Author Topic: Any 1970's skaters out there?  (Read 13146 times)

singingdog

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Re: Any 1970's skaters out there?
« Reply #30 on: June 06, 2019, 04:36:36 AM »
Oh yeah. Late night raids on construction sites to acquire lumber for our ridiculous halfpipe: 4' of vert and no flat in the middle, only 8' wide. It was good for building fast reflexes. I remember the first time we got into a properly designed park; we were launching out of the pools on our first rides because we were so used to the massive vert on our ramp.

TallDude

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Re: Any 1970's skaters out there?
« Reply #31 on: June 06, 2019, 09:34:00 AM »
Oh yeah. Late night raids on construction sites to acquire lumber for our ridiculous halfpipe: 4' of vert and no flat in the middle, only 8' wide. It was good for building fast reflexes. I remember the first time we got into a properly designed park; we were launching out of the pools on our first rides because we were so used to the massive vert on our ramp.
Oh ya... constantly keeping an eye out for plywood. Def raided some construction sites. Always scouting out empty pools as well. We found a vacant house and drained the pool. It was some nasty shit in the bottom. The plaster dust just kept coming up for days. Had it in my mouth and eyes. Kidney shape pools are the best. 
It's not overhead to me!
8'8" L-41 ST and a whole pile of boards I rarely use.

surfinJ

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Re: Any 1970's skaters out there?
« Reply #32 on: June 06, 2019, 02:27:01 PM »
Our golden spot on LI NY, ‘75, was the Palace pool in Long Beach.  We were left in peace for almost a year. New management chased us out and onto an empty pool hunt. And if not completely empty somebody would get a pump. Town pools in the winter lacked the smooth transitions but were empty and dry.

The first skate park was a letdown. The current level of some parks is a joy.


TallDude

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Re: Any 1970's skaters out there?
« Reply #33 on: June 06, 2019, 04:58:02 PM »
This was my favorite bowl. It was called the 'Capsule' at Big O skatepark in Orange, Ca. I skated this thing a thousand times. Did a face plant one time, and woke up to paramedics standing over me. I was out cold. My move was a backside cess-slide to a backside sliding rock and roll and finish with a front side cess-slide. All one move that covered the entire back wall of the Capsule bowl. You could Ollie Channel Hop the opening. Lots of pictures of pro contests in that bowl.
« Last Edit: June 06, 2019, 05:03:39 PM by TallDude »
It's not overhead to me!
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eastbound

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Re: Any 1970's skaters out there?
« Reply #34 on: June 06, 2019, 06:39:42 PM »
nice td--real shit!

you were a park/pool rat ripper-a tall rat!-effing concrete runouts trying new maneuvers aint for my body no mo!

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supthecreek

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Re: Any 1970's skaters out there?
« Reply #35 on: June 06, 2019, 09:01:11 PM »
Was never the skater you guys were... but I was earlier  ;D
Metal wheels... homemade boards..... then they got better.

Skater dated through high school (blond in pic was my skater girl  ;D)
Every new housing development in town was christened by our walnut wheels.

My best friend in college was Tom Sims, so I skated the original orange grove cisterns and sewer pipes with Tommy.
High speed crashed on one of his "slalom water ski" longboards in Santa Barbara hills.

Watched the Z-boys crash the party at the Del Mar world championships in the early 70's.... blowing the old guard away

Lived with Greg Weavers sister in Cardiff

Surrounded by the beginnings... oh so much fun!!!

I never skated a pool or a park...... but I could easily go through a slalom course in a handstand.

Caribsurf

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Re: Any 1970's skaters out there?
« Reply #36 on: June 07, 2019, 05:18:22 AM »
back in the mid 70s in addition to skating parks etc, I loved freestyle and high jumping.  My big moment came when Ernie Martin, the reigning world record holder in the skateboard high jump (hard to believe there was such a thing) came to my high school in N.J. for an exhibition.  I beat him that night and the school went nuts and he was pissed beyond words and stormed off.  I didn't set any record, but did manage to top his height.  practice photo...
« Last Edit: June 07, 2019, 05:21:38 AM by Caribsurf »
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Beasho

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Re: Any 1970's skaters out there?
« Reply #37 on: June 07, 2019, 06:21:53 AM »
Wow!

New found respect for all you guys.

But it explains a lot.  We didn't get here by accident.  A bunch of 'old' guys getting thumped by waves. 

What's wrong with us?  It's always been wrong.  Adrenaline junkies. 

