PS118 Issue 5: Manifest Destiny

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ART CULTURE TRAVEL LIFESTYLE Manifest Destiny ARIZONA SKATEBOARDING / AARON HOMOKI / INDY

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PS118 CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS MATT PRICE ANDY WISSMAN CAMERON STRAND ERIC ANDERSON GAGE HELLYER PATRICK DRISCOLL AARON FORJAN RYAN MADERIC JUSTIN GUTHRIE JAYSN VALENTINE TOMMY KOWALSKI PATRIK WALLNER ZACK ROSEBRUGH

COPY EDITOR ARI SHIFFRIN

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS LURP LURPINGTON ZACK ROSEBRUGH MAXWELL DOPE TOMMY KOWALSKI

Dear Reader,

Publishers Note

Thank you for your continued support and interest. We happily offer you a new issue of PS118 - a chunk of memories with fresh interpretations of a lifestyle and a culture that we are all proud to be a part of. I wanted to put together something a little different this go around. This magazine will always have a focus on Arizona’s community, and collaboration between so many talented individuals, but for this issue we wanted to incorporate travel as well. Taking a roadtrip with your friends will always be the best experience to reminisce for a lifetime, so this issue is an homage to traveling, meeting new people, skating new spots, and having fun with your buds. It’s been over a year in the making, and although we are mainly Arizona based, that doesn’t mean we can’t push through downtown Los Angeles, get high off weed brownies in Colorado, or better yet take a trip out of the country. So here’s to all the good times that have been had, and the ones to come.

Sincerely, Tommy Kowalski

Tommy Kowalski Creator

WWW.PS118MAGAZINE.COM

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SORINI

BARTLETT & SNYDER

PATRICK

DRISCOLL

HAPPY MEDIUM

GUTHRIE

MILES

WALKER RYAN

JJ HORNER

TUNA

KEIT

UTAH/C

AGE

THE WEDGE

TH

CALIFORNIA

COL

SUBMISSIONS

05 This Machine is your ticket to greatness

KOWALSKI

THE WORKING CLASS SKATEBOARDER

It seems as though today’s true skateboarder has become a symbol of the working class.

Growing up watching carcass tossers on the big screen provides a false hope for the nation’s youth, only to be obtained by the savvy and business-minded that are looking to sign contracts. In today’s hectic world, many can only settle for a nine to five job and the task of bearing life’s responsibilities.

Behind the curtains of extremity lies a group of hardened blue collar individuals. Yeah, skateboarding’s big dream isn’t all it’s cracked up to be; we all get the same talk. Through all the mayhem of online media and news, there’s an emerging renaissance period, where a skater’s main focus is to make a living to skate, and not to skate to make a living.

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Chris Sorini What Chris Sorini does

FRONT FEEBLE | BS TAILSLIDE | PHOTOS KOWALSKI

within the matter of one week is of such epic proportion that the average person would be amazed. Walking inside his apartment you’ll see Rubik’s Cubes sitting next to a whiteboard with enough complex math equations to stump Einstein. Sorini is a full time mechanical engineering major at ASU with a part time job, but still manages to skate every single weekend and get footage. (look at his fucked up tricks and be the judge) He still maintains straight A’s in his classes, wakes up after the Sunday night study session, and goes to research aerodynamic technology in ASU’s laboratories for work.

Top all of that with a million catch phrases that can make even the straightest of faces crack, and a great personality, and you got one of the hardest working best dudes to be around. Hats off to you, Chris.

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1

Blunt Shifty Flip

HALFCAB FLIP | 50-50 PULL IN | PHOTOS ANDERSON

CJ Bartlett

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Steven Snyder NOSEGRIND | BS FLIP | FRONT BLUNT| PHOTOS KOWALSKI

Working 40+ hours a week can take a toll on the average person’s body. Combine that with jumping down stair sets and gaps on your days off and you have a serious case of arthritis ahead of you. CJ and Steven seem to get by just fine on that routine. Despite CJ being a full time plumber and Steven working two jobs, it’s hard to see even a glimpse of exhaustion between the two of them.

Then again, soreness never really stopped Jaws, right?

The two have recently put out full parts in Cowtown’s full length video, Sloppy Seconds, a film by Josh Metzger.

Both are so completely fucked up in their own ways that you may have to take a break from fixing your old truck in your dirty garage to watch some real hard work.

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PHOTOS BY TOMMY KOWALSKI

CHEESE | OFF THE CURB TO OVER THE CHAIN

^^ ^^ CHECK OUT HURTLIFE HERE WALLIE AT 2 AM DOWNTOWN WHILE A TRAIN PASSSES

Shawn Patrick We’ve come to know Shawn Patrick through the past two issues of PS118, and although you might be sick of hearing about him, we most certainly are not. It’s nearly impossible to not put Shawn down under this category. The man is a footage producing machine, works two jobs, and just about paid for every single hardware bolt, skate tool, and air bubbled sheet of Jessup to put him where he is.

