Spring Break BBQ 2013

Mar 16,2013 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

March 15^th, 2013 started off Spring Break with a bang or two for the kids at Chuck Bailey Skate Park where Hippie Mike and the CBYPC organized and held a little Bike/Skate Jam in the Bowl along with a free BBQ.

Everyone was invited and lots showed up. There were some Best Trick Comps for the different age groups and Mike handed out a bunch of prizes, but mostly it was just about hanging out together with some tunes blastin’ and having a good time. Amazing job once again for the City of Surrey building a Skate Park with a covered section, proving the opportunity for another successful event that ran while the rain was pouring down. It’s a luxury to have.

Thanks to all the sponsors that supported – Protest Skateboards, Ollie North, Coastal Riders, Street Dreamz, AXS Gear, Bike Zone, Fiend, Ten Pack, Almond, Norco, RDS, Fallen and Safeway.

And thanks to all who came out to skate, it was great fun.

Adam Hopkins and Max Bayko shredded the deep end along with Allen Handley, Andy Anderson and Grant while the young bucks all shredded in the mini ramps. JR Barron and Riley threw down lots of tech tricks and Theo and Django Caseley impressed the crowd with their tranny skills. Especially Django at 6 years old dropping in on his knees and grinding coping in the 7 foot – Crazy!

Best Trick in the Deep was pretty tight. Hopkins was obviously killing it but didn’t want to win of course, so it was pretty much between Max, Allen and Grant. Max was hitting every tough transfer in the place, but it was riding between Allen Handley’s Melon Grab Feeble Grind Fakie and a sick handplant by Grant for 1^st place. Then at the last moment and final attempts, Max Bayko busted out a clean Nocomply Tailslide across the big wall. He shut it down and took home a sweet Protest Deck and Tshirt. Everyone that showed up got some sort of prize, ate too many hot dogs, and most of them left in a new Protest Skateboards Tshirt. That’s how we do it…

Here’s a couple photos of the older dudes having fun on the big wall

Hippie Mike's Messed Up Mind The Man I Am

Been Old for a Long Time – but that don’t stop us

Mar 14,2013 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

Entering into the One Love Kickoff Contest in a special 30 & Over Category last weekend brought back some funny memories of back in the old days when by age I was still pretty young, but even then felt way too old. My favourite series of contests is the Bowl Series specifically for the reason that I’m not even close to the oldest competitor, but they are great because it shows a fact of how the older guys still rule the bowls, and even these young rippers have trouble placing against dudes in their 40’s.

I want to go back in time and tell you about a story from a contest held at the Skate Park in New West, and I’m not talking about Queensborough. I’m talking about the real New West Park on 8^th St, old style bowl with coping in strange places, and tons of speed lines as long as you’re prepared to push 15 times as hard as you can before going into the bowl. It was a great park in it’s hayday, produced some solid skaters like Damon Kerr and Lil’ G, David Helmer, Ross Mcleister, and Dennis – you know Dennis. Between Lil’ G and Alex Chalmers, I think every gap remotely possible in this park has been done. I used to always say I hate New West Skate Park, but then I would always place Top 3 in every contest there, it was strange, there was something about that place that just fit my style back then I guess. So 1 day in about 2005 or 2006, Ross and Dennis decided to hold a competition there. The Bowl Series had removed New West off there map for contest locations so nothing else was ever happening there. These guys decided to throw a “Low Budget” contest and tons of people showed up. It was back when I was Team Manager for Substance Skate Shop and I showed up with a good chunk of the Crew – Jon Irvine, Cisco Gooding, Stu Benoit, Jay Mykyte, Drew Boyle, and of course Homer came for moral support. So they had a category called the Washed Up Category and you either needed to be Too Old, Too Injured, or Too Drunk to skate in the normal Advanced Category. Some of us fit all 3 of those assets. So there was only 3 of us in this category and really only 2 of us had the ability to win – me and Barry. I can’t remember Barry’s last name but I would recognize his face in a second after this day.

