THREE FOR THE ROAD

Arizona was on fire in more ways than one.  Massive forest fires and massive heat.  My buddy Scott and I decided now was the time to get the hell out and hit the road to see some places we've never seen before and do some skating.

Fontana

We pulled up in front of the Fontana skatepark late on a Sunday afternoon.  It was hot and a bit humid but still a welcome relief from the desert inferno we had left behind in Phoenix that morning.  As we are getting our boards out from the overstuffed car a kid on a blades is starting some shit with a kid on bike.  The crowd inside the parks sees this and dashes for the fence to get a good look at the impending fight just outside the park.  I'm thinking the kid with the bike is gonna step into the parking lot and then whoop the blader who will be at a disadvantage since he is rolling around.  But no, the bike kid stays in the grass and the blader hands out a few good punches.

I heard that Fontana was a bit of a rough hood but didn't think I'd witness a fight even before I got into the park.  I strolled in to take a look at what it had to offer.  Hmmm,  shaded central area with picnic tables and grass and a drinking fountain.  Cool, a fingerboard park.   To the north are the typical funbox, ledge and rail combos.  To the east there are some nice mini bowls, great for that first attempt of a lip trick.  To the southwest there is a mid sized bowl complex with mellow banks and fun hips for some good line possibilities.  And oh yes, thar she blows!  The whale of a bowl that drew our ship off the I-10 and into it's shady harbor in the parking lot.  She's 10 feet of rounded pleasure in her deep end.  Smooth curvaceous hips lead to two more bowls; a square seven to 8 footer and a round shallow end of about 4.  Her skin is smooth to the touch, not a blemish to be found.

Riding her is even better than looking at her.  The lines flow effortlessly in the huge expanses.  The thrust vectors were calculated with ease and I was carving and grinding the lip from the first run.  I have not skated a bowl this sweet since... well... DAMN!  I can't remember when.  This is state of the art bowl building; there can be no complaints or nit-picking.  If you are not down with this then you are some kinda vert skatin' poseur. 

Get there as soon as you can.  In Fontana exit I-10 at Citrus. Head north to San Bernardino and take a right (east). Take a left (north) on Juniper and it'll be on your left hand side. Located at 16581 Filbert Avenue.

GPS coordinates: N 34.41362, W 117.44025

Ojai

Oh, by the way, it's hot in Ojai.  It's in the "desert".  I just wanted to pass that info along to you.  It seemed that that's the impression LA folks have about cute little Ojai.  I think it's a lie perpetuated by the Ojaionians to keep the massive hordes a mere 90 miles to the south away.  Yep, it was hot like "eat your fries in a hurry or they will get too dang cold" as we sat out on the patio of the brew pub eating lunch .  Hot like 45 degrees cooler than my backyard.  Sheesh.

Ojai sports a little ramp park right on the main street.  A sign said they were working on a permanent park which is cool because this little park look like it was thrown toghther in a few days.  It's a place to skate and a start.  We didn't break out the boards because we are concrete snobs.

GPS coordinates: N 34.44887, W 119.23216
 
 
 

Santa Barbara is farther from Fontana socio-economically than geographically.  Fancy resorts, fancy shops, squeeky clean middle aged tourists and plenty of signage telling ya what NOT to do. We rolled up unto this high rolling beach town to see the beach deserted but the skatepark rocking.  It's not a big park or a great park but it's right on the beach right in the heart of Santa Barbara.  Bring your pads cuz the Man had his watchful eye on all the little angels in the park.  The enforcement seemed a bit whack.  Long pants? No Knee pads!  Long sleeve shirt? No elbow pads!  But don't you dare expose any of that flesh to the California sun or the Man will have a chat with you.  The Man can't bring me down when I'm enjoying skating with a cool ocean breeze and pretty mountain vistas.  After skating we strolled State street in search of the ultimate fat burrito and noticed that this, the main shopping drag in town, sports not one but two skateshops.  Well, well, skating has gone mainstream.  More skaters than baseball players is what they are saying.

GPS coordinates: N 34.41362, W 119.68698

You couldn't wear unfashionable black pumps in Santa Barbara.