Not many can say they are 26 years old and still continue to inspire and help grow the Tucson skate scene, and all of Arizona itself. We are constantly seeing footage of Shawn at the park and on the streets. Hard work definitely pays off, and now teaming up with the newer Hurt Life skateboards, “Cheese” will have the opportunity to continue to fuck up the streets and a local park near you.

THE LESS LIFESTYLE, MORE SKATE WALLIE ANGLE

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DOUBLE FEATURE PHOTOS: KOWALSKI

Donovan Nearing

FRONT 5-0 / FRONT 50-50

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CLICK THE PHOTO!

TUNAGE

GAMERA BEATS

LIL UGLY MAYNE

WUGAZI

First heard by many of us in the Chicago based video “HOEPHASE” by Matt king and Gene Bellanger, and later in BRONZE 56k. Gamera Beats follows suit with old southern rap style samples, mixed with post ambient space tones that the majority of listeners probably tune in to while smoking weed and/or skateboarding.

A single track of Bronze Hardware’s “SOLO JAZZ” mixed in with Windows 95 video animations, Grand Theft Auto Vice City cut scenes and VX filming in New York. It’s impossible to not get buck as fuck to this track while you’re skating. Which is why we’re featuring it, get buck as fuck.

Real trap shit.

Ol’ dirty bastard and the Wu Tang crew just got remixed with one of the greatest punk bands of all time.

Take the lyrical spit of Wu Tang, and mix it with the chords of Fugazi, and what do you get? WUGAZI. Found in a local Las Vegas video of all places, Sid Melvin and the dudes from “Ooo La La” thank ya’ll.

THE CRANBERRIES

MAGNOLIA ELECTRIC COMPANY

HOLOGRAMS

This isn’t skate related, but who can’t love yelling the 90’s grunge Cranberries classic “Zombie” in your car on the way to the park. Scratch that, we’ve seen this in a few Chris Milic montages here and there. Classic Milic, classic Cranberries, is there much more to explain?

If you’ve gotten a chance to see Gilbert Crocket’s part in “Old Dominion” then you may know of Magnolia Electric Company. Late front man Jason Molina’s off-tone guitar with the combination of the emotion in his lyrics pulls you into its own coma of real life, loneliness, and empty thought.

Anyone that’s seen Clint Walkers part in Ambig’s “Modern Art” would know the heavy drawn out base tones of Holograms while Walker tries to nollie heel in between two skyscrapers. Taking a lot of influence from Joy Division, Holograms is that cool British punk band that makes you want to smoke cigs and wear leather jackets.

WORDS WRITTEN BY TOMMY KOWALSKI

96 degrees and rising. The valley’s life slowly retracts into hibernation. It’s almost that time of year again, the summer wind is a breeze that isn’t as forgiving as you might think. The time of year when nobody enjoys our state, we just get hated on and many out-of-towners fray to spend a few pit stops on their way to California. Although, this is not always a negative. Local skateparks reschedule their summer hours and it becomes religious to visit the park when the sun sets. Skaters from all over the state meet up and as soon as visiting hours are over, groups hit the streets with full light setups, generators and floods. Staying up late becomes a norm and spots unexplored soon become probable. The city is your playground and, after your clothes stink of sweat and the dusty night air, the faint glimpse of sunrise hits the mountains over the freeway overpasses and you suddenly understand why they’re all missing out.

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CLICK HERE WATCH THE MUSKA

SPOTLIGHT Written by Tommy Kowalski & Maxwell Dope

T HE W EDGE

In our recent Spotlights,

The six stair hubba and rock

smooth as can be. Cameron

we’ve visited some of

gap were highlighted in

Harper was one of the early

Arizona’s most legendary

videos like Fulfill the Dream

few to hurl gnarly tricks down

skate spots. For this issue, we

and Feedback, making the

the tall six stair rail (RIP to the

decided to give the Wedge

Wedge one of Arizona’s

recently replaced rail). These

the recognition it deserves.

earliest claims to fame. A

guys along with Randy Colvin,

Before the skatepark was

few years later, the City of

Harley Hogue, Brandon Walk-

built, El Dorado Park already

Scottsdale recognized skate-

er, and several others have

had deep roots in

boarding’s growing popularity

earned their legend status –

skateboarding as a street

and began working together

they are Wedgends.

spot throughout the 80’s and

with local skateboarders in

90’s. It was nicknamed “The

designing a skatepark to be

Wedge” after the natural

integrated into the already

banks below the overpass of

popular park. The Wedge

McDowell Road. The bridge

skatepark opened in the

provided crucial shade during

spring of 1999, serving as the

the summer months and the

Phoenix area’s second public

spot became a staple for

skatepark.

skateboarders in the Valley.