So our turn happened later in the day and we were all feeling extra comfortable on our boards. The run began and off we went, I was killin’ it inside the bowl and on the outer obstacles. Ross and Dennis had no sound equipment for this event so there was just music blasting really loudly from a big ghettoblaster and then they would yell their instructions across the park. So of course it was really difficult to know what the hell was going on most of the time. So I thought that I heard them yell out “Last Tricks” and so I shot this crazy line through both bowls carving and wrapping in figure 8 loops as fast as I could and then finishing it off with a wild wallride across the ledge on top of the bank, and I fell riding away. So I went over and sat around in our Surrey Corner, had a few sips and hung out for about 5-10 minutes. Then I got up and went back to land the line. This dude Rob filmed it and afterward he gave me a big hi five and said how awesome that line was. I just returned with, “Yeah, too bad I couldn’t land it in my run though.” That’s when Rob looked at me funny and said, “Dude, it is your run…”

So I went over and asked Ross and he was like, yeah you’re run’s still going. And I’m thinking what the hell has been happening during this 10 minute minute pitstop I just took, so I just ran back onto my board and started tearing it up again. So we’re going for like another 5 minutes or so and then I hear Ross yell out “Last Tricks”. This time, I know I heard it, so I drop a clean nose manual 360 shovit right in front of them and the crowd went crazy, then Barry busts a solid bigspin flip on the bank and the crowd went crazy; so I do a kickflip manual kickflip, Barry ollies some crazy gap, so I do a hands in the pockets kickflip on the bank, Barry tosses something on the quarter pipe, and it just kept going and going and going until finally Ross just told us to stop, and said it was a Tie!! I think we must have skated for like 25 minutes just the 2 of us, and we probably landed way more tricks then all the other guys that weren’t in the “Washed Up” Category. And after all that we each won $10 and a Tshirt. The shirt I won was an AXS Gear shirt, which I was already and still am sponsored by, and I paid for 4 people to enter at $5 each, so I was still out $10.

But it was a great battle that I’ll never forget about, and the crowd got a major Demo out of us that day.

Whether you like New West Skate Park or not, it’s always a good time…

Contests Extreme Sports Skateboarding Upcoming Events

Spring Break BBQ @ Chuck Bailey

Mar 12,2013 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

Join the CBYPC and Hippie Mike at Chuck Bailey this Friday March 15^th, 2013 4-8pm for a BBQ and Jam Session. We’ll be giving away Hot Dogs, playing music, having fun together and celebrating the fact that all you kiddies are out of school for a couple weeks.

Prizes to be won for Skateboarding and BMX.

Dogs will be ready around 5

Extreme Sports Hippie Mike Skateboarding Team Riders

Hippie Mike at Chuck Bailey – Winter Styles

Mar 7,2013 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

Way back at the end of January, during that nasty spell of Cold and Foggy Winter, I met up with Ty Williamson, aka Tyler the Film Creator at Chuck Bailey Skate Pak and filmed this little montage. It was a tough day for filming as the entire park was soaked when he arrived. I threw down a couple quick tricks on the mini barrier and then proceeded over to the flat bank where I tripped over my own feet after landing primo and knocked my knee slightly out of place. This happens often when you don’t have an MCL. We finished off filming anyway and later that night the old knee popped back into its proper position.

I know I’m not the best skateboarder out there anymore and it’s difficult to compete with the crazy kids of today, but I will point out that I haven’t seen anyone do 95% of the tricks in this montage. Especially when there’s ice on the ground….

Peace – Love – Respect

Skateboard for Life

Hippie Mike's Messed Up Mind The Bob Marley Quote of the Month

What we Know is Just What They Teach us

Mar 7,2013 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

In life, it is easy to be ignorant and just believe in everything you are told or taught. The media is the number one criminal for pulling you along in a story and having you itching to find out what’s gonna happen next, and the school system is just as bad sometimes for only teaching one-sided opinions. Just because there is a text book about it doesn’t mean it’s the only information out there.

We’ve been through this before recognizing the fact that all people are different, they have different interests, follow different religions, and believe in different ways of living. If we are not all the same, then why are we all forced to listen to the same content as if it is the only information that exists. We must stand up for our beliefs and express our feelings in a positive way by exploring the truth behind the lies we have been forced to listen to over the years and figure out how to change the world from having to experience the same ignorance.

