From Anticostia to West Northern Virginia?

[David Riordon]

From Anticostia to West Northern Virginia?
Washington DC's Diverted Skateboard Scene


The greater Washington DC skateboard scene was given some nice props by freelance Snowboard Mag/Skateboard Mag writer and Kebbek downhill skateboard company team rider Jon Caften. See Concrete Wave Vol. 3 No. 5, Spring 2005, pages 62 thru 67.

Basically the article is six pages about Caften's road trip down to DC with Kebbek company founder Ian Comishin to hang out with DC/DC riders Anthony Smallwood & Doug Dupin. Caften talks up the current District scene while Comishin and another photograph some sessions such as downhill riding in the city, fountainhead slalom & bombing the backside, Green Skate Lab events, etc.

Again, it's a great honor to have those from as faraway as Canada coming out to hang with us and more so to write about us. The exposure that Caften and Concrete Wave gave to WesE, Anthony Flis, Ben Ashworth, Jaime Stapula, etc. is so %#@*&# cool. But I have to be honest, my first review of the article pissed me off something bad!

I didn't know who I was more freak'n pissed off at; Caften, the paid freelance writer, or Michael Brooke and Concrete Wave for allowing an obviously first draft quality story about DC to be set into print. But then I read the article closely and realized how much effort Caften, Comishin, and Michael Brooke put into the article. Not to mention the hospitality that Anthony Smallwood and crew unselfishly gave out to our Canadian brothers that caused the article to be written in the first place.

I realize that is very hard to write articles, but damn Michael Brooke, let's get some of your writers the help they need. If somebody is going to write a story about a local scene they are not part of, then you got to get a local to proof read the story. If I were to write a piece about the Ontario skate scene, no matter how hard I tried, I would get some of the details wrong and would need some of the locals to set the story straight. For example, NOVA stands for Northern VA and it is not in West Virginia. The people in Anacostia would surely get even more pissed at skateboarders if they were called Anticostians. Mike High is a cool downhiller but I think it was Mike Ohm that was killing it through the cones at Fountainhead. And WesE. is not Wes Eslington, here let me butcher his name, "Eastridge".

Caften, you and your boys seem like a real cool group but I got to sit down with you and give you the low down on the just how diverse the Washington DC skateboard scene is and has been for 30+ years.

Concrete Wave, you guys are the number one skateboard mag out there and you have 100% of our skateboarding support that includes by the way, the hard cash we spend on adds in your mag for the Mid-Atlantic Skateboard Series. Next time check your sources and proof the articles on local scenes.

Don't get me wrong, thanks to Jon Caften and Concrete Wave for highlighting the Washington DC skateboard scene. We really do appreciate it. But if you piss off the locals, expect to get your ass kicked out of the surf for at least that days waves. Don't worry though, the Washington DC area locals are cool and forgive easily.

Peace,

DR

[Nino Almazon]

i was definately stoked to read the article. actually Smallwood gave me a copy when i ran into him skating through adams morgan. it was cool to read about the DC downhill runs going home on the metro.... after you just rode them for the first time!

DC is a rad place to live and skate... minus the traffic, but hey can't have everything, right?

[Eric Brammer]

Yeah, Cars and the GOP suck, but luckily, there are some damn fine, hill, fast Bikepaths in the DC area. Of course, if the GOP had it's way, those would be not for pedestrian or bicycle use, but rather for NASCAR GO-KART Racing practice, as to Promote the use of gasoline and the domination of foriegn countries who have resources our military industrial complex can provide for us. Luckily, someone took the hint of a 'great society' and provided alternate routes for those of us who wish to use non-gasoline-propelled vehichles to visit our surroundings. Oh, one other note on the D.C area is the Parks in/around the place. Those have some neat spots that can be skated at your leisure. Just don't piss off the NSA in the process!

[Mike Ohm]

Mr. Caften, if you are going to give me "thumbs down" at least print my name.

Mike Ohm, primadonna slalomskateboarder that didn't want to step in the snow to retreive the one cone he hit. I just can't stand wet shoes.

Nice to meet you. Say hi to Claude.

[Anthony Smallwood]

Take them off and go bare foot, sissy!

[David Riordon]

sissy? break it up boys.

Let's race for pink slips, er uh wrong sport.

how bout them Gnats they got swept by Chicago in the second round.

Fire Coach Gibbs, the damn bumm.

Go Caps. Who?

huh, what?

skateboard? how old are you?---- 8am to 5pm + 2 hour commute both ways and you make fun of my skateboarding. Go talk fertilizer or grub-x for your lawn and kiss my road rash left cheek.


the rant goes on and all I wanted was a Pepsi.

[Anthony Smallwood]

It's all in good fun. I hope.


peace, love and mis-understanding,

antnee

[David Riordon]

it's cool but i think Ohm deserves a wedgie but he would likely resist and i'm no to sure if his whitey tighties would hold up to the stress weight.