Since it’s opening, the As street skating progressed

skatepark has bred a sizable

into the mid 90’s, locals and

list of Wedge legends. Hippy

visiting pros began

and Danny Palumbo were

incorporating the rest of the

tech superstars from a

park’s nearby natural terrain.

bygone era. Grant Wilkes was

With such a long and rich history to cover, it’s hard to capture the spirit of the Wedge using words alone.

Fortunately, the enchanted feeling that we locals share can be perfectly summed up by taking a look back at Chad Muska’s homemade ramp to canal ollie at the end of the Shorty’s video Guilty. Full speed ahead. Capri pants.

Swarmed by teenage fans.

The Muska is the ultimate Wedgend.

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PHOTOS BY DRISCOLL LARRY WILLIAMS | PAT GREEN | CHRISTIAN MAALOUF

CHECK HIS SHIT OUT HERE YO.

ISSUE 5

PHOTOS KOWALSKI

FLOW TRASH

NO COMPLY TO SEAN PABLO

X A V I E R

O R T E G A 21

JALEN NOEL FS 50-50

I first met Jalen at Thunderbird Park during Volcom’s Wild in the Parks. He was trying to lipslide the ten stair from the flatbar down. Ever since, he has always been a land or slam type of guy. Having a hangover on two hours of sleep might not be a day’s rest for most people, but for Jalen it’s only a motivation for his skating.

Getting to know him and his respect for individuals, he has become a great friend. It was just by luck that we rumbled down the freeway with a flat tire one night, to which Jalen responded, “Time to do man shit.” So for your personal enjoyment, here is Jalen manhandling the wall rail at Ahwatukee eleven.

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02 DOUBLE FEATURE

PHOTOS: ANDERSON

ROBBIE BROCKEL | FRONTSIDE FLIP | ALLEY OOP BS AIR | PHOTOS ANDERSON 23

AN ARTIST INTERVIEW

CLICK TO PEEP JJ’s WORK

PYRAMID COUNTRY’S JJ HORNER It’s hard to describe how rad

Jackson had talked to me

just started to do a lot of live

JJ is in only a few words. He’s

five years prior about doing

art. For about three years I

a local artist, one of the driving

something, and we just never

was painting two or three days

forces behind AZ’s own Pyra-

thought of it as anything until

a week, and just doing it so

mid Country, and a sick skater

Bobby (Green) approached us

much that I got pretty good at

too. His creativity stretches

about really running with it.

it. It was stressful at first, just

from painting to 3D pieces, and

starting out not even being

even live art. It sparked my in-

that great. I started with using

terest to learn more about him and the inspiration behind the work he does.

How did you get into painting and how did that stem off into all the other stuff you do?

paint markers during my live drawings, which progressed into doing highlights and everything else. Live art was more like exposure, and trying to get

What is your role in Pyramid Country?

out into this art world that was From as long ago as I can remember I’ve been drawing. I was good at it, so I just drew. I

Im the art guy/3rd owner. I

think painting is always a natu-

guess I could be an art director.

ral progression from that. When

Jackson really has a hand in

I was younger I broke my ankle

that too.

skating, and that was a clear energy shift from skateboard-

How did Pyramid Country all start out?

ing to art. From there, I

happening. Connecting with people led to having my first gallery show, and that’s sort of how it all branched out.

How does it feel to see so many kids wearing Pyramid Country shirts?

It seems to have a strong following.

It’s rad. It’s like you know it’s working then. It goes from who is that person wearing that Pyramid Country shirt to how many people are wearing it now. I read this cool Chris Pastras article and a lot of it consisted of “How did Stereo come about?” and his response was “You start something for your community, and let the community basiPHOTO DRISCOLL

cally build your foundation.” Once you have that, you can build from there and that’s how the whole Thrasher thing came about.

We had a cool party for the premiere of “Couchlock Odyssey” and Joe Hammeke of Thrasher ended

then just networking and You guys had a tent at PHXAM and set up one of your pieces that was converted into a game.

What was it like to see something intended as art turn into something completely different?

up making it out. He was interested in working with us on things. It started with something small and gradually built into several projects.

it became sort of like a performance. Once I got good at it, I could do it fast and then apply those skills towards something else completely. One time I was painting at this place called

That’s actually happened to

Conspire, and it was their

me several times through-

anniversary party. They

out my “career.” Live art, for

had these giant pieces of

example, became more

tagboard to paint on, and I

WRITTEN BY TOMMY KOWALSKI

realized it was cut-able. So I

for me. If it was just myself it

painted this scene where all these people were holding a baby collectively. Instead of just

wouldn’t be anything, without Are there any particular artists that inspire you in your own work?

