the 18th from 3pm ro 7pm at Park Place coner of Brower park. It should be fun….

Skateboard Art

After completing my custom painted deck, I have been noticing a lot of other amazing paint jobs on long and short boards alike. This post is dedicated to some impressive skateboard art. If you have pics of some rad boards, send them my way.

The Central Park Race 2009

My first longboard race in CP, and it was a doozie. Not sure of the official attendance, but i felt it was a little over a hundred riders. I went at it hard, and was exhausted by the home stretch from 72nd street on down. That monstrosity of a hill at 110th ate up my legs like they were fried chicken. The finish line was pretty disorganized, and after the top ten riders finished, no one bothered to keep the times or places of the rest of us. Based on a rough estimate of the boards there, i think i got about 30ish, which isnt too shabby in my book. For the record, since there is none, I claim 33rd place- making me the 33rd fastest and most dangerous man in New York City. Kaspar smashed the previous record, and won the 6.2 mile race in 22 minutes on an Earthwing Supercharger. Check out Earthwing’s site for more pics and a great video of some sick sliding. Here are a few great photos taken by Lesli Ford (visit her anytime at the Edge Bar onFirst Ave and Third for the longboarder special, which i just decided to invent and may or may not not really exist)

Painting My Longboard

As my quest to customize the shit out of my longboard continues, I finally finish painting my longboard deck. I had an idea about some sort of a Rat King character, and decided to go to town with some spray paint and acrylics….I was happy with the way it turned out, but needed to protect the vulnerable underside of the board….Because i laid the paint on so thick, a simple spray enamel or lacquer wouldn’t be enough. I decided to use a resin to coat the underside of my board, which worked great, except i had to do two coats and didnt really anticipate how heavy it would make my board. But fuck it, it looks crisp and professional and is different than any stock graphic I’ve ever seen, so I can’t complain. Next time I may just stick to spray paint, stencils, paint pens and some lighter lacquer.Here is how it all went down…

the dude in the green trench coat was inspired by a chalk drawing I had done a few months ago, and my homeboy Van Gogh

I got some help resonating the board from longboard pro and arts and crafts expert, my mom. Resin is serious stuff, and the only thing we were missing was a blowtorch to pop some of the bubbles in the first coat.

To check out more of my paintings and drawing, click here. And if you or anyone you know is interested in a mural, painting, or custom longboard grip tape or graphic, shoot me an email anytime.

Slide Jam Pre-game

Despite being bruised and battered from the Central Park race, I cruised down the block to Ft. Tryon for the Slidejam….I arrived and found some dudes that told me they had been shut down before they had begun, and got a few shots of some slides on the perilous trails of the Cloisters. I went for a skate around the park and found out the contest had been moved to Fort George Hill aka Snake Hill, met up with a few more heads and caravaned over. By the time we made it to the next location, the session was over. Snake Hill is perilous and highly trafficed, and apparently there jad been only a few people there. Most people headed back to the Cloisters for some more skating, but I headed home for kung-fu movies and some serious napping. Here are a few pics of the longboard slide session pre-game in the woods….for some great pics with a camera that doesn’t also double as a phone, check out the official pics at Freshpaved.

New Skatepark Being Built in Washington Heights

Forced by a crumbling economy to get creative to make a buck, I recently began printing counterfeit four dollar bills- nothing queer about that. When the authorities raided my apartment, I was fortunately out for a skate, and consequently have been forced to flee Brooklyn and head for the hills. I am currently back in Wash Heights and loving it- so many great hills to ride up here. While on a skate the other day, I was cruising  through Highbridge Park, where i came across several closed off paths with signs explicitly warning me to keep out.  Its a good thing I can’t read, and i walked into the restricted area. I came across a large construction site under the 181st St. and Amsterdam Ave on ramps to the FDR and Cross Bronx. I walked to the bottom of the hill, and followed along the FDR until I came to some Parks Dept. vehicles. A dude whistled me over to him, noticing my longboard, and told me the project they were working on was a skate park scheduled to be done by the end of the summer. I am naturally skeptical of city designed parks, but because of the location, realized it mihgt be really fucking good. Highbridge Park features Manhattan’s only mountain biking trails, complete with dirt jumps, bowls and half pipes. If you ride a bike, strap on a helmet and check this place out, its pretty ridiculous.

This skate park has been in the works for nearly a decade, but the location is great, and they finally got to digging. Check out this 2006 Power Point Presentation to see what it may look like…..

And despite the rain pouring down right now, tomorrow is scheduled to be excellent weather for the 2009 Central Park Longboard Race…I aim to get 23rd place, so don’t bother to try and stop me. See you at Columbus Circle @11:30, and I will defintely represnet the Heights at SlideFest on Sunday at Ft. Tryon….

