Oh Canada, Oh Canada (Slam City Jam)

The Skatepark of Tampa out-of-town trips usually consist of some type of work. When we go to San Diego, it’s for the ASR Trade Show. This time it was different...we didn’t have any work to do! That’s right. With the exception of having to wake up at 4:15 in the morning to make my flight to Vancouver at 6:30am, it was basically a vacation.

That’s right, I saw The Birdman do a 900 with my own eyes. The course was good. Billy Rohan – nollie half cab switch 5-0 “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.” The “NOMAD” was there. Bill Danforth is cool as hell. The is the back room art gallery of Rick McCrank’s skate shop, Anti-Social. I was like, “Yo, let me kickflip that board!” YEAH RIGHT! Ryan Johnson is down with Skatepark of Tampa. Schaefer chillin’ wif his boys, Mosley and Kareem. Nate Sherwood is now doing porno movies...I’m not joking (Ed Templeton told me about ‘it.’). Rene and Brian Brian. WELCOME TO CANADA! Dayne Brummett – bs smith on the big hubba Dayne Brummett – switch fs 50/50 John Rattray didn’t pull this bs noseblunt on 4’ of vert, but it was still gnarly as hell!

Oh Canada, Oh Canada (Slam City Jam) May 19, 2003 Photos and Words By Ryan Clements Schaefer and I think Vancouver is great. In addition to the general cleanliness of Canada, the entire time we were there, Brian and I were trying to figure out why everyone was so nice to us. In the restaurants, bars, and even at the event, all of the Canadians were cool. I don’t know the reason, but it’s like they’re not as bitter as Americans or something. We received excellent service nearly everywhere we went. I said to Brian, “Maybe it’s because we’re nicer when we’re out of town, and that makes people nicer to us.” Regardless of the reason for their kindness, I like Canadians. The Slam Contest is crazy. I don’t know the exact attendance, but there are people everywhere. The venue was a little bit smaller than the St. Pete Times Forum, but everywhere you went, you bumped into other spectators. I’ve heard nightmare stories about security being lame and the VIP guests not being allowed access anywhere they wanted, but I experienced nothing of the sort. In fact, we were treated very well by the organizers and even got to hang out on the course during the Contest. At one point, I even grabbed my skateboard and pumped up to the platform of the vert ramp, which happened to be the same ramp used in the Boom Boom Huckjam, and no one said a word. I spent most of Saturday hanging out with Kyle Berard. He wasn’t having as much fun as he should have been because he spent the majority of his second run trying to pry his skateboard out of the fence surrounding the course (it got stuck there when he bailed and his board shot out). So, as Kyle and I walked around the colesium discussing the skateboarding industry and life in general and talking to people, we ran into handrail destroyer, Paul Machnau. Here’s what Paul and I talked about: Ryan: Hi, I’m Ryan from Skatepark of Tampa. Remember me? Paul: Yeah, of course. What are you doing here? Taking photos (I was holding a camera.)? Ryan: Uh, yeah, and just hanging out and enjoying a vacation. Paul: You should have entered. Ryan: Entered what? Paul: The Contest. Ryan: Why would I enter the Contest? Paul: I know about you. I heard you got skills. Ryan (feeling really awkward): Uh. Yeah. They let anyone enter this thing, right? Paul: Yep. Ryan: Uh, I’d feel a little weird wasting everyone’s time skating against real pros like you guys (Sheckler was standing there, too.), Man, but thanks though. That was definitely a weird-ass conversation. I walked away and said to Kyle, “He must not know who I am. That’s ridiculous; I couldn’t enter a pro contest. He must think I’m Schaefer or something.” I mean, seriously, I couldn’t even enter a sponsored division and look good. Check out the photos for a good idea of what went down. To even get into the story of the Contest would make this ridiculously long. Go to www.slamcityjam.com for all of the results and such... Ryan

Mike V. is tough as hell. He always looks like he’s pissed, even when he’s not. Oh yeah, you know I was ripping Hastings. Schaefer, Crum, and Berard at their favorite spot. I think Joe Hemmeke rips on a skateboard, for a photographer...even more than Gabe Morford. Jake Brown with a huge 540. Tattoo on neck = people ALWAYS looking at you like you’re a felon. Shaun White is going to be really, really famous someday...he rips. The Champ, Ryan Sheckler, with a bs lip shove it out. Dylan Reider – kffs boardslide One of those little Shorty’s kids with a bs salad. Rodney Jones is down with Skatepark of Tampa. Spencer Fujimoto – bs tailslide