criddlers

Complete Utter Shit

2012-02-20T22:08:00.001-08:00

Gaylord

2012-02-12T17:18:00.000-08:00

One man's trash...

Some sort of calculating device.

For the hearing impaired I deduce.

A handy little guide.

My desk for the day.

Spring Vibes

2012-02-08T10:35:00.000-08:00

This guy I've never seen before was mediating in the neighbor's back yard.

Skate this!

Spring 2012.

Low budg birthday cards

Thanks COLOR X DAN POST

2012-02-06T16:19:00.000-08:00

Something came in the mail today from Dan at Color...

Jon Lee signed the back.

My homie Dan at Color hooked me up with a copy of the Poisonous Products. Probably one of the best skate videos I've seen in a long time.

Thanks Dan! Made my day and week!

hail mary

2012-01-31T20:04:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who came out to the video show last night. It was fun.

This video is dedicated to all my friends and everyone that has fun.

So long

2012-01-16T15:38:00.000-08:00

R.I.P. Michael

We used to work together driving tour boats at Maligne Lake in Jasper Alberta. At first his English was really rusty so his tours would always be very interesting. Sometimes there would be long moments of silence, which can seem like an eternity when 45 tourists are staring at you.

Despite his spotty English the tourists were always way more stoked on his tours than mine. It's because he was passionate about nature. Listening to him tell a boat load of American tourists about moose, bears and wolves was rad.

A couple times, when I was out on a bike ride or hike somewhere, I'd run into him; chilling on a rock with his guitar, wearing his Pink Floyd shirt.

We'd often talk about politics too. I'd ask him a lot about what it was like growing up in Quebec. I'd ask him about sovereignty. He thought was all bullshit.

Bummed to see you go Michael. Solid, unique, intelligent and genuine guy. You'll be missed by many.

RIP.

2012-01-12T08:51:00.000-08:00

Working on the video.

This photo feels like my life.

My mom's writing room.

Look whats on the desk!

Oil boobs?

2011-12-03T07:11:00.001-08:00

One is bigger than the other.

nostaglia

2011-11-28T13:26:00.000-08:00

I think it was the summer of 1996. My friend Jess – who was always somehow learning about new stuff before me – got a skateboard first. I don’t know how or where he got it from, but it was used. The wheels were basically bearing covers. The graphic was long gone. He said it was once a Natas graphic, which was backwards for Satan, he deduced. We had no idea who or what Natus was. We reasoned that it was probably a company name. The fact that Satan was involved made skateboarding so much more interesting. No one ever talked about Satan at hockey practice. At the time, my dad lived in this apartment building. In the basement there was some smooth concrete. Jess and I’d go down there and ride for as long as we could until the superintendent would come down and kick us out. I thought she was such a bitch. Thinking back now, she was just doing her job. And she would always explain why she was giving us the boot. It was good though, because it forced us to go skate in the streets.

I told my mom I wanted a skateboard. To get one we had to drive to London. There was a store there called Splurge. I remember feeling so excited and nervous. I didn’t know anything about skateboarding. It was so new. We didn’t even know that skateboard magazines and videos existed. We barely knew you were supposed to stand on them. You’d never see anything on TV about skateboarding. Everything we knew came through word of mouth. Hand-me-down knowledge. The trickle-down effect.

Some older kid we met at the mall one day told us about ollies.“You smack your tail against the ground and then jump.” He explained.

Driving down Richmond Street in London, I looked out the window starting at all the buildings going by. As we got closer to Splurge, I spotted a group teenagers skating down the street. Back then it was so special to see other skaters. It was rare, like spotting some kind of endangered animal. I studied everything about them. The shoes. The clothes. Especially the boards. Suddenly, out of nowhere one of them popped the smoothest frontside 180. He kept skating down the street like nothing had happened. It blew my mind.

I picked out a board off the wall. It was a complete. I think it was a 101. I didn’t know what that meant. My friend Dan picked out a Mike Carroll Girl complete. The graphics were mesmerizing. I starred for so long.After that all I remember is skateboarding. Every single day, we’d wake up and meet up at my friend Dan’s house and skate in his backyard. We had some shitty ramps. We learned how to ollie and naturally ventured into the streets looking for more things to skate.Later that summer, two exciting things happened. In August, rumor spread that a skateshop was going to be opening up. The other thing was that my friends and I got to see our first skate video. I think the feeling we had was similar to what the Scientists felt when Voyager 2 first flew by Jupiter, Uranus, Saturn and then Neptune.

warp speed

2011-11-26T11:36:00.000-08:00

2011-11-13T11:20:00.000-08:00

An accidental heart.