Mike MIller Stole my Longboard

This weekend I went to a great neighborhood pub in Greenpoint called Boulevard Tavern. Located under the BQE, this spot features classic dub tunes, $5 jack and a beer, and $5 all you can eat BBQ from the owner manning the grill around back. I was getting quite drunk and chatting with the cute bartender when my friend and I headed out back for a quick burger. Since there were only a few regulars at the bar, I left my board next o my jacket at the bar and went         their courtyard.

We returned minutes later, and my board was gone. I asked the bartender if maybe she had moved it, but she had not. A dude playing pool overheard and said while smoking a stog outside, he witnessed some dude come running out of the bar with a longboard under his arm. They watched him run under the BQE and vanish into the night, and thought it strange he was running with a board instead of skating. We ask around and soon figure out which guy it was….my buddy’s co-worker was a regular at this joint and enraged someone would dare steal from his bar, got on the case.

He got the owners to cue up the surveillance footage and we see this douche paying his tab, grabbing the board and jetting. Next, we check his tab, which was brilliantly paid via credit card- now we had footage, his credit card, and his name- Mike Miller. My boy asks around, and interviews everyone at the bar to get more info on this scumbag. Before long he finds a girl who had given Mike her number earlier in the week, and he had called her earlier that day. Now we had his cell number. We get the girl to call him on a pseudo booty call, but he did not answer the phone and avoided our cleverly woven trap.

So many people call him and leave a variety of voicemails ranging from diplomatic to graphically violent. In my voicemail, I explained that he couldn’t really sell my board on the street for all that much, and that it meant a lot to me as a conveyance and a piece of art, and that I hoped he would do the right thing and return my property.

The owners of the bar suggested I call the cops and file a report, which I believed was pointless, but they thought he might have a record and the cops might be able to pull up some info on this swine. While waiting for the po-po, I met another regular who told me this same asshole had been at the bar two nights earlier, when someone mysteriously shat on the bathroom floor. Mike Miller was suspected, but never implicated. However, after this stunt, it was clear he was some kind of sociopath that runs around shitting on floors and stealing longboards on the fly.

The cops arrive sipping Slurpy’s, and I tell them this guy stole my property, and I have all this info on him and footage of him robbing me etc… As soon as I mentioned it was my skateboard that had been stolen, they rapidly lost interest, and as expected, told me they might be able to get around to looking into it a few months from now. I told them thanks for nothing, enjoy your slurpies, and bid them good night. … I returned to the bar to consume several free rounds of drinks, and headed home feeling saddened, shocked and dismayed, albeit somewhat optimistic. I felt that with all the info we had, and the whole bar and its patrons on the lookout, this criminal mastermind wouldn’t last long.

The next morning I leave yet another voicemail, and when I checked my phone around four, saw I had a voicemail from the culprit himself. He apologized, said he was hammered and thought my board was his, and was real sorry, and wanted to get it back to me before he got his ass beat. I suggested he drop it off at the bar, hoping he might catch a pool cue to the face as he left, and I stopped by later that night to reunite with my board.

From this harrowing adventure, I learned that no matter how chill and small the place is, never leave your longboard unattended- stash it behind the bar or something. This story was fortunate enough to end well, and allows me to bring u the next segment about the epic custom painting of my deck…..Fuck you Mike Miller.

New Longboard Mod- the Speed Bar

The Speed Bar is an idea I had been toying with inb my head for some time, and when i met a dude at the Green Skate who had something very similar and vouched for its effectiveness, I skated down to Canal Plastics to get a piece made for my board. The idea is to have a small stopper for your front foot, something your toes can dig into and help propel you when pumping. My board is Rat Roded out, and thus on a mean incline, so I found my feet slipping down constantly. I screwed in this quarter inch plastic bar at a slight angle to allow for an easy pivot, and so far have really been digging it. I am painting the crews black and sanding off the shiny finish, matbe even laying a small piece of grip tape on it for aestheics. Next project is my cow catcher nose guard bumper/ headlight mount. And thanks for everyones support of the Barbarosa,  which celebrates getting over 1500 hits in the last three months.  Spread the word to all you know, and if you haven’t peeped the new Bustin site and Community, get involved. It is a critical  part of the revolution. I’ll see you there.

Trailblazing NYC- Exploring Newtown Creek (Greenpoint and LIC)

This afternoon I felt compelled to jump on the ol longboard and skate somewhere I’d never been before. This happens sometimes. I wanted to delve into the underbelly of the  industrial waterfront in Noth Brooklyn and South Queens. I shoved off from my home port in Greenpoint, and this is what I found…..

I came to a dead end street underneath a small drawbridge leading into Queens. I noticed in the corner this monkey, small metal bowl, wooden stake and orange peel. As i mused over these strangely positioned items, an ice cream truck that had been parked midway down the street drives to the end and the large circular dead end. He then drives around the loop twice, slows down and looks at me, and then drives off. It was quite clear he was a serial killer, and that I had stumbled across  either his trophy collection or incriminating clues to a recently comitted violent crime. I waited until he had driven to the end of the block before discretely snapping a quick photo, and getting the fuck out of there.

