Mountain high.

Half way between the glamorous Aspen, Colorado and hobo Glenwood Springs, Colorado, sits the center of the universe. It is there that an old school West blends with a young, progressive community to create Carbondale. See, our littlet skatepark story begins the same as so many others: three-to-four years of start and stop meetings. But from there it goes off. Already into construction, some seriously accidental, over-ambitious excavating spurred the idea. With major volunteerism and a dip into next year's recreation budget, the town itself and Grindline built it: a dogleg capsule with over vert elbow and an encapsulated fullpipe. Have you ever hit such a thing? Wrex goes upside down. Burnquist would do the loop de loop de loop. Come do a double. The bowled end slingshots you (so sweet). I don't even know what to call the small wavy bows and inlets Grindline threw out there. Also, watch out for the waterfalls all over. Hubbard told me that he does not have a favorite "Whichever park you are skating at the time, that is the best." I was relieved to hear him say our park is hard. Hey, have any of you guys ever skated that one homemade Humbler bowl right outside of Boulder, CO? Anyone will say Carbondale has got some serious humbling qualities. I am psyched to watch the lines be filled out and potentials be met. It is a slow and very steady process of progression. Build it and they will come.

And they sure did. Thanks Phelps, for honoring Carbondale and also helping set up the Carbondale Run. We got to see the raw stuff of the magazine and video world. Staying hip here in rural Colorado ain't easy. This infusion helped. Jamie Thomas really wears flannel. Mike Carroll looks like Mike Carroll. Darrell and Busentiz are as smooth as you would think. Senn skates fast, Omar goes gynormous--and it was all live. Whatever to puddles, rain, mud and mayhem--it was happening in our town, live. Come on back anytime, ya hear?

Petar Kovacic

El Jebel, Colorado 

Next year: Antarctica. T-ed