Crying and smoking and talking.

A new store opened up down the street.

Randumbs

2011-10-06T07:42:00.000-07:00

If you drink PB then you know.

Passionately speaking about Futurama.

Randumbly saw this on the street.

2011-10-06T07:37:00.000-07:00

A spot.

Jangbang

Some dope homegrown.

The shirt

2011-10-02T18:39:00.000-07:00

Recently I bought a shirt from a used clothing store. The shirt was like other shirts. It has buttons. I presume it was made by humans inside a building that had worked out a deal with an employer where they traded time for money. My time as a historian has taught me that this type of deal usually only works well for one of the parties involved.

Any ways, the shirt sparked my interest (shallow and vain). As it turns out the company that made the shirts made some interesting advertisements back in the day.

Men wearing eye patches. I'm not sure what it means. I think that's why it's interesting.

Campfire

2011-09-13T11:30:00.000-07:00

Carla gave me this camera with the film. Thanks!

Peter!

JT and AW.

Jaily

C-blakes

2011-09-08T07:28:00.000-07:00

Traveled to the Lewis Cruise international corporate offices yesterday.

People were wearing shoes there

Some of the creative directors arrived early for a morning meeting. Things got heavy.

But, with determination comes domination

This man sells cocaine up at the Jane/Finch mall

Nugz

2011-09-04T16:53:00.000-07:00

Careful what you lock your bike to

New ledges somewhere.

Pulled from the garden.

RIP JACK and other assorted randomness

2011-08-29T07:31:00.000-07:00

Its so easy baby.

Depressed teens.

Bed of boards.

Hammer always reps the for the left.

Best human ever.

We put our feet in the water after we saw some crying girls do it. They saw us and it made them smile.

The best use of an old deck.

D I Y

2011-08-25T17:00:00.000-07:00

The Oakland DIY spot was ripped out today. Seems like a crime if you ask me.

From Slap Magazine

Great spot. Had the pleasure of skating it last February. Recently the same thing happened in Toronto - a few times. Homies built a spot, had some fun and then it was tore out by the city.

The common reaction is: "It's not your land. They own it, so they can do whatever they want."

A power struggle, based on different understandings of ownership. Skateboarders inherently have a different understanding of space - whether it be private or public. A vacant space underneath a freeway that is used for nothing more than pissing and dumping garbage. Or a skatepark built by skaters for skaters?

I subscribe to a different definition of ownership. I believe ownership depends on occupation of a space. In other words, if you use it, you own it.

2011-08-19T06:12:00.000-07:00

2011-08-15T06:31:00.000-07:00

2011-07-20T20:37:00.000-07:00

Eli Reid and converse have been killing it lately. Freshest most skateable kicks ever!

Cat mechanics. It appears they are tired from a long day.

My cat examining a bumble bee.

My cat notices me taking a photograph.

Personally I like shitty graffiti better than good graffiti.

Thanks to bixi we now have a new spot.

2011-07-13T09:13:00.000-07:00

Robert came over and we worked on his OIAM entry.

I went for a hike because I was turning into an asshole.

Then I found a free bike to work on.

D-Grove Sesh

2011-07-11T18:56:00.000-07:00

The boys and I did some skating yesterday night.

Random garbage thoughts

2011-07-07T07:43:00.000-07:00

These stop sign stickers are so shitty. At first, the first time I saw these things, I thought they were clever. But, with every clever idea people steal and steal until the original idea ends up becoming the worst most vile piece of shit ever.

Seriously now, the same people that are putting these stickers up are the reason gentrification is happening in the first place. If you really want to stop gentrification. You have to hit it at the source and stop artists and young people from finding some run-down neighborhood with some redeeming quality. Then, stop the cafe's, the galleries and the wave of yuppies that comes after that.

