george crosland photo blog

Now I always try to support the small local shops. The thing about San Diego is that many of the small local shops have become big shops. What do you do? Well, I shop at a few of the big shops. Sun Diego is locally owned and they have an actual little skate shop inside. Plus they carry the other hard goods that the Johnny come lately-just schmooze off extreme sports shops do not carry. Not too mention when Sun Diego has a demo it is KICK ASS! How about a good portion of the DVS team – sick. The demo took place to celebrate the opening of a new store in Solana Beach. It actually took place in the parking of the building that contains Future Snowboard magazine. The parking lot was fully sloped so the skaters got to speed down one way and push back up the other way. A bunch of ripping locals took part too. It is interesting to note that Jeff King built the course and there was not one rail – odd. Anyway, it was pretty sick.

Here is the main feature – Shredallac. No, you could not ride down the window to the hood and down the ramp and cheat, you would hang up. You had to ollie from the roof all the way to the ramp

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Man, I have been working so much both at the “real” job and at photo jobs that I have been missing out on skating with my friends at the YMCA. Got a chance to go for the first time in a long time and it was sooo fun.

Mike Stelmasky stalls a proper Andrecht

Mikes brother Ken also rips an Andrecht. Ken invented his own trick - the Stelmasky plant. These two brothers were the skaters to reckon with at Spring Valley Skatepark in the 70’s

When you go visit your grandparents you usually think of some house that smells funny with plastic shit on the furniture. Ron’s grandkids can find him at the skatepark or, if the waves are REALLY good out surfing. Pretty much inspiration to me to not give up on living just becasue you may be getting older

Encinitas Skate Guard - Larry. This guy always let’s us skate late, after hours, so cool. Of course here he is supervising the after hours sesh

Mike Stelamasky - Indy Air

Steve - Smith Grind

A great photographer, Ray Zimmerman, who has always supported skateboarding recently got injured. A benefit was held at Chino skatepark to help raise money for his medical work. About 200 hundred people showed, then the cops kicked many of them people out. I did not go up for the whole thing, I just went up to say hello and give him my best wishes. Here is the man.

Punk Rock Johnny - front slider. There were still some people skating when I got there even though the cops kicked broke up the party earlier. What are cops for to serve and protect or harrass? Fucking Cops take a good thing and fuck it up

Backside slasher in true style

Jesse

The Oakley Jet here gets a lot of miles put on it as it is often not parked at it’s dock in Newport Beach. Here are some people getting off. One of these days I am going to go ask to shoot the inside of it

Went to “The Box” to shoot a few photos of Mario, here he is warming up, see the reason for the shoot soon

There are so many rippers at Black Box, I am retarded for not getting this kids name

Skateboarding is in such a good place right now with skaters skating all terrain - street and tranny

Slash at El Fuerte

Here is a brief preview of a photo shoot for an upcoming project. There will be much more of this girl to see in a moth or two. I will give you one guess what this was for…..stay tuned to the web!

The DC Shoes King of LA Amateur skate contest went down this last weekend in Santa Monica. A hangar at the airport was the venue. The contest is for true ams only, no pros or paid ams allowed. You gotta love seeing the new talent at least I do

There were 4 rounds of qualifiers on the street course. Here is Jody doing a switch heel manual after the qualifiers

DC Pros Brian Wenning, Danny Way, Josh Kalis, Devine Calloway, Ryan Gallant, and more were hanging out and skating. In fact, this whole contest series is an insane chance to share a street course with the pros. Pros and ams were skating together for 4 hours on the street course. Morgan Smith flips

360 flip over the pyramid

Nollie back 180 on to switch 5-0

Morgan Smith – Backside nose

Melon

The third place finisher getting down

For the finals the event was moved over to a replica of the Chino 4. Here is a switch double heel by the eventual 2nd place winner

360 flip by the event winner Chris Mendes

Switch front flip

The man behind many of the DC images – Michael Blabac, a nice and humble dude too

King of LA round three winner – Chris Mendes

Podium, top three

Product toss, in order to not get something you would have to be a double amputee. In fact if you were in such an unfortunate position, I am sure someone like Devine Calloway would give you a bunch of free stuff - signed

You would think Danny Way could just sit back and cruise but that fucker skated for nearly four hours on Saturday. Oh and 4 days before surgery. Wait does that mean he will not be in the X Games?

