We were all grommets at one point.

It is so cool to see these guys all growd up and ripping.

I have known them for a long time. Since they were tiny little rats. Now they are out there in the world killing it. Pretty amazing to see. Good on ya guys.

Will Cartier was a crazy little S.O.B. as a kid. And Ross was more careful and calculated. But both of them had it pure in them.You could tell.

I got them on a plank longboard one day for a shoot for Juice Magazine, and they were just having so much fun. Just rushing down the street on this HUGE board with 215′s on them. Their joy was so pure and infectious. So I thought I would share.

Ross Stevens riding a skateboard in WIlmington, NC

Little Ross Stevens with the double-grab pig dog on a skateboard that weighed more than he did.

Young William Cartier grooving on a nose ride

Young Will gets all stylee on a nose ride

Landsdowne Skate Park

A local BMXer cops an attitude at Landsdowne Skate Park

They grow 'em tough at Landsdowne. A fine example of a Landsdowne Local.

The Definitive Baltimore Skate Experience. (Or at least it used to be.)

The legend is that the night before the grand opening, the locals set fire to the pro shop and ramp. What was left was pure skateboarding. No rules, although attempts to control the park had been made over and over, and no authority made Landsdowne the best case scenario. The park was always filled with drama. We witnessed animal sacrifices, full-scale rumbles, domestic violence, hardcore drug abuse and bat-shit antics on vehicles not meant to roll through the park. Funny to think that the skaters were the innocent ones for the most part when it came to superfluous damage. A quick look through youtube videos of Landsdowne reveals a changed scene. they patched the asphalt, made rules and the kids are going too slow. Bring back the big wheels. Bring back the aggression. Bring back the bloody departures. Change is inevitable, but not always good.

Brad Jezek at landsdowne skatepark

Brad Jezek avoiding the horrible asphalt by method hip air

A BMX rider does an air at Landsdowne

Hesh air.

Ricky B frontside slash at Landsdowne

Ricky B applying necessary force to the parking block at high speed.

Local bmx grom with an attitude

local.

Robbie Gangemi

Robbie Gangemi was always one of my favorite Boston skaters.He ripped but was pretty casual about the whole thing. He loves to skate. And that seems to be his whole motivation. Plus he is funny as shit.

On the serious tip, Robbie is an industry innovator. With a patent pending for recycled skate decks, the material and method, his company Pop Master Innovations is on the cusp of creating an eco-conscious wood manufacturing outlet with “Recycled Wood Fiber Veneer Substrate”.

check it out: popmasterinnovations.com

Portrait of Robbie Gangemi smiling ©2011 Simplex

Robbie rode for Placid Planet/Liquid Spaceship. And he was always down for a session.

Robbie Gangemi backside kickflip ©2011 Simplex

Robbie was the first guy I knew personally that was really going for street tricks on ramp. He tried this backside kickflip 100 times and couldn't get it. I told him I can't run a photo if he doesn't land it. At which point he got a serious look and just began crushing them.

Robbie boosts a huge backside kickflip at ZT ©2011 Simplex

The low angle makes the kickflip look huge. Considering that was shot in 1990 or so, it is actually pretty sick. Check out the guy in the background. The look on his face matches his shirt.

Robbie ollies high to low ©2011 Simplex

High to low frontside ollie at ZT's

Robbie boosts a huge backside kickflip at ZT ©2011 Simplex

The low angle makes the kickflip look huge. Considering that was shot in 1990 or so, it is actually pretty sick. Check out the guy in the background. The look on his face matches his shirt.

Memories of Yoda (part 1 of many)

Tonight, the skate park owner’s dog, Coco, was at the park. It brought back memories of my main man Yoda. Here are a few choice shots from sessions past.

Middle School Skate Park

Yoda watches Pete Thompson (I think) ollie the hip at Middle School in Hampstead, NC

PotSprings Ditch

Stoners get stoned at aptly named Pot Springs Ditch. Yoda wasn't down with it, so he bailed.

Placid Planet Team guy and Transworld cover boy Adam Ayer sliding tail as Yoda hangs out

Placid Planet Team guy and Transworld cover boy Adam Ayer sliding tail as Yoda hangs out

Robbie Gangemi

Robbie Gangemi uses a handicap ramp to lauch above the lens flare. If you look close, you can see Yoda chillin in the back.

Yoda takes a stand on a board

Inside the Liquid Spaceship Surfshop in Boston, Yoda gets busy on a board while I assemble another

Yoda watches Pat Noonan

Yoda watches Pat Noonan slide in Copley Square