Skateboarding

Then...                                                  and Now.

I've been skateboarding since the late 70's, mostly between '77 and the mid-80's and I've recently started again.  This page is primarily to preserve some photos of "old school" skating in New Orleans, circa 1980 +/ a few years.  Some of the players are still alive, some aren't, most are no longer in the area, as far as I know.

The cool building in the photos taken near the Mississippi River was called the "Butterfly" and was destroyed sometime in the 1990s when it was hit by a large boat.  RIP, Butterfly. 

I'll also include some photos of the new me, as they become available.

Note to JJ:  Where are you?   We've been searching for years.

Notable skateboards

Small, blue plastic skateboard from K-Mart...no picture available.

Bahne fiberglass board with Gullwing trucks and Road Rider 4's, location now unknown, no picture available. One of my most notable moments in skateboarding occurred when riding this board.  I was flying down Webster, in uptown New Orleans, no pads, and hit a nasty crack in the road.  The front Gullwing truck blew apart and I ate it big time.   Luckily, all the skin grew back.

G&S Fibre-Flex (thanks to David for reminding me of the details!), Trackers, and...some wheels.  Although I don't remember doing it, apparently I sold it to Lee Sims.

Z-Flex fiberglass Jay Adams, Trackers, Kryptonics...heavy, but unbreakable!  I have no idea what happened to this board, but I'd love to have it back. I don't have a closeup pic, but it's the yellow board in some of the pics in the next section.  I'm positive I didn't sell it to Lee Sims!  :)

Kryptonics K-Beam (11.25"), Trackers, lots of different wheels, including Kryptonics, Gyros, Rollerballs...a most excellent ride.  Snapped during an aerial at the Butterfly.  I wish I had saved the pieces.   One of the best boards I've ever owned.

Rob Roskopp, Trackers and/or Gullwings, lots of different wheels, too creaky to ride, retired.  One of the best boards ever!

<<an aside>>

The Roskopp was purchased in the mid-80s (?) and was the last board I purchased for a looong time.  I got back into skateboarding briefly on a few occasions in the 90's and 00's and purchased new boards (a freestyle board, several popsicle sticks) and really never got into them.  So much so, that I can't even remember brands or graphics.  I recently gave away all of those boards, trucks, wheels, everything...to a neighborhood kid.

Now I have two complete boards, with extra sets of wheels, etc. for different terrain.  I'm completely happy with the setup of the Z-Flex, but the Long Pig needs different wheels.  Some more candidates are on order....

<<end of aside>>

Z-Flex Jay Adams, Indies, 65mm Bulldog Skates MiniCons, 90a.  I had some trouble getting this board set up correctly, but this combination seems great and I'm finally happy.  Thanks to my buddy David Osborne for this deck.

Bulldog Skates Long Pig (11" x 36"), Tracker 184mm, Kryptonics 70mm 78a (temporarily) wheels.  The wheels are actually great on rough terrain, but not slidable.  This board is a monster and will probably enter my favorite boards of all times list once the wheels issue is resolved.  I'm still trying to learn a proper stance (or set of them).  It's quite a handful--very huge.

Pictures

These pictures were taken by Barry, on the Butterfly, around 1980.

Miscellaneous skateboarding pics from the 1980's, mostly of some smallish, homemade ramp action.

Years past.  Boards rot.  Film cameras are abandoned.   2005.  Golden the Skateboarder is reborn.  The pictures are lame, but I need a bit more time for leg re-development!

The tropical storm and (missed) hurricane really wrecked the Lakefront in New Orleans.  Good news for skateboarders, since it means that one of the only smooth hills in the entire city was barricaded.  Hurray for powerslides and high speed wheelies!  Also, slappy's rule.