San Diego Day One: Washington Street Skatepark and Adio Warehouse

Words by Ryan Clements
Photos and Captions By Rob Meronek

This is definitely the biggest crew that we’ve ever had out to ASR, with a total of eight of us from Skatepark of Tampa. While the bottom line is that we’re here for work, we decided to come out a day earlier than usual to get in some skate time as well. Right off the plane we made it happen…dropped off the bags and hit the road.

The first stop was the park under the Washington Street Bridge. This cement monstrosity is not for the timid. The locals rightfully take pride in their spot and it’s very obvious who they are. An all-star cast was in attendance, including Hewitt, Stu Graham, Mumford, and Neil Heddings, who it was great to see.

Next we hit up the Adio Warehouse in Carlsbad to skate their new bowl and added street course. After skating the rough terrain of Washington Street, the bowl felt like it was the smoothest surface of all time. The session ended abruptly with the lights turning off at 8pm, causing Donnie to smash into the tranny of the bowl.

The next exit north off the 5 is where Matt Hensley’s Bar is located. We had a couple of brews and ran into some old friends, but kept it pretty mellow. The bar had a great vibe, Hensley himself was there, and the wings were Clem-approved.

Good-bye Tampa, again

Hello San Diego, again

The planes fly super low right over downtown San Diego

If I lived here, I'd be alternating meals between Ronald's and In n Out Burger

Our first stop was Washington Street where you feel like a 12 year old kid who just started skating

Skate the grill but don't smash your steak

The cradle

I guess that pyramid was the first thing built here, then it grew into what it is today after the city gave permission to build here. Since people in their 20's and 30's are generally harder workers than people in their teens, this is trannyville instead of more normal street spots

There is constant construction by skaters here

In some parts, the coping is made up of parking blocks

That's Neil Heddings on an ollie over one of the bumps

Neil Heddings - frontside grind over the love seat. Actually at this place, they probably call it the hate seat

Matt Mumford was there pushing backside tailslides over the hate seat

This is what it looks like when you roll up to the place

Now we're at the Adio warehouse in Carlsbad, CA where an industry guy session is brewing. That's Jamie Stone from the bid'niss side (advertising sales) of Transworld doing a frontside nosegrind.

That's Scott Koerner from the bid'niss side of Dakine bags. He's had nothing but party photos on the site up until this backside tailslide. Yes, we all do more than throw down sauce and smokes when we're out here

Where there's smoke, there's Wizard. There are several people here from the SPoT staff, including Wizard Smoke here who killed it in the Shop and was rewarded with a trip to the grand sketchy skateboard industry gathering known as ASR

Who dat? He was floating some large backside ollies over the hip

Barak is our Buyer. How cool is it to have a job spending someone else's money on skate stuff?

The warehouse was expanded from what's back there on the left to all the stuff on the right including the bowl. Ian Gow takes advantage with a gap lipslide

Right before this, Lako put out a smoke. Right after this, he lit up another one

Later that night, we went to Matt Hensley's bar

The only way Tampa will ever have a place this proper is if Schaefer opens up a bar. Schaefer, let's do this