Jackson (Casey) and Bobby (Green). Skateboarding is just

doing the painting, I got a knife

fuckin’ sick, and to make cool

and cut the baby’s face out and

stuff to go with it is rad. Like

it became one of those “pose in this” type deals. Next thing you knew I was asking people if they wanted to be a baby again, and they would stick their face in and I would take pictures of them. In the

Marcel Duchamp is probably my favorite. He’s always doing something, but secretly doing something else in his work. That dude’s a G. Picasso obviously, Todd Batrud, Michael Sieben.

how we make skate videos, it’s like this emotional roller coaster that anyone can appreciate.

My mom even likes our videos.

Jackson’s so good with editing matching beats with tricks and transitions, Bobby is a really

particular case with the

good filmer, so all the stuff

PHXAM tent, it was

looks really cool.

basically a 3D version of a series of paintings I did and it

Does skating inspire you?

was used in Nick Trapasso’s welcome clip, so there was

What are your thoughts on the Tempe art scene?

And Arizona altogether?

already a performance to it,

I’ve been skateboarding for

but I had it sitting around you

twenty years, and it’s some-

know, so might as well do it.

thing that I think is so rad.

Tempe really doesn’t have that

Next thing you know I was

There are so many different

much of an art scene at all.

giving pieces of a 3D house to

avenues with it. There’s al-

There’s definitely a few things,

ring toss onto mountains, with

ways really cool music and art

but the arts and the crafts

500+ people in line waiting to

associated with skating, and so

fairs don’t really count. They all

win a prize.

to be a part of that, to have a

basically run this circus across

brand in skateboarding, there’s

the country with all the same

nothing else it really could be

people.

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There's a couple cool nights in Tempe with Cartel doing live art again, Gentry's Cartel Live which is really cool. There's the Tempe Art a Gogh Gogh, but nothing compared to what's happening downtown. Not to say there's a lot happening there, but there's definitely more of a culture. Like the alley behind fifth street and Roosevelt is totally full of murals.

In the past ten years that whole shit has just quadrupled in size.

I think that scene is definitely growing and gaining national attention, with events and the mural projects.

What are Pyramid Country’s plans for the future?

We’re doing a full length video, and we have a trip in June to New Mexico and Colorado. We’re having a showing in Albuquerque

with Justin Guthrie and a show in Boulder at Meta Skateshop. It's kind of just a natural progression.

It's very much so serious, but you can't really shit out an idea or else it's shit. We're just sticking to our formula and what we're doing now. Jackson and I are also doing a few music videos, currently with Andrew Jackson Jihad. So that's going to be cool.

IN REVIEW Longtime independent film makers Buster and Hunter O’Shea released the third part of “A Happy Medium” on April 4th at Silver Cinemas in Phoenix. The highly anticipated premiere was nothing short of amazing, with an audience ranging from random locals to well known pros. We can all say we teared up a little when John Rob Moore was handed his first pro board. Many can recall the nostalgia each video in the trilogy evokes. Growing up watching this group skate has been an inspiration. Cheers to all that were a part of the video’s success. When you get a chance, go grab a copy and a shirt at www. ahappymediumskateboards.com.

AARON HOMOKI | PHOTO GAGE HELLYER

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V E R T I C A L E X P L O R AT I O N S TUCK KNEE | PHOTO KOWALSKI

J A Y

H E A T H

F A I R M A N

02

J O S H

HANDPLANT | PHOTO ALEX BRAND

PHOTOS: KOWALSKI

THOMAS TURNER | BS BLUNTSLIDE | BS OVERCROOK ISSUE 5

03

DOUBLE FEATURE

JAYSN

THE FLORES BROTHERS | MICHAEL ERICKSON

VALENTINE 29

&

GIVING BACK KEITH ALLEN FLECK

On a night after an empty skatepark session, I came across a man by the name of Keith Allen Fleck. He seemed to have an interesting story about Arizona skateboarding, recently advocating to put in a rail at Mesa’s Reed Skatepark, holding a Christmas charity contest, and starting up his own board company called Team Skate. This inspired me and I wanted to share it. So I decided to ask Keith a few questions, and tell his story.

What gave you the motive to put a rail into Reed Park?