The best part of the day? No doubt seeing the super hyped ams shredding with the pros. However the free food from TK Burgers was not bad either. In fact I am going to eat at TK burgers tomorrow for lunch – no lie, turkey burger w/cheese, with fries (lots of seasoning and special sauce) and a Dr Pepper. Out

Man o man there was some heavy stuff going at the Vans park the past few days. I will tell you people do not practice this hard for the X Games, not even close. The sessions have been insane. Bucky Lasek, Bob Burnquist, Rune Glifberg, Darren Navarette, Matt Mofett, Christian Hosoi, Brewce Martin, Morgan Burgess, Brian Fick, Steve Steadham, Cab…..the list goes on

A true legend, Steve Caballero was charging hard amidst the chaos. There were people dropping in at the same time, collisions, anarchy. So rad

I walked up to Bob and said “You are an alien, in a good way” He laughed and said thanks. Bob is seriously a fucking nut case. He is amazing to watch in the combi. He skates it like a mini ramp even though it is 13 feet deep and made of rebar and concrete. He hit lines no one else could pull off, seemingly defying gravity. Here is a fake to frontside grind, to kind of hang up off the hip, at speed. This is some hard shit friends and likely Bob is the only one in the world who could pull this off

Rune was as fierce as a Jihad, no joke. Rune rode with such intensity, it was like he was in the finals. He has an amazing bag of tricks in the combi, from lip tricks to flip tricks, airs and amazing lines. This is an ally oop nose bone tail grab over the hip

Old timer from Virginia Beach Sergie Ventura. Yea, Sergie is from the Mount Trashmore days

Then there is Bucky Lasek, fuck an a! How about a egg plant to Indy five forty, ARE YOU KIDDING?

I drove up to the new Active store in Tustin and thought “those people at Active must be so proud. They started in the Inland Empire and are growing so much they are taking over the coast are too” Active is a good shop it started out as one but has grown to 20 stores. Whatever, they have a sick team and a lot of buying so when they throw a demo, some shit goes down and some pros show up. The Tustin RVCA demo was no exception, check it out.

Leo Romero was throwing and getting dirty for the fans, literally rolling around the parking trying to do some metal for everyone. Every photo you see, I take is a make

Austin Stephens –lip slide

Keegan Sauder put forth a fine effort

Keegan – nollie to 5-0 to shove it off

Ed Templeton - front blunt. Ed went the distance with the demo, no drag ass here

Man, do not know who this is but he was ripping

Ed Templeton – sick

Everybody loves free stuff thrown out by Mexican wrestlers

Leo Romero nollie to nose with style

Ethan Fowler

Johnnie Layton gets mega old school with a bean plant. Johnnie was rockin his very own pro model vans. That’s right he is getting his own shoe but till 2008 so for know you better be his pal to rock a pair

Let’s finish it up with a picture of hot girls

Youn ripper mr. Grogan at the DC Shoes warehouse, friday night, kickflip to 50-50 on - sick

Krooks

Mario on the NYC ledge

Jimmy Astleford - Switch

X Games Ramp Un-veiling – Mission Valley YMCA

This past weekend there was a demo at the skatepark in Clairemont. It was not just a demo but a super demo. Tony Hawk, Bucky Lasek, Bob Burnquist, Rich Lopez, Max Dufor, Danny Mahre, Chris Miller, some BMXers and way, way more. The action was so heated it was almost like these guys had money to win. Bucky was killing it. Danny did a kickflip 540 – insane. Agent Orange rocked through a set, it was a good time. So why the party? Well, The X Games donated a ramp to the park and all the proceeds went to support Grind for Life which is a group that helps kids with cancer. Heads like Steve Olson, Daniel Harold Sturt, Dave Hackett and more where hanging. It was a good time for everyone but most importantly it was fun for the kids. Thanks to all involved.

This view not only affords you a view of the ramp but also Bucky Lasek’s heelflip to fakie on the extension

Up and comer Alex Perelson up in the mix of a very heated session

Ho hum, a little slob air by the Birdman himself. Kids were freaking out about seeing him

Rich Lopez was going the biggest, well Lincoln Ueda was close

Bones Brigade member Adrian Demain is alive, well and kicking

Bucky tweaks a slob over the channel that was in the spot were the hip usually sits

A close up of a Tony Hawk 540. Tony Hawk did 720’s today – March 10, 2007 and it was kind of a big deal. Tony first did 7’s back in like 1984. Think about that, 23 years later and still only a handful of skaters can do a 720 on vert

Hawk and Coookiehead. “I am going to leave before anyone knows it” Hawk on getting out while the getting was good

Buddy Carr is Tracker Trucks and Tailtap.com

After the ramp session a bowl session ensued. This kid Cullen was killing it

A classic invert

Bob Burnquist with a Lien air. Funny cuz the Lien air inventor, Neil Blender, skates at Clairemont. Bob Burnquist is a joy to watch, he skates completely on edge yet in control. He is kind of like a modern Duane Peters

Kickflip Indy air by Bob in the bowl. Bob had never skated here before yet came up with all sorts of original lines

To top it off Agent Orange played on the deck of the bowl. Kind of like recreating the old, famous Vision video when they played in the flat bottom of Upland’s Combi pool. Where was Gator? Whoops, never mind

Agent Orange rocks while Andy Mac transfers in the bowl – classic

to quote Duane Peters from a few years ago “Punk Rock and Skateboarding – Fuck Off!” Agent Orange rocks while Cullen does a melon air
“Fast cars, speed kills, fine wine, I’ve lost my sense, I’ve lost control, I’ve lost my mind”