In other news, this is the proper way to dispose of needles:

Arto Saari Soty 2001

2011-07-04T20:50:00.000-07:00

Geoff Rowley

2011-07-04T19:51:00.000-07:00

So I know all you probably think this is pretty wack. Like I'm trying to do some Chrome Ball shit, but I ain't. I'm just looking through old mags, getting stoked and wanting to share. Call it what you will. If you don't like it go jump off the Sheridan from the 45th floor. ; )

Tom Penny Interview, 2001

2011-07-03T13:44:00.001-07:00

Ed Templeton Interview, 2001

2011-07-03T11:50:00.000-07:00

Jason Dill Interview, 2001

2011-07-03T11:12:00.000-07:00

Click for larger images.

2011-07-02T04:42:00.001-07:00

Queensend

2011-06-21T14:30:00.000-07:00

I biked to east end of Queen street today in protest of "Go Skateboarding Day". Not really in protest. I'm just saving my legs for my trip to Philadelphia on Friday. I'll need fresh legs for all those celler doors.

Anyways, on my trip I saw these skateable gems.

Rollercoaster baby

This hill doesn't look like much, but its massive. Its Scarborough Road.

Here it is from the top. Seriously a gnarly bomb and I've been to SF.

"Move bitch, get out the way"

Sloppy Sunday

2011-06-20T06:24:00.000-07:00

This weeks edition of Slappy Sunday became official. Amsterdam Brewery, thanks to Scott MacDonald, donated some beverages and Supra hooked up some prizes.

Laying the foundation.

Bros be chilling.

This lovely building provides the shade, so the session doesn't get too hot.

The second layer got throwed down.

Slappies are all about attititude. The popular notion is that it's 90% attitude and 10% skill. JT is all attitude.

One man band.

Thanks to Lyndsey, Justin Czank and the Hamilton connection for hooking everything up.

Dead Raccoon in bag

2011-06-09T11:31:00.000-07:00

The Naughty Nineties

Inspired by cats

D-grove

They fixed it up. More skate-able surface area now bros.

Music show

2011-06-02T20:56:00.000-07:00

I went to a music show last Sunday. The singer from the first band touched his hair every three seconds. Then I went to the bathroom. This is photograph of the toilet that I urinated in. That's my urine in the toilet. Don't worry readers, I flushed with my foot, not my hand.

Then the next day I went outside in the morning. Here is the morning.

On a recent bicycle ride to work I saw a car.

Duff Grove got a facelift

2011-05-29T09:35:00.000-07:00

All the homies came out and got dirty. Fixed up some ramps and built some new ones. These quarters are super fun and super tight trannies.

Lewis Cruise sponsored the event.

Its for the kids.

Thanks everybody who helped out! It was super fun.

Late Night Consumers

2011-05-29T09:32:00.000-07:00

"Fresh Catch"

Pop, chips and BBQ sauce.

Oats above fish

Don't poop in the wind

2011-05-27T19:10:00.000-07:00

James sleeps after a long evening of talking and drinking and leering.

Joel reads.

A building in London that has Buddhist graffiti on it's purple wall.

There is a restaurant in the neighbourhood that is currently selling chairs. You can pay with cash preferably, but interact is also available.

My cat watches me go poo.

Port Stanley

2011-05-23T10:26:00.000-07:00

My brother Lars arrived from Taiwan. I haven't seen him in 3 years.

So we decided to bike to Port Stanley.

Some Yoga.

We stopped at this ice cream place.

We didn't buying anything.

An abandoned European imported wicker furniture store.

This was painted on the entarance.

Jonathan's neck.

The Biggest Fucking Earth Worm Ever!

2011-05-18T22:36:00.001-07:00

Things I almost bought at Value Village today

2011-05-15T13:56:00.000-07:00

Its been raining all this weekend. So I went to Value Village today. I never end up buying anything there anymore. Because its so god-damned expensive there now... what's up with that btw? I heard the fuckers got bought by Wal-Mart or some shit? I dunno. Who cares? Not me.

"A hilariously divine comedy"

"The head of the family is the one with the tail"

Todd Moore

Possible Father's Day present.

Bonus photograph. This is my neighbours minivan. They haven't bothered to take the canoe off in weeks. I like when I see them driving down bloor with it still attached. I wonder if they just keep in on in case they radnomly wanna go for a paddle. Either way, it looks dope.

Back alley

2011-05-13T23:13:00.000-07:00

Ice Cube

2011-05-10T10:41:00.000-07:00

This dogs name is Cosmos.

