Emerica Wild Ride as Seen From the RV
Posted
on
on Wednesday, June 18, 2008
by Rob
A bunch of random photos from the Emerica Wild Ride 2008 as seen from the RV.
By Rob Meronek
 While I was at Wal Mart getting last minute camping supplies, I ran into the new Nash Skateboards, Mike McGill’s crap. Wow. Someone has to do it, I guess it may as well be that busted ass dude |
 That’s Taylor and Javi that work for Emerica. They are the grill chiefs for the trip. That is two top quality young men right there. Clements, we should steal them as employees |
 This was the scene at the first signing I joined. I can’t even remember what town we were in. There’s always a nice flat ground session that breaks out at the signings |
 New shoes, new deck, new trucks, and those wheels? Jerry Hsu hooked him up with some wheels, then he double dipped and took some from Spanky, too |
 I guess they were unloading on some old This is Skateboarding VHS tapes. This kid probably thinks that tape is a box of bearings or something |
 This is our rig. It’s pretty damn comfortable inside. It has wireless internet but it doesn’t always work |
 I can’t remember what state this was, but they got people still repping the Camaro and t-tops. Wow, maybe it was Florida. Rokken with Dokken |
 When the floor space runs out in the RV, counter top space is just as comfortable |
 When Jerry Hsu took his first ride, he dropped the bike a couple times and then ran it into a tree. That was pretty much my cue to not even get on. I don’t know anyone well enough on their trip to be wrecking their bike. Figgy’s first time went fine, though |
 That’s Evo. He does work on the Emerica site, too. During one flat ground session he commented, “That’s an interesting flick you got there” about my kickflips. Basically a polite way to say, damn dude, your $h!t’s ugly. I know this. I should just stop kickflipping in public. If you started two decades ago, you’re cursed with the old man style |
 Apparently, there’s some kind of basketball on that everyone’s hyped on. The RV was like a football stadium during nights that the game was on. I spy Andrew Reynolds |
 We made friends with our camp neighbors one night. That’s Jamie Tancowny. He woke up with a black eye courtesy of Marquise Preston |
 I spent a lot of time with Aaron Suski. He just had his first Father’s Day while on this trip |
 Someone bought roman candles but they were bible belt fireworks – the kind that only sparkle and don’t blow up, just like the near beer they have in some states. Welcome to uptight and paranoid America |
 I like burning stuff so much it’s almost unnatural. Lucky I didn’t have this tendency when I was a kid. I would have accidentally burned down mom and dad’s house for sure. Fires are so fun |
 I have woken up like this once before, too |
 The sun is bright. Sometimes you need a computer tent |
 Suski and I split from the crew one night to hit up the local skate park in Frederick, Maryland. Thanks to the guys at Pit Crew who came and opened it up and turned the lights on for us |
 Our new friends from Kansas were following the RV and bikes in their own car for the entire tour. This is Cody backside flipping in Maryland. His pants are tighter than a gnat's asshole |
 What's the invert called where you grab mute? I think that's just called a plain old invert. Cody and his pants take it to revert |
 Cody takes his TAPS to a fakie smith 270 out |
 A few months ago I met Hiroshi Nakagawa through email because he sent footage of Ryan Bayless to be in Damn Am. Ryan rips and got the spot. You'll also see him in Tampa Am. After just meeting on this trip, Hiro and just realized we already knew each other. It's a small skateboard world. Hiro's got a hard flip Meronek approved meron grab for you here |
 Joey is also from Kansas. He smokes almost non-stop. He put one out right before this frontside big heel on the bank in Maryland |
 Now we’re at the demo in Frederick. That’s Heath kickflip wallriding. The ground at this park is sort of harsh. Probably because of the winters |
 Julian Heller is a flow guy that joined the tour. Pretty sick when your filmer has the same gear you do. That’s a frontside nosegrind. Thanks for the entertainment in the RV, Julian |
 Suski floated these allyoop nosebones way over the crowd’s head |
 Figgy – front blunt fakie |
 Jamie Tancowny's black eye didn't keep him from killing it at the demo |
 I'm not used to seeing demos this amazing. Everyone destroyed, Andrew Reynolds included, of course. That's a hop up to a tall nosepick |
 Bryan Herman - nollie inward heel |
 What a damn scary trick to be doing on a rail. Leo Romero - kickflip frontside 50-50 |
 Brandon Westgate is another one of those all around top quality dudes. Everyone at Emerica has nothing but good things to say about him. This is not a frontside or a backside 5-0. It's a centered 5-0 |
