Skateboarding... more or less

The Indecisive Moment

2012-01-27T10:15:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I visited the Henri Cartier-Bresson museum in Paris to see an exhibition showing his and Paul Strand's works in Mexico from 1933-35. Paul Strand rules. The museum is on a small side street and I probably wouldn't have found it if I didn't see other people going in. This is Cartier-Bresson's first Leica.

Je Vous Presente...

2012-01-24T07:58:00.000-08:00

The illustrious Bourges Skatepark. It's only downhill from this Quarterpipe.

Among Dreams

2012-01-22T08:49:00.000-08:00

This gap to rail would be one of the cooler spots in Bourges. But once I saw the literally shit run up followed by a big crack I filed it away under dream tricks. Who knows, maybe I'll get gnarly overnight.

un piège

2012-01-18T02:34:00.000-08:00

I haven't stepped to this thing yet. Skatepark rail down some steps in the middle of a commercial plaza? I am dubbing it a trap until I see someone else skating it. It's begging for a feeble though.

Merde Mec!

2012-01-16T11:04:00.000-08:00

Parents brought over some reinforcement wheels when I saw them during Christmas vacation. I've been going around town and hitting up some of the spots that would have been impossible before. Made skating instantly more fun.
This photo is doing double duty, showing off the setup and the spot. Big wheels on an 8.5 board. Notice the number of separate piles of feces.

The cobbles are pretty rough but completely possible now.

Overall a good one.

For The Easy Bay Heads

2012-01-13T10:14:00.000-08:00

Cool video about the fires in the Oakland Hills, the resulting skate paradise, and the group of dudes involved. Famous fallen ones Ruben Orkin and Curtis Hsiang get little sections.

Coming Up Milhouse

2012-01-08T15:27:00.000-08:00

This is what you've been missing if you haven't been in Bourges, France lately. (photos circa 2011)

The number of Reider rip-offs is getting ridiculous over here.

I wish Bam was still touring the world hitting up drop-ins.

Teleportation

2011-12-15T13:17:00.000-08:00

Itchin' for a Montgomery session. Who's got the jet hook up?

Si Loin.

2011-11-23T03:51:00.000-08:00

Focusing your own board, so played. Focusing someone else's board, never gets old.

The JB gets video credit.

keskesksa?

2011-11-19T10:33:00.000-08:00

Just showing what things look like. Social Housing.

Descend and Dim

2011-11-12T06:07:00.000-08:00

Got a b/s b/s.

My Block (cont'd)

2011-11-07T05:56:00.000-08:00

This is probably the second best spot after the little banks. Haven't gotten too tech on it. There could be alot of options if you put in work waxing the top. It's on a hill. The curb into the steep part is pretty treacherous.

Pretty fun smooth hillbomb with some speed bumps and little knobs to ollie.

My Block

2011-11-06T04:53:00.000-08:00

Here are some of the spots in my neighborhood in Bourges.

This is my favorite spot in Bourges. The run-up is a little dodgy but the bank is a perfect angle and height for the speed available.

This wedge is pretty cool too. Haven't gotten all the way up on the wall yet.

C'est La Blog!

2011-10-20T10:55:00.000-07:00

http://berrisean.blogspot.com/

This is a blog I made to show my parents and whoever else cared some pictures of Bourges, France where I currently live. I figure some people that go here might be interested in checking it out. I'm planning on doing a post of just skatespots which I will still post on the skateboarding blog. But anything non-skateboarding will go to the Bourges thing as it will be all digital and more documentaryish than whatever sort of faux art vibe the photos on here have. I'll update it every once in awhile.

sbmol-ed

L'Histoire

2011-10-20T02:08:00.000-07:00

I wish I owned the Sheep Shoes video. Mike Manzoori is rad. Plenty of obvious Santa Rosa stuff in here such as the skatepark and the brown banks(RIP) footage. Also note the Village bump to bar and the ender at McDonald's Mission Plaza. If you pause at around 1:59 before the trick the place is almost unrecognizable. Where's the giant Wallgreens? Where's the blocks and blocks of Acatia Apartments? I'm pretty sure there was a bowling alley there at the time.

Le Stoke

2011-10-19T14:59:00.000-07:00

Je m'en fiche!

2011-10-19T09:05:00.000-07:00

Hella Peter. Switch Wallie Crooked.

Old

2011-10-12T08:49:00.000-07:00

Was this ever available for wide release? I didn't see it on the psen youtube channel. Found it on my computer yesterday and got pretty stoked.