I quote Bob Marley in a very powerful song, Ambush in the Night, from the most powerful album he produced, Survival –

“They say what we know is just what they teach us

And we’re so ignorant ’cause every time they can’t reach us

Through political strategy they keep us hungry”

This song was written just days after an attempt to assassinate Bob Marley in 1976. It talks about the political and economic turmoil that was constantly happening in Jamaica during this time frame and reminds us all not to trust anyone. As Bob Marley was pushing more and more towards freedom for all and creating the bonds of unity in Jamaica, some people were against his beliefs. And they did with Malcolm X, John Lennon and JFK, when they don’t like your beliefs and the force that you are creating, they try to put an unjust stop to it.

Do not trust the government, do not believe everything you are taught. Realize that we are all just fish in a barrel, expected to live a certain way, and those who explore other possibilities can easily be removed from the barrel and flushed down the toilet.

Bob Marley was extremely lucky that he was not killed during this attempt and it gave him more strength and more power as he continued to make music that changed the world.

[youtube id=”QwSYknuIBgA” width=”620″ height=”360″]

Extreme Sports Hippie Mike Skateboarding Team Riders

Further On Up The Road Hippie Mike Finds Ollie North

Mar 5,2013 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

The times are always changin’ and it gets tough to keep up sometimes, but one thing that’s always kept me goin’ is my skateboard. After many years of living life as a skater I’ve always been able to adjust with the changes. As I get older, I get wiser, but I also seem to get bigger and slower. And it makes it tough to be who you were back when you were just growing up annihilating the streets and livin’ life in your Glory Daze. But I always find my way home.

Surrey is the place I call home, and I’m very proud of what I have helped to create in this city for the skateboard community to enjoy. But as the population of skateboarders seemed to be constantly growing here in Surrey, the population of Skate Shops was diminishing. And now there is only 1 true “Skater Owned and Operated” Skateboard Shop left in this city.

So I went on a search to find that little shop hidden away in the heart of Cloverdale, venturing through the streets and skate parks of surrey until I finally got there. It was calling my name to come home.

I found my destination, took off my jacket and prepared to stay a while.

Hippie Mike has returned to Surrey

And joined Ollie North

Extreme Sports Skateboarding Video Reviews

Kilian Martin – Artistic Maniac

Mar 3,2013 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

Another amazing and unique video montage of Kilian Martin created by Brett Novak. Named “Internal Departure”, it looks like it was filmed in some art gallery somewhere. Either way, it another chance for you to boggle your brain trying to figure out half the tricks that Kilian lays down. Primo Slide to Crooked Grind… what?

It awesome because there isn’t much comparison for Kilian Martin’s skateboarding style other than Rodney Mullen, but even at that, they are very different. Rodney Mullen invented tricks that changed the world of skateboarding forever and helped it to progress to the point it’s at today. Kilian lives in the generation of today where boards have not changed for almost 2 decades and the population of skateboarders around the world are fixed in their ways. The only other younger skateboarder I can think to relate to Kilian is William Spencer. Not that they do any of the same tricks, but they relate by being inventors. Maybe we could have a battle video between them one day like the old Rodney Mullen vs. Daewon Song (A-Team vs. World Industries) videos…

Watch this new video of Kilian and be amazed by his talent once again, and if you’re interested in seeing him skate live, make sure you show up to The World Round-Up Freestyle Championships this May 17-20 at The Cloverdale Rodeo.

Uncategorized

Keepin’ it Real

Feb 28,2013 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

Jenkem Magazine released an article focused on how the true companies behind the real success of skateboarding are the smaller, unknown ones. And this is a great point. It features the background of Pontus Alv and Polar Skateboards and how he has encouraged the skateboarders of today. We have to always thank people like George Powell and Stacy Peralta, along with Tony Hawk and the other true hardcores of the 80’s who never let skateboarding die for helping it get to the point it is at today, but has it gone too far? Is it now so popular that too many mainstream companies like Nike, New Balance, and Target are trying to take over our industry. How many awesome skate companies from the 90’s have been sold to some mainstream company now that the original owners would have considered embarrassing and illegal to even accept sponsorship from back in their Glory Daze? It’s sad. The world has definitely changed, and people have forgotten their roots.

