Q: There is not much left to discuss. I thought "Lords of Dogtown" was a real good movie. Stacy Peralta wrote a fine screenplay. The film had the skate world buzzing. As with most screenplays based on a true story, the writer has to condense alot of real time into 90 minutes of screen time. Sometimes, two different happenings in real life get squeezed into one event on screen.
This happened in "Lords of Dogtown." For the one I am looking for, the hint is in the previous answer. For the first correct answer, the winner will receive a February '78 issue of Skateboarder, (Bobby Piercy interview, skate parks, pull out poster of Mike Weed, etc...) This mag is in pristine condition. Oh, and a SKATE TRIVIA T-Shirt too.
Remember, if you know the answer, tell a kid. Share some skate history.

A: TOM- That was alot of mumbo jumbo Hollywood talk on that last question.
PAT- That's my hobby, feature screenplays. I haven't sold one or else I wouldn't be here.
TOM- You need an extra large helmet?
PAT- No, I didn't mean it that way.
TOM- Do you have skating in any of your screenplays?
PAT- Yes I do. In my script "The Taming", there is a skate scene.
TOM- What's it about?
PAT- A 19 year old bookie that gets in over his head.
TOM- So how do you know about this in "Lords of Dogtown" ?
PAT- Well, I was there watching the `77 Freeformer contest. I stayed at the Kona Hotel, where most of the skaters were staying ( except the G&S team ) and I enjoyed one of the best parties that I've ever attened. Mr. Alva did not have a black eye.
TOM- Are you sure ?
PAT- Yes Mr. D.A. Who is the winner?
TOM- B.K. Brian Kelley of Alabaster. He took two minutes out of running Veterans Skatepark to answer our stupid question.
PAT- Your mag is in the mail. Thanks for playing.
TOM- I'm taking the family to California for vacation. So bear with us, Pat's response to our next winner may be a little slow.
PAT- Slow? Who is the last one ready when we go on a skate trip?
TOM- Touche`. Next question.

Q:I think if you asked a real skateboard historian ( I don't consider myself one ), which contest was the most influential in the history of skateboarding, the answer would be Del Mar, 1975.
" It was the first organized Dogtown invasion", said ---- -----. The Zephyr team came to Del Mar and with their style and approach changed skating forever. ( That's my opinion.)
Which team did not compete in the `75 Del Mar Nationals ?
For the first correct answer the winner will receive a June `81 issue of Thrasher. This is the 6th issue of Thrasher. They were still in the large format at this time. ( Colton Ranch coverage; Mountain, Hosoi, Hawk, and Gator were all still ams at this contest.) A t-shirt too. This mag is like new and fairly rare.
Remember if you know the answer, tell akid. Share some skate history.

A:TOM- Team Bahne.
PAT- Yeah, Bill Bahne put up the money for the contest, but would not let his team compete under the Bahne name because he did'nt want to hear "fix" if one of his team won.
TOM- That had to be a bummer for the Bahne team.
PAT- I'm sure.Although I think it was an admirable decision. He let know his aim was true.You were talking about a fibreglass purchase that Bill Bahne made.
TOM- Bahne was originally in the surfboard business. Sometime in the early 70's, Bill and Bob bought some new fibreglass to make fins for their surfboards. The fibreglass formula was too flexible and did not work for surfboard fins.Bob had noticed a growing number of kids riding skateboards in a parking lot down by the beach, and then got the idea to make skateboards out of otherwise scrap fibreglass. The formula worked perfect for skateboards and Bahne skateboards was born.
PAT-Our winner is Dave Cobb from Missouri.
TOM- Thanks for playing, your prize is in the mail.

Q: TOM- Skate Deb, you did a pretty good job moderating while I was in California.
DEB- Thank you. Now do i get to ask my question? You promised.
TOM- Sure, as long as it is a skate question.
DEB- Henry Hester dated which skaters sister?
TOM- Thats a girl question. You can't ask that!
DEB- Why? Was the "speed sparks" a more intelligent question? Is this a boys only club?
PAT- Don't look at me. My horse is not in this race. I just give away the magazines.I didn't make any promises.
TOM- I did promise. As embarassing as it sounds the question stands. I will not moderate it.
DEB- Oh too bad. I will. Pat, tell them what they will win.
TOM- She's pushing my buttons!
PAT- Sounds like she's after your job.
DEB- Tommy don't be so sensitive. You guys won't even give me a shirt.Do you hear me whining?
TOM- I will give you 2 shirts if you will ask a decent question.
DEB-Thats my question and I'm sticking with it.
PAT- Ya'll are moderators? Haha! For the first correct answer, the winner will receive a june 83 issue of Thrasher.San Fran street contest,east coast action, etc.
TOM- Do you have a clue ready?
DEB- Yes, he was a slalom skater. And you don't know the answer do you?
PAT- If you know the answer, tell a kid and share some skate history.

A:PAT: Before we get started, I would like to congratulate our SKATE TRIVIA TEAM members, on the Oct 14th Alabaster contest. Steven LeBlanc took 1st place in the 14-17 sponsored divison. Andrew Black got 2nd in the over 18 sponsored division.
TOM: Thanks guys, for representing us.
PAT: I bet you'll think twice before promising Deb another question.
TOM: You weren't much help.
PAT: We need to let new players know that was not a normal question we would ask.
TOM: It was a girl question.
PAT: Tommy, she is a girl and she did a pretty good job moderating her own question. I think I will ask her to help you when I take my vacation.
TOM: Let's get this over with so we can ask a descent question.
PAT: OK, the answer?
TOM: Slalom Skater, Bob Skoldberg. He started out skating for G & S and later switched to Hobie.
PAT: Hester and Skoldberg were skate partners. They would divide their winnings up between themselves, I believe it was a 75/25 split. So, if one got 1st, he would give 25% of it, to the other.
TOM: Sounds like a good set up. Why did he switch to Hobie?
PAT: I'm sure they gave him a good deal. I thought that maybe he felt he would always be in Hester's shadow at G & S. He needed to create his own identity and being the top slalom skater on a different team would do it. It seems to have worked.
TOM: The winner is Chris Solomon of B'ham.
PAT: Thanks for playing, your mag is in the mail.

