Rob's Bachelor Party Article at Skatepark of Tampa

Rob's Bachelor Party

Posted on Tuesday, April 12, 2011 by Stalker

By Stalker Steve

We all piled into an RV to celebrate Rob's upcoming wedding. Then we hit up some random parks and spots on the way to the Florida Skater Hall of Fame and had one of the best trips in recent memory in the process.

I'd rather tell the story of our trip with photos, but considering the night spots we hit up on Saturday night in Jacksonville weren't too camera-friendly, I have to type this out:

Our cab driver, an Asian guy with dreads named Freddy, picked us up and discovered we skated while making small talk and asked, "Yo, you guys know Clyde Singleton?"

"Hell yeah we know Clyde," everyone replied.

Next thing you know our driver had called him and Clyde was helping us celebrate. Oh wait, so was our cab driver. Yep, our cab driver was partying along side us at the “bikini bar.” Then Angel, Colin, and I are along for an adventure and tour of Jacksonville with Clyde and Freddy. Clyde caught us up on what he'd been up to since moving back to Florida as we accompanied him. Glad he’s doing well.

"There's not one person on this trip I wouldn't want to do this with again," Brian appropriately stated on the last day. And with that we went home, and back to reality.

Brian showed up with this box of party supplies. Okay, let's get in the RV.
This is the crew that got together to help celebrate with Rob. L to R: Porpe, Seamus, Brian, Justin, AK, Colin, the bachelor, Wayne, Durke, Kyle, Clements, Jesse, and Angel.
Our first stop was this bank spot near Lakeland. Rob got the trick of the session with this big frontside ollie.
Skater Profile: Rob Meronek
The c-lo games started going within 15 minutes of us hitting the road towards Daytona. Durke was creepin' on a come up and kept his dough in his glasses arm.
Skater Profile: Durke Schmidt
Our first stop was so fun. Would you think there's anything skateable back in these woods?
Schaefer got a 50-50 in this really deep and steep concrete bowl.
Skater Profile: Brian Schaefer
The deep end of this bowl was intense. Justin Ryan had no problem grinding it.
Skater Profile: Justin Ryan
Kyle Randall rocked in the shallow end.
Skater Profile: Kyle Randall
This mini-Burnside area was so fun. Clements was feeling it with this backside disaster.
Skater Profile: Ryan Clements
Rob was getting tricks left and right on his trip. Ollie off the volcano.
Skater Profile: Rob Meronek
Porpe got his on the flow course at this spot. Frontside grind.
Skater Profile: Jorge Angel aka Porpe
Rob has a few tricks on lock and the blunt fakie is one of them.
Skater Profile: Rob Meronek
This is another addition to this insane DIY spot deep in the Florida woods. I thought no one had anything for this thing they call the “fiber rider.” Justin told me he got a grind while we weren't looking.
We got to Kona and immediately skated the huge banked bowls. Justin came through on a kickflip to fakie.
Skater Profile: Justin Ryan
Rob's friend Jesse doesn't skate, but came along to hang and still skated a bit. Rob can't help but document and filmed Jesse's cruising line.
Porpe loved the banked bowls at Kona, saying it made him feel like Grant Taylor. Frontside ollie over the hip.
Skater Profile: Jorge Angel aka Porpe
This kid’s Nascar helmet was 100% Florida.
As much as Rob loves his joke about the leopard print pads, we were all blown away at this guys tri-fecta of elbow, wrist, and knee pads.
There are some straight archaic ramps at Kona. This concrete vert ramp is sketchy.
Adam Kearley and Rob were cracking up. Maybe at some leopard print pads or just enjoying time out of town with the bros.
Skater Profile: Adam Kearley
We stopped at Stone Edge on the way home and Justin snapped this backside ollie.
Skater Profile: Justin Ryan
Justin Ryan and the thrill of victory.
Skater Profile: Justin Ryan
Clements was the only one who hit up this wallride from our crew. Rock to fakie.
Skater Profile: Ryan Clements
Rob once apologized for wearing shorts in public, so it was no shock to see him in jeans on the beach.
Skater Profile: Rob Meronek
Wayne Schaefer came up hard in c-lo before Porpe took it from him.
Seamus kept it high energy the whole trip.
The gambling crew had one last high dollar c-lo game as we pulled into the Park and returned to reality.

