Damn Am Los Angeles 2013: Arrival in LA and Construction

Joe Pelham aka HiDefJoe

Travis from Nike SB, thanks for letting us take over your facility for the weekend. Joe and Brian are straight into SPoT Life filming mode.
Date: May 31, 2013
Photographer: Rob Meronek

Practice is less than 24 hours from now, but the concrete is still drying. Not a problem, California Skateparks is getting it done.
Date: May 31, 2013
Photographer: Rob Meronek

Not sure what's going on outside.
Date: May 31, 2013
Photographer: Rob Meronek

I hope you're one of these 450. If not, watch live right here on Sunday for the Semi-Finals and Finals.
Date: May 31, 2013
Photographer: Rob Meronek

Joe Pelham aka HiDefJoe

Joe forgets things more than the average person. He might have forgotten I took this photo.
Date: May 31, 2013
Photographer: Rob Meronek

Salman Agah

Now we're at Salman's pizza place, Pizzanista. Over 10 years ago, Salman was in a van with us going up and down the west coast where we started this whole Damn Am thing and turned it into what it is today.
Date: May 31, 2013
Photographer: Rob Meronek

Thanks to Steve and Eric, we were able to roll through The Berrics for a bit. I've never been to the new one. Tonight is the Battle at the Berrics Finals.
Date: May 31, 2013
Photographer: Rob Meronek

Joe Pelham aka HiDefJoe

HiDefJoe supports the "no filming allowed" rule. He gets to skate the whole time.
Date: May 31, 2013
Photographer: Rob Meronek

Danny Montoya

Good to see you, Danny.
Date: May 31, 2013
Photographer: Rob Meronek

Joe Pelham aka HiDefJoe

There is and endless supply of good ground here. That's HiDefJoe on a back lip.
Date: May 31, 2013
Photographer: Rob Meronek

Mikey Taylor

Mikey Taylor was here. DC is having a wear test thing tonight for Nyjah's new shoe.
Date: May 31, 2013
Photographer: Rob Meronek

Thanks again, ya'll. Looking forward to BATB tonight.
Date: May 31, 2013
Photographer: Rob Meronek

Meanwhile, back at our hotel room, it's got a very "open" design.
Date: May 31, 2013
Photographer: Rob Meronek

After a long day of work and play finding restaurants closed, we ended up at The Pantry in downtown LA. Apparently, the place has never closed in like 100 years. You can get a lumberjack style breakfast anytime here.
Date: May 31, 2013
Photographer: Rob Meronek

Casey Wayne

It seems like there's always something skate related going on in LA. We heard about this film festival at the Cha Cha Lounge so we stopped by for some beers and independent skate videos. Casey ran into Chris who he met skating in Tampa recently. Chris just moved to California and loves it as you'd expect for the weather and the skate spots.
Date: May 31, 2013
Photographer: Rob Meronek

The bar was packed and is one of the few bars in California that makes me feel like I'm still in Florida. It's nice and crusty.
Date: May 31, 2013
Photographer: Rob Meronek

It's now a very early morning for us as we've just arrived at the completed Sixth and Mill Facility where doors and practice are getting started at noon today.
Date: May 31, 2013
Photographer: Rob Meronek

There isn't a single mark on any of this stuff.
Date: May 31, 2013
Photographer: Rob Meronek

There aren't even wheel marks on the ground.
Date: May 31, 2013
Photographer: Rob Meronek

This giant shoe box is a legit manny pad.
Date: May 31, 2013
Photographer: Rob Meronek

My caveman boardslide is about to be the first marks on this rail.
Date: May 31, 2013
Photographer: Rob Meronek

I don't really have any marks I can put here. I'll save that for you.
Date: May 31, 2013
Photographer: Rob Meronek

See you here at noon today. If you can't make it, follow along with SPoT Life episodes and live online right here at skatparkoftampa.com on Sunday.
Date: May 31, 2013
Photographer: Rob Meronek