Q:Skaters change teams. That's just the way it is. For example, I can't even name how many teams Malba has been on. (No Offense Intended).
Before one late '70s contest, Sabre East skater John Moore (Atlanta) told me he had been asked to skate for Z Flex. I was disappointed to lose John from our team, but at the same time, I was happy for him to move up to a bigger team. The problem I had was, John entered the contest as a Sabre East Skater. A few hours before the contest, the Hartz Weber House guys (they operated the Z Flex East Team) approached him. I'm not sure if they didn't have a board with them, to give John, but he won the pool event (for his age divison) on a Sabre Deck pasted over with Z Flex stickers. That's just the way it was.
In the early 80's, three Florida skaters left their East Coast Team, to skate for a prominent West Coast Team. Which skater later returned to his former East Coast Team?
For the first correct answer, the winner will receive an August '82 issue of Skateboard (Kona/Variflex Summer Nationals, a list of current pros and sponsored ams, etc...) This mag was put out by the Ramos' of Jacksonville. Some of you may not have heard of it but it was a good mag.
Remember, if you know the answer, tell a kid. Share some skate history.

A:PAT- Team results?
TOM- Sure.
PAT- Congrats to our SKATE TRIVIA team members on the Howenhald, Tenn. contest, on Oct. 21. Steven LeBlanc, 15 took third place, and Andrew Black, 22 took fourth in the sponsored division.Little Stewart Kinkle 6, got the biggest crowd response of the whole contest in the beginners division.Good job guys.
TOM- We have a good show today.In the early 80's, Rodney Mullen, Robbie Weir, and Chris Baucom left the Walker team to skate for the Powell Peralta team.The answer is Chris Baucom from Gainesville, Florida.He left Powell Peralta to return to Walker.
PAT- After Chris returned to Walker, his "Rude Boy" model was released around the first of 1984.
TOM- To discuss this answer with us, we have a very special guest Mr. Bruce Walker.
PAT- Thanks for joining us Bruce.Could you fill us in on what happened?
BRUCE- Sure, Pat. You may be sorry you asked though, because you're going to get the WHOLE story. By the way, nice website you've got here. It's important that you and Tom are striving to document this kind of stuff because at the actual time historic events happen in skateboarding, if we're right in the middle of it ourselves, we don't always realize it's anything other than normal life so we don't have any reason to write down the dates or make detailed notes for future reference. It's not until you look back on it years later that you realize maybe it's impact is bigger than you thought at the time so any facts & details are now helpful. Generally speaking, I can still remember most things, but I'm almost 55 years old and I won't be around forever, so any effort to replace rumor with fact is very important and much appreciated. My mortality is something I take seriously because both of my original business partners have already passed away. Lewis Graves at 43 years old and Ted James (my mentor) died recently at 59 years of age.

Rodney, Chris and Robbie left Walker Skateboards at three separate times so it was three distinctive incidents as opposed to a mass exodus by all three. A common theme did apply in all three cases. Even though I typically spent ridiculous amounts of money sending my teamriders all over the country, and all over the world, there were lean years like the recession of 1980-81 when nearly every skateboard company from the seventies went out of business. There were only about 10 or so companies remaining and Walker and Powell were two of them. Fortunately, I knew how to shrink my company and make it small in order to survive. In early 1980 Stacy Peralta asked Rodney Mullen to skate for Powell-Peralta. Being the strongest company at the time, with plenty of editorial coverage in the west coast magazines, they were in a position to operate at a much larger level than I was. I simply faced the facts and realized I could not continue to spend the proper amount of money on my team and Powell could. This coincided with Rodney having already become the best technical skateboarder in the world, even though he was still amateur. We were just starting to plan for his pro debut when the offer from Stacy came in. Rodney was and still is like a son to me. I knew at the time I couldn't provide him with the benefits he had earned thru his skating so I realized I could only help him succeed by sending him to Peralta's team. Rodney told me he would stay on my team if I asked him to. I said no, you're going to ride for Stacy, but together, Rodney and I came up with a plan. Rodney turned down Stacy's offer and told him he was going to stick with the Walker team, which he did for the next 3 to 4 months. Then, at the beginning of summer in 1980 the first Pro events were scheduled in California. By that time, Stacy was really amping to get Rodney so he was more willing to up his offer to Rodney. The timing was what we had planned so we executed the plan and Rodney flew out to California on Powell's dime and won his first pro event, riding for Powell-Peralta. I'm not surprised that Rodney has continued to work hard for so many years and has remained the best technical skater in the history of our sport. He has transitioned to current times like no other skater and remains at the forefront of modern skateboarding. Every kid who skates today knows who Rodney Mullen is. On January 13, 2007 he's being inducted into the Skateboard Hall of Fame at a ceremony at Surf Expo in Florida. It might be televised on Fuel TV, but I'm not sure.

