I have passed by this corner for years, hoping to get a shot of a kid with a skateboard underneath that sign. If ever there was a spot screaming for a little gleeful breaking of rules, this is it. For those of you who don't know South Pas, this is a skateboarder's dream hill: a giant megaramp with a beautiful curve. At the bottom of the hill you'll find the South Pas skate park. But today's picture isn't the ultimate payoff I was hoping for. This nice young man didn't even hesitate, not once, in his careful stroll down toward the park. Not once did he drop his board, cock his head and think about ignoring that buzzkill of a sign. Not once did he glance around to see if anyone was watching.
I was watching. I watched as he dutifully walked, with that nice board and helmet, until his head was out of sight. As a law-abiding mom, I appreciate his caution, good sense and respect. But my rebel soul hopes he carved the last bit of that steep hill, and maybe caught a little air at the bottom.
13 comments:
When skateboards first became popular in Texas in the early 60's, we made our own using left over timber and the old style metal skates, with adjustable slides to accommodate varying size shoes. We completely separated them and had the front part of the skate nailed to the underside of the board, as well as the same on the back. Some of the hills in our neighborhood were unbelievably steep. I remember going down a long driveway that would now seem completely impassable. Even the widths of peoples' boards were different. One was quite wide and very wobbly, but we all mastered it. Ah.... youth.
it used to be that the town would keep the drive rather unkempt& choppy, so if one attempted to skate down it, you'd have a better chance of being road pizza than having an awesome ride. Unless, of course, you stayed along the rockin "curb" that was rather fun to ride. Mostly, it was kept this way because of kids skating down and around the bottom of the drive would scare the golfers who just came off the greens a little tipsy...;-)
years ago when I lived near there, I suggested they ought to have a chute for kids to descend---while it isn't as thrilling as dodging approaching cars, it'd at least give kids something else to do.
And to think I completely missed this phenomenon. I'm dating myself. But I had stilts, stilts? Today's young probably never heard of them.
We made skate boards the same way as Judy in the 50's. No helmets or elbow pads. Not very safe or stable, but they worked. Sort of.
When the City built the skate park in 2002, they resurfaced Stoney Drive and stamped the asphalt with a brick type pattern. It was supposed to discourage skaters from riding down the hill. I don't think it made any difference, and it's pretty much worn off by now.
It's tricky, but maneuverable. (Ah, youth.)
What is with these kids today and their conformity? Why, back in my day, we broke rules just to break them, and we liked it, by cracky!
when I was a kid, the thinking was that they had named the street Stoney for a reason---all the stoners would hang out down there. As long as they stayed clear of the horses and the fields, or headed "across the river" no one cared. yes db, even the cops.
No, Trish, it wasn't named after the stoners who hung out there. The street was named after someone named Stoney whose daughter, Diana, was on the Transportation Commission a few years ago.
This is great!
I'll bet he rode for at least SOME of that hill!
I always thought it would be fun to try, but the weird pavement does deter you from it.
Also, thanks for the South Pasadena Patch column this week. I loved it.
Yes folks, that's why it's called a "skateboard." Originally, they were a piece of two-by-four with a skate spit in two parts and nailed to the board.
John Finley broke both his arms going down Alameda on his skateboard. My mom, a social worker, sat with some parents whose son was killed on a skateboard. I hope I'm not the driver who hits the kid pulling some stunt on a skateboard on a city street. Better he should smoke dope and listen to music.
Hey - a kid who listens to his parents and uses his head when unsupervised. There may be hope for the future...
I love it! Great way to sum up what it's like to be a parent, laurie. There are several sides to our perspective on things now, right? The side that feels like when we were kids and the side that wants to make sure our kids don't do what we did when we were kids!
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