Crafted by Peter Senecka

Featuring
James Williamson
Peter Senecka
Sean Morales
Wes Allen
Joe Montoya
The Late Joe Hyland at his Brainiest

Faire du Skateboard

2011-09-24T15:24:00.000-07:00

I've still got some stuff left to post. Though a boring "travel blog" may be coming soon.

On Second Thought

2011-09-16T23:20:00.000-07:00

Last Days

2011-09-15T16:46:00.000-07:00

Peter, backside slash and grind.

Burg is Back in Town

2011-09-15T01:52:00.000-07:00

so you know he's putting in work on the board.

Best Friends Forever, For Now

2011-09-11T12:05:00.000-07:00

"Are you a photographer?"
"...I own a camera"
"Will you take our picture?"
A camera-shy 3rd wheel friend took the action shot.

Today's youth, when not bumming you out to no end, can be hella refreshing.

Sweatbreaking News

2011-09-09T13:24:00.000-07:00

GMOS switch 50-50 at Santa Rosa High circa sometime in the 90's? It's cool Pat, he did it without the skatestopper. Diesel before diesel was diesel.

courtesy of chrome ball incident

Motion Pictures

2011-09-07T22:36:00.000-07:00

Cruisin' the TL. From the safety of the car!

Out In The

2011-09-04T00:22:00.000-07:00

Hmmm yes.

Book Club

2011-09-04T00:20:00.000-07:00

Oldies

2011-09-02T15:02:00.000-07:00

The Twins! And a Vietnam vet.

Sick in the Summertime

2011-08-31T14:02:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking board graphic or t-shirt. I'll take my royalty checks by paypal.

Reflectors

2011-08-23T13:12:00.000-07:00

Was reminded by this of this rally I came upon. Still have no idea...

Shoot

2011-08-21T16:49:00.000-07:00

NYC

Crumbles

2011-08-19T23:22:00.000-07:00

Yep, Harmony Festival is pretty jacked.

You will understand when you are older

2011-08-13T21:45:00.000-07:00

It's weird that this was almost two years ago already. Police appreciation rally, Paris.

Logical

2011-08-10T12:18:00.000-07:00

SR Legend Jesse Palmer got some nostalgic schralps on the mini after the contest. Will somebody please upload sloppy seconds.

While we are on the topic. I still love this video and this part.

And I'd never seen this before... Phil Shao's b/s 180 into "maiden" and that Crazy Monaco slam among other things.

Tony E. SR Park from JRP on Vimeo.

We Have A Winner

2011-08-07T17:30:00.000-07:00

When I created this contest(see post of 8/2/11 below) I expected the combination of nobody seeing it/nobody taking me seriously and/or nobody putting forth the effort to make an entry to leave my inbox empty. Which was pretty much what happened. But, Pat Gould takes the prize by sending an e-mail containing something that resembles an element of an anatomy article.
Pat's entry:
"hers some...
-------"is somebody skating the ramp?"

------"when did matt field get here?"

or

----"he juggles when he doesnt skate""
Thanks for playing Pat! We can arrange a time for you to collect your prize. Along with the photo I've been meaning to give you for six months.

Knowing that nobody else would make one, I took it upon myself to get at least one entry.
Sean's Entry:

Thanks for tuning in, see you next time.

Contest Contest

2011-08-02T23:52:00.001-07:00

First person to e-mail me an anatomy made from this photo gets a sweet prize.

Stellar

2011-08-02T23:41:00.000-07:00

Finding Animal Chin is cool. But the most important thing about this photo is that it illustrates the 2:1 beanie to fedora ratio in skate fashion. Even during summer.

In Touch

2011-07-26T00:17:00.000-07:00

Folsom Lake - 4th of July

Stumble in Somnambulance So.

2011-07-23T12:35:00.000-07:00

Pre-dawn corpses come to life.
Armies of the dead surviving.
Armies of the hungry ones.

Oslo

Chig

2011-07-22T12:20:00.000-07:00

TM GK @ JX

Frontside nose foot position on a backside noseslide! Swag?

Yes, this one's a bail. But those pups are killing it.

Harmony, Bro

2011-07-21T11:57:00.000-07:00

Santa Cruz hippie and ripper Elijah shows his stoke as a disgusted/shocked Casey Meyer and a typically high as a kite(on life?) Matt Field look on. His winning line on the mini-ramp included a big flip, a kickflip b/s disaster and possibly a 360 flip to fakie, all on a "zip zinger" style shape. Epic.

Trim

2011-07-19T23:15:00.000-07:00

Clochard

2011-07-13T23:22:00.000-07:00

Found my own Boudu.

