Hi. I'm Hippie Mike!

Hippie Mike is a man of many talents, many skills and many creations. A master of construction, Mike loves to build and create unique and custom projects, but he also takes the same mind frame to everything else he does.

Feb 6,2014 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

After many years of many people putting in a lot of effort towards constructing Leeside Tunnel into a concrete skate park, the rights to use the space were suddenly jeopardized. On the night of January 21^st 2014, 2 men walked into the tunnel and lit fire to an area that was set up with forms and fill to build the next big piece to the park. This fire got hot fast and actually burnt through the concrete of the wall causing it to crumble and leave bare re-bar showing. All of a sudden the city of Vancouver had cause to worry, and this has happened before in the past. At that time the city actually did try to shut down this place by filling it with gravel and steam rolling it down. Every day since the skaters started to build concrete obstacles down there there was always the concern that the city would just come down one day and bulldoze it all down, but we kept on building. And it got to a point where the city accepted it and knew it was happening. Now an issue like this makes for scary moments.

According to Anti Social Skate Shop, the Vancouver Parks Board has responded in the best way they could. The Engineers who showed up to inspect reported that the structural damage is not a s serious as we feared. The city will take initiative to pressure wash the smoke damage and do whatever repairs necessary right away and hopefully the Leeside Memorial Tunnel will reopen in the next week or 2 which means the construction can continue.

This is a great lesson to everyone in many ways and it always comes down to one main lesson – never take things for granted. We work so hard as a group to build something amazing, and then 1 or 2 people ruin it for everyone just like that. The tunnel will reopen luckily, but there are still 2 guilty people out there who need to be caught…

Watch for random fundraisers coming up to help bring this place back to life.<b

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Original Seylynn Bowl Blueprints for Sale

Jan 31,2014 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

Calen Sinclair was a man who loved parabolic curves, the defining beauty of every woman on this earth, and we love him for this desire as that is what he focused most on when he designed our beautiful mother of Canadian skateboard parks in 1978 – Seylynn Bowl.

Did you know that Seylynn Skate Park is now 35 years old and they are trying to make it a Heritage site which will protect it and preserve it forever? Pretty awesome! Did you also know that you can purchase copies of the original Blueprints of this historic piece of Canadian Skateboarding? Check it out here, there are 2 versions, one that is framed, signed and dated by Calen Sinclair himself, or another that is just a poster style print. Both are sweet!

Seylynn Bowl has helped to build skateboarding in Vancouver to what it has become. So many legends of the world travelled there to skate in competitions throughout the 1980’s including Tony Hawk, Steve Caballero and many more, but it also molded some legends of its own like Carlos Longo, Alex Chalmers and the forever missed Carver Don Hartley. Every skate park has history, but not too many have as much as this one. Jump on the horse and grab some memorabilia while you can. And while you’re spending money, make sure you garb a copy of one of the coolest documentaries ever made – The Seylynn Story, by George Faulkner

http://seylynn.bigcartel.com/

Hippie Mike's Messed Up Mind The Man I Am

Inspired to Make a Change

Jan 28,2014 / By Hippie Mike / 2 Comments

Recently there has been a lot of emotion in my life and it’s well overdue to come to this. As you grow older lots of things tend to happen, you learn who your true friends are, you start to lose a lot of people close to you and you begin to really learn who you are and who you have become. Although some people might have guessed me to be older, I’m only 35 years old, but I have done a lot in those 35 years. Being a skateboarder for 28 of those years has helped me become the person I am by giving me the senses of commitment of creativity and dedication of following through and getting things done.

I love when people judge skateboarders as children and look at guys my age and say things like, “When are you going to grow up?” The funny part is there’s a reason that people think that I’m older than I am and the reason comes down to me being a skateboarder for my whole life. Skateboarders tend to mature faster than other people, we have more danger in our lives and have to premeditate a lot of what we do, and we all go through lots of injuries which makes us learn how to overcome difficult times and push ourselves to succeed, but most of all we are one of the only “societies” where everyone hangs out together no matter what their age, which benefits the young kids to have more mentorship in their lives and help them grow up faster with extra guidance. And this is where my frame of mind has been going lately, continuing to provide that leadership and mentorship to all those around, but more in the sense of creating more leaders and mentors. In skateboarding we were always pushed away, and opportunities were taken from us.

The skaters of the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s were not spoiled with skate parks and in honesty were not as tight knit with each others groups. But times have changed a lot and we have all learned acceptance. We now know that if your a skateboarder than we’re on the same team, and this team will fight the battle to the finish line to win our rights to be skateboarders for life and not have ignorant people ask us when we are going to grow up. If you’re with me on this say your opinion and let me know how it makes you feel to be part of this revolution. We are here to make a change, to help better the world, and to provide straight pathways to success for our next generation.