The situation was similar with both Chris Baucom and Robbie Weir. My team was always like one big family and they were either like my kids or my best friends. It would be difficult to duplicate that in today's skate business environment because that era was so groundbreaking as everything was being discovered for the first time, day after day, month after month, year after year. It'll never be like that again so I feel very fortunate to have lived through it. Chris went to Stacy's team not long after winning the Kona nationals against Hawk, Caballero and just about every big name you can think of. Same story, Powell had the money and the exposure so I had to let Chris go. He started riding for Powell-Peralta. Shortly thereafter, Skateboarder Magazine changed it's name to Action Now and soon folded. Around that time, Baucom destroyed his knee and as a result, Stacy no longer expressed the urgent need for him. Robbie Weir was also at the top of his game, winning the Cambodia Ramp Jam and other big events in Florida. Just duplicate the same story with slightly different timing. But just as a father doesn't throw out his kids when they run into trouble, of course Baucom and Weir were BOTH welcomed back onto my team. We all had a lot of great years of skating after that. Baucom still rips and remains loyal to me even to this day, even though I phased out my whole team in the early nineties and then last year retired. Robbie Weir has also increased his skating dramatically in recent years and not too long ago published his book "Miami Inverted". It's about his trials and tribulations coming up through the ranks in skateboarding, turning pro, then having to back off of skateboarding due to injury, and eventually clawing his way back into the scene to rip once again. It's an inspiring story. I'm very proud of all three of these Walker teamriders and Rodney, Chris and Robbie are still close friends of mine and our relationship as a family lives on . . .
TOM- Bruce how long did you skate for Fox before starting Walker skateboards?
BRUCE- That's actually a complicated question so in order for the answer to make sense, I'll have to set it up. It was 1970 when I first surfed for Ted James, the owner and founder of Fox Surfboards. The skateboard industry didn't even exist. There were absolutely no skateboard companies anywhere in the world. I was still skating on boards leftover from the 1960's. On February 6, 1972 Lewis Graves & I became partners with Ted James in starting our own Fox Surf Shop in South Beach, Miami. We were partners in the new business but neither Lewis nor I had any ownership in Ted's original shop & factory in West Palm Beach. We originally opened on 5th Street but soon moved to 10 Ocean Drive, across from the South Beach Pier, which was a pretty killer place to skate. The Pier was later torn down and is no longer there. Also, there were no models or modeling agencies on Ocean Drive back then.

Lewis and I found a supply of 24" solid oak Super Surfer skateboards with Super Surfer Trucks and hard clay wheels in the back of a toy distributor's warehouse in downtown Miami that were leftover from the 1960's skateboard boom and subsequent crash of 1966-67. We sold the hell out of those boards at Fox and fortunately new products & companies finally began to emerge on the scene before we ran out of our initial stock of several hundred assemblies. We began making Fox Skateboards around that time and we started the Fox Skateboard Team. I suppose we were the first team on the east coast, if not the country. A few years later, around 1977-78, we bought out Ted's share of the partnership, parting on good terms, and changed the name of the Fox Skateboard Team to the Walker Team and began changing our decks over to the Walker name. We simultaneously changed the name of the surfboard side of our business to Ocean Avenue Surfboards. This was done so as not to confuse the public or the industry because Ted continued running Fox Surfboards in West Palm Beach and also expanded Fox to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Fox then later started a brand new Fox Skate Team and started making decks with the Fox name again which they continued for at least a few years.

So, to answer your question, I surfed for Fox for about 7-8 years. I skated under the Fox name for 5-6 years, but never actually changed teams or companies, just changed the name of what we'd been doing to Walker. My team consisted of the same skaters, both before and after. In 1982-83, Lewis Graves left the company and moved to Puerto Rico to become a surfing industry sales rep and I owned the business entirely after that. After running what was essentially the same company for over 33 years, I sold it in July 2005 to one of my former Walker pros, Reggie Barnes from North Carolina. Reggie continues to own and operate what became known as Ocean Avenue Skateboard Distribution and likewise owns the brand names Ocean Avenue Surfboards and Walker Skateboards. The Walker name is still in hibernation at present, and it would be up to Reggie to decide if he's ever going to bring it back out again.
PAT- Thanks again Bruce for sharing some skate history.
BRUCE- I hope this helps answer your questions.
TOM- Our winner for question #15 is Chris Solomon of Birmingham, Alabama.
PAT- We have a situation here. Chris has won two questions in a row.
TOM- We should cancel the "no two wins in a row" rule.
PAT- I agree. Thanks for playing Chris.
TOM- Your mag is in the mail.

Q:Double kick decks are pretty much the standard in the skateboard industry today.Which company was recognized as the first to introduce a wooden double kick deck? For the first correct answer, the winner will receive a Sept. 1977 issue of Skateboarder magazine.Remember, if you know the answer, yell a kid and share some skate history.

A:TOM- I know, team results?
PAT- Tom, they are a pretty good team. They don't order steak and lobster and we have never had to bail them out of jail.
TOM- OK, congrats to SKATE TRIVIA TEAM members on the Nov. 11 Alabaster contest. Steven LeBlanc 14, placed 1st and Andrew Black 22, placed 2nd in their sponsored divisions.
PAT- Thanks guys for representing us. Tom, let's do this answer.
TOM- First, the question was " which company was recognized as the first to introduce a wooden double kick?" We didn't mean someone who made the first one in his garage. We meant who marketed it first. Sorry for the confusion. We have asked only one trick question, so far. This is not one.
PAT- Thanks for clearing that up. I'll do team results, next time.
TOM- The answer is RMI, a little company from Hempstead, New York. Skateboarder Mag said, " As far as we know, it's the only wooden board available with a double kicktail." ( Equipment Update, page 100, OCT.'77 ) That's good enough for me.
PAT- Me too. I just figured it out. You have Cub Scouts tonight. 11 screaming heathen units trying to set your basement on fire.
TOM- Yeah, can't wait. Two hours worth. Get on with it.
PAT- There were many companies marketing aluminum and fiberglass doublekicks, in the spring of '77. Ampul, Banzai, Continental, Kona, Kanoa, and Val Surf, were amoung the movers for the masses.
TOM- You don't even know what RMI stands for, do you?
PAT- No I don't. We have a winner!
TOM- You forgetting anything?
PAT- Oh yeah, Tom and I are giving away a new 1977 RMI Doublekick at the Alabama Old School Reunion #4, in March.
TOM- Our winner is Vince Vickers.
PAT- This mag has lost it's cover but, it's still a good read.
TOM- Your mag is in the mail.
PAT- Your t-shirt, too. When winners send their address for their mag, please include a shirt size. Thanks for playing.