I came across these tracks underneath the small drawbridge I crossed into Queens with, and as the LIE arrived I raced down the paralell sidewalk. As we raced neck and neck, I felt like I was in the Wild West about to rob a train full of gold. As the road ended, the tracks continurd towards Manhattan, and I decided to follow them on foot.

I found some scap metal truck doors and mud flaps and made a few crude ramps. I then called it a day, and climbed the stairs to the top of the Polaski bridge and skated home.

New Longboard Skate Shop/Barber Shop in the East Village

There is a new spor for longboard equipment in the East Village, featuring Bustin Boards trucks, wheels, bearings and speed creme that I highly reccimend to any skater in need of some hardware. Sergio’s Barber Shop is at 45 First Ave between 2nd & 3rd St. I stopped by earlier this week to  revitalize my shotty Swiss Bones bearings iwth some Bones Speed Creme, and to get a crispy haircut from Mike. The place is hard to miss with its neon signs and dope grafitti mural inside, and will soon be featuring the new Bustin Sojoutn as well. So the next time you’re in the LES, check it out and support yout new local Bustin distributor….and if you know whats good, you should stop by Puebla Mexicana a few doors down for the chicken mo-le (thats hot peppers and chocolate) burrito with homemade sour cream, the best this side of the Rio Grande.

Longboard Innovations

One of the classic appeals of longboarding is riding the concrete wave. This concept board has taken the love and feel of surfing, and combined it with the longboard experience to make an interesting double-decked board called the SoulArc.

“Each performance related variable was considered. Extensive ergonomic testing was performed to determine the optimal board height. Quantifiable variables included ground distance, lateral flex and vertical flex. These quantifiable variables were then analyzed and compared to qualitative measures that included ride feel, torque response and general overall ride ability.”

This board looks pretty rad, and i especially dig the built in handle.

The DirtSurfer is a crazy hybrid between a longboard and a BMX bike. This thing looks like a lot of fun. The Dirtsurfer becomes more stable the faster you go, like a bike, and is ideal for off-roading and wind-boarding.  I am really into these weird innovations, and will do a few more posts on the many more progressive board concepts out there, so stay tuned.

Changing the Shape of your Longboard

While tinkering with my longboasrd recently, i removed the front riser, and kept the back riser in. I enjoyed the ride and stability of having the front end dropped and connected to the road, but was having serious issues with wheel bite when trying to carve. Being the advocate of customizing your longboard that I am, I took it to the shop and fired up the saw. My Sector 9 is a 7-ply maple that needed a new shape. Making sure the jig saw blade had the right kind of teeth for the up-cut, i traced small crescents on the front part of the deck and began to slice. Being the dirty jigger that I am, it took a few extra cuts to get my wheel wells symmetrical, and then i went to work with a hand sander…..my board has been reborn, and is now a nasty carving machine….

Although to be honest, the shape of the cut changed from a curve to more of an “L”, which leaves me slightly anxious about creating a stress point and the front half of my board snapping off. A circular shpae is significantly stronger and more distributive when it comes to pressure, but we shall see. In the mean time, I am considering putting in a small metal support laterally on the bottom, and am prepared to bust a life-saving manual if the front decides to break.   Until that fateful day, I am going to tear up the streets.

Green Skate Central Park

At least 50 heads showed up to skate Central Park this Saturday. The weather was perfect, which apparently infuriated the already bitter biker punks in their $800 cock shaped helmets (for supreme aerodynamics and douchebaggery). My love for angry cyclists aside, it was a fun ride. Enjoy the pics of the longboarding bonanza in the utterly unnatural Central Park, the baboon heart of New York City.

Spring Arrives, and Longboarders Agree -It’s About Damn Time

I went for an all day longboard rally this past Saturday. It was gorgeous in the city. I met up with Q’bn, Daly and the Belge on 181st for some unforgettable runs on the Neverending Hill and then a quick board through Ft. Tryon, my favorite park in New York to skate around this time of year.

We then proceeded to descend from the Heights and head to Central Park for a few laps. The ride down was absurdly nice, and thanks to suggestions by Q’bn, my Manhattan Mountain Descent Map has been revised for the best 8 mile downhill skate in all of New York City.

A very intriguing monument found in J. Hood Park as we cruised down Haven.The sculpture is calleds 3000 A.D. Diffusion Piece, a sculpture by Terry Fugate-Wilcox installed in 1974. Made of magnesium and aluminum plates bolted together, the artwork is expected to diffuse, or mix, by the year 3000.

After an exhuasting day of skating i managed to take a fall on the Central Park Loop, leaving my mangled hands and pants looking like i had been mauled by a wolverine.  Well worth it. This Saturday is a Central Park skate, see the Bustin Blog for more details.