Archive: July, 2012

Wait.. what was I just saying?

So if you hadn’t already noticed, the demo updates quickly became a bi-weekly recap, rather than a continuation of my wordy event by event start.

I can just hear hear Mick Jagger singing it.. ♫ ”Time is on my side” ♫ (drag that “time” out as long as you feel)

Well it isn’t, Mick.. It just isn’t. The free moments on a tour are a little more pitiful than plentiful. Sure you catch a break here and there.. but writing?.. maybe not.

I took on this little challenge though, and I’d feel a great big hole in my heart if I let you down. We can’t have that in our relationship. I like you too much.

Anyhoo, here we go:

Seattle was a good one. Nobody quite knew what to expect there, with a brand new park and a setting perched on a hill. This set-up may lead to some let down eyes unable to sneak a peek. Of course our friends from the parks board want to assist on that though.. and with some bleachers and some extra squeezing.. we’ll all make it work. As always, if it’s a little too much for anybody, there is plenty on site to keep you busy. Our tour sponsors are a special kind of special.

Everyone was excited, and as noted, the Jefferson Park decks were packed. Maybe packed is an understatement, but we did our best to afford the guys about a foot of clearance whenever possible. Sometimes that’s just how it goes.

Tony, despite being nice and beat down knew it might be time again to draw from the classics. Inverts, McTwists and 80′s variations are never a let down. There was plenty of the new too, but I guess I’m just drawn to what I know best. While him and Staab worked the big bowl with a big bunch of locals (a bowl with perfect walls btw) Shawn Hale and recent added guest Riley Hawk were busy winning the demo down in the shallow end. Jaws, Loy, Clive and Shags were all up in the mix and the skating was strong. Even I couldn’t tell through the masses, but based what I saw in the post photos, the rest of the guys were making the most of the “street” section all the while. Everyone went for the max time, and Staab stuck it out for just a few extra walls.

Those who do this thing we know as touring are usually all to aware that this move can lead to trouble. It wasn’t too long before I heard we were another man down. Ribs, again. Seems to be a sub-theme to the tour.

Wishing I had scheduled the drive a little differently, I hadn’t. The road waits for no one.. but the boarder patrol.. they play by their own rules.

Vancouver isn’t too far from Seattle. I know it well. This was once my zone. My van made good time of it, with a wheezy Staab keeping tune with the tracks.

With a simple explanation of what we were up to in Canada, were through the border and off to the hotel in no time. The questions were a little more for some of the vehicles, and after a return drive to Seattle and back up for one of them, we were going to make the most of who we had left.

Where I said we didn’t know what to expect with the previous demo. In the back of my mind, I knew how Vancouver can be. It’s know as Hollywood North for a reason. They see the stars all the time. It’s not that big of a deal. When we got to the park.. I was blown away. There they were, and so were we. I hadn’t see this many people out for something skate since the glory days of Slam City Jam.

The last demo on a tour is probably, and understandably the hardest. The guys are beat, broken and lesser in size than you started with. We still had Riley Hawk along for the ride, but it never hurts to pad things a little. Knowing we had some locals at the ready, the calls were out. Alex Chalmers, a kid known as “frontside” (aptly named) and some other rippers kept the big crown occupied. All the guys we had left in the posse really took it to it. The session, again, was sweet. Tony self called out some throwbacks to Expo ’86, and came through on the promises. Everyone killed it. I felt like I was on the move constantly to help fill the “insta” needs, but basically because the action was all over the place. It really was a good one, and with a final signature run, a now equally signature toss of a helmet.. the time had come. It was over. Actually the session kept going for just about everyone, but as always, for the sake of the story; That was it. Vancouver, and essentially another tour were a wrap.

That’s not where it ends though. There is always more to the tale.

I owe you, and still myself just one more of these. I’m going to find the time. It’s out there somewhere. Somebody get Mick Jagger on the phone. Maybe he’ll help me, since he’s apparently got it all figured out.

Bye for a moment, but let’s not make it forever.. K?