Q:That was cool of Bruce Walker to share some skate history with us. He is the " Father of East Coast Skateboarding." Which spawns this question.
There is not a whole lot known about the Alabama skate scene in the '60's. Clay wheel skating was going on here, but there were only a handful of serious enthusiasts.
I, amoung others, consider one of those '60's skaters, " The Father of Alabama Skateboarding." He was the major force in establishing a skate scene in Alabama, in the mid '70's. He was the first to sponsor a team. He organized Alabama's first major contest. ( By that I mean, skaters from over the state gathered to compete.)
Who was this Alabama skate pioneer?
( 1st clue- The time frame is B.S. Before Skateparks in Alabama.)
For the first correct answer, the winner will receive a Skateboarder Mag, ( sorry, I forgot to look to see which issue.)
Remember if you know the answer, tell a kid. Share some skate history.

A:TOM- That answer took longer than I expected. Bruce Walker is right, this skate history needs to be documented.
PAT- Whats interesting is that none of the 80's skaters knew the answer. Thats how fast this history falls through the cracks.
TOM- I remember the Pipe Dreams team from when I was 10 years old. Didn't they have cool jerseys with imprinted sleeves?
PAT- Maybe, I can't remember. Von reached out and brought us all together. The Ken Hilton contest was the first time us 70's skaters met.
TOM- Who all was on the Pipe Dreams team?
PAT- Andy and Tim Spinosi, Byron Rogers, Ken Kendricks, Travis Clayton, Jim Bloom, Tony Krogh. I'm sure I'm leaving off a couple skaters. Someone help me out on this.
TOM- Von Wooldridge was "the father of Alabama skateboarding". Before skateparks in Alabama, Von and his wife Donna owned and operated the Pipe Dreams skate shop in Birmingham Alabama.
PAT- It was actually in Vestavia Hills.
TOM- Give me a break, you are being too picky. He organized the first skate team in Alabama with the Spinosi brothers under his tutelage.Andy Spinosi won the Ken Hilton contest, the first first big skate contest in Alabama , which Von Wooldridge organized.
PAT- Von was very passionate about skating, but most of all he was very generous and knew how to use his influence.One day while skating at Wheel a Wave, I told Von that I had applied for the resident pro job at the new park being built in Gadsden. I thought Flying Wheels would hire an out of state skater. He didn't say anything, he just gave me that look.
TOM- What do you mean?
PAT- Von looked like a laid back hippie surfer but sometimes he had a very intense gaze. It wasn't intimitadating, just serious.
TOM- So what happened?
PAT- A couple of weeks later Von told me he had talked to Dave Norton , owner of Flying Wheels, and he asked if I wanted to stay at his (Vons) country place outside of Gadsden. I actually hugged Von. He just pushed me away and told me not to thank him.
TOM- Oh what a touching moment in Alabama skateboard history.
PAT- You jerk, let me finish my story. Von's country home turned into a skater motel. It was like Jonestown, bodies everywhere.That party lasted for over 8 months.
TOM- I didn't know thats how you got the Flying Wheels job. If you skaters have any stories about Von, please share them with us.
PAT- He truly did influence a generation of Alabama skaters. Thanks Von.
TOM- Our winner is Jeff Smith from Birmingham, Alabama.
PAT- Thanks for playing, your mag is in the mail.

Q:We all know that Dave Dominy and Larry Balma invented Tracker trucks, first testing them on the hills of La Costa California. At what contest did they premiere the Tracker truck and which skater won riding them? For the first correct answer(s) the winner will receive a Sept.83 Thrasher (East coast summer tour,Jay Cabler on the cover, etc.) This mag is in perfect never opened condition.
Remember, if you know the answer, tell a skater kid and pass on some skate history.