The Thinginess of the Thing

2011-07-10T22:13:00.000-07:00

Love Letter

2011-07-01T15:21:00.000-07:00

"Slugs Beat it Or Get Beat! -thankyou West/Side"

I miss you Derby.

man woman woman

2011-06-23T23:18:00.000-07:00

Big ups to Raphael and his zine that he just got printed by Hamburger Eyes and all the fame and fortune that came with it. I ordered myself a copy, it's a good one.

Hollow

2011-06-21T13:16:00.001-07:00

Post #200, time to celebrate... Treasure Island and Paris.

Ups

2011-06-17T12:13:00.000-07:00

Switch and Regular F/S Flips. All in a days work for Pat.

2011-06-16T12:26:00.000-07:00

Peter - Switch front blunt transfer

Isaac - amazed

Doctor Recommended

2011-06-15T00:20:00.000-07:00

I just got a film scanner. So, my shottily developed negatives will be seeing the light of day. For now I blame all faults on my scanning incompetence.

Foggy Memory

2011-06-08T15:36:00.000-07:00

James ollies 20 at age 20.

Ian Humber 5-0 before life happened.

A living situation foretold.

It's hard to figure out whether I would remember these days if I didn't have the photos to go along with them. But thankfully I do, and the good times are still fresh in mind. I was looking at old stacks and didn't think any of these had been up here before.

Civil War Overload Pt. 1

2011-05-28T10:24:00.000-07:00

Our Reflection

2011-05-25T13:55:00.000-07:00

mud wrestling anyone?

Anti-Graffiti PSA

2011-05-17T22:24:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't it be more fun if this place still had some traction?

I had heard of this 411 segment but never saw it until Chalker put it up. Carrol, Stranger and Shao.

Fall Plans

2011-04-27T12:30:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of updates. I check this site everyday and get frustrated that there is nothing new, then remember that's my job. Hope everyone is doing well.

Hot rod this!

2011-04-06T23:59:00.000-07:00

Wes Allen Day in the Life from The Nielsen Ratings on Vimeo.

In the wake of a slew of fictionalized versions of the life of a skateboarder in a suburb of a former skate mecca, Isaac and Wes bring the world a dose of the really real.

Windblown World

2011-03-29T10:58:00.000-07:00

Down by the riverside.

confused

2011-03-27T01:16:00.000-07:00

shocked
sad
pissed off

Catching Feelings

2011-03-15T18:46:00.000-07:00

skart after-black hammer.

Skart Beach 4

2011-03-09T12:43:00.000-08:00

The location changes, but the dilemma remains the same while on a skate trip. When night falls, do you go out and have a few drinks and enjoy some local music in celebration of a full day of skating? Or do you keep on pushing the skate session because you realize you have only filmed one trick all trip? The ever-committed Pleasant team decided on the latter, after much debate.

Santa Cruz is not an urban skate playground like your NYs or your SFs so the whole night mission thing was not as productive as we imagined. Wes did one of his patented steel grate lily pad lines, but that type of thing can happen anywhere across this decaying country. The bench spot that we went to was too sandy and there was a car parked in front of the manual pad nearby. This is typical of Santa Cruz street skating. There are only a handful of interesting spots to skate but they are usually unskatable for the most mundane reasons. It's hard to remember what we did next.

It would be easy to say that things took a turn for the worse on the last day of the trip. In hindsight though, the trajectory of the weekend is clear. Things got off to a slow and strange start the first night, warmed up the next day, and peaked that afternoon at Derby. From there, spirits had nowhere to go but down, and continued this way into the morning and carried the crew out of Santa Cruz. Which makes this trip exactly like every other skate trip ever made.

The next morning started off with a trip down to the shoreline for some low-key skarting. Nobody really knew what to do with themselves as we sat around and laughed at nothing in particular, soaking up the rays. Skateboarding had to happen eventually but the group was beginning to fracture as the gung-ho tour vibes inevitably declined.

Wes and Peter headed to the skatepark for a sure session. The rest of us chanced it on the streets. The streets did not pan out all that well filming-wise, Pat focused his board, but it was a good time nonetheless at the now defunct Safeway ledge.

We convened back at the skatepark and the "over it"ness of the group was clear. I think the irony was lost on everyone but me when the Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations" pulsed through the speakers as the car started. Maybe they were just happy Rhianna's "What's My Name" had not been recorded yet. We got back to the house, gathered up the stuff, snapped a quick group photo, and they were off... oh, na, na, na, na.

Cup Caking

2011-02-28T15:51:00.000-08:00

These appeared here, in this, for these guys, but may still be unseen by some.

I decree today...

