OT Skateboarders all in...

[dead247]

Not sure if skateboarding has been covered in a previous ancient thread, but in P-town how can it go unnoticed! I skated from age 14 to 21 pretty hardcore in the Tacoma area. Would love to know if anyone else on board has anything to add to whats happened since then...

Always wanted to skate under Burnside...it was always one of the Thrasher favs...

 

[dead247]

Wow. One of - if not the - best skatepark in the country...!

Plenty of footage on my Thrasher vids from the 90's...

Love this joint!....................

 

[PDXFonz]

I tried to learn how to skate many years ago but was never any good. But that video is awesome not just for the skating but because you get a good look at all the graffiti down there.

Street art (when done tastefully) is one of my favorites. For some reason I feel like I connect to it more so than paintings, sculptures, etc..

 

[PDXFonz]

Found this website with some cool info on the burnside skate park. It seems to be written by one of the guys who skated Burnside in its earliest of days, and claims to be one of the people who started its construction. He gives the names of people who were inatrumental in the parks development, what it was like in that area at the time, why they chose that area, and how it's grown over the years. Even if you aren't big into skating it's still an interesting read as that park is a part of Portland history.

With the I-84 on-ramp construction came a lot of cement. Ross Island Cement, a local major cement supplier, had trucks in and out constantly by the park for the new on-ramp. After a while a deal was struck where the trucks would dump whatever cement was left over that wasn't used in the pours at the on-ramp since they couldn't use it again. Once this cement started coming in the park went crazy. This is how the entire parking lot was covered and everything was made new.

Once the cement started coming in on a regular basis, things really started changing and growing. Bigger elements of the park could start being built and older things started getting buried. Once everything was resurfaced or patched up, the flat was covered in about 2 inches of cement. The park was now fast. It totally changed the feel and flow of the park. Getting way up the bridge wall wasn't as difficult and pushing became a thing of the past.

Halloween is the day that Burnside celebrates its anniversary. Over the years there have been some amazing parties and even more amazing skating. This is the day that skaters from around the world, literally, come to see Burnside at its best. Admittedly, the last couple of years have seen a bit of a decline in the amount of people showing up, more so with the pros, but there are still nearly a hundred or so people, all vying for that next run.

I bet some big names have skated Burnside. Would be interesting to see a list of pros who have shredded that place.

Also I didn't even know this until I read it, that Burnside skate park has been featured in a couple of Tony Hawks video games, and one other skating game which I hadn't heard of.

 

[dead247]

Found this website with some cool info on the burnside skate park. It seems to be written by one of the guys who skated Burnside in its earliest of days, and claims to be one of the people who started its construction. He gives the names of people who were inatrumental in the parks development, what it was like in that area at the time, why they chose that area, and how it's grown over the years. Even if you aren't big into skating it's still an interesting read as that park is a part of Portland history.




I bet some big names have skated Burnside. Would be interesting to see a list of pros who have shredded that place.

Also I didn't even know this until I read it, that Burnside skate park has been featured in a couple of Tony Hawks video games, and one other skating game which I hadn't heard of.

Great read Fonz. Hadn't known the actual history before reading that piece. Talk about the dedication of a few. I love how they power wash it every year to make way for new graffiti. One of the 2014 youtube vids shows He-Man art!

lol I remember always choosing Burnside for TH's Pro Skater. It even had the green storage company sign in the background.

So this was hands down the best video ever made when I hung it up. Awesome footage and soundtrack as well. The most balls out session is Jamie Thomas from 18:58-23:50 and the crash compilation that follows is even more gnarly.


One more. Just a fun 3-minute clip with one of the best rap tracks to skate to ever:

 

[PDXFonz]

Wow the guy at 23:20 is barefoot, that's just freaking crazy! I only ever bought like 2 decks because I wasn't into it for that long, and I seem to remember them being element decks. Toy machine used to have some alright designs, I preferred element and alien workshop over them though.

I got into snowboarding not long after I started skating and had a blast with that. I actually preferred snowboarding to skateboarding, but spent more time skating. I only made it up to the mountain a couple times. Not as much as I wish I would have looking back. I'd definitely give snowboarding another go at some point. But I don't think I'll ever skate again.

 

[PDXFonz]

I prefer the videos with street skating over those in skate parks. Bonus points if it was filmed in the 90s and has that old school vibe.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

I lofted out the top floor of a warehouse very near there. I had a great time living down there.

 

[dead247]

I prefer the videos with street skating over those in skate parks. Bonus points if it was filmed in the 90s and has that old school vibe.

I'm right there with ya. Ramps were never my specialty, though some of my bros were primal with 'em. I was mainly a street ledge, stair, curb, and rail guy. Clyde S. was so smooth with it!!! Loved watching him and also Drake Jones for smoothness...

 

[jlprk]

I lofted out the top floor of a warehouse very near there. I had a great time living down there.

How high? Did you land on all 4 wheels?

 

[riverman]

My oldest son used to hang with Tony Hawks and was part of that original skateboard movement..back in the .days before skateparks existed. That same son destroyed his knees trying to be the best. I watched all his old videos when I went to visit him last summer..he switched to surfing and stuck with that later on.

 

[dead247]

My oldest son used to hang with Tony Hawks and was part of that original skateboard movement..back in the .days before skateparks existed. That same son destroyed his knees trying to be the best. I watched all his old videos when I went to visit him last summer..he switched to surfing and stuck with that later on.

Cool! Except for the part about his knees, that is. I'll bet those videos were fun to watch. I'm assuming your son lives in California? Do his knees prevent him from doing anything that he'd like to do?

Skating is definitely a risk. I messed up an ankle and have neck/back issues, but it could be worse I guess. I knew one guy who had to have spine surgery from a skating accident. Yikes.

Speaking of the Hawks, I recently watched a repeat of the 2014 Dew Tour in Portland with Riley Hawk as a participant:

 

[riverman]

Cool! Except for the part about his knees, that is. I'll bet those videos were fun to watch. I'm assuming your son lives in California? Do his knees prevent him from doing anything that he'd like to do?

Skating is definitely a risk. I messed up an ankle and have neck/back issues, but it could be worse I guess. I knew one guy who had to have spine surgery from a skating accident. Yikes.

Speaking of the Hawks, I recently watched a repeat of the 2014 Dew Tour in Portland with Riley Hawk as a participant:

Yeah, him and his brother live on the Central Coast but were raised in San Diego...he really regrets screwing his knees up...limited his ability to do sports on a high level.