- Duper

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On 07.30.12 , In News, TOUR 2012 , by @dupedupe

Last stop: Vancouver

Today is the last stop of our Left Coast Tour. Everyone will be skating at 2pm at Hastings Skate Park in Vancouver B.C. Come out, say hi, and wish us a safe flight home tomorrow.

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On 07.28.12 , In News, TOUR 2012 , by bh

Seattle people

Bring your friends and family and those neighbors you don’t really talk to but wish you hung out with more to our skate demo tomorrow in Seattle.

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On 07.25.12 , In News, TOUR 2012 , by bh

Oh, were you still here? Sorry.. I was on my phone..

Sometimes on these skate tours, the smaller towns really are the most happening spots.

Not, perhaps in the hipster chic way you would think, but for generating a crowd who’s down to see some guys ripping around a park.. you can’t go wrong. We’ve had a couple of biggies since I last put fingers to keyboard, which was quite some time back. You already know the schedule.. it’s all over this site. But for the sake of clarity, we have visited both Grants Pass, OR and Spokane, WA respectfully. Fun times.

I don’t think it’s big news if you own a map that both of these towns are on the outskirts. They have their own deal as opposed to the bigger cities that represent their states.. but that’s the beauty. They don’t have something like us rolling through weekly and genuinely are just a lot less jaded. They welcome you with open arms, and many of them. Hot sweaty arms.. Yes.. but we very much appreciate you all coming out.

The skating at these stops has been on point. For reals. Tony and crew are holding it down. Hard. (and falling hard in some cases too)

I’d love to tell you a grand ‘ole tale of it all, but really, who’s got the time? We make the video edits on Ride Channel for a reason.. Go there. Now. Take a look and hang out a while. Subscribe maybe.. It’s neat.

Since you are on the internet anyways.. do a little shopping.

Might I suggest the sites of Activision, Techdeck, Quiksilver, YoYo Factory, Nixon, Olloclip and maybe even truth?? Well I just did, so there.

Oh yeah.. here’s a THPSHD download code for the lucky one of you, other than my lovely wife who is still reading this.

Go to Xbox Live Arcade: 7QFCQ-JJMPQ-7MK26-MQDCT-3DQHZ (you’re welcome)

I’ve got to get to the lobby. The never-ending story never ends. Well, except maybe for this one.

See you Thursday Seattle. No really. Be there… Don’t be the big city that blows it!

tata for now..

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On 07.25.12 , In News, TOUR 2012 , by @dupedupe

#4 and #5

Our video recap of Woodward Boreal and Grants Pass demo’s is now up. Huge thanks to everyone who made it out to both demo’s and had a good time with us.

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On 07.25.12 , In News, TOUR 2012 , by bh

Learn Backflips

During our week at Woodward West, Jaws learned backflips on a bike. Watch this for his trick tips.

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On 07.25.12 , In News , by bh

Washington Idaho

If you’re in the Spokane, WA area or those western parts of Idaho, you’re going to be privy to a nice skate demo by us at 4pm at Hillyard Skate Park.

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On 07.24.12 , In News, TOUR 2012 , by bh

Tomorrow in Oregon

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On 07.20.12 , In News, TOUR 2012 , by bh

Over the hills and (not) far away

Woodward Tahoe is just a short drive up the hill from Sacramento.

The trip is a couple hours packed with all the scenery and such you’d expect to see on a drive like this. What with the trees, the lakes, and maybe a little wildlife to boot.. how could you not just take it all in and enjoy it? (The car I’m driving completely managed to, by spending the time instead with phone interviews and discussing the nuances of the new, new wave music etc, but that’s kind of an everyday story..)

It’s all just so peaceful up here in these mountains, back to basics, but still in the bubble that is California.

Quite a few of our team guys, including Tony, were here just shy of a month ago for the grand opening of the facility. Being the first brand (#birdhouseskateboards) to come through here since then on a tour, we had the benefit of most of them knowing what to expect, rather than the standard of adjusting to a new spot in the limelight, as is kind of common.

