Local skateboarders enjoy spring weather at Upper Casades Skate Park, attempt 'concrete' challenges

On a Wednesday in spring, eight guys climbed out of multiple cars within minutes of each other, grabbing skateboards out of backseats and trunks at Upper Cascades
Skate Park.

Wearing blue and magenta bandanas to keep his hair back, Amused Clothing Manager Keddy McClain greeted the day with a big smile reflecting what he said was his happiness to be doing what he loved on such a nice day.

“There’s actually not that many guys here,” McClain said. “I’m surprised since it’s such a nice day.”

McClain and the other skateboarders coasted up to a turnstile. As they entered the fenced-in skate park, they greeted each other with yells and smiles and rolled off down the street-skating section.

Each of the boarders went toward their favorite sections, full of rails, dips, curves and hubba ledges.

Only a few minutes after their arrival, some began pulling off their T-shirts, throwing them over the fence or stuffing them through the diamond-shaped holes of the fence.

As they each attempted tricks — 180s, ollies, backside 180s — they encouraged each other with shouts of “Whoops” followed by cheers.

“It’s nice, ya know,” McClain said. “We’re not a bunch of jocks up here. We don’t shower together and stuff. I mean, we’re just supportive in our own way.”

The success rate for the day’s tricks is less than 50 percent for just about everyone. Many explain it by saying that they’re feeling “off.”

“Off” at the skate park, where tricks rule and protective gear doesn’t, can be a dangerous thing to be. McClain looks back to see fellow skater Alex Greemann landing on his back for the third time, attempting a trick up a concrete ramp.

“Those are pretty hairy maneuvers,” McClain said about some of Greemann’s tricks. “I’m not messin’ with any of that.”

For most of the boarders, the risk appeared to be part of the thrill. Their eyes lit up when talking about the Louisville Extreme Park, better known as “The Fracture Factory.” Nineteen-year-old Satish Brown said it is less about the risk and more about the possible payoff.

“You know, it’s for yourself,” Brown said. “When we get older it won’t even be about impressing people or anything. We’ll just have more stuff we can do.”

Brown and others acknowledged that if anyone was seeing a payoff that day, it was McClain, who the skaters all agreed was “ripping it.”

Those feeling off received support when they were close on a hard trick and playful ridicule when they bailed on an easy one.

After landing on his back so many times most had lost count, even Greemann decided to admit defeat.

The difficulty of Greemann’s trick and how close he came to getting it quieted any potential laughter or snide remarks. For everyone else, though, pretty much everything was fair game.

“It’s like he just got out of jail and his mom bought him new underwear,” McClain joked to the group about a fellow skater’s Snoopy boxers with hot pink lining.

As each Bloomington school finished for the day, new skaters arrived in packs.
Without the bravado of the experienced trick-switching skaters, 11-year-old Jake Wright silently rolled around the park slower than his more experienced counterparts.

With his shoulder-length blonde hair blowing behind him, his skateboarding was more about coordination and balance than the risky tricks of the skaters eight years his senior.

“I just started,” Jake explained in a voice barely above a whisper. “It’s only been one year.”

His mother, Brooke Wright, who watched Jake from her van in the parking lot, elaborated on the skills Jake has gained in a year.

“He’s doing pretty well,” Brooke Wright said. “I mean, he’s pretty coordinated, so that helped.”

As for the expletive-slinging bunch skating circles around her son, Brooke Wright said she couldn’t understand how anyone could have a prejudice against skaters if they had actually met them.

“They’re a peaceful bunch,” Brooke Wright said. “I love it here. I feel very safe bringing Jake here.”

Brooke Wright said she and her family moved to Bloomington one year ago and that her experience with the skaters confirmed the rumors.

“I’ve heard if you’re new to town, you should go find a skater,” Brooke Wright said.
“Here, at least, that’s so true.”