More Evidence of Shitwiggery

More evidence of shitwiggery? Sure, why not. I'm laid up with a bad back (sacroiliitis), been a week, might be a few more days or up to two weeks. Can barely tie my shoes and wipe my ass. Joel Mack posted a few photos from the old GRanny's days in Seattle.

Granny’s ramp was in Lynnwood, just north of Seattle. It was our local vert ramp, about 8.5 foot tranny, about a foot of vert, 24 feet wide with a channel. It went through some changes over time: bridge of death, pool coping, extension on one side, and eventually a tarp roof that sort of allowed to have some sessions in the Seattle rain. Granny’s was the spot from about 1986 to 1992, and our crew met there every day possible to ride before it was torn down. It overlapped with Ranquet’s ramp for a couple years, which was 12 feet high, 2 feet of vert and only 19 feet wide (until MTV paid for it to be widened in 1992 with the rock the vote campaign and a party we had there). I made lifetime friends there who I still talk to (many of whom were at the Fallout Team reunion last Fall – most of the Fallout Team was Granny’s locals). Most of those guys all got sponsored, some turned pro. Pat Quirke, Matt Gallardo, and Nels Grevstad were the older guys who we looked up to. Quite a combo.

The ramp was built in Ron Soderstrom’s grandparents’ backyard. They were super supportive, and all around awesome folks. Sessions were crazy and there were a few contests (one judged by the Faction when they played in Seattle). We would skate for hours until the sun went down every day we could.

Top photo is me doing a smith grind, shitwig balzing, Alva gear in effect (Alva Posse t-shirt, stickers on helmet and ramp, and likely Posse board -- or Dave Duncan board, Fallout sticker on helmet too). Billabong swim trunks? Shit, I guess I'd wear shit if I got it for free. In the background looks like Leigh Ledare (Petersoon), Gallardo, Mike Swim, and Smiley climbing up the ramp about the get his hand grinded off. Below is me doing an ollie over the channel under Gallardo doing a one-footed backside air the other way. I don't remember exactly how this happened, but I remember trying to talk Gallardo into it as a good idea. We made it, but there were a couple hairball attempts first.

A few words from the Q-Man. Totally amped and hyped to ride -- although what can you expect when you feed the guy bongloads of crack before filming him?

And a brief history of skateboarding...