Skateboarders Protest in Arkansas

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. A protest of the city's reinstatement of a police officer involved in a fracas with skateboarders drew more than two dozen chanting protesters to the scene where the boarders were arrested.

About 25 protesters kept their rides in their hands Sunday as they marched down a Central Avenue sidewalk. They were abiding by a city ordinance that bars skateboarding on downtown sidewalks.

The rule had led to the June 21 arrests of six boarders - two adults and four juveniles - by Officer Joey Williams. The incident attracted national attention after a video made by some of the skateboarders involved was posted on YouTube showing Williams on top of one of the skaters, apparently choking him. It also showed Williams putting two other skateboarders in a headlock.

Williams was suspended, but he was reinstated last week after an internal report concluded that he had used a proper amount of force during the arrests.

Jason C. Waite of Paris, Texas, who said he organized the protest Sunday, said Williams' treatment of the skateboarders was an "atrocity" and the officer used excessive force.

"Police brutality is bad for business!" the boarders chanted.

Hot Springs City Manager Kent Myers watched as the protesters walked along the sidewalk in a single-file line, chanting.

"It's been a very peaceful and orderly protest," he said. "There are a lot of emotions down here."

Police spokesman McCrary Means had no comment on the protest except to say that the skateboarders "have a right to exercise their freedom of speech."

Source: The Associated Press

How to do the backstab skateboard trick?

This is a curb lip trick. To learn this trick you should be able to boneless (or at least planting your foot on the ground while holding your board).

1: Ride towards the curb at a moderate speed.

2: Reach down with your front hand and grab the middle of your board.

3: Step off the board with your front foot and snap the tail so you should be in a madonna-ish position.

4: Hop onto the curb, bring your board up with you and plant your back truck on the curb (kinda like a 5-0, but you can let your tail touch the curb) still holding your board.

5: Hold it.

6: To get out, you can pull your board so you land in a tailstall position, or skip the tailstall position and skate away.

Tensor Skateboard Trucks

.......description from tensortrucks.com...cool stuff!

NEW MID TRUCK

We did a lot of work on the new MID. Whereas the modifications of the LO were aimed at tightening and honing its basic characteristics, nearly every feature of the MID has been reworked.

LOWER KINGPIN The kingpin is much lower. We took similar steps to what we did for the LO, only everything doubled: First, we effectively shortened the kingpin; second, we dropped the “seat” of the bottom bushing on the baseplate; last, we pulled the “ring” (top-bushing seat) deeper, away from the axle.

SHARPER TURNING This was a two-step process. First, we lengthened the pivot stem, then lowered the height of the pivot cup. This allows for more of a flowing sensation into turns, lessening the emphasis on overall stability.

HEIGHTENED RESPONSE There was a slight decrease in the baseplate’s kingpin-to-pivot distance, meaning the hanger’s loop-to-axle distance was compressed as well. This livens things up a bit.

THICKER BARREL We beefed up the region around the axle: bigger radius, better grind.

MODIFIED LOOK The baseplate is cleaner than it used to be, and the region around the pivot stem (on the hanger) has more clearance with regard to the baseplate/cup.

TIGHTER FIT The fit of the hanger on the bushing was a bit “loose,” which became more noticeable as the bushings and pivot cup compressed and stretched over their natural lifespan. The new precision fit creates a more solid, accurate feel.

Riverview Skatepark in North Little Rock Arkansas

(pictured above street section of Riverview Skate Park)

The city of NLR pulled out the stops and contracted with Dreamland Skateparks out of Oregon to build a 24,000 sq foot in-ground concrete bowl.

Riverview features a large bowl with about a 10ft. drop and a shallow end thats about 4ft. A street course with large transition ramps,a rainbow rail and two more flat rails. One small pyramid and a few ledges with a kicker and a 3step.

The park is located on River Road off of Pike Avenue/Riverfront Drive (this is where River Road begins); you will travel approximately 1 ½ miles on River Road to Riverview Park.


(pictured above bowl section of Riverview Skate Park)

How to do the endover skateboard trick...

To get them right, put your front foot on the nose of your board and your back foot on the tail of your board.

1) Know how to manual and how to pivot.

2) Going forward, do a 180 NOSE pivot, frontside or backside, your choice, just do not raise the wheels too high and keep your weight nicely centered.

3) Now, do a pivot again, your body has to turn the same way as in the first pivot.

4) Your body has done a full 360 if you did it right.

5) Do it again a few times, if you practice hard, you can combine them with a few 360, 540 or 720 spins.