Are you with me?

Extreme Sports Skateboarding

Getting Authentic at Chuck Bailey

Jan 23,2014 / By Protest Skateboards / No Comment

Authentic Board Supply has been open for almost 3 months now and it was time for the boys to put on a show at Chuck Bailey. It was more about having fun then showing off since everyone around there knows the crew already. The team consists of 7 skaters which 2 couldn’t be there for the demo, Shawn Beaupre was working and Surrey Stu was helping with the clean up at Leeside after last nights fire. So that left Dominic Devries, Andy Anderson, Jay Mykyte, Hippie Mike and Calvin Dignard, but Calvin is down with a bad sprained ankle so he took over the MC roll and let Hippie Mike do some skating. Between Dom and Andy there was plenty to watch as they both missioned around the entire park landing everything they tried. Dominic did a lot of different flip tricks into rail tricks and Andy just made up tricks everywhere he went until Mike called him out to start airing the whole volcano. The crowd was blessed with 2 massive melons over the top by Andy and that shut it down a bit.

Some Best Trick comps started up, one for the young bucks and one for the older. The first one was for the kids on the gap over the quarter pipe. Weston Hutchinson got it started with a nollie pop shovit and Josh Lewis followed him up with a couple mean 180’s. A few other tricks went down but these 2 won the beanies.

The second Best Trick was for the older dudes on the flat ledges. Trevor Greig was trying 5-0 to switch crook shovits but couldn’t quite hold on. The two to watch on this contest were Andrew Classon and Ryan Barron. Ryan struggles sometime in competition, mainly because he only tries really hard tricks, but he usually does well in Best Tricks. Tonight was no exception as he stuck down a long manual reverted into a switch crook and bigspin out into the bank, and Andrew Classon showed everyone how easy it is to nollie crook nollie heelflip out. They took home a Hoodie and Deck respectively.

After the best tricks there was a video played on the wall of the building. It was all the original Authentic Welcome to the Team videos, but due to technical difficulties it got cut off just before the end. The crowd had a good time and the team skated solid. It was a good show…

Extreme Sports Skateboarding

Authentic to the Core

Jan 21,2014 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

au·then·tic

[aw-then-tik] Show IPA

adjective

not false or copied; genuine; real: an authentic antique.

It’s funny, when I chose to open up a Skate Shop we were throwing names around back and forth trying to come up with something that was unique, but still meant something really cool that related to skateboarding, to the City of Surrey, and of course to myself – Hippie Mike. The shitty part was, every single name I thought of myself had been over used before. At first when this name Authentic was thought up I honestly questioned it, not really feeling it. I didn’t like Authentic Skate Shop, or Authentic Board Shop, but Authentic Board Supply had an interesting ring to it, and as I said it to myself a few times, I started listening to it, and I wanted to know more about that title – Authentic…

I hit up the old dictionary and read the first line of the definition: Not false or copied; Genuine; Real: and Authentic Antique – all of a sudden I was attached to this name. I’m as far from being false as it gets, I’m straight to the core, plus I don’t copy people in anything; The word Genuine made me think of all the changes I helped make in the community over the past decade and how Surrey has such an awesome skate scene now; Real, it couldn’t be more real, I was ready to quit a job with the government after 11 years which I got to help make a lot of decisions in many different ways to run a skateboard shop; and this skateboard shop will be a piece of Surrey’s History Book forever no matter how long it lasts definitely making it an Authentic Antique. Then I started thinking Wow, this is getting serious, this is “As Real as it Gets” and the slogan stuck in my brain. All of a sudden, everything just clicked.

I love having the new Skate Shop and so many people are stoked to see it in Surrey, especially right in old Whalley. We’ve been super blessed with having lots of customers and everybody smiles in our store, it feels great. And the awesome part is now I get to continue to create all these sweet events for people to enjoy but have it promote something that is mine. Thank you all for your support and positive vibes. We’ve already made quite a few things happen in the community and there is plenty more to come.

Here’s what’s going on right now:

Authentic Team Demo and Video showing at Chuck Bailey Skate Park:

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

6-8pm

Surrey What! Saturdays:

New team rider video on the site every Saturday

Fast Times Fridays (Indoor Skate Spot):

Every Friday 3-6pm

Alice McKay building on the Cloverdale Fairgrounds

Skate School Lessons:

February 12-March 5 Ages 6-12

Alice McKay building on the Cloverdale Fairgrounds

And there’s a contest coming up February 8^th, stay tuned to the website for details.

If you haven’t been to the shop, come on in for a visit any day of the week 10am-6pm

Unit#1-10604 King George Blvd

or visit us online

www.authenticboardsupply.com

@authenticboardsupply

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Authentic-Board-Supply-CO/247256658759258?ref=hl

Extreme Sports Merrick Orr Skateboarding Team Riders Video Reviews

Is Merrick Orr the next David Gonzales?