CHECK OUT TEAM SKATE AND ALL THE DUDES HERE The rail at Reed Park was inspired by so much. Being able to be involved since day 30

one with Original Christmas,

Team Skate funded the whole

which is a great giving back to

thing with sales from decks. Al-

the community put together by

though, yeah, a little out of

a rad dude, Chris Galvan. He is

pocket too, but it was definitely

the man who started Original

worth every cent after seeing

It’s all in good fun to loosen up a

Christmas charity. Being involved

the project properly finished and

bit, laugh a little, and try to ollie

with this event, heading the

skaters already charging it. As

every crack on the sidewalk… on

skate jams for four years now,

far as the city goes, they really

your way to the playground.

and seeing all the kids come out

worked with us 100% and backed

year after year is just so inspir-

the whole idea from the begin-

ing. My best friend and co-own-

ning to end. They put us in touch

er/star athlete of Team Skate,

immediately with the Parks and

Jacob Martinez and I decided

Recreation manager for Mesa,

we wanted to give something

Roxanne, who is an awesome

back this year. Being fellow plank

lady. She made sure everything

pushers ourselves, we were able

went without a hitch and the

to get some great feedback from

project was finished by Christ-

the skate community in Mesa

mas for the event.

What inspired you to make a board company?

and come out with this rail. All the skaters are definitely the true motive behind this project.

Thanks guys and hope you enjoy

What was the outcome of it all?

it for years upon years.

This year was our best year yet, especially with the skating. A lot

How did the city of Mesa handle your proposition?

of locals came out and really just had fun on and off the board, which at the end of the day is what skating is all about.

WORDS: KOWALSKI

DONT TELL

ITS A SECRET 32

ALL PHOTOS JUSTIN GUTHRIE

BAR HOPPING

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A FICTIONAL STORY OF PETER GRANNIS

It was on one of the hotter spring days that young Pete Grannis found himself parched after class. Recovering from a failing grade on his history mid term, it became almost certain that he was in need of a fizzy alcoholic treat. Exiting the MU on campus, he hopped on his cruiser board and headed for the nearest watering hole. Through the Tempe heat, he managed to find shelter in the old dive presence of ASU’s devilish Vine.

With Pabst running at only a dollar each, Pete soon found himself in a foamy daze. Drink after drink, it became clear that “Grannis the manace” had tipped back a few too many, and the bartender was not stoked. In a blur of neon Bud Light signs and dartboard games, two big fellas carried Pete to the curb with frustration. In his feeble condition, he peered up to the large A-frame structure above the bar windows. A drunken idea soon surfaced, and with a few dizzy movements, “The Gran Man” carried himself a-top the slanted roof. With only one way to get down, he looked below to his cruiser board, and with a push of momentum took the ride of his life down the aged building’s shingles.

ALL PHOTOS GAGE HELLYER

HEAVY HITTERS

BLUE HEADY | SWITCH FS 50-50 | NICK FORINI | BS NOSEBLUNT

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WORDS BY KOWALSKI

GREETINGS

FROM LOS ANGELES

NICK ZIZZO | BS LIPSLIDE FAKIE | PHOTO STRAND

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With 127 degrees right around the corner and California 6 hours away, a cool breeze and a schoolyard can sound great for any Arizonan during this time of year. Exploring the legendary spots we see in every video is always a nostalgic trip, and we can all agree a trip to LA is “essential.” Mouth watering over the picturesque scenery with some of the smoothest ground you can get, Cali invites people from all over the world to join the party. Making it a point to tour some of the world’s best handrails is a given, and taking a selfie at Hollywood High and JKwon is no joke. The hotel room is never gonna be the Emerica Mansion, but it’s close enough. We love Los Angeles, and it will always be a paradise to us beings of the desert.

So why not cruise down? The House of Hammers isn’t gonna skate itself.

NATE GREENWOOD | BS TAILSLIDE | JORDAN TAYLOR | KICKFLIP | STRAND ISSUE 5

Top 5 Songs You’re into at the Moment: 1. Ultimate Spinach - Mind Flowers 2. GG Allin- Carmelita 3. Joy Division - Day of the Lords 4. The Psychotics - If You Don’t Believe Me, Don’t

5. Siouxsie and the Banshees Arabian Knights

Top 5 AZ Skate Spots:

LIPSLIDE

Nick Zizzo

5

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WALLRIDE

TOP FIVES

1. NSA rail 2. Downtown Phoenix 3. Downtown Tucson 4. ASU 5. Mill Ave.

Top 5 Tinder Matches: 1. Introduced her to the Krew team and she got a majority of their numbers.

2. One girl took me to an art/ music major party and a Kesha song came on and the whole place broke out in synchronized song and dance, and there was a fat

Asian dude singing it in opera.

3. Some girl would drive from San Diego to LA to see me and she’d bring her best friend every time. Her friend ended up taking Matt Militano’s virginity and I snap chatted the sound effects to everyone in my phone. Sorry, Matt.

4. Invited a girl to my work to scope her out. She looked a lot better in photos so I was over it.

PHXAM weekend she hung around and fucked 6 or 7 of our friends. It was insane.