But there will always be those independently owned companies that don’t sell out, and really don’t sell anything, but just love to promote skateboarding.

This article written by Rich Kaminski brings us back to the reality of before the times when skateboarders were striking gold mines by doing the same tricks over and over at a bunch of big televised competitions. And it reminds the next generation to stop following the trends and worrying about what the next big trick everyone is learning is, and just to go skateboard and enjoy it. Invent something on your own for once.

Life as a skateboarder was never supposed to be about being rich and famous, skateboarding originated from the rebels, the outcasts, and the unwanted. And that’s where it belongs. No matter how big it becomes, there will always be the “True Skateboarders of the World” who understand this, the difficult part will be getting the message through to all the ignorant kids in the next generations that think they are going to turn pro, get rich, and die laughing…

It reminds me as to why I created Protest Skateboards 10 years ago. I was always an outcast, usually pushed away from society, and never fully understood. I preached for what I believed in everywhere I went, and didn’t care whether people respected me for it or not. I had goals to change the world to be more accepting to our society, and I’ve worked hard to achieve those goals. Protest Skateboards is a small company that lots of people will never know ever existed, but that’s the way I like it, that’s what it was meant to be.

Real Skateboarders skateboarding for the love of skateboarding…

Take a read of this awesome article that Rich put together. Here are some of the most influential quotes I could pull out of it for those quick skimmers out there, but if you have 10 minutes, definitely click the link and read the whole thing

“These smaller companies reinforce what is arguably the most sacred realm of the skateboard industry and maybe even the subculture in general.”

“When bigger companies, regardless of what they make or who owns them, become repetitive and rely on merely copying one another, the subculture and its participants suffer for it.”

“These brands are forcing people to think about the companies they support and what they represent both inside the skateboarding world and outside of it. They are telling skaters that what they ride says as much about their point of view and their idea of skating as the skaters they like or the photos they hang on their walls.”

“We should not simply watch and forget the daily dose of online videos, go to the same boring skate park to learn the next logical trick, buy whatever gear is needed regardless of what the company does or does not stand for. These brands, knowingly or not, are saying that skateboarding has changed all of our lives and it’s about time we start treating it with the respect and thought it deserves.”

http://www.jenkemmag.com/home/2013/02/11/the-focus-on-independent-board-companies-and-why-its-important-to-us/?fb_action_ids=10151406737704214&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=246965925417366

Support Local Companies and Skaters, support Small Businesses with a Meaning, and support Real Skateboarders.

Extreme Sports Glory Daze Hippie Mike Skateboarding

GLORY DAZE – Episode 8 Dominic Devries – Dominating the Earth

Feb 26,2013 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

Welcome to Episode 8 of GLORY DAZE with Hippie Mike. Today we’re chillin’ out at Bonsor Skate Park in Metrotown with the kid I simply call “The Dominator”. He’s young and full of talent, and wins a lot of competitions. His sponsors include Chance Skateboards, Volcom and Vans Shoes. He recently won Wild in the Parks last year and was also named King of Surrey for winning the most Hippie Mike’s Tour de Surrey contests in 2012, give it up for Dominic Devries!!

Hippie Mike: Welcome Dominic. Please, tell the world how old you are and how long you’ve been skateboarding

Dominic Devries: I’m 16 years old and started skating when I was 9

HM: What was the first experience you remember as the moment you decided that you loved skateboarding?

Dominic: Um, my cousin got me a Hulk Skateboard on my 9^th birthday and I just had a lot of fun with that. And I just kept skating since then

HM: You just broke your arm for the second time last September, what are some of the worst injuries you’ve had?

Dominic: Well, those are probably the worst, but I’ve broken my elbow twice too. Yeah, and my foot

HM: Ouch… Do you ever just feel warn out and tired, and not want to skate anymore?

