xcrament

where was i

from fun and sun to fog in seconds

wallrides all day long

not good…instant swelling seconds after my ankle rolled and hit the ground. day fucking 2 and this basically wrecked the skateboard aspect of the rest of my trip.

Ans “puts a lil grease on her”

max, give me back my fucking sweater

fucking awesome

this sign was in the lobby of the hostel. have no idea what it means

more street performer bullshit

this church bell was our clock

ballins is always loose

we watched four shop owners come together to hustle people walking by out of their money

and in a minute they are gone

Columbus

get some

and some more

another famous spot you respect alot more when you are standing next to it

12hrs after initial damage

smart cars are small and all over europe.

lots more to come. im just getting started

Here we go again

Paralel.

 

Artsy

for mike. remeber your dream girl?

 

 

so i fall and my new set-up rolls into the freshest pile of shit. still steaming it was so fresh. judging by the toilet paper next to it, i took a wild guess that it wasnt from a dog

 

we got background props in some famous spanish rap video

 

 

 

 

paralel blunt to lip?

sammytime

 

FORUM mirror spot…

 

the skatepark in the reflection behind me is the 2nd pile of shit my board rolled through on this day. total junk

 

Mediteranien

ummm. quarterpipes? for miles

 

 

 

huge cracks throughout gives me a whole new respect to anything done on these walls. sketchy as hell

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

jimmy. serious drop in with no where to go. it was sick to witness

 

 

attempt number 2 drew quite a crowd and a cop. never got a chance to give it another go

 

off to work. that was half of day 2…

so when a whole crew heads to a foreign country for the sole purpose of skateboarding why not join them. it was kinda funny being so far away yet surrounded by so many people you know. the city was amazing and clowning around in another country with a gang of idiots from home made it that much better.

i packed really light. two new boards and only enugh clothes for a few days. these guys were the only thing i struggled leaving behind

who? “phil ballins, rhymes with phil collins” to some foreigner from norway

lousbag

 

 

our money is worth nothing. its pathetic

stood for 45 min at the wrong gate

 

 

 

what do you know. walk of the train to a famous skatespot #1 of a million

 

this guy was the first to tell us americans we were #1

home sweet home on La Rambla

 

party boy takes us to his jail cell which his shares with 3 other “dudes”

 

 

its funny walking by shit like this like its nothing

FONDO

ballins…noseblunt transfer…the first of many blunt photos i got in spain

fresh off the plane back tail

 

Brendan lives dangerously. Brendan lives for xxxtreme sports. proof posi as he threads the needle on dismount

dog shit everywhere

 

 

nobody owns a dryer so we get to stare at our neighbors underoos

my pronunciations were dead on.

thats day one. lots to come. architecture, skateboarding, spliffs, dudes

Last weekend was full of stuff to do. Friday night was the Homebase Holiday Party for friends and fam which was held at and hosted by the shops future neighbor Eskandalo…I got there late so i got the short end of the gift exchange. all i got was the gift of driving home a drunk kurtz. Saturday it was unseasonably warm again..

Bretts fav trick for his fav band

sweet dick graf and a big load

i was under strict orders from emery to point this out to brett

outlaws

Brett says frontside schralps are worth risking time in the klink..

clowned around at an old spot and got thrown out in minutes. hilarious

Hombres…

Blame it on the Venue at the sterling. Good Times. Went over really well. Great turn out. I got a few pics before my battery died. Well, actually just 2.

Ladies, look what mike has. consider this your warning

Sunday morning it was cold. My boys are first priority. Never too cold for a swim

Little fucker always finds the mud

Dogs are happy. Off to the Hill

Mike went all out for the Chics on the chairlift

I heard someone yell “check me out” as emery slides his way to a Winter X Gold Medal

Phil Ballins steps up his rail game

Moments before impact. Noone told Mike he is about to get his bell rung and possibly his career ender as a snowskater

Mikes knees were knockin as Ballins laughs in the face of this Double Black Diamond

“sup Brah?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am blowing the dust of my pics. An update is long overdue

Heckler

Dan the man

Rick Moranis took charge of the Raffle

Jaguar = Winner

Here is what it looks like to be a winner

Here is what it looks like to be a sore loser

 

 

board toss in the streets = violence

 

 

my personal hair stylist..Eskandalo

pic of a pic

my roomate made these years ago and its still my favorite

Thanks to Toilet Town this is the beginning of the first sequence photo i ever shot titled, jaeger bomb

 

 

 

 

done

 

“dudes”

Video Premier was fun. Everything went well, video was sick. All around a good night, put on by good people, in a good venue. Lost Soul went all out

 

Off to Hunter NY for the Ride Snowboards “i love ride” tattoo party. Neff held the “Dirty East” Rail Jam contest

 

Fake Snow

A Leaner Big Al sporting a new kit totally hooked it up

it aint where you’re from, its what you Roc

“dudes”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ipod set on “biggie”

 