Tulips bitch!

Maurice Key the kitty.

WE LIVE ON LANSDOWNE BABY!!!

Does this look familiar?

AVE got his cornrows here.

The great creators of the Universe

Snappy Pappy

2011-05-08T18:37:00.000-07:00

The following are photo-graphical representations of real life. Some photographs may contain elements of unreality and may contain trace amounts of mustard and almonds.

Neighbor Cat. Her name is Wendy. This father-fucker has an extra digit on each front paw.

Confrontation with the neighbor. An exciting moment to catch on film and document for later generations.

What are you doing now?

"Ashley"

Jamal

Terry over at 721 Lansdowne.

"Sup Terry?"

"I am human and I need to be loved. Just like everyone else does."
~ sunset

Rob a bank

2011-05-05T20:36:00.000-07:00

Spot porn...

Blog Post

2011-05-04T10:22:00.000-07:00

Drop in from hell... Or gap to hubba... or stairs to walk down...

Silhouettes

Mad hate in the subway

A boutique shop opened up at Dunbat last Saturday night. Looks like they have an Adidas and Lewis Cruise account. Not a bad start, if I do say. Shop hours are daily: 7:34 til lights out.

Ghost Cat

2011-04-21T06:54:00.000-07:00

New in the the neighbourhood

Jesus

Ghost Cat

Cat Fancy

2011-04-15T19:30:00.000-07:00

Mortar

2011-04-04T10:19:00.000-07:00

Higgins

Old Railway yard

Before the Tats

2011-04-04T10:15:00.000-07:00

Rayce in 2003 or 2004. Can't remember. Before the music, the fame, the drugs, the women. The only hard shit we did back then was Sprite.

2011-03-31T21:10:00.000-07:00

The life and death of fun

2011-03-31T21:05:00.000-07:00

Man and Dog

2011-03-31T20:58:00.000-07:00

Dude and Dog

The Embarcadero - taken by Erik Stuhlmacher. Thanks buddy!

Drew!

Dropped my camera.

The girls... and Ben. Ben and I bro'd down hard this day. So glad I ran into this crew.

Some dude was living and running his company out of this church parking lot. There are all kinds of different ways of living in SF. When you don't have to worry about winter you're freedom level is much higher.

Mr. McNoughtan and I woke up at 6:00AM one morning in an attempt to beat the rain. We failed.

Danny Boy

2011-03-30T08:30:00.000-07:00

Another one of the raddest dudes ever.

We lived together in the suburbs for a year and did tonnes of drugs. Nothing crazy, just like mushrooms and stuff. We also skated a lot too. Dan rips. Huge pop.

St. Thomas in High School

2011-03-30T08:04:00.000-07:00

My brother, Joel, chilling in St. Thomas on Hincks street.

Winter skating. Those were different times man. Skating in I-Path Cats, bomber jacket and jeans...

First day of grade 9. Dan Post and me. Photo by Julie Berry (mom).

Mercredi

Writing on the back of this photo is "teen angst". One of my buddies flipping off some hockey players at Memorial arena.

Post Office night sessions. Ker and I.

Smoking butts in London.

Best dude ever - John Ker!

refuckulated

2011-03-30T07:47:00.000-07:00

You know how buddhists believe in re-incarnation and all that? And how you have to be really good in life to come back as something really tight? I bet if you totally kill it in life - like are super nice to everyone and kind you'll get rewarded and come back as a dog that gets to live in the Lower East Side and plays in a dog park with other cool dogs all the time... I can't imagine anything more dope.

Urban skating!!!

SF and a few randoms

2011-03-28T16:37:00.000-07:00

Golden Gate

Winksy Poopsy Noodle, the neighbourhood cutesy-pie. (Lansdowne Pigeon)

D-Bades + Duke Da God within the Hippy dungeon

Ben

Chinatown

Brendan

EMB

Oakland

The Mission

Duboce Street

Yonge & Sheppard Porn

2011-03-28T10:24:00.000-07:00

Bank...

Possible DIY spot?

Another angle...

Best thing I found on lunch break...

louie

2011-03-23T09:02:00.000-07:00

Found this sick photo of Jacob Jurkiewicz on Terry Worona's site.

Reduced

2011-03-23T07:20:00.000-07:00

Speed Freaks

2011-03-22T14:50:00.001-07:00

That frontside wallride is the best thing.