5. Matched with one of the creators of Tinder. Had a nice conversation with her but it didn’t go anywhere.

“

HER FRIEND ENDED UP TAKING MATT MILITANO’S VIRGINITY AND I SNAP CHATTED THE SOUND EFFECTS TO EVERYONE IN MY PHONE.

Top 5 Favorite AZ Skaters 1. Aaron Goure 2. Steven Snyder 3. Jonathan Pierce 4. Jalen Noel 5. Xavier Coleman, Preston, JD...

Top 5 Pick Up Lines:

I don’t need any pick up lines!

BS 180

P H OTO

RYAN LAY | FS WALLRIDE | JACK MOSSLER | NOSEGRIND TAILGRAB | MATT JONES | NOSEPICK

I N C E N T I V E S 40

SEQUENTIAL

ANDREW CANNON SWITCH FLIP FRONT TAIL

PC: KOWALSKI

ISSUE 5

MILES CANEVELLO

ONE LIPSLIDE TO RULE THEM ALL

A LONG WALK FROM HOME WALKER RYAN TRAVELS THE WORLD W R I T T E N BY LU R P LU R P I N GTO N

KICKFLIP IN IRAN | PHOTO | WALLNER

CHECK OUT SOBER MAG HERE

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Few skaters are as well traveled as Walker Ryan. From Kazakhstan to Cuba, Walker has skated some of the most unique spots in the world. Recently, Walker’s travels have been displayed in his part A Far Walk From Home and in Patrik Wallner’s The Persian Version, where Walker and an international crew of skaters push their way through Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey. In this interview, Walker discusses how skateboarding has offered him the opportunity to connect with others around the world and how embarking on such adventurous skate-trips has affected his perception of the world.

culture of the countries we visit is super important for these trips to make it really worth the expense, because even though we do manage to find skate spots in the places we go with Patrik, they’re not always the best spots. Meeting the local skaters and seeing their country through their eyes is what gives these experiences such value.

BREAKFAST IN A CAFE | PHOTO | WALLNER

It seems during your trips with Patrik you are able to develop deep connections with the locals and the local culture. I know some skaters will go on trips and only eat at Burger King, skate a few spots, go to the bar, and then get on the plane to go home. In many ways, it is as if they have traveled to the other side of the world only to find the familiar. Why is it so important for you to experience something new?

Most of the trips I go on with Patrik are funded out of my own pocket, although sometimes I get a little bit of help from my sponsors. It would seem like a huge waste of money to go all the way to the other side of the world to look for what I already know. Embracing the

While in Iran, you met with a local who is actually making his own boards. Did you ever get the chance to skate one of the boards he made?

Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to skate one of MJ’s boards, since Kenny [Reed] and I only skated with the group one day during our eleven day stay. Had I known that would be my only chance I definitely would have. I still want to get one of his boards and try it out. They looked legit.

Reporters without Borders declared Iran an “enemy of the internet” due to their suppression of information that violates “values of The Revolution.”

Did the local skaters have any problems accessing information about skateboarding? Can they log on to the Thrasher site the same way we can?

ISSUE 5

I’m not sure about Thrasher, but Facebook and many other blog style sites are definitely blocked in Iran, as they are in China. But as long as you purchase or get your hands on a VPN, those websites become readily available. It’s not like Cuba where there just isn’t any internet access at all. If there is a will, like watching skate videos and learning about the international skateboarding community, there’s a way, even in Iran.

Thomas Jefferson wrote, “Traveling makes men wiser, but less happy… they learn new habits which cannot be gratified when they return home.” “[Travel] absorbs all their affection and attention, they are torn from it as from the only good in this world, and return to their home as to a place of exile and condemnation.

Their eyes are forever turned back to the object they have lost.” Do you feel there is any truth to this? Is it a struggle for you to return home after traveling?

I’d say there is great truth in Thomas Jefferson’s words, but I never have too much of a struggle returning home after traveling. Occasionally, there are places that I’ll visit where I’ll wish I could have stayed longer or I could see myself potentially living for some time, but while I’m there I always know I could just come back. I love the people in my life who are in California, so I’m usually super excited to get back to them.

WALLIE NOLLIE | PHOTO | WALLNER

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In this trip, 10,000 Kilometers, Meet the Stans, and your recent trip to Cuba you were able to visit and skate places most Americans will never see. What have you taken away from these trips? How has each trip affected you and your perception of the world?

The biggest take away for me from the trips I go on with Patrik is gaining the perspective and understanding that as human beings, wherever you go in the world, in the end we are not very different from each other. It sounds pretty naive maybe, but it’s a refreshing feeling. It’s easy to build up a wall against another culture or group of people who we don’t know or see, but from my experiences traveling to countries most Americans will never see, I’ve observed first hand how people are just people where ever you go in the world.

They can be assholes, but they can also be very kind. They can be shady, but they can also be very compassionate.

