Photos: Brooks Fritz

There was no plan really. Just meet at Shrunken Head skates shop on Friday at 9 in the morning and fit who ever could fit in the van for the weekend. Well there kinda was a plan. Drink lots of Shrunk Juice and skate some parks.  A short drive over the huge Columbia River and we were in Washington state in no time. First stop besides the soda shop was the Rolling Freedom Skate park.

Rolling Freedom skate park is right on the water. So if you like those water activities you wont be disappointed. You know, Swimming, fishing, frolicking, etc.. However the skate park on the other hand is just alright. I heard something about that the town had enough money for the bowl but ran out of funds after that. Pretty sure Grindline built the bowl. Anyways someone else had to come in and finish the street course. Which for the most part is nothing special. But it’s pretty hard to complain when the park is right on the freakin water. Yet somehow I managed to complain still. It’s my specialty.

The Bowl

Street Course

Jank wall ride is pretty fun

Another angle of the bowl

Willis Kimmel

Andrew Adams

Andy was doing Egg plants and stale fishes all before 11am. Must be the Shrunk Juice!

After stretching the legs at Rolling Freedom everyone took a swim in the river and was ready to get back on the road.

First stop after getting back on the road was a piss stop, soda stop and skate spot all in one. They really know how to do it in the North West.

Get in the van. Or bus, or bike. Something. Get in something. Get in where you fit in or something like that. Summers almost over. Who knows maybe your life is almost over. Get out there and enjoy it while it last! -Brooks

Tags: andrew adams, eggplant, Rolling Freedom skatepark, Shrunk Juice, Shrunken head skate shop, skateparks, stalefish, Washington, Willis Kimmel

Photos and words by: Brooks Fritz

I was going to keep the story going from where I left off last week with the beginning of my trip in the NW but decided to mix it up and fast forward a few days into the trip and go straight to the Toad and Salmon chowder bowl contest before it becomes too old. Well, here’s the story. I was offered  a seat in the van of the Shrunken Head/Jivaro wheels athlete vehicle  and headed to Seattle for the weekend. The other antics from this trip will be shown later. This is just the stuff from the day of the bowl contest and sorry to say kind of pathetic chowder contest. I was thinking it was going to be a all day soup eating fat fest. When in actuality you probably could of placed  in the top 3 if you went and bought a can of Progresso or Cambel soup sand enterd it. Which now that I think about it wonder why we didn’t do that. Reguardless the day was fun. People got hyped and there were definitly some characters to keep everyone entertained. With that being said herre are some highlights from the Ballard Chowder Bowl.

The plan was to  meet up at 9am and get on the road… And it actually worked.  

Toad and Salmon last year had a chili bowl contest where it was a chili cook off / skateboard riding contest. Well, for this year Toad and Salmon were back at it again with a contest. This time it was a Chowder bowl contest at the Ballard Bowl in you guessed it, the town of Ballard, Washington. I’m not going to go into some crazy detail about the place but the above photo shows the layout of the old bowl. That bowl is no longer there.  They demolished it and built the new park a little over from the old park. I guess people are bitter about that. Some people say the old park was way better. Other people say they love the new lay out. And honestly I think they both suck. But that’s just me. Everyone has a right to their opinion right?  Maybe it’s just me but I just want to ride a race track super slip in slide water slide marble madness race track that never ends. But I guess that’s just me. Dont take me too seriously though. The place is fun. But so is a parking curb.

Chris Senn was one of the judges and Toad was announcing.

The female species even came out.

With their dogs of course.

Motorcycles are the new skateboards

Photographer, Dan Barnett

DJ Cuddle Bandit

Jack Given

Nollan Johnson

Ben Krahn

Hip Hip Smellz

Max Holbein

Bryce kanights gets in on the Shrunken Heads BBQ

Backside smith by Bellingham WA  loc Charlie Criag

Andrew Adams

with a 540

Danny Tumia with a lien to tail

Tailblock on the extension gone wrong by  Donavan Rice

Game over. Not really though.

Thumbs up!

Final Results

1. Michael O’Friel
2. Steve Reeves
3. Jerry Gurney
4. Donovan Rice
5. Danny Tumia
6. Max Holbien
7. Andrew Adams
8. Charlie Craig
9. Caleb Cole
10. Jack Given

Chowder
1. Jessei Ireland - “Jam Out With Your Clam Out”
2. Jane Goodwin - “Salmonilla Thrilla”
3. Jessie Rey Wilborn - “Soup or Sonic”
_________________

Tags: 1. Michael O’Friel 2. Steve Reeves 3. Jerry Gurney 4. Donovan Rice 5. Danny Tumia 6. Max Holbien 7. Andrew Adams 8. Charlie Craig 9. Caleb Cole 10. Jack Given, andrew adams, ballard bowl, bryce kanights, Charlie Craig, danny tumia, dogs, donavan, hip hop smells, jack given, Jivaro Wheels, marble madness, max holbein, salmon, Shrunken head skate shop, skateboard contest, toad, Washington

Photographs & words by: Brooks Fritz

Another north west trip? You better believe it. What? You don’t like it up there in the land of concrete and trees? Everyone talks about taking trips to California. Well if you didn’t know it sucks balls here…. Skate park wise at least. But I guess we do have great weather. Weeeeeeeeeeee! Sun shine! But if your looking for something other than nice weather. I suggest heading to the North West. And for all you North West protectors crying right now. Dont worry. Your scene is already blown out….  Here’s the first part of maybe three of the Oceanside chapter north west TERROR tour….

TEAM: (left to right) Dipshit photo goon, Davey Rockit, Richard Lips, Captn Boohjah

THE TEAM RV: The four of us piled into this thing to make it our home for the next 5 weeks. Talk about luxury….

DEAF PAUL: says welcome to Portland, Oregon.. (not really hence the name deaf Paul)

WU WELLER: From one bridge to another straight off the airplane and we headed straight to Burnside to meet up with Portland chapter member Jamie Weller. Here he is demonstrating a proper low to high free lunch ollie.

RYAN WILLIAMS: Ryan was hungry for some free lunch and got in on the meal himself. This is not just a flying butt shot. It’s also a lien air.

Alley oop angle 1 (its too easy shooting photos of this guy)

In yo face alley oop angle 2! Seriously Lib Tech, why aren’t you paying Ryan to skate?

and if that wasn’t enough here’s a sequence… I like frame 5. Most people have to have bindings on to do that shit.

Do I really need to write a caption for this one?

It’s pretty self explanatory dont you think?

MIKE ZINC: crows nest view of Mike’s pillar launch into the big bowl.

JAMIE WELLER: yeah I know, you probably all ready seen this photo before. I’m just going with the flow and putting the photos in the order they were taken. Blunt to fakie on this is no joke. The run up is rough as fuck. Most people would give up after a couple tries. Luckily for me Jamie pulled it within a few tries before my beer got warm.

SPERM ART: After a full day under the bridge we headed back to Jamie’s house. This is Sperms gift to Davey. Who says board graphics suck these days?

There you have it. Part one is done. Part two coming next week. Have a good weekend. Do something… -brooks