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Adam Dyet. Crailslide at a Salt Lake Skatepark. Photo: Shaun Macomber.
Caleb Orton. Switch Front Board pop-out.
Sequence: Dan Zaslavsky
DJ Chavez gets frontside on a wall just outside Salt Lake.
Photo: Shaun Macomber.
Who says Mormans can’t appreciate a good kickflip? Holand Redd.
Photo: Shaun Macomber.
Jared Smith. Front Board pop out.
Photo: Shaun Macomber.
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SALT LAKE CITY IS HITLER’S WET DREAM COME TRUE. THE ETHNIC DIVERSITY THAT IS THE NORM OF OTHER AMERICAN CITIES DOESN’T EXIST HERE. RADICAL FUNDAMENTALIST MORMONS STILL HAVE A DEATH GRIP ON THE CITY. IT IS WHERE CONFORMITY BREEDS CONFORMITY. MORMONS LOVE TO HAVE BABIES. WELL MAYBE THAT IS A LITTLE HARSH, I HAVE PLENTY OF MORMON FRIENDS THAT ARE ALL GOOD PEOPLE. FROM STATE RUN LIQUOR STORES AND THE 3.2 BEER, THEY LEGISLATE CONFORMITY.
Don’t be fooled though, with every stereotype there is an exception. The skate scene (hate that phrase) in Salt Lake City is that exception. There are kids here who smoke crack rocks, drink a half rack, take some acid then go bomb hills on their shred sticks.
The cities architectural landscape is changing daily. Within the next year or so downtown SLC will be undergoing a two billion dollar facelift and revitalization process. There are new spots popping up all the time that more than make up for old ones being either skate stopped or demolished. There is also a small crew out here pouring vigilante trannies and mannies that can be enjoyed by all. There is also a plethora of skate parks in the valley. There are around twelve to fifteen parks within an hour of each other. They range from crappy city poured parks to some Grind Line beauties. The best are South Jordan, Layton and Park City so peep those if you’re in town. Stop by Fairmont Park if you need to hook up with a local skate guide. Also, rumors of a skate plaza abound.
With the addition of a mass transit light rail and an adequate city bus system you don’t need to have a vehicle to get around. Most of the older skaters here have D.U.I.’s so these are the preferred choices of transportation. Taxies are relatively cheap as well, due to the fact everything is so close together. Finding spots in the city is pretty damn easy. The downtown area isn’t that big and is chock full of goodies. On top of the hill is the University of Utah, which has always been a premiere spot (bust factor is kind of high but you’ll be O.K. if your not local) you’ll also get to see some college tail.
The cost of living in Salt Lake is what keeps most skaters grounded here. Rent is cheap as hell, if you want to live by yourself and even cheaper if you want to live in a grimy skate house (we’re talking like a 150 smackers). Stop by the pirate house on F Street and 6th Avenue for confirmation on that. Compare that to living in New York. Buying a home is a total reality here, even if you are just working a shitty 9 to 5. The American dream is still possible here. You can get yourself a mansion here for about 500 g’s. I am talking about a six bedroom, three bath joint with a backyard big enough for a mini Chin ramp.
As of writing this article it is Thanksgiving day and still skate weather. In fact, yesterday it was warmer here in Salt Lake (65degrees) than in Miami (63degrees). With global warming now being a reality the dry trend is becoming very common. That means it is still freezing in the city but hardly any snow falls to the valley floor. That is quite a contrast to a decade ago when you would walk outside your door to five feet of snow about four months out of the year. Don’t worry though, it still snows a grip in the mountains for all you snowboard kooks. Salt Lake City is also officially on the skate map now. It seems over the past few years every team in the industry has come here on filming missions or to check out the new concrete. The bust factor here is still very low and the police here are pretty stupid. There are plenty of blonde haired and blue-eyed honeys to start your own harem. Come to the land of Zion and get your shred on and don’t forget to stop in at Milosport, which is the premiere skate shop in town. Also stop by The Jackelope at night, it’s the local watering hole where all the locals get sloppy. You can also get a sick ass tattoo right up the street at Lost Art Tattoos. That’s where Lizard King gets his good tattoos at. |
