Tour Stop 4: Rise Skateboard Shop, Carmel Indiana
The tour rolled through Carmel, Indiana yesterday on it's way to our last demo stop tomorrow in Kettering, Ohio. But not before picking up Anthony Van Engelen at the airport and killing some time in an empty parking lot playing SKATE and shooting volunteers with dart guns.
After cleaning up all the blood we headed out to Rise Skateboard Shop in Carmel to meet up with the local kids for a signing. Thanks to everyone that came out to show love. And Shit Brick, you were killing it!
Vans Pro Skate Tour
Tour Stop 3: Infinity Skateshop, St. Louis
The Vans Pro Midwest Skate Tour rolls into St. Louis.
There's a scene is the comedy classic National Lampoon's European Vacation where Clark W. Griswold asks two honeymooners what tourist attractions they've seen. When they tell him they haven't seen any Clark boasts to his family, "We've seen ten times as much as they have!" Skate trips are sort of that way; when we go home and tell our wives/girlfriends/moms where we've been they're always shocked that we didn't see any of the tourist spots one would expect to see when visiting cities. Generally there's just no time. It's either demos or street skating and then move on down the road. We may not know what the Alamo looks like on the inside but we know about the bump to bar right behind it.
Yesterday's day in St. Louis was a rare occurrence on a skate trip when we had time to spare and could play tourist. So we visited the gateway to the west, the St. Louis Arch, and kicked the soccer ball around while we waited for the demo at Sylvan Springs Skatepark to start.
As much as it is the older guys' job
Sept 26: Saint Louis, Missouri
Wednesday, September 26
Saint Louis, MO
Vans Pro Skate
Team Demo
Tony Trujillo, Dustin Dollin, Chima Ferguson, Gilbert Crockett, Johnny Layton, Daniel Lutheran, Chris Pfanner, Curren Caples and more…
Pro Skate Demo
4:30 PM
Sylvan Springs Skatepark
300 Halsey Rd.
(314) 615-4386
Sponsored by
Infinity Skate Shop*
5528 South Lindbergh
(314) 843-1989
*15% off any full price Vans purchase, one day only.
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Tour Stop 2: Another Free Day in KC
Kansas City has more spots than anyone could hit in a month so we decided to stick around for another day of street skating before we hopped on the road to our next demo stop in St. Louis. But not before we bid a fond farewell to Tony Trujillo who got injured back in Des Moine.
Being in a van on a skate trip is much like going to war, I'd imagine, except totally different. But there are similarities: tension gets so high that everyone is on the verge of snapping or murder by the end of it, the guy next to you can either save you or get you killed and the only way to deal with the situation is to arm yourself to the teeth. And so it was quickly decided that once we dropped Tony off that we should proceed directly to Mickey's Surplus, your one-stop shopping for armageddon! I've been to army surplus stores and never seen anything like this. Hell, i've been on military bases with Pfanner and seen less weaponry. If you have any hinkering to deliver some death Mickey's is the spot for you. Need grenades? A rocket launcher perhaps?
Tour Stop 2: Free Day in KC
Yesterday was a demo-free day in Kansas City to hit up the plethora of skate spots the city has to offer. It was pretty obvious in the first five minutes of driving and seeing nine spots why Malto continues to live here instead of Southern California. The problem for visitors to KC is that Malto is a superhero here. Can you imagine going to Krypton and trying to work out at a gym? You're just trying to warm up with some 10-lb dumbbells and there's mother f'ing Superman with a car in each hand above his head. Same deal. "Oh, you're gonna ollie that hydrant? Malto switch flipped it." "Kickflip that 12-stair? That's cool but Malto did a 900 down it." After while we just had to ask our tour guide, "Is there one spot in this city that Malto hasn't hit?" "Well, there's a pizzeria near by. I don't think he's ever eaten there." Rad. Let's go.
Luckily for us our crew is rock solid, skates much differently than Malto and doesn't lose sleep over ABDs and NBDs because we have ADD. So, like Sinatra and Sid Vicious, the gang did KC their way and walked away with a bunch of bangers. Here's a glimpse at
Tour Stop 2: Escapist, Kansas City
The second stop on the Vans Pro Skate Midwest Tour took the guys to Escapist Skateshop in Malto Country: Kansas City, Missouri. Aside from skateboarding there's two things the good folks in KC take very serious and that's the Kansas City Chiefs and ribs. Since the Chiefs were on the road in New Orleans yesterday it was decided that we'd partake in the later and hold an impromptu rib challenge after the demo. The Chiefs were getting their asses handed to them all game but won by a field goal which had all the attendees of the signing and demo in high spirits. Like Subsect in Des Moines Escapist is a well-designed and classy looking skateshop. With a pool table and art gallery connected to the shop the spacious store allowed for a real personal and casual vibe to the meet and greet with the local kids. Trujillo did his best to hide his anger over the Niners loss by talking to the kids about the Chiefs win.
Penn Valley Skatepark was packed to the gils and the locals were all ripping. Chiefs jerseys were everywhere and the crowd cheered for each guy's make with raucous applause like they were catching game-winning touchdown passes. Every
Sept 23: Kansas City, Missouri
Sunday, September 23
Kansas City, Missouri
Vans Pro Skate
Team Demo
Tony Trujillo, Dustin Dollin, Chima Ferguson, Gilbert Crockett, Johnny Layton, Daniel Lutheran, Kyle Walker, Alec Majerus and Taylor Smith
Team Signing
3:00 PM
Escapist Skateboarding*
405 Southwest Blvd.
(816) 842-2504
Pro Skate Demo
5:00 PM
Penn Valley Skatepark
West 31st & Pennsylvania Ave.
(816) 513-7500
*15% off any full price Vans purchase at Escapist all day, one day only.
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Tour Stop 1 Video: Subsect, Des Moines
Check out the footage from our first stop at Subsect in Des Moines on the Vans Pro Skate Tour. And be sure to follow along on the whole trip via Instagram #vansproskatetour