Early morning

2011-03-17T08:10:00.000-07:00

Spring is here...

2011-03-16T14:27:00.000-07:00

Knock on wood...

Sean's hands got pretty fucked.

Doing things.

New spots springing up. Who's got pops?

Good to see some blue skies finally.

More new spots. This thing is dope as fuck.

Neighbourhood

2011-03-15T08:03:00.000-07:00

Lansdowne

The Queen of the Caribbean

Last years trash

Lies

Hyphy

2011-03-10T07:45:00.000-08:00

Make sure to check out Drew's blog over at Gone Glitchy.

He made some nice videos outta our out SF trip.

Definitely going back next year.

SF

2011-03-03T09:17:00.000-08:00

Just got back from a 2 week stint in Frisco. The city of liberal america.

Anyways. It basically ruled. Had tonnes of fun with the bros. Look forward to a Gone Glitchy and Criddlers collaborative video coming soon!

This photo sums up the trip I think.

Cells

2011-02-13T09:22:00.000-08:00

Pocket knives

R.I.P. Shred good times, thank you for the skateboarding related memories. I think this is the only photo I ever took there.

A cool dog and a large bone. After this some kids were shooting off a cap gun at the dog and he didn't flinch. Straight gee.

Story of my life.

Pigeon.

New shit, Basketsnowball.

Spot Porn

2011-02-11T17:16:00.000-08:00

St. John's Newfoundland skatetrip anybody?

I've always wanted to go to Newfoundland.

Here are a few more in South Western Ontario.

Curt and Drew

2011-02-11T15:50:00.000-08:00

&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;This &lt;br&gt;

Both this guys are awesome... Definitely need to film more of both of them this coming spring/summer. Curtis cruises and Drew destroys.

Pussy Bitch

2011-02-02T08:21:00.000-08:00

Here is some left over stuff that was laying around on the hardrive. All I wanna do right now is push down the street and ollie up some curbs and shit, bro. Soul skating. But ya, seriously. That would feel really good.

Yea

2011-01-31T19:14:00.000-08:00

I'm gonna try and not watch any skatevideos anymore. Most of them do the opposite of what they are supposed to do. This is the last one I'm watching for a week. It rules. Cruising.

Early 20th Century Hamilton

2011-01-29T08:34:00.000-08:00

Working at a library is pretty rad sometimes.

Today I had an old man come in and ask me about finding historical photos of Hamilton. I found some stuff for him. He was stoked and was on his way.

I often day dream about how awesome it would be to take a time machine back into the late 19th or early 20th century to 1. see what it was like 2. buy some quality clothes and 3. Skate some brand new cellar doors.

I wonder what the pavement was like back then? Would I get my ass totally fucking beat to a bloody pulp for skateboarding? Would you get kicked outta spots? Would people think you're absolutely crazy, like they still do? Would it be like over in China, where large crowds gather to watch people skate?

I don't fucking know?

Here are a couple photos I found today that I felt like sharing.

This guy named William A. Chatfield took the photographs below. He lived his whole life in Hamilton. Born in 1904 and died in 1957. True gangst. There are hundreds of photos like this here.

"Ice Comb", Chatfield, William A.

"Train Wreck", Chatfield, William A.

"Kitten", Chatfield, William A.

Get your Kirk Franklin on

2011-01-25T11:11:00.000-08:00

This is my favorite part to watch in the video. I wish everyone in this part could have skated more with me last summer - especially James, Randy, Peter and Dan. Those guys rule.

Bobby

2011-01-24T20:47:00.000-08:00

Read this Bobby Puleo interview.

I agree with about 50% of what he's saying. Disagree with the other half, but agree with it sorta still. But ultimately disagree completely.

Going find your own shit to skate. He's right on point there. I think we've all gone skating with people or shown them pictures or footage of spots. Next thing you know, their team of friends goes on a day trip and rapes the thing. Scoring points and winning the internet, while rocking the lastest fashion accessories.

I don't really give a fuck. Just an observation at some people's lack of drive to explore. That shit - exploring - isn't for everybody. I sometimes think that I have to skate that kinda stuff because I suck. At least the spots I'm skating look cool. But yah at the end of the day, its skateboarding. Just have fun and do your thing.