Colin Clark's Footage

PG-13 Video From Rob's Phone

Rob's Photos: 14 Friends on a Quick Road Trip Across Florida

I'm getting married to Brittany and we are going to have babies happily ever after, plus I turned 40 as f#$k. Great excuse to gather the homies and road trip it on skateboards.

Rob

Those hard to hit banks off I-4 were the first stop. The convenience store worker is talking into her shirt FBI style while she kicks us out.
Next up was a run through the backwoods of Florida to find some kind of baby Skatopia.
It was a nice mellow spot that had something for everyone. I think they call it The Property.
I think the reason my legs still hurt is from trying to pump this thing in circles like a race track.
The DIY stuff is always the craziest to skate.
Durke's got an old move at this old place.
Skater Profile: Durke Schmidt
This part of it is actually pretty smooth. Seamus, thanks for taking a break from The Bricks and joining us this weekend.
Porpe's now got another basic trick down - frontside lipslides.
Skater Profile: Jorge Angel aka Porpe
Kyle Randall can man-rock anything.
Skater Profile: Kyle Randall
Boobies.
You know the redneck style above ground pools Florida is known for? This is an above ground concrete bowl. I still can't believe this thing is out there in the woods.
Sketchy ass bugs everywhere in these parts.
A bangin' system with a car phone antenna.
This place is old. This kind of scene reminds me of those times where you end up stepping on a bees nest and having to run and jump in the nearest lake.
I'm warming up to the iPhone apps that make photos look old.
Next stop was the 70's.
And then the 90's.
Kyle and Colin nursing injuries in the cooler. That's my last beer out of that one.
Skater Profile: Kyle Randall
Everyone should use a skateboard as a pillow at one point in their life.
Skater Profile: Adam Kearley
Of course later that night, the nearest strip bar is on order. It was more like a pool hall with girls in bikinis though.
We ran into Clyde Singleton out there. This is his homie's cab that we kind of destroyed a little. What a night to end a great day of skating.
The next day we were back on the road to Daytona Beach.
We were all spent from a Saturday of drinking and skating from 9am to 3am.
Seagull sacrifice - watch the poop face.
Skater Profile: Brian Schaefer
Wayne Schaefer was hot hand with the 4-5-6 rolls all day.
My friend Jesse has been a camera nerd his whole life. Just when I thought I was starting to get to the point of taking photos I think are good and I'm happy with, I see him shoot the same weekend as me and think, "Damn, I got a long way to go." Check out Jesse's photos here. He uses an old rangefinder that captures color and light in a pretty unique way.
It wasn't long before Stalker Steve was out. Clem is the first of a few pass out poses.
Skater Profile: Stalker Steve
Just minutes after this photo, I had most of their money in my hands, but it didn't last for the whole trip.
Wayne Schaefer, still taking money from Kyle and Angel who's looking over it. I think he got taken out on at least three trip six rolls.
Skater Profile: Angel Carela
Thanks Clem for handling the wheel and organizing this whole trip.
Skater Profile: Ryan Clements
If I remember the sequence of events correctly, Porpe was up in dice, celebrating here, lost it all, was put back in the game by some charity betting, then ended up cleaning everyone out. Amazing.
Skater Profile: Jorge Angel aka Porpe
Porpe vs. the Schaefer brothers. I can't believe he won. Both of them were done in about an hour.
Skater Profile: Brian Schaefer
Yeah, we're all grown ass men, but how are you going to let these two napping documenters just sit there and peacefully sleep?
Skater Profile: Colin Clark
Sweaty skateboard ass part one deleted at Stalker Steve's request.
Skater Profile: Stalker Steve
Sweaty skateboard ass part two.
Skater Profile: Colin Clark
By the end of the trip, Porpe was holding a lot more than this from the dice. What a weekend.
Skater Profile: Jorge Angel aka Porpe

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