A:PAT- Tommy, I'm telling you Del Mar `75 was an important contest.
TOM- You old nag, you may be right. The kids at the skatepark said that you've been bitchin' them out about the trash, again.
PAT- Yea, I've been on skate patrol duty lately. Del Mar`75 has more secrets to share.
TOM- The answer is Tracker debuted their trucks at the Del Mar`75 contest and Chris Yandall won the men's slalom riding them. ( Skateboarder, June`77, page 38)
PAT- Yea, but technically we are wrong on this one. We got the correct skater, but what is recognized by the media is not always exact.
TOM- That's why we have a special guest to discuss this answer with us. We would like to welcome Mr. Chris Yandall.
PAT- Thanks for joining us Chris. Please tell us where we were wrong.
CHRIS - First off, thanks guys for inviting me to share one of the many blasts from the past. I think the ad you refer to is a bit misleading but then sensationalism sold lots of goods back then! I'm not going to try to rewrite history but perhaps add a footnote. Tracker's real debut came during the 1975 San Diego World Skateboard contest at Jack Murphy Stadium (now Qualcomm), when Danny Trailer and I placed in 1st and 2nd place. It would be cool to get the footage from CBS Sports Spectacular and you can see for yourselves. After I crossed the finish line in first place, the camera guys captured me as I held up my board, G&S Fibreflex, Trackers and Road Riders. Nobody had heard of Tracker before and this was the significant event that kicked them into the marketplace. I find it curious that 2 years later, in a 1977 Skateboarder they mention I was riding Trackers at Del Mar. I know Dave Dominy was at Del Mar, and Mr. Bennett was there too frantically handing out replacement base plates. By the way, one of my boards has the new Bennetts. Let me say.... people are wondering how I can turn so quick. But it was in his best interest to see what everyone was doing back then. He had been working on the idea for years.
TOM- Chris, tell us about your involvement with Larry and Dave and the introduction of the Tracker truck.
CHRIS- After the 1974 San Diego City Skateboard Championships, I won the downhill there too , some notables there... Tony Alva, Jay Adams, Doug Saladino, Neil Graham (Popeye), Dan Trailer, all showed up at skate Sessions in Pacific Beach. Dave Dominy knew one of my elder brother's friends who kept telling Dave to get me on his trucks. At the time I was working for Larry Gordon's surf shop, PB Surf Shop, at the west end of Pacific Beach Drive, as their skateboard monkey. So after work one day, my brother set me up to meet Dave and there we were at the trunk of his car where he whipped out a strange, wide-looking skateboard with fulltrack trucks and wheel hump wells. I tried the deck and wasn't very impressed, but decided to yank the trucks off and nail them on to my G&S and Fibreflex. I was freakin' amazed at how much more pump traction I could get with a wider truck. And sliding seemed to be more controllable. Not to mention bombing hills seemed to be less wobbly. It wasn't too long after that I became a shop monkey for Tracker, driving to LA for the company, picking up truck components and even working in the shop making trucks while I was attending San Diego State. Larry and Dave were masterminding skateboard truck production and I was part of the scene. Cast aluminum trucks were becoming the future in the wake of the stamped/pressed roller skating design, which just didnt make sense for skateboards of the future. I didn't have much involvement with the design, but I did have a huge impact in changing many skateboarder's minds that narrow trucks sucked.
PAT- Tell us about your association with Dan Thomas Sporthaus in Michigan.
CHRIS - After my big star days were coming to an end, the skateboard market slid, I got hitched and moved to Michigan where I had spent my High School years. I was offered a job working for Don as his skateboard distributor. He named the distributorship Dynamic Sports and we fed not only his retail shop, but many outlets around the midwest. We were a thorn in AWH Sales' side for a while, but after some years, the cyclical nature of skateboarding flared up and out again. While at the Sporthaus, I was an avid skier and we sold tons of Tom Sims' Yellow Snow/Skateboard contraption ( http://tinyurl.com/yxmkgt ) . I have footage of me riding halfpipes in 1977 on that crazy thing! So to summarize, Don Thomas was instrumental in providing the Detroit Area with great skateboards from the West Coast and I was there running the distributorship for him.
TOM- We understand that you have developed " Skoggin". Could you explain what it is ?
CHRIS- As many of you might know, I'm in my early 50's and still skateboarding. I still ride transition (my favorite skatepark is www.powayskate.com in my hood), and downhill racing is still fun, as well as freestyling a nosewheelie now and then. But, for an all around aerobic skateboard exercise that involves a unique sense of balance, jogging with your skateboard, or skateboarding + jogging = skogging, is a huge passion of mine. I've been rollerskating for over 30 years and basically the movement is rollerskating with a skateboard or "skollering". The art of using both sides of your body to push your board. I have tons of videos and an approach to mastering it on www.skogging.com . Consistency in life is the measurement of how success comes about for most of us hardworking tax paying Americans. And getting out for some aggressive sidewalk surfing by mixing up a deck pump, a skog, a manual (nose/tail wheelie) is part of the skogging militia. The idea is to cover long distances, break a serious sweat, get to the point where you are gagging for air and most of all, display a tight rope ride on wheels. This isn't about ollie'ing the same bench for hours and hours. Is that skateboarding? I like to riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide my board! Riding means rolling with very little stopping in my book. You can dig riding full pipes, you can dig riding halfpipes and someday you may feel the sensation of both sides of the body; sidewalk surfing using the skogging technique which is similar to a downhill bump skiier. You think straight down the fall line but you are on the flat and you are generating the fall line with each push on each side of the board. I did 20 miles today, 20 miles yesterday and will do 20 tomorrow. 3 times a week is minimal for me. And it doesnt have to be an all day event. Who needs a stinky sweaty workout gym where exercise is a chore for many. Who needs to jog long distances and wreak havoc on joints? Why not roll your exercise into your daily routine? The idea of skogging is to mix it up. Not to be repititious but making a repititious movement involve a mixture of different angles on balance stability which hopefully results in a compromising of different movements that keep all parts of the body lubed and physically exhausted and challenged. Use it or LOSE it! Skogging is the best roll your own skateboard exercise on the planet. I'm an advocate of skateboarding for adult exercise.
I'm trying to get kids to see that not only jumping 90ft in the air is where skateboarding is at, but riiiiiiiiiiiding the board for long distances as a "roll your own exercise" can add to the health wealth of one's being. And is this sidewalk surfing's rebirth? Getting people to get off their behinds
PAT- Thanks again Chris, for sharing some skate history.
TOM- Our winner is Robert Wadley aka "The Tennesse Beast".Thanks for playing, your mag is in the mail.

