One of the most fun things in blading is finding random things and making something out of nothing. I feel like I don't see it that much now, but back in the day, it was a lot more common. When I started skating, we used to always check out local construction sites and find wood, signs, poles, crates, pretty much whatever we could find and build something out of it. Looking back at this photo reminds me of a simpler time...
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#TBT - Austin Paz - Fishbrain Stall - New Jersey
I'm switching things up for this weeks TBT with a photo of myself instead of one that I shot. This photo was taken 10 years ago by Jay Greendyk who not only was able to shoot this but built this spot that I'm skating. This was one of our ventures from back when I used to skate with the Gnar Mobile crew every weekend in New Jersey. Jay told me about this spot that I believe him and his skateboarder friend built and we were surprised on how solid this transition was despite it looking so sketchy. I wonder if this spot still exists....
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#TBT - Billy O'Neill - Royale - Short Hills, NJ
This epic skate spot is known for having some of the best line ledges around and also having the most unpredictable odds of getting kicked out. You can go and skate for hours with 20 people no problem, or you can go with just you and someone else and get kicked out before your first trick...
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#TBT - Jay Cotrell 360 Lu Kang - Wayne, New Jersey
I think it's safe to say that everyone who skates has been through this before. You're young and stupid and you build sketchy obstacles and hope you come out alive. Back when I used to skate New Jersey with the Gnar Mobile crew every weekend, we were all about that...
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#TBT Jon Bolino - Backside Backslide - Ramapo, NJ
Before he was called Jon Bolino, Jon Jon was a little kid crushing the streets and parks in New Jersey and Philly. He was always that little kid killing it in local competitions with skates to big for his feet. As he got a little older, he started skating with the Gnar Mobile crew in New Jersey that I skated with every weekend. This was one of our trips to stay with our friends Jay Greendyk and Sean Money at their dorms in Ramapo College...
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#TBT Jeph Howard - Tru Fish - New Brunswick, NJ
For a month or so in 2007, Jeph Howard sort of lived in New York and New Jersey before heading out on And 1's Ball 4 Real Tour with Bunique. He would stay in NYC most of the time but on the weekends we would all head to New Jersey and skate with the Gnar Mobile (Now Shredwiser) crew. I personally remember this time being one of the most fun eras of blading for myself. About a dozen of us would pretty much all stay at Erik Stokley's house, film and shoot photos at sick skate spots all day, blast Led Zeppelin, then come back home to bbq and a pool party.
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