Trees & bushes conceal a place that inspires generation after generation of skateboarders. A place hidden by loud trains, large empty spaces, three abandoned buildings and two extremely dull and mundane buildings on either side of the entrance to the road. It is here, that a skateboard park was built and has existed for years in harmony. A place where young men take their girlfriends to film them kick flipping, ollie-ing, grinding, heel flipping and speeding up to catch big air off the ramps. Defiance, beauty, strength, independence, practice, performance; these are the elements of skateboarding, the very things that attracted and inspired generations of young men (and women) as far back as the 1970's. I think the Tony Hawk's video game franchise captured this image of the golden era of skating, especially in Tony Hawk's Underground, where everything from the music to the skating style glorifies those who follow and appreciate the independence and appeal of the old school skater.
I recall trying to join this exclusive social "club" of adept skaters, both in skill and in conversation. This was when I was significantly younger than I am now (I'm coming up on my twentieth birthday) and lacked the motivation to keep trying to learn skateboarding, even after it became difficult and boring for me. I eventually gave up and moved on with my life, gaining very little experience from my attempts to master the artful sport of skateboarding. However, my infatuation with skateboarding never changed. Nowadays, I hardly go to the skatepark anymore, the Tony Hawk video game franchise is dead, I still don't know how to ride a skateboard and sometimes I feel as though I am beginning to lose my connection with the skateboarding culture. Once upon a summer, exactly two summers ago, I remember my younger brother and his friend Ben (the neighbor kid from down the street) asked my father to drive them to the skatepark. It was a beautiful summer day and there was no work to be done. I'll never forget that feeling as I watched Ben and Neil hop out of the car and do different tricks on the ramps. It was so bright and warm outside; I was watching Neil and his friend run around the entire park. Ben was clearly an adept skater for his age, whereas Neil had no experience but he still had fun.
Here in Colorado Springs, it isn't unusual for the heat to go above and beyond one hundred degrees. I sat there in the car, as I was burning up from the morning sun. I realized that the skatepark wasn't something I went to very often myself. That was usually because although I could walk to the skateboard park, it would take an ungodly amount of time to get there. And the summer sun would murder me because there's no shade to take cover in. I used to think the teenagers at the skatepark were cool, but now I realize they're either middle schoolers or young high schoolers. Some of them are obnoxious; bringing their girlfriends to the skatepark so that they can film their boyfriends doing mediocre tricks while showing off their fake tattoos (yes, fake tattoos!). Nevertheless, I still enjoy watching the real talent doing their thing. I only wish bringing a cigar to the skatepark were an option, but it's not since having a cigar (or any type of tobacco for that matter) would make me a god among men in that setting. Fifteen and sixteen year olds begging me to give them cigars. Could you imagine how annoying that would get? On the other hand, I could see how smoking it in front of them would be kind of rude. On the other hand, most of the teenagers are too distracted skateboarding or biking to notice the people around them. Listening to metal on my iPod while watching people skateboard while smoking would be a relaxing thing for me. It's probably a great combination I imagine.
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