Q:A couple of months ago, Chris Solomon and I discussed the relationship between Tom Sims and George Powell concerning Powell's "Quicksilver", aluminum skin, maple core deck.
Sims marketed Powells' Quicksilver deck in the spring of 1977.In the summer of '77, Powell introduced the Quicktail and Bones wheels.By September '77, Sims dropped the Quicksilver and Powell took over Quicksilver marketing.
However, I did not tell Chris all that knew on the subject, or else I wouldn't be able to ask this question. When Tom Sims tested Powell's Quicksilver at the "Horseshoe", which two prominent skaters also tested the deck?(Must have both skaters to win.)
For the first correct answer(s) the winner will receive a December 1977 Skateboarder magazine.(Bob Biniak interview) Remember if you know the answer tell a kid and share some skate history.

A: TOM- I was just looking at this Dec.`77 issue before we put it in the mail. Low and behold,there's a letter from Chris Yandall in it.
PAT- Man you sound like your Grandmother, "low and behold". What does he say?
TOM- My Grandmother would take offense to that. Yandall writes about graphite laminations. Quite a lampoonish letter.
PAT- Onto the Quicksilver.
TOM- George Powell said Stacy Peralta was so stoked with the pump of this board, that he offered to buy one on the spot.
PAT- I thought someone would get Peralta sooner.
TOM- Me too. What about the answer?
PAT- Sorry. Stacy Peralta and Paul Hoffman. The parking lot at Palisades High was called the Horseshoe due to its shape.
TOM- Wasn't the first proto an aluminum honeycomb core?
PAT- Did I forget to tell that?
TOM- Yeah. Buddy talked to us about Mike Williams racing a Quicksilver.
PAT- So we checked it out.
TOM- For flatland slalom Mike used a 70kg, for downhill tight slalom he used a 90kg, and for giant slalom he used a stiffer 72cm or 84cm Quicktail.
PAT- The third clue was to be; which skater left G&S to join Hobie and help design their "Park Machine"?
TOM- What about the second clue? Did Paul Hoffman make any money off of Leroy Neiman's painting?
PAT- I don't know but I bet the owner of the photo did. It was taken at the Concrete Wave in Anaheim. There were 5000 prints made in `78, at a cost of $60 each.
TOM- There was another skater at the Horseshoe that day, named Jose Gallan.
PAT- I don't know anything about this skater. Can someone help us out?
TOM- Our winner is Bill Butler of Phoenix, AZ. We think he may have had some help from a collector in Germany.
PAT- Our offer to European skaters still stands. Log on and talk to us and we will send you a mag and shirt.
TOM- Bill your mag is in the mail. Thanks for playing.

Q: We won't waste your time on the history of Tunnel (founded in `75), which most of you know already.
Mitch Haake had several products on the market in `77. For wheels, he had the Tunnel IV, the Tunnel V, the Holland Tunnel, and of course the famous Tunnel Rocks.
For decks, he had a 9-ply birch "Tunnel Model" and three signature models; the Gregg Ayers " Pipe" model, the Waldo Autry " Cloud " model and the " Rodriquez " model. Who was the skater behind the the " Rodriquez " model ?
For the first correct answer, the winner will receive an August `83 Thrasher. ( Joe's Ramp Jam, Upland's Summer World Series ) This mag is brand new and uncirculated.
Remember if you know the answer, tell a kid. Share some skate history.

A:TOM- Did you find out anything on the skater, Jose Gallan?
PAT- He was a marine.
TOM- Thats' it?
PAT- Yeah, again someone please help us out with some skate history on this guy.
TOM- The answer is Rod "Rodriquez" Saunders. He is the skater who had the Tunnel "Rodriguez" model.
PAT- It was Saunders that gave Steve Olson his nickname "Bulky", and Steve's brother "Bucky".
TOM- If we are ever lucky enough to get Olson on this show, don't mention that.
PAT- Good point, it is kind of stupid.
TOM- Weren't Saunders and Olson doubles partners in the Hester Pro Bowl series?
PAT- In the '78 Hester series. For the first one at Spring Valley, Saunders partenered with David Paul for 4th place in doubles. Olson partenerd with Scott Dunlap for 3rd place. It was Hester series #2 at Upland, when Saunders and Olson partenered placing 5th in the doubles competition. At Hester #3, Olson and Saunders partenered again not placing in he top 5. I'm not positive, but I think they were doubles parteners at Hester #4, Big O.
TOM- It was a yes or no question. I didn't ask for all of that.
PAT- Too bad. To discuss this answer with us, we have a special guest. We would like to welcome Mr. Mike Horelick from Tunnel products.
TOM- Thanks for joining us Mike. What was Mitch Haake and Rod Saunder's reason for not putting Rod's real name on the deck?
Hello! First, let me introduce myself. My name isMike, and together with a friend, Jon, we have beenbehind the re-introduction of Tunnel Skateboards over the last couple of years. We work under the eye of Tunnel founder Mitch Haake, who is in retirement up in Northern California. Both of us are originally from Northern California, the birthplace of Tunnel, and used Tunnel products as kids in the '70s.

It's great that you guys have such a love for skateboarding history. When we took over Tunnel, we did everything we could to learn all things Tunnel. We called all the old team members, and spoke to others who worked for Mitch. Many people don't know that Mitch also owned 6 skateboard and roller skate shops called Mitchell's, which carried all the other brands, so he was very involved in the skate industry. Another store of his was 41st Ave. Skateboards in San Mateo. According to Tunnel member Kevin Thatcher, Mitch was one of, if not the first, to distribute Indy trucks.