I grew up in the hills of Ithaca, NY.  No clean roads to skate.  Not enough summer warmth.  We would jump off cliffs into reservoirs, swing from 40 foot real tree vines 20 feet over the forest floor, ride ice barges down streams, build jumps for our BMX's and ski at Greek Peak. 

Then I went away to high school.  We had to chose a sport each trimester.  I'll never forget asking Matt Baxter what sport he did and he said "Ski Jumping"  What!  Count me in.

PS: Matt Baxter ended up pursuing his love of climbing.  Moved west and fell from El Capitan in Yosemite.  Bad rope, bad luck.  Unlike Humpty Dumpty they couldn't put him back together again.

« Last Edit: June 07, 2019, 06:32:29 AM by Beasho »

WhatsSUP

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Re: Any 1970's skaters out there?
« Reply #38 on: June 07, 2019, 08:29:34 AM »
Beasho:  Love those pics!  Brings back major memories for me.  I jumped on my high school varsity team all 4 years  (Team Captain Junior/Senior year) back in the late 70's.  Jumped all thru the northeast.....favorite was the big hill at Williams College in Williamstown, MA, Good times!  Like you, I had a very very dear friend growing up who was an incredible skier (aerials) - he actually went on to join the Pepsi Team traveling as a roller skating pro.  Sadly, he broke his neck while messing around doing floor gymnastics one day.

Thx for the pics!!! Made my day!
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Dusk Patrol

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Re: Any 1970's skaters out there?
« Reply #39 on: June 08, 2019, 03:44:16 PM »
This thread has me getting sentimental about tube socks!
You guys were   (are?) :) hardcore.
We had hills being built out with housing developments. Names like Horizon Heights A, B & C. So always on the lookout for virgin tarmac for our version of downhilling. I had a lime green Bahne ... a 32” slab of fiberglass with those golden Cadillac wheels.
Then a G&S Fibreflex, dropping down to 28”. All about the cruising... And I still have it. At this rate maybe will be with me at my viking funeral : )
« Last Edit: June 08, 2019, 03:46:45 PM by Dusk Patrol »
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stoneaxe

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Re: Any 1970's skaters out there?
« Reply #40 on: June 09, 2019, 04:58:16 AM »
Very jealous....I started on metal wheels. Thought it sucked....never did much again. Now I wish I was 10 again....my town just built a real nice skatepark…..:)
Bob

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Re: Any 1970's skaters out there?
« Reply #41 on: June 09, 2019, 05:26:44 AM »
Very jealous....I started on metal wheels. Thought it sucked....never did much again. Now I wish I was 10 again....my town just built a real nice skatepark…..:)

Can you imagine how quickly you could have advanced with kick or thumb access to some of the parks that most towns have now?  Not the wrist-snapper, backyard, protruding screw head (ahhhh) crap that we used to piece together.  But, that was half the fun and it made those trips to the real parks that much more of an event. 

TallDude

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Re: Any 1970's skaters out there?
« Reply #42 on: June 09, 2019, 08:20:18 PM »
nice td--real shit!

you were a park/pool rat ripper-a tall rat!-effing concrete runouts trying new maneuvers aint for my body no mo!

water forgives
What shut me down was a major growing spurt. At 16, I grew from about 5'11 to 6'4 in about 6 months. My legs got weak, my hamstrings got tight, and my center was all off. I suddenly had these long stick legs that I couldn't control. I didn't have the strength to pump in a half-pipe anymore. 

And you're right. You have to be a little bit of a masochist, to skate in a skate-park. Water is way easier on my body. 
It's not overhead to me!
8'8" L-41 ST and a whole pile of boards I rarely use.

stoneaxe

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Re: Any 1970's skaters out there?
« Reply #43 on: June 13, 2019, 10:33:56 AM »
Wouldn't this have been nice to have in the 70's.
New skate park in town.
Bob

8-4 Vec, 9-0 SouthCounty, 9-8 Starboard, 10-4 Foote Triton, 10-6 C4, 12-6 Starboard, 14-0 Vec (babysitting the 18-0 Speedboard) Ke Nalu Molokai, Ke Nalu Maliko, Ke Nalu Wiki Ke Nalu Konihi

TallDude

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Re: Any 1970's skaters out there?
« Reply #44 on: June 13, 2019, 10:54:42 AM »
I can feel the adrenaline already..... and know the pain well ;D
It's not overhead to me!
8'8" L-41 ST and a whole pile of boards I rarely use.

 


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