What sucks though is when you bring some kid to a spot you found. He start lipping off to the property owners, basically ensuring the next time you want to skate that spot the owner won't even bother asking you to leave, they'll just call the police. All because Danny-Deathwish wanted to have a practice argument with this stranger, before he tries the real thing with his Dad.

Danny doesn't dare to care, he lives in fucking Oakville spending most of his time playing Call of Duty or something.

I don't agree with Bobby's ownership claim over how skateboarding should be. Nike, Adidas and Converse make skate shoes and they're the best on the market. Skate Vans/Lakai and you won't skate street past the age of 25 - thanks to the shittiness that is vulc and waffle soles.

Tourist skateboarders? Whats wrong with going on a road-trip and exploring a city you've never been too?

Who gives a fuck how someone starts skateboarding? Who cares if someone only plays games of s.k.a.t.e or whatever. Its about having a good time. I bet a million fucking kids started skating after they saw that Hover Board in 'Back to the Future'.

Enough of that. Everything is better when words are not attached, unless its poetry.

This photo is fantastic.

V-card

2011-01-24T14:41:00.000-08:00

This is the first street handrail I ever successfully completed. I think this is in 2000 or so.

Big Tits

2011-01-23T19:19:00.001-08:00

Jesse LaBreche

2011-01-23T17:03:00.000-08:00

This dudes a natural. Everything he does looks effortless, and it probably is to him. Oozing style. My favorite thing about him is that everything he does is on a whim. Like we never plan on skating spots. We just cruise. He sees something he wants to get and gets it in like 5 tries - max.

Intro

2011-01-19T12:26:00.000-08:00

So I'm gonna post each individual part from Purge. I like the compression of youtube better than vimeo.

So here is the intro. Lately I've been listening to a lot of Nicki Minaj - black barbie. Hopefully people find this funny.

Purge complete

2011-01-18T12:42:00.001-08:00

Had the premiere of Purge last night at Ciros. There were quite a few technical difficulties. But we eventually pulled it off. Thanks to everyone that came out.

Purge from Tom on Vimeo.

Purge Video Showing

2011-01-11T14:24:00.000-08:00

Come out to Ciros next Monday night for a showing of Purge. There is food and drinks for all.

Spot I'll likely never skate.

2011-01-04T14:03:00.000-08:00

My friend Jon snapped this picture in Brasil - Buenos Aires maybe?

Hands

2010-12-23T14:02:00.000-08:00

Carroll, Stevie, Pops.

Toya

2010-12-13T21:50:00.000-08:00

An example of 411vm at its best. Danny Montoya's Wheels of Fortune features a song that Dr. Dre later remixed into some famous song.

This part blew my mind every time I watched it. Pay close attention to that opening line and the switch flip frontside five-o right after. Not only is Toya tech, but he's also gnar. He was a pioneer of nolling into shit on handrails.

Great Storm of 1913

2010-12-08T06:32:00.000-08:00

My great grand father used to talk about this storm. He called it the "big blow".

Trip in America

2010-12-05T10:29:00.000-08:00

This is going to have to be an annual thing. America – or Murika, as we referrred to it throughout the duration of our trip – is free. Argue all you want, but when you cross that broader and head due South a certain peculiar feeling washes over you.

At first I would classify it as uneasiness. I think this was due to the mass amount of roadside gun-stores and militaristic-Jesus related billboards.

Our first night we camped in a playground close to a large skatepark that we skated and drank at all night. Blake, was lucky enough to have his first truly American experience. A local at the skatepark threatened him with first a knive and then a gun.

Our camp site was free. But I paid the price. I lost a backpack with a camera inside. No big deal, it was a shitty camera anyways. Here are some photos from that morning.

But, as we went further on down the river, the mighty Mississippi, it became apparent through speaking with the locals what exactly was causing this uneasiness. One night, late on Beale Street in Memphis, I was speaking with a local name Honsie (On-see), I was explaining to him how much I liked America and the flavour they had down here. I said, “I can’t explain exaclty how I feel but there is something in the air down here.”

Honsie said “It’s because we’re more free”.

The next day we headed South on Highway 61 deep into Mississippi – a beautiful place, lush with green trees and vines covering everything. Mississippi was perhaps the most free state we encountered. Freedom to eat cheap fattening foods, freedom to drive as fast as you want, freedom to buy unregistered firearms at flea markets, freedom to openly segragate races, etc.