Now, on to the first question. Rodd Saunders was an important part of Team Tunnel. He was close to Mitch (they still stay in touch) and since he was living in SoCal, he let Mitch know who the best skaters were. He recruited for the team, and he also let Mitch know which skaters were hot and should receive free Rocks and other Tunnel products. The first time Kevin Thatcher and Rick Blackhart met Mitch, there was Rodd Saunders, who Kevin Thatcher described as a complete Southern California guy, looking out of place up North. KT also described Rodd as a real cool guy who knew tons of great skaters.

Rodd Saunders nickname was Rodriguez, so the Rodriguez deck was obviously named after him, and not somebody named Rodriguez! I see that you mentioned Saunders gave Olsen the nickname "Bulky". He must have been a nickname specialist, because he also gave Tunnel's Gregg Ayres the nickname "Queaver". And by the way, Gregg Ayres has no idea what that name means.

As for why the deck used the name Rodriguez and not Rodd Saunders, I have no idea. I did put in a call to Mitch today, and he said he doesn't remember why they used the nickname and not his real name. It is interesting, though, because other Tunnel signature decks used actual names such as Gregg Ayres and Rick Blackhart and not nicknames.

PAT- Tunnel's early team had quite a line up' Waldo Autry, Gregg Ayers, Rod Saunders,Ray Flores, and then for round 2, Rick blackhart! Tell us about some of the other Tunnel team skaters.
MIKE- Over the last 2 years, Jon and I have been calling around to all of the old team members and interviewing them. In the '70s, obviously things weren't exactly rigid in the skating world, so the list we compiled might be the first ever list. Unlike Zephyr that has team shots, Tunnel never had anything like that. But Tunnel did have some very big names in the world of skating - Kevin Thatcher of Thrasher, Steve Rocco of World Industries, Chris Chaput of Abec 11. But enough talk, here is the latest list of team members from the first phase of Tunnel (1975-1982)...

Tunnel Team Riders

Steve "Salba" Alba
Don “Waldo” Autry
Gregg “Queaver” Ayres
Rick Blackhart
Bryan Buck
Randy Buck
Chris Chaput
Marshall Coben
Jim Drake (Downhill)
Leslie Jo Ritzma (Downhill)
Ray Flores
Lee Gahimer
Bela Horvath
Tommy Horvath
Tom “Wally” Inouye
Michael McCreary (Downhill)
Charlie “Crazyman” Ransom
Steve Rocco
Richie Saunders
Rodd Saunders
Doug Schneider
Danny “Mini-Shred” Smith
Kirk Talbott
Kevin Thatcher
Steve "Del 13" Weston

Current Tunnel Riders

Conner Wagner

Now, to read about some of these guys, we're going to be posting interviews on our updated site hopefully very soon. It's an interesting read if you love skateboarding! And this list has been known to change as we discover more to ride for Tunnel back in the day.
TOM- Tunnel's first rider, Ray Flores, had a slalom model. Could you tell us about it?
MIKE- Ray Flores was the first Tunnel rider. Although born in Santa Monica, Ray was living in Marin at the time. He was on the cover of the San Francisco Chronicle for a skateboard contest, so Mitch hunted him down and asked him to join. He was also in the first Tunnel ad. Ray had his own model called the Ray Flores "Spacecraft". According to Ray himself (who doesn't have his own model, but is going off memory), it was aircraft aluminum, and came with 2 separate layers. For slalom, when you wanted flex, you only used 1 layer. When you wanted a stiffer board for downhill, you would attach a second layer to "stiffen" the board. Ray's model is one of the rarer Tunnel decks, along with the Tunnel Blackhart deck, of which 200 were made, but none are in our possession, unfortunately!
PAT- Are any of the old Tunnel skaters designing products with you now?
MIKE- So far, we've made signature decks for 2 old Tunnel skaters - Doug Schneider and Marshall Coben. Doug was one of the top vert skaters back in the day and claims that unbelievable SkateBoarder cover shot where he is way up there in that pipe. Marshall was a Santa Monica kid and known for his high jump. With the help of his friends Shogo Kubo and Bob Biniak, he won the 1975 Santa Monica skateboard contest for his age group (13 or younger). Marshall can also be seen riding in the dirt in the film "Go For It!".

Anyway, both of their signature decks were from original Tunnel shapes from the '70s. Mitch and his partner Michael McCreary did a lot of work on the shapes back in the day. Jon and I used these shapes and had Doug and Marshall ride prototypes of their decks and give their two cents before moving to production. Mitch also came down a few months ago to give his advice on wheels for a new design we are working on. It's fun to keep the original Tunnel riders and Mitch involved. It makes for a more authentic product and for a better product, too. Tunnel was known for a reason!
TOM- What products are Tunnel offering now?
MIKE- Right now, we're working hard to offer Tunnel products that we refer to as "Old School style, new technology." All of our skateboard products are made in California and all are the best quality available.

Tunnel always means wheels first. We offer Tunnel Rocks, which are very close to the original. They're 63mm with that same cool shape. We now use a core and high-quality urethane. The hardnesses available are 75A (translucent blue), 78A (translucent red), 82A (amber), 90A (solid red), and 95A (solid blue). I have to confess that when we did the work to relaunch the Rocks, we weren't sure where it would lead. And we have to say that we were very pleased that the new Rocks were such a hit! They've found a home on custom cruisers, longboards, old school skateboards, and even on filming boards since the so-called Soft Rocks are cushy soft. It's great to see the Tunnel name back on wheels, and as I mentioned above, Mitch has helped us as we develop a new wheel for the near future.

