Notes of a Greasy Young Man: Road Trippin’ To Giant’s Head

Mr. Greasy. Photo: Bandy

One of the first articles I wrote for Wheelbase was about Van Trips, and in specific, riding dirty in the infamous Mercado van. Since then I’ve done about 10-15 more skate trips of that nature; rolling deep with a heavy crew of rippers to different skate events. I feel like I’ve learned a lot about being on the road since that first van trip when I was 15 years old. The most recent trip I did was from San Francisco, up the coast, arriving in BC Canada for the Giant’s Head Freeride. The thing about this trip that I had only done once before was travelling with every team member from Comet, Volante, and Caliber in a short bus painted with some trippy shit on it. Read More

Notes of a Greasy Young Man: Haters.

Mr. Greasy. Photo: Bandy

Haters are all around us, especially in skateboarding. Shit, I’m a hater sometimes. In skateboarding, everyone has their own unique style, and it’s easy to bag on others that are different from yourself or your particular crew. Go to youtube and type in Tony Hawk. Most of the comments will be straight hate—bet it doesn’t phase him though, cause he’s having fun, shredding hard, and is making more money than you. Downhill skateboarding specifically isn’t quite at the same level that street or park skating is, but I have a feeling that it will be someday. We need to get ready for this shit to blow up.

That said, during your time on a skateboard you are bound to encounter some people who aren’t down with the way you shred. I’m not claiming profound knowledge or wisdom on the subject, but I’ve run into my fair share of haters over the past couple years. Here are some of my views on the matter: Read More

Notes of a Greasy Young Man: Live Hard, Pay Harder.

Mr. Greasy. Photo: Bandy

Recently, I got hit by a car while riding my motorcycle. When people tell me I’m lucky the accident didn’t take my brain or my life, I agree; yet I don’t feel very lucky. The time off skating, off my motorbike, on crutches, and in operating rooms doesn’t exactly feel like a blessing. Aside from my whininess, there are some pretty banger lessons I’ve learned. First and foremost, I would like to thank my sponsors Comet Skateboards, Caliber Truck Co, and Volante Wheels. It may sound like I’m trying to shamelessly plug these brands, but I’m not. The first thought going through my morphine-blitzed mind was what their reaction would be a potential season-ender. Despite all negative thoughts, my true friends Jason Salfi of Comet and Brandon Stewart of Caliber reassured me that everything would stay the same; even though I hadn’t gotten wrecked skating. Lesson #1: The support of friends is key to a healthy mental state. Respect to the homies. Read More

Notes Of A Greasy Young Man: Blowing Up Spots.

Mr. Greasy. Photo: Bandy

Blowing up spots is an ever-present issue these days—or better put: Danger. Whether you are skating rails, hairpins, driveways, or stair-sets you can see it happening all over the place. I feel like more than ever, a new, younger, and generally more eager group of skaters is beginning to emerge. Not to name names, but a city that may or may not rhyme with Baguna Leach has had many of their spots blown-out so badly that all of their hills are beginning to get banned. With some resident skaters pointing fingers (or “the finger”), the situation may not change? But that’s okay—I say ban the hills! If you‘re smart about it, it’s totally possible to skate any hill without over-exposing it; banned or otherwise. Read More