Dominic: No, never

HM: Tell us the best accomplishment you’ve had as a skater

Dominic: Probably the biggest one was winning the “Element – Make it Count” contest here at Bonsor

HM: Cool. Who are the people that influence you the most?

Dominic: Um, I don’t know, I like watching Micky Papa skate. He stokes me up to do new tricks and stuff

HM: Okay, I notice in the contests that the other kids cheer for everyone but you during the runs, almost like they’re more depressed when you land stuff than excited. Does that hurt your feelings at all?

Dominic: Not at all

HM: Does it pump you up?

Dominic: It doesn’t pump me up, or stoke me up, it’s just…

HM: Just Life?

Dominic: Yeah, it’s just life…

HM: Do you think you’ll ever become a Top Name Pro?

Dominic: I don’t know, no idea. Hopefully, that would be pretty cool (laughs)

HM: Are we gonna see Dominic Devries on the TV tearing up X Games or Street League some day?

Dominic: Maybe (laughs)

HM: So I gave you the nickname “The Dominator” a couple years ago. Do you like it?

Dominic: Uh, yeah. It’s cool, but… sometimes people make fun of me for it (laughs)

HM: Last year you won your share of competitions, and you finally accomplished winning the King of Surrey Trophy at my Series with three 1^st Place and two 2^nd Place finishes out of the 5 contests. How did that feel?

Dominic: It felt good. That was one of my goals last year

HM: Name your 3 favourite Skate Parks

Dominic: Probably Bonsor, Chuck Bailey and Plaza

HM: 3 favourite Street Spots

Dominic: Granville 8, and uh… Terry Fox Plaza, and maybe… Hot Spot

HM: 3 Best Tricks you’ve ever landed

Dominic: Probably Tre Flip down the 12, and Kickflip Front Board down Bricktown 10, and…. maybe front blunt shove on Granville 8

HM: Nice!, and the 3 coolest people you’ve ever skated with

Dominic: Mark Appleyard, Chad Tim Tim, and, and I saw Nyjah Huston for a bit (smiles)

HM: Nice. So, what’s next for The Dominator in 2013?

Dominic: Uh, skating a lot, going to lots of contests, and filming lots

HM: Okay. Well Dominic, I’d like to thank you for being on GLORY DAZE with Hippie Mike. I’ve been watching you grow up as a skateboarder for a few years now and I am always stoked when you show up. You’re one of my favourite people to watch skate and I know a lot of kids look up to you. I wish you all the best in your future and really hope to see you on the TV someday getting paid for doing what you love – The Dominator everybody!!

Check out the montage of 2012 Summer from The Dominator

[youtube id=”limN2Qz7oW4″ width=”620″ height=”360″]

Extreme Sports Skateboarding Video Reviews

Little Long-Hair LeTourneau – Ain’t so Little no More

Feb 22,2013 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

In the 8 1/2 years I worked at The Cloverdale Youth Centre, I got to know a lot of kids and William LeTourneau was always one of my favourites. I remember him when he first started skateboarding, super long hair, and just loved to flow. He looked up to Mitch Salter back then and they were two of the few that would actually venture into the nasty assed death bowl at the Cloverdale Skate Park with speed and air that peninsula. Back then William could cruise that park and was just hittin’ up early grabs and coping grinds all over the place, but as he got older, and trimmed that hair so it was only hangin’ down to ears, he fell into the traps of those ledge skating locals proving himself to be an all around shredder. I think that skaters who learn in tranny first and then pick up the street tricks seem to have a better sense of commitment on their boards. They’re used to stayin’ on, grindin’ long, and goin’ big. Look at Andy Anderson – perfect example.

William LeTourneau has been ripping for many years now and has won his share of prizes in the past as well. I was there when he started, I was there when he quit and started again, I was there when he had long hair, I was there when he chopped it, and I’m still there – lovin’ to see another natural skateboarder grow up strong.

Keep it up buddy!! Can’t wait to see what’s next…

1 … 22 23 24 25 26 … 54

Author Archives: Hippie Mike