george crosland photo blog

Jeff Grosso - back smith at an un-disclosed spot

Owen Neider - Encinitas straight arm

Joey Perez - off Wilshire in west LA

Filming the real OC (no joke) for MTV in Newport Beach

Joey Perez - Kickflip to tailslide on the beach in Santa Monica

Tony - mad steez in Santa Monica

Santa Monica again

J. Perez - switch hardflip

Tail slide on the ledge

blunted!

As if you could be so lucky. Lyn-Z Adams sticks this Andrecht on what, about 4 feet of vert in the Mammoth park. She was hannging out there today, Sunday, skating with her brother and some friends. She was stoked about her new four runner which she bought with her 2007 X Games girls vert gold medal cash - sweeet

You know when you go to the park and see the dork old guy that sucks? Well that shit does not happen in Encinitas. Michael Stelmsaky, going strong in the 70’s in Spring Valley, CA and going strong in 2007, tailtap

Lilly Rock and Taquitz peak over the town of Idylwild

Went for a mot ride through the mountains and decided to check out the desert. It was soo hot, then I saw a thermometer that said 113 degrees. It got even hotter, thougt I was going to suffocate. Relief came at sunset, no one else was stupid enough to be around

Josh in Clairemont

Adam Taylor

There are some fascintaing things in random spots in the California desert. Here is a canyon in the Mecca Hills. it was about 95 degrees (in March) it was a desolate place at the end of a dirt road that ran along power lines and the California aqueduct, trash everywhere, like hell.

The canyon spreads out into several branches, some of which get very narrow and include ladders for climbing up the different levels

Like a little Zion

pretty cool

A few miles away is the Salton Sea. A weird inland sea that was formed when the aqueduct over flowed and ran into it. It sits 180 feet below sea level. It had a push for development in the 1950’s but the sea became dirtier and dirtier. The prosperous times ended and know the area is a mix of burnt out resorts, farms and sketchy sun loving people that live in trailers. it is a interestingly weird place. These fish attest to the clenliness of the water in this marina

Thirsty?

A closed resort…

…behind which sits this beautiful pool. The pool, the sea and the Santa Rosa mountains in the background

You bet it is skateable

Big Creek Bridge

A killer hike down a steep canyon, through redwoods, then through a tunnel to Partington Cove

Redwoods

McWay falls

45 minutes off the highway and up in the Santa Lucia Mountains is a community of hillibillys living off the grid. A pretty independant lot, 1.5 hours to a grocery store. Here the sign says MIA, probably an abandon homesite from way back high above the ocean

The Santa Lucia Mountains and the Pacific Ocean

Salmon Creek falls

Morro Bay

Sea Otters in Morro Bay

Los Osos skatepark is good

The Os

They are putting up the X Games ramp at the Mission Valley YMCA

Meanwhile down the street without any corporate sponsors, just some sweat and do it yourself attitude built Washington Street

Another pin up of the month. Hawks ramp in Vista, PLG, Candice and some freezing ass teemps

Up in Utah again, which id fine by me, it is pretty rad.

Shot some photos at the Ogio warehouse. Here is the view from their facilities

Front Smith by upcoming Am Jordan Williams. This kid is so rocking that he won best trick in the 2006 Damn Am contest. Heck, Aaron Bitner even came by for a bit after travelling the world for his new sponsor - DC Hardgoods

Front Lip by Jordan. I never would have thought I would come to shoot skate photos in Utah but here you go

Backside ollie to fakie, with style, up the extension at Ogio world headquarters, Bluffdale, Utah

The Red Iguana, go there

The lovely Amy Sharp, downhome SLC girl

Back when I was younger (this was a long time ago) Independant trucks had an ad campaign where they posted the address of a top pro rider. They did that for Lance Mountain. At that time Lance had a big vert ramp in his backyard. If you watched any of the Powell movies of that era you may have seen it. It also was in the mags a lot at the time. Vert was king back then, street was just getting started. Being a resourceful young man I looked up his address in the Thomas guide and proceeded to skateboard the 5 miles or so from Pasadena to Alhambra, where Lance lived. I was like 13 or 14, I think and had not skated a lot of vert. I was nervous but knocked on the door anyway. Lance answered the door. I asked him if I could skate his ramp. He said he was returning from Sweden and said no one was skating.

He did not leave me hanging though. He showed me video of him learning the 540. I think Lance learned them second, right after McGill. Mcgill learned them in Sweden befor he released on the world at Del Mar. Anyway Lance also told me how to get to two ramps. Eagle Rock and Phil’s ramp. I looked for Eagle Rock the next day and never found it. By the way, the owner of the Eagle Rock ramp, Jay Moore, went on to start a succesful shop in Bozeman, Mt, World Boards. I did find Phills ramp though. As I walked up the were just finishing the beauty. The last nail was pounded and they let me skate. It was 20 foot wide, 9′ tranny’s and a foot of vert. It tokk up the whole damn yard. It was also located in Alhambra on the outskirts of Los Anges. It was a big deal at the time for sure. I skated that thing all summer. There was a heavy crew of locals. Phil, Ray, Eric Castro, Steve Keenan and more. All the pros came through, Blender, Mountain, Jeff Kendall, Allan Midgett are few that I remember. It was a bitchin summer to say the least. I went back to Pennsylvania and built my own vert ramp although not as big. So, thanks Lance!

Here is Lance at the Vans Park in Orange in the gnarly combi pool. I remember him telling me (way back when) that he was not a fan of the Upland Combi bowl

Invert in Orange, CA. I think Lance still lives in the same house I went to over 20 years ago in Alhambra, CA

Frontside through the corner