1.Hey Adam,cheers from Peru Hell! How are you freak! all sick in the skate life?
First of all, I just want to say hello to all of the riders in Peru and South America. Things are good here in Miami. I'm still holding on. Still riding when I can and trying to stay healthy. Staying healthy is my biggest challenge.
2.Tell me how you begining riding skate? which was your inspiration to destroy the sk8? I started in the early-mid 80s on a plastic Variflex banana board just doing turns and riding down hills. By 1986 I got a regular sized board. It was a Vision Gator with Venture trucks and Bones Threes wheels. My dad got it for me. At that time skateboarding was very popular and I was fascinated by the feeling and the way it looked. Graphics on boards were so good then. They were all screen pressed and the colors and details really popped. Each board was like a piece of art. I'm from Minnesota so winters were tough, but luckily I found an indoor private warehouse with ramps called P.I.S.S. in Minneapolis. I was inspired by Justin Lynch, Nate Sheggeby, Mark Muller, Erick "Woody' Froland, Dave Leroux, then later the main guys I rode with were Bob Bogema, Brian Perry, John Muldoon, Darren Navarrette, Willie Stiles, Gregg Witt and a bunch more. They all inspired me a lot.
3.Actutally you are rider from Creature Skateboards,talk me more about this. Creature is a company my child hood friend Darren Navarrette has a lot to do with. When people think of Creature, it's hard to think about without thinking of Darren. Darren, Al Partanen and Sam Hitz are also friends I skated with as a kid. They all decided to put me on the team back in 2011. I've spent time with most of the team and they really are a special group of homies. Creature has a reputation for having gnarly dudes and yes they are gnarly, but they are all kind dudes who have respect for skateboarding and people. When I get the chance to go on tours or be a part of anything, I'm always down.
4.How is the skateboard movement in your city/country? I live in Miami, Florida and Mark Lake who is one of the most legendary skateboarders of all time lives in Deerfield Beach which is just 45 minutes away. Mark just secured a location at Ramp 48 Skatepark for us to have an indoor vert ramp. We are raising the money for it right now. I usually travel 3.5 hours to Merritt Island, Florida to skate with my friends who ride for a company called Demon Seed. They have a nice vert ramp there. Once in a while Mike Frazier is there. He is still so amazing. That guy is a freak. My other friends in Miami Rob Weir and Wayne Hildreth have a vert ramp as well. That's a smaller vert ramp about 45 min away. My other friend Chris Guilfoose has a big nice ramp in Royal Palm Beach an hour and 20 min away. If I want to skate vert, I have to travel. The City of Miami needs a big public skatepark with bowls. Miami has nothing. It's a shame.
As you can tell, I prefer vertical ramps, but I also like bowls as well and I get out and skate the streets once in awhile. Skating is skating, but something about being vertical always captivated me.
6.Your five sick tricks bro.
For me right now it's just staying healthy and riding with my friends that stoke me. That is the biggest trick in skateboarding. If you can land that, you are stoked.
7.Influences bro?
Mark Lake. He's 57 years old and he is still doing inverts and airs on vert ramps. He's stoked like a little kid every time he rides. He is the salt of the earth. Just a good dude who loves to ride and he is radical. He invented the back flip with a hand touch on a skateboard. It's a Miller Flip all in one motion completely upside down. In Florida we call it the Lake Flip.
8.You know some from skateboarding from Peru?
I've never been to Peru. I'd love to go. I don't know any riders from Peru. I've met Peruanos in Miami, but no skaters.
In mid June going to North Carolina to skate Brian Drake's ramp then to Phishlips Ramp in Maryland for Mikeapalooza which is a huge backyard ramp get together with food, live music, etc. Going with my friends Bob Umbel who is a former pro and super ripper who is almost 50 years old and a young Pedro Delfino. Be on the lookout for Pedro Delfino. He is a very talented up and coming rider who shreds everything. You will be seeing and hearing about him.
I'm grateful to be skating and have support from some of the best sponsors and friends on the planet. Creature, Gullwing, S-1 Helmet, Flypaper Grip, Skeleton Key MFG. Thanks for reaching out to me with the questions and I'd like to send some positive vibes to all the riders in Peru!! Stay healthy, stay strong and skate fast.