We arrived in Vicksburg, Mississippi late in the evening. As we arrived a storm was rolling and we were ready for thunder and lightening. It never happened. Instead we watched a sunsets unfold over the river.

Vicksburg was the site of the Vicksburg Massacre, which occurred on December 7th, 1874 – where 50 black residents were murdered. Throughout its history it has been home to countless lynchings. I could not get over this. The blacks in this community seemed subdued by the whites – even though the blacks are the majority of the population. Vicksburg was also the site of a giant seige during the Civil War. However, few monuments to Confederate soldiers exist, instead a massive momunment to the Union (Yankie) soldiers line the town.

On the bright side, there was lots to skate since, the town is built upon a giant slope that leads to the banks of the river. Big hills and lots of banks to skate. Look at this spot below. Unfortunately, neither Dustin or myself was able to ollie into it.

We stayed in the sleazist most sketchy motel room ever that night. Completed we drug dealers and hookers in adjacent rooms. The cockroaches were huge. We made the best of it by treating it like a campsite and filling ourselves with Miller.

Leaving Vicksburg, we head due South on 61.

A journal entry from this day reads: “Its all been done before. Just trying to re-live the past. Mutant children of the most fucked of regime that has existed yet. My brains works like a commercial funded by pornographers.”

We drove on. It got hotter with every mile. Neither Blake, Dustin or I were saying much at this point. We had been driving so long that all the polite conversation had been exhausted and the only thing else to say was always to the point: “pull over I gotta piss”, “let’s get some food”,”liquor store ahead. pull over”.

The air was thick. You could taste the air. There must have been a thousand gallons of water in every breath. Every ounce of me hated were I was. The religion, the guns, the racism. The ignorance was worst of all. You could just see it their eyes. It was mostly fear, I think. I think deep down they were still ashamed of losing to the north. They didn’t want much they just wanted to keep their way of life. The only problem was that their way of life was different now. Gone were the shacks, out-houses, muskets. Replaced with trucks, bungalows, wal-marts and machine guns. Somewhere along the line of history they all got really fat too. That I can understand though. Its too hot to get exercise. And besides only faggot-northerns or Jews from Hollywood were slim anyways.

I started to understand after a while. Its the heat. You couldn’t think it was so hot. I started to act, think, and speak ignorantly. Saying things I was immediately ashamed of.

We got closer to the mouth of the Mississippi and the air got wetter and heavier. No shirt was safe from my pores. I sweat and drank. Never puked once. But felt like puking the way there and back.

New Orleans is surrounded by water. There is an evil to the place. I continually imagined how fucked-up and tough one would have to be in order to survive there before all the levies, pumps, concrete, foam, and gas stations were built. The water was dark, muddy, full of insects and alligators.

We arrived at our destination. Went to the closest Mexican food joint. Ordered fish tacos and beers. Headed back to the Hostel. Next thing I knew we had two bottles of whiskey and a case of beer. The cigarettes too. I don’t smoke in Canada, but in America I do. We drank that night at the hostel.

I didn’t like the group of people at the Hostel. A Englishman, a Swed, a few others and some weirdo slut. I wish I was a tough guy. I would have kicked the shit outta the Englishman and the Swed. I hated the Englishman at first more than the Swed. But as time went I came around and hated that flithly Swedish bastard more than anyone. I believe the phrase "goldcard hippy" describes him well.

Luckily we left the Hostel and those idiots didn’t follow. We headed downtown. We were drunk and I don’t remember much. The next morning I felt like shit. I’d been drinking for 4 or 5 days solid by now and felt pretty cheap. At this point Dustin had to leave. We had a couple shots and then drove him to the airport.

We went back to the liquor stoke. Luckily you can buy liquor anywhere. Its very convenient.

The day melted away and soon the sun was low in the sky. We continued drinking. Along the way we meet Roger Tucker a 68 year old ex-hippy and ex-drug smuggler. Roger knew how to tell a good story and before long told us his life story. We went to the bar with him and somehow the Swed tagged along. Blake talked with some Americans about religion and politics. I hate talking to people I don't know so I just listened. The next day was our last in New Orleans. We decided to leave. I can’t remember why.

slick diagnostics

2010-12-05T10:10:00.001-08:00

My bro made this. I like it.

yeah

2010-12-05T10:06:00.001-08:00

I am the river

2010-12-04T15:39:00.000-08:00

Kalis is the next subject of Epicly Later'd. Hopefully he puts Dill in his place again. I can't believe the fall from grace that guy has had since that Quartersnacks interview came out - at least in my mind.