We also do decks. Right now, we have a 26" Marshall Coben mini, which is 7 ply maple with an Old School Tunnel shape and a slight concave, and a great graphic of Marshall by Swedish artist Nicolina. Of course, it's silk-screened Old School style.

We do a 28" retro '70s deck, which is also 7 ply maple with a slight concave. A classic Tunnel logo keeps this deck looking clean.

Next is something totally unique - the Tunnel Doug Schneider Beam deck. We started with 8 ply maple that's routered by hand to 6 ply on the sides. It's flat and 30" by 8". Graphics are by Jimbo Phillips of Santa Cruz - what can you say about the Phillips' skateboard family? Beam decks were big in the '70s, but aren't easily available now. They also ride great and will be reviewed in the next Concrete Wave.

We also make a 33" pool deck, also with a classic Tunnel logo. Real clean, with wood grain and a slightly later, '80s shape.

We do have plans for more signature models soon - so keep your eyes peeled!

We also do T-shirts for both guys' and girls'. Check 'em out. Many people don't know that Mitch started out shaping surfboards and selling comfortable T-shirts and other assorted apparel back in the day, so it's fun to keep with our history.
PAT- Thanks Mike for sharing some skate history with us and giving our winner a Tunnel shirt.
MIKE- Hey, guys, thanks for the opportunity to tell you a small bit about the rebirth of Tunnel. I know the name means something to those in the skate world, so please be assured that we're doing everything we can to bring it back in a way that respects the history of Tunnel but also moves it forward. You can check our site at www.tunnelskateboards.com It should be updated soon with even more history and old ads as well as some new stuff!

We love to see old photos of people on Tunnel wheels or decks, so feel free to email them to us! We have a great collection of Tunnel photos from the '70s, and are always on the lookout for good photos. Look also in the next Concrete Wave for a tribute to SkateBoarder photographer Gary Medeiros. Gary took great shots of Blackhart, Thatcher, the Bucks, and many more Tunnel skaters. Unfortunately, he passed away last year, so Michael Brooke has been kind enough to publish some of his best photos.
TOM- Twice in a row, our winner is Bill Butler from Phoenix,AZ
PAT- Bill, your mag and Tunnel shirt are in the mail.
TOM- Thanks for playing.

Q:In '77, promoter Allan Seymore, put together a slalom and downhill contest on Catalina island, dubbed "The Catalina Classic".The event drew big name skaters, as well as mainstream media, ABC wide world of sports,and Sports Illustrated.There have been Catalina island classic races since the first, but the stories that surround the first race are truly classic.For example, Bob Mohr was freestyling on the dock while waiting on the last boat back to Long Beach.He slipped and shot his board into the water along with his signature hat.This was the board he had won the Freeformer contest on. Only the hat was ever recovered. There was a local/semi-local,pro skater who competed in the first Catalina Classic race. Who was he?
For the first correct answer, the winner will receive a '78 Skateboarder magazine Remember, if you know the answer, tell a kid and pass on some skate history.

A:TOM- Before we get started, I want to give a shout out to Phil Scalf in Huntsville. For months we have been trying to get our team riders to choose a good deck because their boards have only been lasting about 6 weeks. They are now riding Phil Scalf's "Southern Fried Skates."These boards are made in Alabama and are top quality. Our skaters really like these decks, especially the concave and stiffness. Thanks Phil for hooking us up.
PAT- So we're doing shout outs now?
TOM- Sure' you got one?
PAT- I want to thank Dave Hegstrom of Skaterbuilt for putting out an American made, top quality product. Tom just got a new Groundhog II 10.25 X 33 17"wb and I got a SkatercultII 10 x 34 17.5 wb. What a ride! Formica bottom and a deep concave with a super sweet spot. Tom has been riding Skaterbuilts for about 3 years now. I want...
TOM- Can I interrupt you? Are the Allman bros. playing tonight?
PAT- What?
TOM- I thought I was hearing "Ramblin Man."
PAT- Ha!ha! Thanks Dave for supporting our Alabama old school reunions.
TOM- Onto Catalina. You misspelled race promoter Allan Seymour's name.
PAT- Anything else?
TOM- Yeah, you forgot to tell who won, old man.
PAT- John Hutson won the downhill, Bobby Piercy won the slalom, and Deana Caulkins won the women's slalom. Do you think I need some memory pills?
TOM- Think about this. John Hutson was the winningest racer in '77 major competition. NHS was a major sponsor of the Catalina classic. John Hutson won $1500 for 1st in downhill,and $900 for 2nd in slalom. How cool was that to get a check from your sponsor for coming to the race, and then winning the money your sponsor put up for the contest?
PAT- Do you think Jay Shuirman(NHS) told John not to expect a Christmas bonus?
TOM- Stop thinking. The answer to the trivia question is Tony Jetton. He went to school on Catalina island.
PAT- There was another island local in the race, but he was not a pro. He was a young kid, and Tony could not remember his name.
TOM- As for the clues, Tony Jetton was "Ghost Rider" in the traveling skateboard show "Skateboardmania" where he did the "loop".I promised skate Deb I wouldn't say too much because of her upcoming question on the subject.
PAT- Flames about this high, huh Tom? Skate Deb is back.
TOM- Yeah, and if she asks some stupid girl question, i'm gonna lose it!
PAT- I'm sure she will ask a decent question.
TOM- We're off the subject here, back to Tony Jetton.
PAT- Tony introduced the "Jetton slide" at the 2nd Hester series contest at Upland's pipeline skatepark. The move was a nose 360 slide on vert.
TOM- Our winner is Dave Cobb from Belton, Missouri.
PAT- Your March '78 Skateboarder mag and Skate trivia shirt are in the mail.
TOM- Thanks for playing.