2011-02-20T23:12:00.001-08:00

Ask Then Take

2011-02-13T18:09:00.000-08:00

The ghost of blogs' past took me even further back in time to my old pal Nathan. He gave Peter and me the tour of Oakland's finest locales. The former tenant of his apartment was an east bay skate legend that built a ramp in his backyard about ten years ago. It has since fallen into disrepair. Bordertown also pictured.

Pass With Care

2011-01-25T15:02:00.000-08:00

How's everyone doing this year? After five weeks without a post the only way out of the slump was to head out to sunny Stockton, CA and visit my former muse Brandon. Radical times ensued.

Spanos park.

50-50 to wall. Art lurking.

??

Drop Zone 1

2010-12-18T13:10:00.000-08:00

After a brief three-year stint in areas bold and beautiful this is once again a Santa Rosa (Skateboarding?) page. So I thought I would kick it off with some photos of Stockton kids in Santa Cruz. The only unused(hopefully) thing I could find on my hard drive. This is Brandon Getty's skate team. So diverse.

Parenthetical Aside

2010-11-21T12:04:00.000-08:00

Theodor Adorno -Minima Moralia: Reflections From Damaged Life

Where has this blog gone? Will it ever recover?

Service For The Sick

2010-11-06T22:27:00.000-07:00

Adrenalin was good. Thrasher Feb 1997.

"'Well what are you afraid of? You're surely not afraid of Klamm are you?' The landlady gazed silently after him as he ran down the stairs with the assistants following." -K.

Gettin' Tech

2010-11-02T10:49:00.000-07:00

Isaac came through. Got productive.

Skate Heil!

2010-10-28T13:18:00.000-07:00

T. Wes Allen. Petaluma.

Show Business

2010-10-26T19:32:00.000-07:00

These are alternate prints to the versions I like most and put up in the pleasant thing. But they probably look the exact same to everyone other than me anyway. 175 posts, really?

Genre Fiction

2010-10-19T22:04:00.000-07:00

For whatever reason, the sponsors were pulled from this article. I'll post it up here because a.) I already typed it, and b.) I can. If you could put up with parts one and two, you might just be ready for Part Three of Skart Beach: The Pleasant Skateboards Valentine's Weekend Tour. Now 50% more dated.

...The next day started out like any good day of skateboarding should. I woke up and found a note under my door informing me that my friends left for the skatepark without me. No matter, the park was only five minutes away and obviously the talent needs extra time to find their skate-legs in the new and more chill nautical environment.

When I eventually made it down to The Mike Fox Skatepark (The Wave Park)[The New Park]{The Park}, the action was well underway but it was obvious the kinks were not quite worked out, as stated by Wes’ wall jam attempt to accidental hesh rock to fakie crumble. After a liberal amount of skating around and snide skatepark gossiping we left our gated community for the sandy streets.

We started out at the first of at least three known rock spots in the area. This particular one was recently made famous in Lowcard Magazine's Pissin' In The Wind film. Not much to speak of here other than the arrival of the foremost scholarly but nonetheless ripping skater of the group Brandon Getty. Not long after, a one Burger Face also showed up to the spot to balance the delicate flip-in/wallie ratio. From there, we moved up the street to a tall white sidewalk banister that P. Gould proceeded to cut down in perceptive height. The gutter gap and uneven grinding surface made an already difficult obstacle impossible for anyone else to step to, but Pat racked up the first clips of the trip in a matter of minutes.

As we got ready to move on a middle-aged man slowly approached us without saying a word. After a few beats of awkward silence we started to walk away. Then he told us to leave. The most pointless kick-out in history.

As we travelled down the road we happened upon a scenic handrail spot.

Brandon tore it apart, literally straight out of the wall. When the rail fell dismantled Brandon was so angry that he could no longer get the trick that he picked the rail up over his head and slammed it against the wall. The outburst left a small crater of wrinkled stucco, the mere sight of which seemed to enrage Brandon even more, as he continued to abuse the structure. Before anyone had time to react to the scene a nearby curtain drew back and a bug-eyed Samoan man gave us the ancient look of death. We bombed the hill out of there with the sound of a door busting open in our wake. At the bottom of the hill a sandy brown Escalade pulled up. Our friend Robbie Valencia motioned to get in, as if the preceding events were all planned long ago. In the passengers seat was a guy they called Deedee. Deedee threw up a deuce and I could tell he had alot on his mind...

****

We were at this, like, spot with some rocks and it was pretty good. Wes was launching off this green pole thing and getting some pretty good hang time. It was aight but I mostly chilled on a bench and scoped the scene. Peter was bluntsliding like whaat until nature called. When homies looked my way I smiled, to stoke the session, you know? But sometimes I was thinking about my kids back home so I got a serious face, you know?
From there we split up. There was only one car and like twelve heads so I joined the street shredders to peep some spots on the way to the high school while the other prissy fools cruised over in the Escalade. We rolled up to some grimy Santa Cruz banks and some other cutty spots. When we got to the high school the session was going off! But that shit's boring so we went to Derby.