They hate, but mostly love. Just watching a family interact with one another in some other part of the world can be the most refreshing feeling because of its familiarity. Maybe this sounds obvious, but sometimes I step back and marvel at how similar we all are, in whatever part of the world we may be living in.

Above we discussed some of the issues in other nations that relate to privacy and control but here in America we are having our own problems. Over the past year, it has been revealed that the NSA regularly tracks and stores our metadata, has accessed E-mail and phone calls of Americans without warrants, and has even created malware that infects the users’ computers by pretending to be a Facebook server. States like Arizona are using a “stingray device [that] tricks all cellphones in an area into electronically identifying themselves and transmitting data to police rather than the nearest phone company’s tower.” After visiting heavily repressive nations, how do you interpret the problems we face at home?

It’s hard to say. On one hand, we should look at the problems we face in the USA in isolation and focus on the solutions with out comparing them to heavily repressed nations. On the other hand, after experiencing the lack of freedom in countries like Iran, Cuba and China, their censorship laws make our problems look almost petty. As horrifying as it is to think of how easily tracked we are by the technology we use today, I don’t really find it all that surprising. It’s an interesting time we live in and I’m very curious to see how these issues will be resolved in the next few years and how our privacy and freedom in so called “free” countries will be affected. In the end, just knowing that the government has the power to simply eliminate access to certain websites is very scary.

ISSUE 5

PHOTOS BY KOWALSKI

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DOUBLE FEATURE

ADAM ARUNSKI | FRONTSIDE WALLRIDE | FRONTSIDE 50-50

CLICK TO VIEW ISSUE 17

A Z

T O

S T L

JAKE SCHWERDT | FRONTSIDE FLIP | ALEX MEYER NOLLIE FS 180 | TYLER WASMUTH | FS TAIL

T H E R A D O N E W I T H A N D Y W I S S M A N ISSUE 5

I N C E N T I V E S

50

COREY CAVENNAUGH | VARIAL HEELFLIP | ERIC DANESCAU FASTPLANT

PHOTOS BY KOWALSKI

A N D R E W

ANDREW JACQUEZ | BS SMITH | DEATH OLLIE

FACTS AND FIGURES OF A ROAD TRIP T R I P A N A LY S I S F R O M A Z T O U TA H T O C O L O R A D O

I meant to write this quickly after we got back, before I forgot the smells of the rooms and the textures of the carpets. But it’s been a couple weeks now, and I don’t remember any of those things. I think that is for the best. Remembering how your friends smelled or what a particular seat felt like won’t do much in creating fond memories, and I do think that as those details become muted, the memories will grow fonder. Either way, here are some specifics I jotted down.

Miles Driven: 2,171 Collective Tinder Matches: 992 Tinder Meet-Ups: 0 Road Signs Successfully Targeted: 4 Money Spent on Fireworks: $50 Times Sean asked to be taken to the hospital: ~25

PHOTOS & WORDS ZACK ROSEBRUGH

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992 is a lot, but not unreasonable. We ran by the philosophy of “casting a wide

5

6

7

net� (i.e. liking every girl our fingers could manage for each new mile).

2,171

and was reached by punching each of our destinations (Phoenix -> Salt Lake -> Denver -> Phoenix) into Google Maps, then adding.

What it does not take into consideration is the time driving from spot to spot, sight-seeing/ tourist ventures, or the 3-hour detour on the original Phoenix to Salt Lake stretch that took us to a place in the middle of Utah with huge plateaus and no cell phone service.

992

one of the gas stations, and it became useful in disposing of unwanted snacks on the long stretches of highway in big, beautiful, boring landscapes.

Also, this may have played a part in the 3-hour detour

0

mentioned above.

Needless to say, our methods

50

I’ll begin by saying that this is a pretty conservative estimate,

Corey bought a slingshot from

yielded us with some undesirable results (read: fat girls [not to be shallow, this

In hopes of reducing

is no dig on their personali-

prolonged ass-to-seat

ty, worth, etc., just a matter

contact/venting frustration

of attraction]), but this made

(gassy, coffee-breathing,

coming across the desirable

yammering friends will do that

results that much better. It ends

to you) in healthy ways/not

there. Each of our attempts at

being so god damned bored,

bringing our virtual connections

we stopped in the great state

to physical ones proved unsuc-

of Wyoming and purchased

cessful, and we returned home

fireworks.

just as lonely and unfulfilled as we were when we left.

4 ISSUE 5

25 As great as this trip was, everything I have mentioned before sags in comparison to this. After a week of hearing my enthusiasm for Colorado’s cutting-edge marijuana tourism, a recently injured Sean decided to, and I quote, “See what the big deal is.” The thing is, at first, he did not see what the big deal was.