Jan 9,2014 / By Hippie Mike / 1 Comment

I got my first impression of young Merrick Orr on July 1^st of 2013 at the annual Canada Day skateboard competition kickoff to Bowl Series at Seylynn Bowl. This was the 19^th year for Bowl Series and I’ve been at this event for about the past 12 years which is ironic since this kid was only 13 years old at that time. I had noticed him come into the park with his Mom and a true Seylynn legend Carlos Longo, and he even looked a lot like Carlos with scraggly hair and that rocker style. He had already caught my eye before he stepped on his board, but then he dropped in and started annihilating the place. Poppin’ crail grabs and kickflips over the hips and just cruising hard with full speed ahead mentality, everyone was checking out Merrick, and a lot of people were saying the line “Is this the next David Gonzales or what?” It was right around the time when David’s insane part had just dropped so he was fresh on the brain, but man did this kid skate like him, and look like him too…

Merrick was killing the park all day and was ready to join in the Advanced category which is super awesome for any 13 year old, especially at the oldest skate park around. His run began and he tried to ollie every hip on the way down the snake run making the common mistake of smashing his head going over the last hip into the deep end which is actually referred to as “Head Bang” because of how many people who have hit their head on it. He was dazed and confused but still wanted to skate and it took me, his Mom and Carlos to drag him over to his chair and sit him down. Merrick was hurt physically, but even more scarred mentally that he wouldn’t be able to compete that day. We told him it was for the best and kept him sitting down. Of course once the Advanced Finals started there he suddenly appeared back in full motion. I knew right then that this kid was determined to skateboard.

Merrick came out to all the comp that summer travelling over from Vancouver Island every time. He lives in Sooke and wanted to get down in the Vancouver scene. I think he did a great job impressing people because we all know him simply as Merrick and love to watch him skate. This kid is gonna be around a long time, and he actually may just be the next David Gonzales, or maybe he’s the next Carlos Longo just in a different era. Either way, he stokes me up big time.

Check out his latest edit filmed and edited by Shawn Rowbottom and give this kid some props. He picks out the nastiest, gnarliest and most unskateable spots and lays it down

Extreme Sports Hey Japan Man Skateboarding

Fabric Skate Shop’s Year End Party

Jan 7,2014 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

Happy New Year I hope you are all had a great time with your family and friends. This was my first Christmas and New Year’s abroad, and it was a lot of fun. Over the winter break I went to a year-end party hosted by Fabric Skate Shop. Kojima and Saori are truly amazing people for hosting this kind event and have always been incredibly welcoming since I first arrived here. I got to meet tons of people who I kind of already knew from Shin-Yokohama Park but didn’t really talk to as I was too focused on my skating and they weren’t sure if I spoke Japanese. In Canada, I almost always practice by-myself and completely zone into my own skating completely ignoring my surroundings, but now that I’m here, I think I’m going to try and change that a little this year and try to reach out to some of the other skaters here a bit more.

At the party we ate freshly cut sushi off a skateboard with skate videos of the shop-team playing when I noticed “holy crap that’s White-Rock“. Apparently the Lower Mainland’s reputation extends all the way over here too as some people were talking about their skateboard experiences in Vancouver and their favourite spots. I felt right at home talking with these guys who know what skating in the lower mainland is all about. It was a great time and I was stoked to be invited.

I hope everyone has a fantastic New Year and lets all try to actually stick to those new year’s resolutions. Take care

Uncategorized

Onward to my Future

Dec 31,2013 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

2013 – what a year. Definitely found out the truth about a lot of people this year, some good, some bad, and also really ventured in to getting back to my roots. I worked hard all year in so many ways and it really paid off in the end where I feel a new sense of enjoyment for life. After 2012 I was really angry and depressed and so my goal for this year was to redefine myself to myself. Every day was filled with battles all year, one of which was just me being sick for 11 months, and another was being injured for the past 6 months, but I would push through and ignore how I felt physically and just continue to follow my mental pathways and remind myself that nothing could stop me from reaching my goals.

A lot of things changed this year and were well worth it, Hippie Mike’s Tour de Surrey came to an end after 10 awesome years and we made this one a very memorable one. It was recognized in Concrete Skateboard Magazine and there will be a sick documentary out soon about it. The important part was that all the participants had the best time of their lives and they did. Another huge change was finally being able to walk away from my job with the City of Surrey and move back into strictly working in the skateboard industry by opening and running Authentic Board Supply. After almost 11 years changing the community through working for Surrey Parks and Rec it was time for me to move on and be happy again, and I am. I feel good every day when I wake up and I enjoy my life again. It’s awesome, and to me it is just the beginning of another amazing journey that I am about to focus on for the next era of my life.

