Thursday, December 13

I'm So L.A.

By Keith Eric Davidson
EXPN.com

"L.A. is the place, that I want to be. First city in space is what you will chase. You run and you run while you soak in the sun."
- Earl Parker in Big Brother, 1994.

I have no idea what Earl Parker meant when he said this, and I don't think he knew either, but that is what psych meds due to a person. I just thought it would be a cool way to start out this article on the skate city and the place where it all began: Los Angeles!

Clyde Singleton bluntside transfer in the sun.

Skating in L.A. is definitely not like other cities in the country. First and foremost is the weather. Sunshine, kid, year round. I'm talkin' I moved here in the beginning of June, and I've seen it rain 4 times! So no excuses, although I have heard some skaters complain when it was cloudy out. Secondly, the spots. It seems as though Los Angeles was created with skateboarding in mind. Whether it's blocks, tables or handrails, L.A. has got you covered. Thirdly, is its immense size, which for the most part, can keep anyone stoked for new terrain if they so desire. Because of this, L.A. seems to be the hot spot now for pros, ams, and regular people alike.

Mike Taylor, switch heelflip over the barrier.

Of course it's hard to break down skating in L.A. in a short article, especially when you're talking about the place where skating began. Some of the more popular spots for skating these days without the ever present bust, are the orange ledges on Van Ness and Santa Monica, which are ruled daily by Aaron Yeager and his crew. If you want to head to the beach, don't be surprised if you catch Robbie McKinley, Chris Roberts, and Preston Acuff skating the newish Venice parks' ledges and flatbar. Located next to the spot where the old graffiti pit once was, the new park is a temporary replacement for skaters who are anxiously waiting for the city to build the new mega park they've been working on. The Venice park serves as a good non-bust place to warm up, skate, and hook up with other skaters to get a good street mission going. Of course a lot of the schools in L.A. have the best spots, but you gotta hook up those sessions on weekends, or if you got a generator, nighttime is cool as well. The better schools for skating are Los Angeles High (brick banks, ledges and a flat rail that Sammy Baptista switch lips down stairs), UCLA (just about everything - you gotta explore) and of course Lockwood Elementary (banks, ledges and mini tables).

Cooper Wilt lipsliding in the shadow of Old Glory.

If your looking for skate gear, head on over to HotRod Skateshop (310.446.5527) in Westwood on the corner of Westwood and Olympic. You might bump into Anthony VanEnglen or Clyde Singleton peepin' the latest video or waiting for the homies to get a sesh on. Instrument Skate and Sounds (323.495.0017) is a brand new shop on Hollywood Blvd at Harvard and they have recently hosted party/premiers for the latest Logic and Progression videos. L.A. is also home to both Skateboarder and Big Brother magazines, so if you're in the know, you might be able to hook up a tour since both mags are pretty cool. You never know, a rare rainy day might send you their way.

Exploring is the key in L.A. and if you have a car, don't be afraid to log some driving/sitting in traffic for hours to find some new terrain. L.A. is huge, so once you leave the main areas of Hollywood and Downtown and head a little east, you're bound to get the goods.

Good Luck!

Related Photos:
L.A. Skate Scene Photos