One night after we finished skating, we shared a couple of used bong-flavored gummies. Maybe it was his anticipation/expectation, or maybe it was some other sort of science (I’ve heard a lot people don’t get high their first time?); either way, Sean did not feel anything, and was put under the impression that he was -- and again I quote, “immune to this stuff.”

This then brings us to what would later be dubbed as the “heroic dose” or “homie humbler”: a friendly-looking, odd smelling white-raspberry chocolate treat, infused with THC. The final day in Denver, we are filming in a city park. It’s windy, but in a pleasant, happy green grass-swaying sort of way, ISSUE 5

SEAN FLYING HIGH IN THE HOTEL ROOM | ROSEBRUGH

and Sean and I split said dose/humbler in

moments to think of someone other than

a quick moment between Caleb and

myself; if I was this high, where could

Corey’s line attempts. It wasn’t exactly

Sean be? I found out quickly he was in

split; I took a bite, and he ate the rest. I

the car. But at the same time, he wasn’t

remember telling him he was going to

really. “Sean just asked Caleb to take him

be really high (bit off more than he could

to the hospital.” Garritt found me

chew, am I right?), but I don’t think he

somewhere in Walgreens to tell me that

believed me, and even if he did, he didn’t

Sean had broken the silence he had held

seem to care much. Time passes, I digest,

since we left the spot, now stuck in an

those who were skating were then over

endless loop of saying our names then

skating, and the lens rag that had served

trailing off, laughing, and requesting the

as a cap for my fisheye had somehow

paramedics/police/fire department. Also,

gone missing. I think it was the wind; I

that he was going to die. Have you seen

want to say it was the wind, but I’ll never

David at the Dentist? It was like that,

be sure. I was high, but I did not really

except less endearing and more 21 years

begin to understand how much so until,

old. So, we traded our final afternoon of

when en route to Walgreens to find a

skating to sit around our hotel room and

replacement lens rag/cap, I mistook our

watch Sean take a mighty humbling. He

parked car for one that had been in mo-

was high for the next 24 hours, and once

tion for the past minute. It was confusing,

all his facilities returned to him, he told us

because I didn’t know whether everything

that while the rest of us were in a hotel

was moving too fast or too slow. Inside

sitting around our friend who got too

the store, I tried to balance my thoughts

stoned, he was in his final hours, on his

of fluorescent lights, finding a damn lens

death bed, surrounded only by people

rag, and how weird the idea of shopping

that were too negligible to call the

really was. Walking, too. Walking was

authorities. He had wanted to call 911

hard. Between all that, I found a couple

himself, but could not figure out what he did with his hands, or what a phone was.

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SEQUENTIAL

MARSHALL WINTER FRONT TAIL BIGSPIN PHOTOS: HELLYER

DANNY BARRERA | JAHIR CARBAJAL | JOSH STINSON | ALEX BRAND | JESSE PLUMB

* PHOTOS BY FORJAN 55

I N C E N T I V E S VLAD! VLAD! VLAD! VLAD!

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PETER VLAD FLAMINGO | ERIC CLARK BOARDSLIDE

T I N O

&

J A H N

%!

PHOTOS BY KOWALSKI

JOHN ONEAL BACKSIDE FLIP | TINO RINCON SWITCH OLLIE | FRONT BLUNT

PHOTOS BY KOWALSKI

DAVE GOES SOUTH DAV E B AC H I NS KY AND FRI E N D S E X P LO R E A Z

Being an Arizona native, it takes a lot to appreciate the surroundings we are blessed with out here in the desert. Through foreign eyes our mountainous landscape will cause anyone to gaze in wonder. We are quite unique in many ways. With ditches, DIY’s, and skateparks at our disposal, it’s easy to take it for granted. A few friends from across the continent might think otherwise.

DAVE BACKINSKY | ALLEY OOP FRONTSIDE FLIP | SERGE MURPHY FRONT SHUV

I was hit up to give a tour to Dave, Serge, Jake, and Elliot. Maybe show them a few skate spots and take a few pictures, pretty self explanatory. It wasn’t. Their enthusiasm for everything was something I had never really experienced. Seeing the Wedge for the first time, climbing a mountain to skate a spot, exploring the ditches in Northern Phoenix. My own dried up interpretation of our vast state was quickly changed for the better. Thanks dudes for a great time skating and opening my eyes to something new.

SEQUENTIAL

DAVE BACHINSKY KICKFLIP FRONT TAIL 270

I N C E N T I V E S

The rude hummus

DAKOTA SERVOLD BACK LIPSLIDE | PHOTO HELLYER 60

THAYNAN COSTA FRONTSIDE FLIP | PHOTO KOWALSKI

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER FROM WEBSITE SUBMISSION

JOSH EBERHARD | FS SMITH

RYAN MADERIC FLAGSTAFF, AZ