One thing that has been tough for me this year is the lack of skateboarding I have had to do, mainly due to strange injuries. I try to ignore the pain and just go out and skate but it’s the aftermath that hurts so much. I have not skated for almost a month as of today and I hope it is allowing this injury to heal. That’s why every time I did skate I would make sure to give it my all and come back each day with fresh photos and video, and even some prizes from placing in contests again. I felt like this was one of my best skate years so far and maybe the lack of skating is what drove me to that success, so I’ll be thankful. But next year I have huge goals for my skating and you better be ready for what you’re gonna see. I’m going back to the old style and I have a lot of crazy plans.

So onward to the future of 2014 as life goes on and we keep getting older, but nothing can slow us down. My goals this year are simple – to prove myself successful in my business, to remind the world why so many people know me as a skateboarder by displaying the skills that still live inside me, to smile all day every day I’m alive, and most importantly to have plenty of awesome and fun experiences with my wife and child. I will be expanding my horizons and creating new events and relationships for us all to enjoy.

Life is about 3 things – learning, loving, and living. And at 35 years old, I can’t wait to see what’s new in 2014…

Contest Results Contests Extreme Sports Skateboarding

Spirit of the Season #3

Dec 28,2013 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

It takes a lot to hold ol’ Hippie Santa back from showing up to Chuck Bailey for his annual Spirit of the Season Jam each year which usually falls on the Friday before Christmas, but last week Father Winter decided to bury the bowl with snow so the event was held off until December 27^th. Now after Christmas is always a tough time for Santa because he’s super warn out and tired from being overworked, but he came through for the kids, even with being half down with the flu.

Authentic Board Supply partnered with The City of Surrey to bring you year #3 of this awesome event which is supposed to remind people the meaning of the Christmas Season and how it is all about giving and sharing. So all the prizes that are donated by distributors and companies get gift wrapped before the event and are just given away throughout the night. If it doesn’t relate to the person that gets it, they can just give it away to someone that will appreciate it.

The usual Chuck Bailey crew was in full effect and everyone was shredding the bowl. Allen Handley was killing the deep end all night long with inverts, miller flips and crazy grabbing grind maneouvers, while Mathew McCauley, Weston Hutchinson and Cory Gibson were blasting all the big gaps. Fighter was all over the map landing tons of tricks and Calvin Dignard impressed Hippie Santa by learning some sick Madonna Tailblock transfers from deep to shallow. The young kids were having fun in the shallow end all night and everyone had a great time together which is truly what was important, but the show was all Andy Anderson. He got called out to frontside lipslide the whole capsule of the deep end and did it, he got called out to kickflip the biggest section from top to flat and stuck it 2^nd try, and the rest of the time he just did what Andy does best, DEMOOOOOOO!!

Everyone had a great time, it was super fun to see so many people together under the cover at Chuck Bailey again. Pretty much every person there received at least one gift and DJ Cuz-O kept us rocking all evening long. Thanks to all the sponsors, thanks to the City, thanks to the peeps that came out, thanks to Dennis Regan for filming, and Matt Roszmann for shooting pics, and thanks for the good Christmas Spirit.

Until next year…

(Keep an eye on our Facebook page for photos in the next few days)

Hippie Mike's Messed Up Mind

Christmas is Coming

Dec 21,2013 / By Hippie Mike / No Comment

It’s that time of year again when Christmas is right around the corner and the levels of stress and anxiousness can get higher than necessary. As a kid you always freak out around Christmas wondering what to expect from Santa or whoever else is bringing you gifts and what the best gift will be, then you become a teenager and just expect money from everyone you’re related to and all you do is plan out what you’re gonna spend it on even before you have it forgetting all about the Christmas spirit, and then adulthood takes over where all of a sudden you are the one expected to be spoiling all these other people every year. It always gets me disturbed when I get to this part of the year, at one point for a few years I straight up hated on Christmas and wouldn’t even say the word. But I still participated in gift giving with things I made for others.

In the mix-up of today’s society we live in a world where money is the ruler and everyone needs money to survive so Christmas is the key to success for many businesses. It’s not wrong to buy stuff for people but just don’t feel that you have to. Think of something special that you could create out of your own heart and buy the supplies instead. It means a lot to someone when they receive a gift from a friend or loved one that they can tell came from the heart. And think of the word “Share” when you talk about Christmas. Not just what you want but what you would like to do for others. Life is about positive experiences and sharing fun times with the people you love. So find all your friends and go out for a skate and just have a good time together. Invite random people over for dinner that you normally wouldn’t and show them how much they really mean to you. Whatever you do, and however you do it, love this season for what it’s really about – being with your friends and family, sharing good times and lots of laughs and exchanging gifts that show your love for one another.

Merry Christmas to all, have a safe and Happy Holiday!

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