While it is never in good taste to generalize about people there is one undeniable trend among those in the Skateboarding community. Not only do they generally love a good session of shredding and grinding at a local skate park but they often times turn to snowboarding during the winter months. Oh yes, and one more thing. They usually love Bob Marley. I mean, who doesn't love *Bob Marley*?

This is where the Matix Clothing Company's Asher Rasta Black Hoodie comes in. Warm enough for the coldest winter yet breathable enough to be worn in the fall or early spring, the Asher Black Hoodie really is a jacket for all seasons. Not only does this hoodie look cool and keep you warm but it also makes a statement for anyone out there who loves to skate, snowboard and rock out to Bob Marley's seminal album "Rebel Music."

The Matix Clothing Company Asher Rasta Black Hoodie has Kangaroo pouch pockets on either side and is fully lined with nylon to help keep you cool. For a textured look and feel the Asher Rasta Black Hoodie has banded cuffs and waist. Why is that important? So many hoodies are loose around the wrist and waist that they make people who may be physically fit look fat. Always remember that wearing loose clothing is not a cover up—it will just make you look overweight.

This hoodie is also 100% machine washable, available only in black with a small red, yellow and green rasta emblem, this hoodie is sure to sell out quickly. So, regardless of where you are or what you are doing, the Asher Rasta Black Hoodie will not only keep you warm it will also express your vast and varied interests.

Vans SK8-Hi™ "Dressed to Kill" is a killer pair of skating shoes. These shoes feature a Kiss band member graphic that makes these shoes a great tribute to the spirit of Rock and Roll. If you are a skater, a wannabe skater or if you just like cool shoes, then try these on for size.

Vans SK8-Hi™ "Dress to Kill" - The Basics

Vans SK8-Hi™ "Dress to Kill" shoes retail for $69 and come in both men's and women's sizes. They come in men's sizes 3.5 to 13, as well as women's sizes 5 to 12. They weigh in at about 18 ounces and have a shaft height of about 6.5 inches, depending on the size of shoe that you order.

These shoes have a black, white and grey tone palette. This makes them the perfect addition to nearly any wardrobe. They have a high-top design that stars the members of the band Kiss in full character makeup on the sides of the shoe, as well as the logo "Dress to Kill" printed on the side of the shoe's sole.

Dressing to Kill

When you buy a pair of shoes there are many things that you need to think about. Fit is the first thing. A properly fitted shoe will fit snuggly but will not be tight or crumple your toes. Next you will want to look at function. The type of shoe that you buy needs to reflect what you will be using the shoe for. For example, if you will be using the shoe for skateboarding then you will want a shoe that has give in its design so that it flexes, as well as a non-skid sole to prevent slippage from your board.

The final thing that you want to think about when buying a pair of shoes is style. The styling of the shoe needs to fit in with your current wardrobe. This will give you the most styling options when putting together your daily look. Fortunately, the Vans Sk8-Hi™ "Dress to Kill" has a neutral palette, which means that it will look good with nearly anything that you want to pair it with.

Keeping your wardrobe up-to-date and versatile without breaking the bank depends on your ability to select great coordinating pieces. One of the most cost effective clothing pieces that you can add to your wardrobe that will give you several outfit options is the cardigan. If you are looking for a kicking cardigan that can be dressed up or down, take a look at the Roxy Sweet Treat Sweater.

Roxy Sweet Treat Sweater
The Roxy Sweet Treat Sweater, which retails for an affordable $46, comes in five women's sizes: extra small, small, medium, large and extra large. It is a button front cardigan that has ribbed cuffs, a ribbed waist and the sassy Roxy metal logo plate. This cardigan is made from 100-percent cotton is totally breathable.

It comes in four stunning colors: black, blue radiance, party pink and white. Buy a neutral color like black or white and pair with a colorful camisole or select one of the wilder colors, like blue radiance or party pink, and let it make the statement for your outfit. If you can't decide which color you like best, buy one in each color and increase the number of outfits that you can put together.

Caring for your Sweater
To protect your clothing investment, it is important to care for your Roxy sweater properly. First of all, you will want to wash this sweater in cold water on a delicate cycle. Next, don't put it into the dryer. This will cause shrinkage, fading and fiber damage. Instead you will want to lay your Roxy Sweet Treat Sweater flat on a towel to dry. You can speed up the drying process by patting down the sweater with a sponge.

Building a Wardrobe Tips
The Roxy Sweet Treat Sweater is a great layering item. Since it is a solid color cardigan, you can pair it with a solid color or patterned undershirt. During the warmer months you can wear this sweater with a camisole and during the colder months you can pair it with a t-shirt or long sleeved shirt. To dress up this sweater you can pair it with a pencil skirt and heels and to dress it down you can pair it with jeans.

If you are a disciple of concrete then the Grand Haven Skatepark is for you. This park, which can be found at One Y Drive in Grand Haven, Michigan is a fantastic skatepark that is located near the entrance of the recreation attraction known as Mulligan's Hollow. Here you will have plenty of room, about 15,000 square feet, to perfect your skating skills, learn new tricks and just have fun.

