SO LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, I WENT TO QUITE A SHINDIG LAST NIGHT WITH IAN DEACON (FLIP HITMAN) AND JAMIE HART (VANS TEAM MANAGER) A VANS PARTY LOCATED RIGHT IN DOWNTOWN L.A. NEAR ALL THE HARD CRACK ZONES AND NEXT TO THE MR. CARTOON STORE, HAD A GOOD LAUGH WITH JAMIE AND THE REST OF THE VANS EMPLOYEES IN ATTENDANCE, ALTHOUGH I WISH JAMIE WOULD HAVE HEEDED MY NEEDS TO JUMP THROUGH THE WINDOW AND RUN DOWN THE STREET, JUST TO LIVEN THINGS UP A LITTLE !! FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION.LANCE MOUNTAIN MET US THERE ALSO, ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE SUCH A SOLID HUMAN, I ONLY HAVE TO LOOK AT LANCE AND I THINK OF SKATEBOARDING, THAT IS A RAD THING!! AFTER THE PARTY LANCE LEFT AND WE HAD A SOLID FEAST IN A LOCAL JOINT ROUND THE CORNER, ON THE WAY BUMPING INTO THESE TWO LADIES, ONE OF WHICH HAD THE RADDEST HAIRCUT I HAVE SEEN IN A LONG TIME, AN ASIAN ELVIRA KIND OF BEAUFONT. CUTTING EDGE INDEED, ESPEICALLY AT HER AGE. EXCLUSIVE INDIVIDUALITY IS NOT DEAD!! ICONS IN ATTENDANCE WERE HENRY ROLLINS AND ROBERT WILLIAMS ALTHOUGH I WOULD RATHER HAVE SEEN CARDIEL, LEMMY OR HUMPSTON!! MANY PEOPLE DON’T KNOW THIS BUT I HAD A FLIP GRAPHIC FROM THE MID NINETIES(PRIOR TO LORDS OF DOGTOWN)THAT WERE THE ORIGINAL TWO DOGTOWN GRAPHICS, WES WAS KIND ENOUGH TO LET USE THE ART, THEY REMAIN SOME OF MY FAVOURITE GRAPHICS TO DATE. ONE OF THEM IS SHOWN BELOW, THE OTHER SHALL REMAIN HIDDEN IN THE VAULTS. THE BURNING QUESTION REMAINS….WERE WAS THE STEVE VAN DOREN PHOTO? I HAVE ATTACHED A PICTURE OF STEVE WITH LEGENDARY SKATER JUSTIN ASHBY(PASTY) OF IRON CROSS SKATEBOARDS AND THE FAMED BAND “KNUCKLE SANDWICH” JUSTIN WAS A TOP MAN ON THE SCENE IN THE EIGHTIES, HANGIN’ MOSTLY WITH ART AND STEVE GODOY. HE RULES. JUSTIN IN RECENT YEARS HAS ALSO SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH TOM PENNY, SHOOTIN’ PICS AND FILMING AND WHATNOT, NICE ONE PASTY, I HOPE YOU ARE GOOD.XXX

AFTER A WEEKEND DESTROYING S.F. LUAN STEPPED IT UP ANOTHER NOTCH WITH A TAMPA AM 1ST. PLACE WIN THAT WAS NOTHING SHORT OF STELLAR!! SO SICK, KEEP IT UP LUAN. CHECK P-STONES FOOTAGE OF THE FINALS OVER AT THRASHER MAGAZINE.  HE ALSO WON A SURFBOARD(EHH? IT’S A SKATE COMP?) ANTWUAN  IS ALSO PERPLEXED BY THE PRIZE!!! LOUIE LOPEZ AND CURREN CAPLES ALSO RIPPED…CHECK CURREN’S HEAD STITCHES FROM A FALL ON THE COURSE. GOOD STUFF. LUAN HEADS BACK TO BRAZIL TOMORROW, BOTH HIM, TOM PENNY AND EWAN ARE MEETING UP OVER THERE IN A FEW DAYS TO FILM FOR THE EXTREMELY SORRY VIDEO. STAY TUNED.

GOT BACK FROM THE FEAST TOUR, A GREAT TRIP!! WILLOW ARRIVED AND ME, EWAN, LUAN, TOMMES WENT STRAIGHT TO SAN FRANSISCO FOR SOME SOLID SCHRALPIN’ GENTSCH WAS ROCKIN’ THE HSU PACKAGE AND FELT CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO PUT HIS FAG OUT ON MY LOUPE. ME, BOWMAN AND JOE BROOK FIXED THE MANUAL PAD AT PIER 7 AT 11PM ONLY TO FIND THE HANDY WORK COMPLETELY REMOVED THE FOLLOWING MORNING AT 11AM, THOSE S.F. CITY FOLK ARE FAST OFF THE MARK!! CHEERS TO JOE FOR HELPIN’ OUT!! BE SURE TO CHECK THE RE-LAUNCH OF SLAP MAGAZINE ONLINE TODAY!! GOOD LUCK GUYS. ON THE DRIVE HOME EWAN SHOWED US HIS TRUE FEELINGS ON THE SUBJECT OF HOMOSEXUALITY, HE IS A MODERN MAN, UNAFRAID TO DABBLE OR EXPERIMENT WITH FRUIT, ALTHOUGH TO BE HONEST….HE WOULD PREFER MANGOES TO BANANAS…..IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

-ROWLEYX

last hunk of the journey, Rowleys crib in AZ. epic landscape and a crew ready to cut loose/skate. here is  what you are looking at roughly… mounds of shit everywhere, big drinks, boards to sign, mountain shooting a photo, target practice, graffitti, dancing and music by campfire, bones, shoe removing slams, words to live by and the long road home. trip was amazing in most every way.

hey everyone, thanks for EVERYTHING. Werd Life.

-T Bratrud

THE END….OR SO THEY SAY. ONE OF THE MOST ENJOYABLE TRIPS I HAVE EVER BEEN ON. THANKS TO ALL THE KIDS, MOMS, GIRLS, GUYS, DOGS, AUNTIES AND FAMILY MEMBERS WHO MADE IT OUT TO THE DEMO’S OR SIGNINGS, WE HAD HOPE YOU HAD AS MUCH FUN AS WE DID. THE FINAL LOCATION WAS AT ZUMIEZ IN FLAGSTAFF MALL, A BIG THANKS TO ALL THE EMPLOYEES WHOM MADE THE SIGNING RUN SMOOTHLY. AFTER THE FINAL DAY WE HEADED TO MY HOUSE IN AZ. FOR A ROYAL CAMPFIRE AND REGGAE FESTIVAL, ARTO’S MOBILE SAUNA WAS ON HAND FOR SOME NAKED TRIBAL SWEATIN’ BETWEEN MEN. NEEDLESS TO SAY THE EVENING WAS A BLAST!!! SEAN SLATER WAS ON HAND TO PROVIDE VOLCOM RV. ENTERTAINMENT AND LIGHTING, CHEERS MAN. THANKS ALSO TO THE WHOLE TEAM(INC.FILMERS AND HOMIES!) FOR KEEPIN’ IT TOGETHER AND SKATING SO WELL. UNTIL NEXT TIME…………….STAY RAD.

-ROWLEYX