Its July, things change and we adapt

Whats up homies, were has the hype about Rufus gone? Whats up with you today??

What happened to Rufus, where did it go is the burning question I have.... To answer it simply is no where, Rufus is still here, alive and breathing everyday. For the most part I have put the project on the back burner for my own reasons, mostly selfish ones. For instance, my time. I wanted my time back after devoting so much time to something that was rewarding and hard work. That is ironic though, it was rewarding and hard work. Isn't that a good thing?? It is, most definitely but time is time and I wanted to devote my time to a few other things. There are other things that revolve around the reason to deactivate the project as well, things that are not always in your control. I think computer viruses should count as life. I think it says something about human nature that the only form of life we have created so far is purely destructive. We've created life in our own image.

Stephen Hawking 

So that being said, we all have are moments in life, good and bad. We all do things that maybe we shouldn't have or should have done, one way or another. What did I do and what other people did through all this is negligible really. I chalk it up to a interesting learning experience, one that does not haunt me but rather brings a smile to my face when I think about it. Its really a story about human nature and how people react to stimulus with in their environment. 

I started a blog, made skateboards, started a skate team and then people bought my boards all over the world somehow. Now, well, my main marketing guy that had me flourishing in local sales started his own board company and guess what, my board sales dwindle. No big deal though. After manufacturing over a hundred of your own boards by hand you understand the process, you get good at making skateboards and you appreciate having someone else make them for you!! It gets tiresome after awhile, especially in my situation. So I got tired of making them, hogging all my free time. I wanted to spend more time on other things and that is what I have done. 

I am back on a fitness regime, I eat right and my house stays cleaner. There are things I miss and there are things that I don't.  I miss friendships I have made. Not that they have gone anywhere, they are still there. I don't miss the sully attitudes of certain individuals but that is every scene that I have experienced, I have experienced a few many scenes. 

So if you are reading this and have wondered where I have gone the answer is no where, I am still here. Same address, same phone number and same everything else. Question is: Where have you been?? 

King of Jackson Report

King of Jackson (KOJ) was inspired by Thrasher Magazine's King of the Road competition except instead of having two weeks the teams involved have 24 hours. Its the same deal, you are handed a booklet that outlines different spots to skate and challenges that result in points. The challenges range from doing skate tricks, dressing up in daisy dukes or getting a specific tattoo. The start time was Friday Night at 12am, 24 hours from there each team gets until midnight Saturday to upload all their skate videos.

The breakdown of the RUFUS crew was Jenks, Skyler and Stewart in Jenk's Honda Civic. Then Zach, Garner, Coltrane and Me in my Civic. Jenks and his crew got to Jackson around  noon on Friday. My half of the crew did not get to Jackson until around 10pm. So we had to wait two hours before things got started. Got our camp set up in the meantime and just waited ambivalently. Then 12 midnight finally came as Frank Henn explained the rules and handed out packets. Mostly he explained that each challenged had to be captured on video and uploaded then linked to the SkateMs Facebook (FB) page. You had to make sure in your description on FB  the Team Name, the Skater and Trick were in there or you would not receive credit. Finally there was your tour guide if you needed one. Garner picked from a hat and we received Tyler Holloway from Vicksburg.

It was at the moment we received the packet along with Tyler that emotions changed. I went from being ambivalent to excited and fully motivated to do whatever we had to do. Everyone else on the team was the same. They went from "Why am I here again?' to lets get in the car and start knocking these challenges out one by one. Every Team jumped in their cars and headed out except for Brazen. They got their packet and went back to camping.

Must have been 12:45 A.M., we  pulled up at a warehouse just outside of town that was said to have ramps, ledges and rails setup. Guess what? All the teams were there, the place was a madhouse.  We shot a few clips, Skyler lost his skateboard and we fought skateboard traffic for about two hours. It was chaotic, not great for filming but fun never the less. We probably did not get back to the tent city until 3.