 Andrew Reynolds frontside flipped down the biggest gap in the park but I don't think anyone got it because he made it first try. Here's a full cab down the smaller bank gap |
 How did Heath Kirchart's Freddy Krueger hat say on during this backside 360? |
 The auto focus kicked in a little late on this sequence of Jamie Tancowny, but check the frame where it focused. That back foot catch on this backside heelflip is amazing. |
 Evo came with us to the park, too. Check his photos on the Emerica site |
 That’s a foot fetish with Mike who opened up the park for us. That’s the new Lakast shoe |
 I made some new fellow oriental friends on this trip. That’s Hiroki kickflipping the hip. They’re here from Japan and tagging along on bikes for the Wild Ride. If they can come all the way from Japan, you need to get your ass out of your US hometown and make it happen like they are |
 Jesse is making it happen. He drove from Kansas to join the tour. Jesse, did you ever make this 360 flip over the hip? If not, I have to change it to a Take a Poop |
 Fellow Skatepark of Tampa Party Team member Braydon was with us for the entire trip |
 Joey and I both were fanning out on Jerry Hsu. I still find it sort of weird and a little nervous hanging out with people you’ve been watching in videos and magazines for years that you look up to |
 This little runt is Peter Hackett. He’s 14. He rips. He also smokes and drinks. Due to his drinking, he’s blowing the opportunity of a lifetime. Andrew Reynolds saw his tape and had him go on the tour last year, but because of his behavior, he wasn’t welcome back this year. We ended picking him up anyway because we drove through his town. He’s right back to being the crazy kid almost getting the entire crew kicked out of the campground every night at 5am. Pretty sad to see some talent like that be wasted. He’s another one in the crew that woke up with a black eye, courtesy of Bryan Herman. I rolled $100 games of dice with him and he cleaned me out. Check how packed this hotel room was |
 We are now rolling up to a signing at Pit Crew skate shop in Frederick, Maryland |
 How hyped is a kid to see this lineup? From the top to the bottom it’s Braydon, Leo Romero, Rick Eusey, Marquis Preston, Figgy, Jerry Hsu, Spanky, Jamie Tancowny, Ben Gilley, Brandon Westgate, Andrew Reynolds, and Suski |
 This is Frederick local, Patrick Nagle, kickflipping in front of Pit Crew. I’d say he has one of those “interesting flicks.” He’s got a new Myspace photo now |
 I’ve been surrounded by a large crew of dudes for several days now. Maybe we should ask that girl back there if she’ll roll with us. Colin, go for it |
 The streets of Frederick, Maryland are old and stylish. I spy Andrew Reynolds |
 That’s only a small party of the crew on bikes that was along side the RV |
 Spanky and Heath Kirchart. Heath got a flat in the middle of some skinny two lane bridge half way through the trip and had to do some time in the RV with us for a while |
 Taylor and Javi love their Sharpies. They throw art work on everything, including each other. Afterwards, they spoon. At least someone on this trip is hooking up. Who’s reading “Guys” magazine? |
 Yet another feeding frenzy catered by Taylor and Javi. We have 401k and profit sharing here at Skatepark of Tampa. Does Mark Waters offer you that? Come work at SPoT. We won’t tell Mark |
 Wow, 7am and Taylor and Javi are already up and prepping a breakfast that blows away any of the Waffle Houses we’ve been eating at way too much |
 I’m one of those people that’s freaked out by any kind of bugs, especially spiders. It was pretty lame waking up to this furry critter creeping around my tent. Yikes |
 I miss Tampa, so here’s a few from my chill cam from before I left on the Wild Ride. The moat in front of the Park was filling up on one of our regular torrential downpours in Tampa |
 Team Pain Tito and I went to go see The Cure with a small crew of friends. Everyone got up and we realized it was just us two watching the show together. So, we held hands, no homo. Then Tito mooned Robert Smith |
 I miss The Hub, too, of course. That’s Bride of Tito, Jen, who joined me for some sauce in the old crusty joint |
 I can’t even remember who’s in this foot fetish from The Hub. Interesting kicks here |
 Wow, look at that witchcraft going on back there. Yep, she was definitely at The Cure show. Porpe and Wizard Smoke might get bitten on the neck by that chick |
 These tracks lead home for me. I’ll be there soon, but then turn right around and leave for Copenhagen Pro next weekend. See you in Denmark |
 Aaron Suski and I skated some park in a town called Frederick. I guess we are in Maryland? More updates later when we get some solid internet access |
 Peter Hackett has his first photo in a magazine in the new Skateboard Mag. Don't blow it, kid. The mag says he's 16, but that's wrong. He's only 14. Pat Stiener is also in same article |
