Brooklyn Banks
The first time I went to the Brooklyn Banks was around 1988. We saw them for the first time in the Powell Peralta video "Future Primitive" and upon learning that was New York City, we had to make the pilgrimage. My friends dad was the driver and between the video and an adult who knew the city we found them. I was riding my SMA Jim Thiebaud and my buddy had a Vision Ken Park. We had a great session! I even managed to nose bonk the wall. Around lunch time my friends dad wanted to take us to St. Marks to get a pizza and see all the "freaks". This would also be the first time I saw real life punk rockers. While eating pizza on some steps, one "freak" really stood out to me. He was a very obese man dressed like Michael Jackson, dancing on roller skates while blasting Weird Al Yankovic out of a boom box. He was pulling out all the moves, even moonwalking on the skates. It makes me giggle to this day. We went back to skate the big part of the banks and then headed back to the Chester. Glad the banks are back in action! This is
Oliver Clark, enduring the adventurous spirit. Keep dancing New York!
-Shane Medanich
It was the last hot Saturday in October and I wanted to try my luck at barging a few runs on that pump track on Kent Ave. There was no way I was paying $10 and waring a helmet (as I heard was protocol) so I just showed up. The place was empty except for a few people setting up for an event so I just started skating. Next thing I know I hear "Shane!!" It was a friend of mine whom I hadn't seen in a while. He was now a rep for Triple 8 pads and was setting up a tent for Broadway Bomb. I get introduced to the other organizers and the beers start flowing. This led to a rad private session that lasted about an hour. That's when we see the "racers" crossing the WillyB bridge. "Here they come" says one of the organizers. Next thing I know, a flood of about 200 skaters came through the gate. All races, all genders, all ages. Excluding my friends in the band Witch Slap, which happened to be playing the event, I knew nobody. What really stood out is that nobody was riding "conventional" skateboards. They were all longboards and crazy, straight up Mad Max, junkyard setups. The oranizers of the event were kind enough to let me hang out on their platform as well as be a Judge of this "Death Match" style event. More beers. As comical as some of these boards were, either the bottom scraping the ground over every hump or deemed too long and not possible to ride on the track, the spirit and energy of skateboarding was still there! Collisions, high speed chases and a super enthusiastic crowd that contributed to a very awesome atmosphere. It was a good day. 
So
remember, next time you see that kid with dread locks and weed spandex with the "kook" board, they most likely love skateboarding as much as
you. Thank you Broadway Bomb and thank you skateboarding! See you next
year at the finish line. -Shane Medanich 
