Russ Milligan: "amazing seafood linguini".

How was golf yesterday?

Wet, frustrating; threw my driver about 100 yards on the ninth. That was my first time throwing a club. It felt pretty good, like focusing a board when you're pissed. Sweet. So how is skating different for you these days when you're in Vancouver, Canada? It seems that you skate alone quite a bit.

It's a little different. Most of my friends have jobs now, or they've just got other shit going on. It seems harder to get a filmer to go out with me these days, so I just end up going to the AMB and fucking around by myself a lot. I can tell from your appearance that you are not an indigenous Couverite. What are your roots?

I'm 1/4 Irish on my dad's side, 1/4 Icelandic on my mom's side, and I think the rest is just a shitmix, really. I got some English, Spanish. Tell me your best winter skating story.

A couple years ago I remember going to the Burnaby skatepark when it was about -10 degrees Celsius out. I had long johns under my jeans and gloves and everything. Slipping out on ice patches. That's just when you're hurting to skate; it's not even fun. It's like you just have to get your fix. But I remember throwing the skate into a garbage bag and bussing around to undergrounds alot. We've got long winters, so you gotta do what you gotta do.

Much of your recent coverage has been in the States. What have you been doing while back at home?

I've been skating around trying to learn some new moves. I find I learn alot more when I'm back at home, and when I'm down in the States I'm out trying to get the job done and shoot photos and stuff. When I'm back home I can relax and just go skate; I definitely need that. But other than that I've just been chilling. I've been golfing a lot.

Alex Chalmers has had a rough year. How would you feel if you were a devoted pro for five years and got kicked off just to make room?

That really sucks for Alex. Where's the loyalty these days? I'd be really chapped. Especially seeing how Alex is still on the covers and winning contests, it's not like he's falling off. The industry can get shady like that, though. I'm sure Alex won't have any trouble; he'll slide in somewhere else no problem.

When you used to meet girls at the bar, what did you tell them you did for a living?

I guess I told them I skated. But I think the pro skater thing stops working on girls by the time you make it into bars. Unless you've got some money to back it up, you're still just a poor skater.

Should Thrasher bring snowboard coverage back in the mag?

They should keep that separate. I snowboard, but I'm not trying to see snowboarding and skateboarding come together like they used to. It's way too different now. I'm sure there's an extreme 'boarding magazine out there for people who want to see the broad spectrum of board sports in one magazine.

Do you watch the cooking network?

No, but I've been cooking more now than I ever have. I make an amazing seafood linguini.

I hear everyone in Vancouver is a pothead. Do you get loose?

No, I'm one of the only people in Van that doesn't smoke the dope. I gave that one up a while ago. I just use the booze to get loose these days.

I also heard heroin is legal. How does that effect the city?

Well it's not legal, but they're trying safe injection sites--it just means that heroin addicts get clean needles and don't have to hide in an alley when they shoot up. I think it's good that the city's doing something to help them out--we have a huge population of crackheads and heroin addicts.

What'd you do to get your driving license taken away?

Three minor tickets in the course of the six years I've had my licence. Vancouver's driving program is really wack. I got it back recently, but if I get one more ticket in the next two or three years I'll probably lose it for awhile, so I have to stay on my toes.

How much did it cost to get back?

$350. I had to pay two of the tickets, and pay a reinstating fee.

Have you thought about moving to California to help your career? Do you think it's necessary? Would you be bummed on losing all the Canadian benefits?

I thought about it a few years ago when I first started coming down to SF, but I like living in Van. If it means making a little less money, that doesn't really bug me. I feel like I can get the job done up here. I'm travelling a lot anyway, and when I'm gone I'm out to skate. I figure in a couple weeks in SF I get as much done as I would in a couple months living there.

City's a fresh company. How has it been riding for them and working with the other skaters?

It's been dope. I've been riding for Street Corner and Tony V for three years now, and that's always been really chill. I've actually been riding for City since Lucky went under, and Tony just kept me on, sending me blank boards while waiting for City to happen. It all came together nicely. We have a really sick team; everybody meshed well right off the bat.

What about the City video? There's been a lot of promotion. What are your expectations?

It's gonna be dope. I don't really know what people are expecting, but I think we'll surprise. We have Mark Brandstetter's talent filming and editing. And everyone's got alot of stuff, it's gonna be good. Hopefully the vid will put us on the map a little more, get our name out there.

Vancouver has been producing a ton of skaters and skatespots. Rick Howard and Leigh Peterson both have their roots there. What do you think is in store for its future?

More skaters will come out of Van for sure, because there's a crazy amount of talent.

More companies should look up north. As far as spots, it's getting pretty desolate. Not too many new spots have been popping up. We have the new park downtown which is pretty sick. But street spots are few and far between. Everything is built pre-capped now. Architects know what we want to skate, and they build against that pretty well.