****

It was just reaching the hallowed Golden Hour at Derby. There was a small selection of local rippers there but they welcomed us with the famous Derby hospitality to out-of-towners. Pat grabbed some large melons over the hip headed downstream. I took some great photos but unfortunately there was a camera malfunction. I love film. We wiled away the sunlight on the grassy banks overlooking the snake run.

L'art Pour L'art

2010-10-18T20:12:00.000-07:00

I wonder if anyone who visits this site has not seen this poster yet. Should be an interesting mix, though I expect at least half the people listed aren't going to be in it. I'll be there, but only due to legal coincidence...

Real Situations

2010-10-14T08:51:00.000-07:00

You're Clear!

2010-10-10T20:55:00.001-07:00

Pat Gould. Switch Frontside Flip

The Maestro

2010-10-06T20:46:00.000-07:00

killing per usual.

Don't Be A Tourist

2010-09-14T21:04:00.001-07:00

The Spot Down The Street. Clifton, New Jersey.

Interview gone very bad...

2010-08-18T14:07:00.000-07:00

"one euro, one euro, one euro!"

Drive-By Birding

2010-08-08T21:09:00.001-07:00

Galen with the flicks.

Responsibility as Fuckeduppedness

2010-07-28T22:51:00.000-07:00

Let Me Show You My Boat

2010-07-26T14:03:00.000-07:00

Give what away?

2010-07-19T18:04:00.000-07:00

Hidden Meth Mansion

2010-07-13T22:36:00.000-07:00

Peter, Isaac.

Leash Laws

2010-07-11T22:02:00.000-07:00

Shot with a waterproof disposable camera. Companion faucet photo by Emily Scheff.

Jacob

2010-07-03T16:17:00.002-07:00

Just stopping by to plug Santa Rosa's most exciting new web venture.
cobra swag is a blog about style... i think. Keep on the look out because it is about to blow up.

Cohesion

2010-06-09T22:58:00.000-07:00

Some long exposures I did during a full moon some months back. Used a bench as a tripod and exposed the film for whatever time felt right...

Billy Budd

2010-06-05T14:11:00.000-07:00

some more bright things.

Conversational Clothing

2010-06-03T11:00:00.000-07:00

15 minutes in the life of a media mogul.

Encore

2010-05-31T12:30:00.000-07:00

dude...so good from brandon getty on Vimeo.

This thing is making the rounds. Due to unforeseen circumstances filming for dude...so good was cut short. Pardon the shaky long lens lines.

Me, James, and Brandon. Shot on location in Santa Cruz, CA.

Why.

2010-05-28T12:18:00.000-07:00

Eat shit and have fun this weekend. I'm bad with good-byes.

Again Someday

2010-05-27T23:29:00.000-07:00

la defense, kafka museum, sean's homestay.

Communist Eyes

2010-05-26T21:55:00.000-07:00

The other Sean and I waiting all day at the airport to find out if we would have to stay the night after missing the morning flight due to airline strike confusion. We ended up with spots on the evening flight to Berlin.

Can Of Striped Paint

2010-05-25T08:45:00.000-07:00

Dimensions Explained

2010-05-22T23:57:00.000-07:00

Forming

2010-05-21T16:21:00.000-07:00

Issac: "Do you always skate barefoot?"
Kid(Carlo?): "No, I just forgot my shoes"

He was ripping.

Stretch Out and Wait

2010-05-20T21:54:00.000-07:00

This is pretty obviously a bail but to me it looks just as cool or cooler than a make might have. "Gonz-like immediacy" might not make alot of sense to anyone else but that's all I've got to describe it.

Been getting stoked on these.

Ex communicado

2010-05-19T12:41:00.000-07:00

Yeah, Isaac.

Technologies of Life

2010-05-18T14:12:00.000-07:00

Not sure who took the bottom two of me, Lila? Dirty self-portrait for multiple reasons. And an "orly?" for bad measure. This is becoming more or less a trash heap for pictures that have nowhere else to go, which is all of them, so bear with me. Actually, I could care less what you do.

The Stormy Weather

2010-05-16T16:39:00.000-07:00

In, on, and around the big pointy thing. Thanks for stopping by. More skateboard stuff soon.

Maieutics

2010-05-10T19:53:00.000-07:00

"People would never fall in love, if they had not been told about it."(La Rouchefoucauld)