Let the world takeover begin.
Photos and Words by Steve Skrzypek
This past weekend I had the pleasure of being invited on a trip to Rochester, NY to skate and film with the guys who run the upstart apparel company Bakwoods. I wrangled up some of my friends and in the wee hours of Saturday morning we left our coastal paradise on Lake Erie and headed East to the murder capital of America for some good old shred sticking. Before I start in on the real meat and potatoes of this article there are several lessons to be learned from this trip that I feel necessary to share with you: the first lesson, Do NOT mix coffee, cigarettes, Japanese food, and skateboarding… it won’t work. The second lesson is never under any circumstances let Alex Davis drive your car if you want to get somewhere fast. The third and final lesson is stay away from Rochester if there is any wind forecast for the day because the wind is gnarly in the city.
Alex Davis and Jon Mueller, dealing with wind at covered ledges
We arrived in Rochester around noon, and after introductions to the rest of the crew for the day we decided to go hit up the covered ledges. This is a true east coast skatespot, it’s covered, but has brick ground, and wind speeds get up to about 20 miles an hour for no reason. The ledges will not slide unless you’re going mach speed and you have to pop over the end of them. Jon Mueller decided he should make these ledges his bitch and did everything on them, he kills it. West coast kids would sit and cry with all the homeless people who lurk around this area. Directly down the way from this spot is the Liberty Pole, which is a huge metal pole with a marble plaza around it, a skateboarders dream really. We were lucky enough to not get the boot from this spot and were able to get some tricks. Some how Alex Davis Managed to switch back 180 over the big gap here in a 20 mph wind gust, then do it again just to prove the wind has nothing on him.
Covered Ledges are now skateboardrev.com approved
Maff and Mj agree it is time to warm the hell up
Who wants to go first?
ext we went to a double set, down the street, it’s a five flat four, and it’s no joke. Being that I was suffering from Japanese food, coffee, and cigarette exposure I reluctantly bowed out of skating in fear that I may accidentally crap my pants upon landing. However Chaz Martinez, and Jon Mueller decided it would be a good time to jump down them despite the near freezing temperatures. They did some tricks down it and everyone decided it would be a good time to go grab some more food and cure our collective slack-jaw.
Mueller wants to go first. First try ollie.
After landing an ollie first try, Mueller said, "that felt too easy, I want to back 180 it". Second try.
I met Chaz about four years ago, he couldn't ollie up a curb. Times have Changed.
I bet Chaz he couldn't kickflip this set, I ended up buying the kid lunch. This kid is coming up.
Jon Mueller is a machine. This is a backside flip. Slack Jaw commence!
After lunch we headed out to the Krudco skateshop and were handed some free redbull for the second half of the day which was a lot like the first half. Later on we went to Bakwoods rider D-trains house and had some adult beverages and went over plans for the night, we decided it was best to head back to Buffalo and meet up with the crew there in the morning. Sunday Morning we decided to hit up “the ledge spot” in Buffalo, it’s a sick spot and has lots of ledges, everyone got some tricks there and everyone was stoked that it wasn’t freezing and windy here too.
Alex goes hardway on a sunday to drop... Switch 50-50 to dropper.
Our buddy Brandon was so stoked on the nice weather that he decided to reverse head butt the ground in joy, a little later, with swollen head and all Brandon murdered a manual pad. Afterwords, we hit up Dunn Tire Stadium to film a couple quick lines, and called it a day. So we said our goodbyes, and hit the road weary from lack of sleep, and sore as hell because we skateboard. I would like to thank Maff, and Mj from Bakwoods for setting the trip up, Chaz, Alex, Jon, D-train, the Krudco guys, Brandon, and everyone else for making this trip fun and reminding me why I choose to skate without health insurance. Have a good day, and keep on rolling.
This is a road trip essential in my car.
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