The campus at Woodward is divided. Not in some civil war fashion of us against them, but more in a filling up space kind of way. You are welcomed by a big, non-descript bunker in the parking lot (I’ll assume the usual 3-4 people we see every day who seem to do a brisk bit of business on the internet’s online market place won’t be there to greet you like us.. but I digress)

So yeah.. big bunker, packed with fun. There’s a street course, booters of all kinds and a trampoline area that I am convinced was designed, not necessarily for the training they do there, as much as a playground for the big bunch of dummies we are.

This isn’t where we were though come demo time. See it’s hard mixing campers and public, so it was decided it would be best to focus things elsewhere.That somewhere came along a great paved goat trail that winds and rolls and winds some more on it’s way to the awaiting miniramp where pavement meets it’s dirty end. It’s not a short walk, but very much worth a ride down if you’ve got some wheels.

When we got to the top, there was an intimate and interactive crowd keeping busy at the booths of the brands along for our ride, or staking out the best spots to see it all go down.

Back tracking for a sec here.. you know that benefit that I mentioned earlier? In a way, we were lucky to have that on our side. See, most of the guys had gone out on a skate mission the day before.. and kept the spots going until 5am. The footage and photos were at an all time high, but that can come at a price. I know our team well though, and presented with anything to terrorize, regardless of how tired.. It goes without saying they’ll take it on.

Everyone had their bag of tricks down but there were a couple standouts for sure. Shawn Hale is a miniramp slayer so he sort of goes without saying, but another Shaun, in the form of Gregoire, had some heat out there that I took notice of too.

Clive Dixon took a different approach to the day with a unique 50-50 option on the top rail, but i’ll just tease that for now. See it soon in a RIDE Channel edit near you. Also in the highlight reel; I’d go with the doubles runs of Jaws and Loy, which were pretty fun to see, then you have a couple up and over doubles with Loy blasting over a too tall Tony, throw in a few of 80′s era ramp jam tricks, including a long lost varial invert and a special Vancouver call out..

Put a bow on it, and there you’ve got the demo that was Woodward.. at Tahoe. In California.

Onwards and upwards (map humor) to Grants Pass, OR. Saturday. 2pm. Be there..or don’t.. but It’d be a lot cooler if you did.

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On 07.19.12 , In News, TOUR 2012 , by @dupedupe

#leftcoasttour

Hey everyone…be sure to follow #leftcoasttour for all the latest photos and info from the Birdhouse tour happening NOW!

http://web.stagram.com/tag/leftcoasttour/

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On 07.17.12 , In News , by bh

3 days in…

Here is the video recap of our first three days on the Left Coast Tour. Enjoy it as much as we did.

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On 07.17.12 , In News, TOUR 2012, Tours , by bh

Catching up on the visuals

Tony doing an invert on the ramp after the sun dropped behind the grandstands.

Just built the vert ramp and took this photo of the grandstands and the blue sky as a back drop at CalExpo at the Sacramento State Fair

We did a signing at Circle A Skate shop in San Jose. The line went out the door and through the plaza. Good times and thanks for the hospitality.

Jaws eyeing up the drop.

Jaws wanted to try the drop in from the tombstone at Lake Cunningham Skate Park but didn’t have pads, so Cab decided to lend him his.

The pool party at Lake Cunningham Skate Park in San Jose on Sunday, July 15th.

Jaws, wallride wars.

The guys from YoYo Factory made David Loy a custom YoYo.

: First stop of our Left Coast Tour at Santa Clarita Skate Park in Santa Clarita on Saturday, July 14th. Tony, Staab, Jaws, and Loy skated the bowl while the rest of the guys skated the park.

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On 07.17.12 , In News, Video , by bh

Page 1 of 312 3 »

Archive: July, 2012

Wait.. what was I just saying?

Last stop: Vancouver

Seattle people

Oh, were you still here? Sorry.. I was on my phone..

#4 and #5

Learn Backflips

Washington Idaho

Tomorrow in Oregon

Over the hills and (not) far away

#leftcoasttour

3 days in…

Catching up on the visuals

Team

Product

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