I always used to like Dill. But, now that just makes me feel like a weird fucking kid who believes everything he's fed. On the other hand Kalis has always been my all time favorite. Legit dude. Fast city skating. No hype. No fancy pants and haircuts. Where as Dill's career has depended on that shit as a life line.

Best part in the mind field

Left-overs

2010-11-27T07:54:00.000-08:00

goin' anal

2010-11-26T11:56:00.000-08:00

Being Canadian I've spent way too much time indoors during the winter months. During those cold days I've been subjected to way too many skatepark playlists. Typically you'll hear some Black Sabbath or Wu-Tang a long with a collection of other random songs from videos of the last 10+ years. Thankfully Marc Johnson's and Mike Carroll's songs from Modus pop up all-the-fucking-time.

Strangely enough, I've heard, arguably the worst band ever, Nickleback played more than once - wtf? I thought that shit was reserved for aggressive NFL-types who occasionally beat their wives/children? Apparently not, because I know more than a few lines of "Rockstar", "You Remind Me" and "Far Away". I think this has something to do with the kid working behind the til who is still uber stoked on CKY2K.

I wonder if more of the elite parks - Biebels World and the Berrics - suffer from the same playlist woes?

Retardation on both sides.

2010-11-22T15:45:00.000-08:00

Got 139s instead of 149s.

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

Aaron Throwaway stuff

2010-11-18T13:10:00.000-08:00

Tom Berry Throwaway clip.

2010-11-18T11:45:00.000-08:00

'

Apparently that trick at the end is a Paul Lowsy grind.

Dundas West

2010-10-23T10:20:00.000-07:00

Found this lurking on the internets. I cannot even understand how fun this spot would have been to skate. Natural brick quarter pipes are the most percious skatespot that has ever been in existence.

Thankfully this spring some unknown heroes partially liberated this old spot. Its nowhere near as good as it once was, but its skateable.

Fuck

2010-10-22T16:34:00.000-07:00

Skateparks are boring. Skateboarding needs sketchiness; crazy homeless people talking about time-travel, people drinking and smoking crack, kids running around playing with dirt, old people, random lurkers, whatever.

Places like Ashbridges Bay suck. Its like going to the mall. The mood of that place is the same as a West 49: weird kids with some “shoot all skaters” shirt, their parents cautiously watching trying to pretend its soccer and jaded assholes like me.

If you go street skating all that bullshit is kept to a minimum – unless you go to CBC.

"fubu savage"

2010-10-17T20:08:00.000-07:00

Some rich bitches from Kentucky were being bitches, while the fubu savage saved the day.

Summary for this past weekend:

Almost blown ankles

Bruised heels

Skating with your cock out? A reasonable way to increase the teams' morale? or a symptom of too much time spent with Danny Way?

This video reveals a glimpse of today.

shit mouth from Tom on Vimeo.

real fake shit

2010-10-15T21:49:00.000-07:00

skateboarding sucks. fake shit is better. don't do tricks. just cover sluts with blood. paint pictures. have art shows. pretend its the 1950s.

Pretend Trailer 2 from Tom on Vimeo.

if i start a band I'm gunna call it mayonaise. I kinda wish i had of named this blog mayonaise.

lansdowne

2010-09-14T12:08:00.001-07:00

Bloor and Lansdowne looks like a pussy version of Brooklyn (Canada is in fact a pussy version of America). I don't know anything about brooklyn or toronto. I'm just some asshole kid who moved to the city, wears dickies and pretends to be working class - despite the fact I have two degrees.

(pete stanks snapped this.

Comparing Toronto to Brooklyn is for retardddddds any ways. Comparisons are dumb.

Watched Stay Gold illegally two weeks ago. The only parts worth watching in my opinion are Westgate, Herman, Hsu, Suski and Reynolds.

Its funny when people complain about how no one buys videos anymore. Its bullshit we ever had to buy them. They're commercials to brain wash kids to start smoking, grow their hair long and develop a skate-bro attitude towards life.