Skate Stars Invade O.C.

April 30, 2013September 6, 2021 Concrete Disciples 200 Views Basic Bowl, Belmars, Buddy Carr, Chickens, Dan Sturt, Dave Hackett, Jim Tesnar, Matias Ringstrom, Mike Stelmasky, Mimi Knoop, Pierre Luc Gagnon, Tony Alva, Tony Magnusson

In the early 90’s three pools were built in backyards specifically for skating, Basic, Chicken’s and Belmar’s. If you are lucky enough to know them you can skate ’em. San Diego Skate Stars invade Orange County 2003

John Tousal was boardsliding about half of Basic's deep end, over the Deathbox, by the way, it's overt vert, fuh dude. - Trackers do not suck! Buddy Carr, over-vert grind at Basic — John Tousal was boardsliding about half of Basic’s deep end, over the Deathbox, by the way, it’s overt vert, fuh dude. – Trackers do not suck! Buddy Carr, over-vert grind at Basic

Some brief history before we start the story. In the early 90’s three pools were built in backyards specifically for skating, Basic, Chicken’s and Belmar’s. If you are lucky enough to know them you can skate em. Basic used to have open sessions on weekends but know a family is in the house and sessions are rare. Not to mention that Basic has lifted out of the ground 3 times and is now well over-vert but it is still skateable. Basic has returned from the dead several times.

Known as a vert jock in the 80's, Tony Mag hits the crete. - Indy Air at Chickens by Tony Alva — Known as a vert jock in the 80’s, Tony Mag hits the crete. – Indy Air at Chickens by Tony Alva

One Friday night I met Greg Cassel, Basic’s proprietor at the House of Blues to see Social Distortion. I said “Greg man we gotta skate Basic again” He said “sure give me a call” Then we proceeded to get kicked out of the House of Blues cuz they are fucking Nazis, but that’s a different story. The next day there was good session going down at Clairemont including Buddy Carr who used to be Greg’s partner at Basic. I said to Buddy “Let’s go skate your old house, Greg said its cool”. I gave buddy Greg’s phone number and voila, Buddy had a sesh planned for Basic and Chickens the following Sunday.

Upon meeting Buddy in Carlsbad on Sunday morning it was surprising to see so many people. Mike Stelmasky, Jim Tesner, Mimi Knoop, Kim, Elana, Mark, Dan Sturt, Buddy, John Tousal, George from Bowlrider, Fuzzy, his kid and few others I did not know. Visions of snake sessions went through my mind as Tesner and I drove up to Basic, once there we drained the little water that was in the pool and Tony Alva showed up. Everyone started to figure out their own lines on the over-vert walls but a few really killed it. Buddy was grinding the hell out of his Trackers, got the over-vert death box. Someone forgot to tell John Tousal it was over vert cuz he was killing it, boardslides around the deep – over the box and way more shit than that, man. TA was ripping too! Tesner fell on a f-side rock, Mimi Knoop was ripping. Thanks to the Lamb’s and Greg for a rare session.

Hot skaters from 4 different decades and different countries were skating Chickens today l-r unknown, Matias Ringstrom, Mimi Knoop, John Tousal, Mike Stelmasky, Pierre Luc Gagnon, Fuzzy's son, Dave Hackett, Buddy Carr, un-known, in the bowl - Tony Magnusson. Out of picture - Chicken, Dan Sturt, Fuzzy Jim Tesnar, Tony Alva, Kim, Mark, George from Bowlrider and more, sheesh — Hot skaters from 4 different decades and different countries were skating Chickens today l-r unknown, Matias Ringstrom, Mimi Knoop, John Tousal, Mike Stelmasky, Pierre Luc Gagnon, Fuzzy’s son, Dave Hackett, Buddy Carr, un-known, in the bowl – Tony Magnusson. Out of picture – Chicken, Dan Sturt, Fuzzy Jim Tesnar, Tony Alva, Kim, Mark, George from Bowlrider and more, sheesh

It was a real San Diego invasion as we moved on to Chickens, like 8 cars pull into the quiet Huntington Beach Hood. More San Diego heads showed up including Tony Magnussen, Pierre Luc Gagnon, Matias Ringstrom, and Dave Hackett. Chicken and a few others join in the session. Too many heads for me, especially after I pile into Chicken, the owner. TA was ripping; of course he is used to the tight trannies. Hackett was shredding after he had Chicken turn off Johnny Thunders and busted out his Osiris G Bag blasting Joe Walsh and Ted Nugent. Vert jocks PLG and Matias had their issues at first but started to get it. We had the 1977 World Champ, TA and 2002 X Games champ skating the same pool, 25 years difference between the two titles, pretty fucking amazing? Tesner and I move to Sadlands, which was closed, so we promptly head to Captain Creams the best part of the day.