| Day Three: Sunday, August 31 I have two brand new batteries for my laptop and a long plane ride, which explains this wall of long text about the last day of the Bayview Rumble.
Today sucked for me. I paid the price for partying last night. I woke up in a chair that doesn't even recline at my friend Jen's house still feeling the evil alcohol from the night before. All I had the energy to do was go to the World's Best Shop Owner contest held at the Deluxe offices. It was a super fun weekend, but I'm really glad I'm on a plane back home right now. Good bye, California. I'll miss you, I love you, and I'll see you soon.
The course for the Contest was two, back-to-back bank ramps, with a pink, beater car in between. Someone 360 flipped it and took home some custom boards and $500 worth of Deluxe gear. Linsey Robertson was there skating also. The all-star judging panel consisted of Trainwreck, Frank Gerwer, and Dave Duren while Brian Schaefer entertained us and made fun of everything and anyone on the bull horn.
As you can see by the crowd at yesterday's Best Trick contest, the Bayview Rumble had a pretty good turnout. I heard Dustin Dollin won it for the gap kickflip 50-50 he did. I was curious about how much actual business was going down, so I asked all my sales rep friends how things went. Most of them say it's about an even split between legit shop owners looking to buy and just random lurking partiers. If you're at a company thinking of getting space at the next Bayview Rumble, I'd recommend it. The hospitality is amazing, there are no badges, no meathead security guards that don't skate, and no $10 slices of pizza and $8 beers like trade shows in a convention center always have. My stripper wallet didn't get much use because there was free food and drink everywhere. You can have all the beer you want in your booth, you're allowed to take photos, anyone can walk around with a skateboard, and anyone who wants can just walk in. That sounds totally normal and it is - other trade shows are not normal.
I just took a big dump in the airplane bathroom, which explains the new poll I just posted - Have you ever taken a dump on an airplane?
My next adventure is the 3rd Lair Damn Am contest in Minneapolis in a few weeks. Check out www.DamnAm.com for more info. Just one month later, there's the "West Coast Tampa Am" - the Volcom Damn Am Contest in October. Finally, in November is the Make-A-Wish thing in Texas, and before you know it, Tampa Am 2004 will be here. These last few months of the year are going to be fun, fun, fun.
Thanks for reading if you made it this far.
Rob
rob@skateparkoftampa.com |
 Beer goes flying as Frank Gerwer and Brian Schaefer announce the winner of the Best Shop Owner Contest. |
 Some of the shop owners were really ripping - big ollie over the pink car |
 If you can read Brian Schefer's sketchy chicken scratch, you might be able to figure out who did what at the Contest |
 All over San Francisco, there are business owners that seem to be complete dicks like this guy with his sign stating that guests in his hotel are only allowed to come and go three times before they''re booted out. Who the hell''s going to get a room in a place like that? |
 Another ripping shop owner throws down a kickflip over the pinkmobile |
 Lindsey Robertson - backside heel |
 Mute grab by some shop owner in the contest |
 This guy was actually pulling these one foot frontside rocks. Reminds me of Neil Blender. |
 Another shop owner on a pivot to fakie on the makeshift bank to wall |
 Best Shop Owner Contest judges Frank Gerwer, Matt from Deluxe, Dave Duren, Brian Schaefer, and Alex Trainwreck Gall |
 Best Shop Owner Contest winner Joel from Pleasant Hill gets his toilet trophy from Brian Schaefer and Frank Gerwer |
 Stale grab over the car |
 The crowd at the Best Shop Manager Contest | |