The next morning we got rolling around 930, is my best guess. Brazen and had rolled out early before anybody got up. I guess they figured that skating at midnight was  waste of time, I would have to agree. We went back to look for Skyler's board and shoot some more video. We got some mad clips but we did not find Skyler's wip.  From there we went to a train bridge overpass, shot more clips and got our one and only Mystery Guest challenge with Tate Nations, a popular local photographer in Jackson. It was onto Frank's backyard bowl from there, some pizza and some rest for me. After Frank's we headed downtown to a popular spot for stair set tricks and more shooting of video. At this point we had learned that you need to be editing good shots versus bad shots during the process of shooting. At first we had collected a mass of clips and only a small percentage of these clips were usable. Going through and trying to delete bad clips was tedious and could drive you insane after a while. So the filmer, on who's ever camera phone, would shoot a clip and then immediately delete the clip if it was bad. That way you only ended up with good clips after the spot was done with. By midday the whole team effort was taking off, everyone involved were playing their parts, it was exciting to see it all happen. The last spot we hit was Rampage indoor park. Luckily they let us in for free, we filmed our tricks and then called it a day for skating but not challenges. We were not done. Jenk's crew headed to Home Depot and my crew headed to Florence to get a Tattoo on Zach. Both Crews Rendezvoused around 930 to finish uploading video and try to relax at a local friend's house. By midnight we were done. We headed back to our campsite where mass mayhem was getting started with libations and campfires while Jenks and Skyler headed back to Memphis.  By 3am we retreated to our tents since the fire department was not happy about our camp fires which they put out. We had no idea we were subject to city ordinances even though we were on a huge grass lot with no buildings around.

Sunday morning had come and gone, by sunlight everyone was huddled in my car trying to escape the downpour of rain that had bemoaned us in the night. I guess this is where a cheap motel would have been nice or maybe tents with rain flys. Waking up in a puddle of cold water was not clearly ideal. O well, it was all good after a good breakfast and a visit to a Men's room.

At around noon that Sunday Frank and his crew had all the skate teams assemble for an awards ceremony and BarBQue cook out. Brazen came in first, Dirtbags in second and Rufus in Third. We were not that far off from first and second, if only we had gotten all our clips uploaded, the kissing the homeless guy challenge and been a bit more organized who knows. Garner won the Daisey Duke challenged and we got third. They said that Garner ended up in the background in a bunch of other skate teams videos, it was hilarious. Some might say that our team had the most fun. Our team was really stoked to even just get third. It was a pretty good showing for a rookie team in the end as the other two teams who won had done this last year. We learned so much on this attempt. It was more fun than anything else. Big props to Tyler for being our guide, we wouldn't have done nearly as well without his knowledge. Big Props to Frank and SkateMS for putting it on, it was so much fun.

Common Criminals

There is a new book that has been published about Skateboarding published by our local David Thornton. Here is the synopsis:

Skateboarders writing about skateboarding. David "Lucha" Thornton and thirteen other skaters tell how they got started, what stokes them to skate, and about the friendships they've developed from skating. Common Criminals celebrates the criminal art of skateboarding, primarily from the lifer skater's perspective.

Click hyper link to Amazon and buy!!

There is a Kindle version, its cheap, buy it and support the local scene.

http://www.amazon.com/Common-Criminals-David-Lucha-Thornton/dp/1482529769/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1363296181&sr=1-2&keywords=common+criminals

Al Town and Stuff

New spine being built at Al Town. The guys need $150 dollars to finish this spine. You can use my donate button on the right to give what you can to the cause.

Hey Zach!! get off your ass and do something....JK, Zach killed it today.

They decided to make it 7ft tranny, everyone there was stoked.

No work on this today but it will be a new ledge. 

They are really stoked on the new amount of flow the spine will add. I have to give Johnny props, he really has this thing, everyone is motivated. 

And then there are the Trife homies, David and Taylor are instrumental in all this beginning among others not mentioned. 

Then I was stoked to see this out there being skated by its new owner. The gold has been a good color choice it seems. 

Zach's new board or the one I sent to Germany, no sure, they are both green.

