#SummerofBrooke: July 25-31

  As summer rages on and the snow melts away from the Palmer Glacier, I find my motivation to snowboard dwindling. It doesn’t help that I’m still 86’d from High Cascade, but honestly, I don’t really care about hitting downbars, so it’s more the ever-increasing walk down from the snow that’s dissuading me. However, I did my best to participate in other semi-interesting activities, cause I have a hashtag to use dammit.

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While I was intending to save all my super sick skate footage for #SummerofBrooke: The Edit, my two-day Intern Noah convinced me that the people can not wait to see such wizardry. So let’s start this week out with every trick I know at Gabriel Park. Edit: Noah Vincent.

Speaking of Interns, when I heard Yobeat’s longest-standing one, RJ Sweet, had scored himself a gig at Brewfest, I had a momentary lapse in judgement and thought it might be a good idea to go. Upon walking two feet into grounds however, I remembered what Brewfest really is: A bunch of douche bags waiting in long lines for expensive beer. However, RJ did hook it up, and as most things that include alcohol, it got progressively more fun as the day went on.

These girls are a fantastic representation of Brewfest patrons, and Taylor (left), well, he’s just a drunk.

With PJ from Fluofun still in town, we decided a visit to the Airblaster world HQ was in order. Here we have one of the original founders, Jesse Grandkoski, who’s future is so bright, he’s gotta wear shades.

We took another completely business-related trip to Gen X, where we picked up some new threads for Jeffy Gabrick’s makeover (coming soon.) Jeffy is convinced that the Kombucha he is drinking completely counteracts the unhealthiness of the cig he’s smoking, and I can appreciate that about him.

Eugene used to be one of my least favorite places in the world, overrun by frat boys and dirty hippies. However, the new skate park has changed my mind. It’s still too far from Portland, but I will go there again anyway.

Our trip to Eugene was spear headed by Kristina Narayan, who can ollie really, really well. I also got some kickflip coaching, and I think I might add that one to the list… I’ve never in my 18 years skating landed one, so don’t hold your breath.

While I never actually skated on this double pump concrete thing, I did convince Ebony Sicard to do some moves on it so I could take a picture. Next time, maybe I’ll try it. 

One of my favorite parks from the olden days (read: before there were a million parks in Oregon) is Aumsville. Located in a town of 3000, it is one of the most fun bowls I’ve ever skated. But the real reason I will drive 1.5 hours from Portland to skate it – a perfect two foot quarterpipe on which I can land all of the tricks seen above, first try, and then some. No bragging.

Since it’s the Summer of Brooke, I’m really trying to do all the things I’ve always passed signs for and thought, wonder if that’s cool? One such place is Silver Falls State Park, which was a mere 30 minutes from Aumsville. We went to the South Falls, walked around the loop (which actually goes under the falls) in awe and I made art. If you want more pictures, they’re on Facebook.

Since we’d already made a detour to hit Silver Falls, it only made sense to hit up the new Dreamland park in Silverton, literally on the way back. Directions to skateparks in Oregon are hard to come by, but luckily we happened upon Fallline skate shop which had it’s own bitchin’ park. Eventually a little kid with an awesome wife beater tan showed up and told us that the real skatepark was “up on the hill.”

In my old age I am noticing that a lot of the skateparks I used to love are actually kind of shitty. Funny how that works. Mostly what I think has happened is the skatepark builders have gotten better, and I’m now accustomed to perfect tranny and smooth-ass concrete. Anyway, the latest creation by Dreamland is insane – two perfect bowls topping out at four and six feet, separated by a spine. Well, unless you wanna skate street shit, but then you should probably just go skate the streets.

Until next week….