Skate on.

Big soft Kryptonic wheels render us quite stealthy as we pass the backside of campus security headquarters. We sweep right on the first walkway past security parking and head for this big white round building surrounded with Roman columns 3 stories high.

The walkway around this building must be 20′ wide and smooth as can be. The bases of these columns are huge, with a perfect slope of butter smooth concrete, just like the walkway. At the east side of the building is a 9 step concrete stair case, about 20′ wide with long rounded steps, (I salivate as I write).

Once past security, it’s a mad dash to the first column. One by one in perfect order we hit that first slope at about 15mph. We come out the other side about 2′ higher than we hit. Land the backside of the slope, get rocketed left to the next one. Hit that right. Hit that left. Now, before you hit the next right, you can’t see the ground on the other side of the slope because there’s a staircase that drops about 7′. We land the backside of that last slope and launch to the stairs at a perfect angle that spits us out into the kitchen receiving haul road. The sound is very deliberate. We can do this about three times before campus security runs us off.

Cal Tech students make great spectators. On my third or fourth run around the building, I get tackled mid-air on the last slope! At the bottom of the stairs is my posse, sitting on their boards, security hovering, all staring at me. I take my hand off the guard’s throat when I hear an angry chipmunk like voice say, “Excuse me. Leave my friend alone please, or I’m going to let him kick your ass! You can’t just go around bullying my guests off campus; they are waiting for me to get out of class so we can sk8 the ramp at my dorm. Come on guys.”

We all fell in step behind the ultimate geek that saved us. He really did have a half pipe at his dorm. He also had a smokin’ hot sk8r physics major for a girlfriend. I remember what he said when we left that dorm half drunk,”Sk8rMike, if anyone questions why your here, you tell ‘em your here to sk8 with Bartholomew Davis.” He’s a rocket scientist and my friend to this day. Thank you my friend.

-sk8rMike

I lived on Chester Ave, between Cal Tech & PCC. My destination was always clear. The route I would take greatly depended on the slope of the streets and the action provided by the architects & engineers who developed the layout of what I considered my own personal urban playground. I know the streets of Pasadena like the back of my hand.

I always took the same route to Moose’s. Westbound on Colorado Blvd, right on Lake Ave, left on Union to the Fanny Mae corporate business block right next to the courthouse. I’m traveling westbound slightly downhill. Five stairs lead from the sidewalk down to a plush courtyard. I’d roll down the steps (with a loud echoing: clakedy CLACK!), take a sharp right around the big circular fountain past the ginormus glass doors, down two more steps that lead back to the Boulevard. When I hit the street, it’s a steep shot down Colorado, and if I play it right, I’d be doing 20mph and slide to a stop at the doors of Moose’s(trying to impress; you have no idea what an ego-maniac I am at this stage of my life).

Every single time I tanked through that courtyard, the security guard would be standing at the huge glass doors, pissed! I don’t mean a little upset. I mean mad as hell the doors wouldn’t open in time for him to get out. Every time I went to work he’d be angrier than before. I was so entertained. This old man must have been 107 years old. He never had the cops waiting for me. He never planned ahead to tell me not to sk8 through the courtyard. Wow. And by the time I dropped down those stairs, (he must have jumped from his desk and ran to the doors), it took about 4 seconds to hit Colorado blvd on the other side.

The action that courtyard delivered was so choice, I just couldn’t resist. Three days a week, for three years I sk8ed some routes that will never see me again. I will always remember that board sound bouncing off the walls of the sky rise in the courtyard at dusk. I think that angry old man looked forward to me sk8n through on his watch after business hours. I’m sure he’s passed on by now. Rest in peace, Old Man.

- sk8rMike

One day I get to my shop on Rosemead in Pasadena, CA & there’s this tall skinny sk8r dude sitting at my role up door. He says,(& I’ll never forget this),”so no one can sk8 Chantry huh?” “Are you Ben Schroder?” I said. Off we went.

I took 3 boards, my slide gloves & a bottle of H20. Ben drove us to the top of Chantry, got out of his truck, grabbed one of my boards & said,”follow me”. I was amazed. We started started to bomb, balls fast! I’m 30′ behind him. At about 30 mph Ben turns into the shoulder of the oncoming lane, I follow him, straight into the sand, dirt & rocks! He then arcs back onto the asphalt with me in tow. I MADE IT!!!! Carve, carve, bomb. Some of the shoulder is banked with asphalt right in front of the guard rails and makes for some great action. If Bens hittin’ it, I’m hittin’ too. My ever so fragile ego wouldn’t have it any other way. We skated off the banks of the mountain, over & through everything she had to offer. Chantry Flats will always be a special place for me.

Ben Schroder introduced me to a style of sk8ing I’ve never seen before. I have adopted his style of mountain sk8ing & made it my own. I’ll never forget Ben Schroder. I hope he’s doing well.

-sk8rMike