Some clothed, some not.

Patches.

This is from the Tusk pour.

Wet Concrete.

Wait, no, that is Roxboro Colorado.

Leo, Matt and Sinclair just hanging out by the cheese burger.

Swamp Spot.

Neighborhood house party jam.

Swamp

Well, I am gunna go lay down.

Al Town Benefit

This past Sunday the concrete guys that like to play with asphalt decided to have a benefit for Al Town.

It started off great and ended great.

 Manatees played the cops showed up. people got crunk.

The guy liked the wall.

Skating happened.

Entry was free but risky.

The Crowds swelled.

They Rocked, out side, very cool.

I am not saying nothing about that except take Monday off next time.

Local Gang Bangers.

My name is Abe and tell cops to Fuck off!!

The End.

Al Town Benefit

I Love Peregrination

Peregrination means to travel about by foot, my favorite form of travel (backpacking). I found the word when  I was searching for an alternate word for travel because I wanted to spice up my heading. I traveled this past weekend to Jackson, Mississippi so the Rufus skate bandits could get their skate on and I could film them doing it. I loved meeting the people of Jackson and how well received we were to the locals. I have had this feeling a bunch on my travels of late while jaunting with the Bandits. 

Self Portrait just before we left for Jackson. We got a late start that day because these Cackalackas' got detained by the cops just a block from my house for looking like thugs. 

A Regal Self Portrait in the McDonalds on the road somewhere to jackson. I love the self timer function on the lil point and shoot.

Gnar Star's ass is a growing theme every where we go, it has its own personality. You either love it or hate it.

I like to rock out to Stoner Metal and take self portraits while driving. Look at Treydawg's expression in the back seat, he is saying SHIT CHRIS because we almost side swiped a big ass truck while I was getting the photo.

We made it to Jackson, Rampage Indoor Park. We caught Baby Skyler playing pocket pool when we arrived.

Early Picture of Rampage Park in Fall 2012 when I was stopping through, I forgot to take any stills on this trip here because I was filming 1080i video the whole time, wait for the video one day.

When Cackalackas' start drinking they like to take their shirts off and show people their tats. Look at Trey's under wear, looks like someone gave him a wedgy.

Breakfast and the Dirtbowl, backyard DIY.

DIY Street Spot.

Thanks to all the Homies in Jackson.

Another Arkassouri

You might remember back during the Summer I posted a trip story about driving Coltrane and Ron up to Missouri and back through Arkansas. Well we did it again, six months later and no Ron. This time we adopted new and old kin folk that included Coltrane, Cole, Skyler, Garner and of course me driving my Honda Civic. None of us are related by blood that we know but that does not stop us from acting like a dysfunctional family unit traveling the country side.

We started our journey on the Friday night of the 29th in December after Garner got off work around 630pm. The car was packed to its gills with skateboards, camping equipment, camera equipment and each person's change of clothes although I think Skyler had three outfits stowed away. Cole insisted we bring our Tents and Sleeping bags because we were going to camp out in Arkansas which we will get to in a minute. I was against camping from the beginning since the temperatures were predicted to go down below freezing but Cole insisted so we packed the car to car camp, I had no choice.

The first leg of the journey, the Friday night, we drove three hours through Arkansas into Missouri. About an hour into the drive, as we got to the other side of Jonesboro AR, snow started pouring out of the sky, just dumping. Driving through this mess was like a freaking light show. We were driving into the wind which made the snow come right at us, then with the reflecting head lights it was like a light show. This snow lasted for about an hour until I got just inside the Missouri boot-hills boarder at Mammoth Springs. Luckily the temperature was holding at 33-34 F which does not warrant it sticking to the road. Then the snow stops, we are diving in Missouri and deer start to appear on the road. First is was two deer, just standing in the middle of the road, I down shifted and drove around them. We were all freaking out a little in a good way. Then a couple of miles up the road three more deer, down shift and drive around them. Then there are more deer!!! What the hell?? We made it to West Plains safely were we spent the night in a Super 8.