Fuck a Hummer, I’ll take a jacked up 4×4 Limo with a rail Built over it

Now off to the party. Ride snowboards closes down a local bar for a private party with an open bar (yeah), free food, and a few local tattoo artists. it starts at 4 in the afternoon and goes all night. Ride picks 3 small traditional style tattoo designs that follow the “i love ride” theme. its simple. the tattoos are free, and if you get one, you get a free snowboard in hand, when you are done. They did over 50 tattoos that night. i passed cuz i already get a Ride hook up, and i am not into tattoos unless they are sick tribal

 

the second sequence i ever shot involves a jello shot and some fluezy

 

 

done

some broad and an ass tat

 

 

next time just “say cheese” you idiot

Def the best looking girl in the room, and at that point of the night i think Chuckles might have made out with her

more girls and more ass tats. how original

Rise and Shine for a Slim Jim and a tech session

pissed

hungry

“dude last night i was sooooooo wasted”

Yes. Sweet Potato homefries are the best thing ever

One of these days i am gonna realize i am not in Costa Rica anymore and unpack from that trip. Till then, if anybody wants to go back I can be out the door in a minute

Havent updated in awhile. I spent sunday (two weeks ago)with the crew circa 97..i would say nothing has changed in 10 years other than gleasons weight…

The Crew..

B-Tight

Gay Rurz

Tub Tub aka Hit the Dirt

Blawg Dawg

My I.D. remains anonymous since i was obviously packing heat

Go skate this ledge, I swept up the parking lot with my elbow and my crispy white T

gangway

its not easy being an outlaw

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So my roommate Metal J”s girlfriend decides J and I need to be none other than Archie and Harley for Halloween. I was planning on wearing my usual costume (my normal clothes and tell people i am a “Repeated Sex Offender”). She did an amazing job. I didn’t know what to expect, but she pulled it off so well esp for her first time doing this. Anyone who knows my dogs was amazed at how perfect she nailed the heads.

Metal J and Kari. She made it all happen

Annual Halloween Party at Paradise Lost Tattoo in Kutztown

Our personal “Dog Catcher”

yours truely

Father Stewart and his Naughty Nun were up in the cut

The future Mrs. Stewart is a sucker for a handsome puppy

Mike…Born and Raised in Ktown but most def grew up Gotti

Ladies would love my tail (self portrait)

Thats is not some kid dressed as Raab Himself, it’s Raab Himself

Early morning trip to Philly to roll around before the Floorpunch reunion. Andy even made it out of the valley.

Course was def swept

sidewalk slide transfer with shoe untied because sometimes i can just get crazy

kflip the hip

if this was the X-Games Brett would win Gold for using the full coarse potential (lines for days)

that was only the beginning of our day. we pushed what seemed like 20 miles all around the city and then hit the show. Floorpunch reunion was nearly 10 years in the making. Got to see lots of old friends and had such a good time. i felt like i was 18 again. i havent been to a show this fun in years. i am bruised all over and sore as fuck. i have a perfect bruise from a size 10 shoe across my shoulders. camera was in the car…BUST!!!!! (if you know FP you understand)

If you know me, I love my dogs, let them do whatever they want and spoil the rotten. Sunday afternoon/eve in the game lands

“what was that”

If Archie sees water he is gone. Always the first one in and the last to leave

Moon is out. Time to go home

Mission accomplished

Maps are your friend because road Signs are scarce, the distances are wrong.

Roadside eats

Dogs seem to know “Dog People”…Making friends (again)

Standing Room Only

So theres is this river and its known that Crocodiles seem to collect underneath this bridge. You can park along the road and walk out and stand about 25 ft above them. They are massive. Grazing some 50 yards away are various horse and cattle that at times can be witnessed as “dinner” to these crocs.

So most major beach cities have One lane Bridges on each side of them. They are falling apart and sketchy as hell. Missing planks and metal beams that are just laying down and not barely attached. Traffic can only flow in one direction and backs up for miles. There is no direction so you can wait over an hour for traffic move in your direction. It sucks

Palm Tree plantation and Rainbow

Critters outside our window in our next hotel in surf town Manuel Antonio

Morning view from out balcony

el gato

The trees are alive

too bad i chopped my whig

much more to come…lots of critters and monkeys for real

The hot springs at Tabacon are all natural and have Zero Sulfur smell which makes them that much nicer. The resort is in the forest and winds its way through various waterfalls and gardens. Basically you just get in the water anywhere…

Large Hot Water Heater

i wandered to the Cold Water Pool. It is a stream that enters the resort at a different area and piped into a pool. It was cold (do the math) and no one goes there.

new camera, gotta try and use the timer

The most amazing Spa ever (so i heard)

Did i mention the hot springs are open at night. The place is rediculous

That night we drove the worst rode ever to the Observation area of the Arenal Volcano where you are maybe a mile (an educated guess) away from the volcano and its the best place to watch it erupt. You are close enough to hear the massive volcanic lava rocks tumbling down the side of the volcano. This pic doesnt look like much but its actually lava rock blown out and tumbling down the sides. You have to see it for yourself

Next a.m. On our way to our next location. Lake Arenal

The only Armadillo we saw

You’re too slow

On the road again

Row Homes

Proudly Endorsed..

Next time you think your job blows, try push mowing a soccer field

next time… crocodiles