INTRODUCTION // ISSUE 10.1

Why do we do this?

For people out there shoveling spots and parks. For all the community leaders and advocates. For the photographers that shoot more great photos than we’ll have enough pages to publish. For the filmers that spend hours looking through the lens to capture the make, and then hours more editing their videos. For people that like to see more than just “fails” and viral clips.

For people with perpetually mangled ankles, elbows, knees, and shins. For people that know what salt and sand on a sidewalk feels like under your wheels. For homebodies and highway-hitters. For islanders, way-up-northers, West Coasters, mountain folk, prairie dogs, middle-Earthers, rural rippers, city slickers, East Coasters, and anyone else that doesn’t cover. For skateshop owners. For skateshop employees. For skateshop customers. For skateshop lurkers. For anyone that knows how to change a kingpin, remove a bearing ring, and rethread an axle.

For every member for the crew, no doubt, but even more so for the person out there doing it alone because that’s what works for them. For people that seek out hard-to-find videos and magazines. For old-timers out there showing youngsters the ropes. For first-timers. For the soon-to-bes. For people with a whole quiver, and for people that keep and maintain just that right one. For those out there pouring concrete under bridges and in run-down corners of their town. For people that know and appreciate that there is more than one magazine out there. For people that know and appreciate that there is more than one truck brand out there.

For everyone that rolls without headphones. For dweebs, nerds, dorks, and bleeding-hearts. For hoarders and minimalists. For people with compassion. For people that are passionate. For people who accept all other types of people. For funny people. For serious people. For punks, hip-hoppers, heavy-metalers, deadheads, classic rockers, jazz fiends, smooth stylers, and folk folks. For students, burnouts, dropouts, and graduates. For flatgrounders, ledge dancers, rail chompers, bowl trolls, halfpipers, spot-seekers, park-riders, zen-seeking manual masters, hill-bombers, speed freaks, foot-draggers, tic-tacers, mongo-footers, and freestylers. For anyone, regardless of their age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or anything else that is just simply a part of who they are. For people who know that in the end we are all equal as humans.

We do this for skateboarders.

Words and photo by Jeff Thorburn

Above: Adam Gee extends an invert on a temporary tombstone ladder at the third annual Coping Bash.