Did I mention it was cold outside, it was cold outside. I think we got up that morning and it was 20 degrees F with a nice little NE wind. We drove to West Plains so we could wake up and go skate. I had opted to drive the night before to spare the day of three hours of driving which was good but this cold temperatures sucked ass a little. I think they skated the West Plains park for less than a hour, maybe more. Then we headed the hour and a half to Spring Field.

Summer Time at West Plains

Spring Field was great, we will have tons of footage at some point. We got to Spring Field, skated all day, checked into the hotel room, ate Mexican, then went and skated some more. With out giving to much away, it was the best day of the trip as far as everything goes, not the most interesting but the most wholesome. The hotel room was great, the park is great since it has a awesome indoor part and the town of Spring Field was great. The next morning we embarked on Fayetteville AR some two hours away.

Summer Time.

The idea here was to hit up Walker Park, go to Skate Station and then the Dump and Grind. It was cold outside at Walker Park but I think we may have lasted a whole hour and a half. Shot some good footy but the guys got bored with the place, or to cold. We drove the five minutes to Skatestation only to find a closed sign hanging inside the window. Cole called the number of the place and it was disconnected. Then moments later one of the locals Cole had messaged texted him that the guy who owns Skatestation had just closed the doors within the last month.  A month to late we were. It was open a few months back, Vert Ramp and all else. Dam, as you can imagine, we had a Super Bummed Cole on our hands. I think he broke down and cried for a bit while being balled up in the fetal position on the front steps of Skatestation. We loaded back up and went to the Square and had pizza and me beer. I love pizza and beer. After which we bombed some hills and headed to the Dump and Grind.    

Summer Time

Brandon, who runs Gnarkansas.com, was gracious enough to meet us in town so we could follow him through the back roads to get to the place in the woods they call the Dump and Grind. This really nice guy Mark lives in a cabin in the woods and has this a concrete mini ramp out side, then he also has a 2 foot mini ramp in a barn just adjacent. The guys skated a good part of the night until it got to dam cold. Luckily the guy that lived in the cabin next to mark was gone for the weekend which then Mark allowed us to crash inside the cabin. I knew camping was bleak and no body but me was prepared to sleep in sub zero temperatures anyway. After the skating had ceased we all took refuge in Marks small but very nice cabin for a game of Farkle. I had never played Farkle before as some of the inhabitants of the neighboring cabins, mainly Jenny, joined in. Somehow I won my first ever game of Farkle, it was the highlight of my trip. Jenny so wanted to win, she expressed it so many times but I prevailed. Fun times at the Dump and Grind.

Gnarkansas.com - New Dump N Grind: She Rolls from Gnarkansas on Vimeo.

The next day we were suppose to hit up Fort Smith, an hour away. They have a bad ass indoor park called Boarder Town. It was closed for New years Eve....  Double Dammit. The only Choice from here was to drive to Little Rock and go hit up their indoor Park called Enjoy. We did the two hours, get there and guess what. CLOSED !!!!!! Triple Dammit and it was raining. So what to do but drive around Little Rock, arrange a place to Stay with Bobby and Will while eating Pizza with me and Garner dranking the Beers. It was all fun times for me and Garner, we always have fun, no lie. I think Coltrane was ok with it but the others might have had other ideas. New Years Eve day was a bust if you could not drink some beers and forget the long drive. So I rang in the New Years with Coltrane, Garner and Bobby. Cole got sick and Skyler fell asleep. It was some what uneventful but it was great to stay with the Little Rock crew and get to know them better, so props to them since they are Super Rad!! 

This was Closed.

New Years Day we drove home after skating the North Little Rock River Park. The park's big bowl was full of water so skating the park was limited. Skyler lost his board in the water twice, completely submerged in water. I think he cried a bit and then we left. 

It was a fun trip over all. We should have called a head a bit. I had done that during the summer but had no idea that it would be a issue in the winter. Then we did not need the camping equipment either. Would have been nice to have the extra room in my small car. You live and learn.