Grand Haven Skatepark - The Basics
What makes the Grand Haven Skatepark great is that it has something for every type of skater. If you are a vert skater then there is a great full sized bowl and a quarter pipe to work with. On the other hand, if you are a street skater then you will appreciate the street course obstacles that are found in this park. For example, there is a hubba box, rails, c-rails, two sets of five stair sets, one seven stair set with a rail and various boxes and configurations.

Dressing for a Grand, Grand Haven Skatepark Experience
The Grand Haven Skatepark is an outdoor skatepark. This means that you are at the mercy of Mother Nature when you skate here. In order to stay comfortable while skating you will want to dress for the local weather conditions. In Grand Haven, Michigan you can expect the weather to be hot in the summer, cold in the winter and mild during the fall and spring. When picking out clothing to wear to this skatepark you will want to think about dressing in layers. Layers allow you to make adjustments to your clothing as your body temperature changes because of physical exertion or weather changes.

In addition to selecting clothing to protect your body from the weather, you will also want to select clothing options to protect your body from your skating. When the weather is cooler you can wear jeans and long sleeved shirts to help protect your legs and arms from road rash. When the weather is warmer you will want to focus on keeping your skin dry. This means selecting clothing made from cotton and other breathable materials is a good option, as is selecting materials designed to wick moisture away from your skin.

If you're pro skateboarder Jake Brown, you might want a snazzy nickname to go with your oh-so-tame birth name. But you probably don't want to fall 45 feet to achieve this.

Australian Jake Brown, 34, became Jake "Unbreakable" Brown after he walked away from a horrific crash during the 2007 X Games at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Brown was on the mega ramp. In his usual fearless style - fearless even among pro skateboarders - he completed a daring 720 turn over the ramp's 70-foot gap, but he missed the quarter pipe lips. Medics say Brown saved his life by landing on his side.

"It might have been funny if it had not been potentially deadly," wrote Andrew Dalton for the Associated Press. "Jake Brown's legs churned in midair like he was trying to run. His shoes shot off in different directions when he slammed to the ground. His body looked like a rag doll as he slid to the base of the ramp." Dalton concluded, "It looked like a fall Wile E. Coyote would take," referring to the Road Runner's cartoon predator.

Jake Brown was motionless for about 8 minutes. Then he got up, walked off, waved to the crowd and asked buddy Jason Ellis, "Do I get another run?" Well, even Jake "Unbreakable" Brown is not unbreakable. He cracked several vertebrae, and he still has a metal pin in a wrist that was broken. He even bruised his liver; have you ever heard of a football player with a bruised liver? Jake Brown needed several months of rehab before he could return to smaller ramps and six months before he again challenged a mega ramp.

Even before the Staples Center fall, Jake Brown had a reputation for adverse risk. ESPN once reported: "Jake Brown has some of the hardest vert skateboarding tricks dialed in, like 720s and his double kick flip mute. However, in competitions, Jake Brown tends to go for the biggest tricks, which often backfires if he doesn't land them. But skating conservatively is not Jake Brown's style."

Reporters now want to know if Unbreakable Brown feels fear on the mega ramp. Jake affirms that this is true, but he adds a qualifier. He says he always has felt fear, even before the 45-foot freefall, because this is a natural emotion for a cutting-edge skateboard stuntman. Online viewers will note that Jake Brown was carted off in a wheelchair, not a stretcher. "I knew what happened," Jake explains in his trademark unflappable style. "I just wanted to test my body and see how wrecked I was, you know?"

Sources:
www.dailyillini.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticlePrinterFriendly&uStory_id=6d7c665b-3f6e-412a-9c8d-1440173744ec
http://articles.latimes.com/2007/aug/05/sports/sp-xside5
http://skateboard.about.com/od/proskaterbios/p/ProJakeBrown.htm
www.lgactionsports.com/athlete.html?athlete_id=72&sport=skateboarding
www.grindtv.com/athlete/jake_brown/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jake_Brown

Dion Russell is a skate shop and restaurant owner by day and motorcycle stunt rider by night. This motorcycle stunt enthusiast from Kingsport, Tennessee, runs the Down to Earth Skate Shop and first started getting his adrenaline rush from motorcycling after watching videos of stunt riders throughout history. Russell has earned the title "King of the South" for motorcycle stunts and performs at special events in his neighborhood to show off his talents. His after-hours shows have attracted a strong following in Kingsport, and even the local police department has tipped their hat to this stunt rider who keeps things fun and safe at parking lots around town.

Russell says, "A lot of the balance and stuff I use through skateboarding has helped me with stunt riding." He's more involved with extreme sports these days, trying out new tricks and amazing stunts in parking lots - his "training ground."

Russell wasn't shy about jumping into the world of alternative sports, since he already had some experience with extreme sports and performing stunts on a skateboard. His skate shop is one of a handful in Kingsport and the surrounding area, attracting talented extreme sport enthusiasts of all ages who want to pick up the latest skating gear, accessories or just a few pointers from an experienced skateboarder.

While Russell doesn't offer lessons for his amazing stunts, he does host a performance for shop visitors and other motorcycle fans around Kingsport. You can also catch him at the Good Times Grill, a restaurant he's opened in Kingsport. It serves up "ole-fashioned, down home cooking," and is his way of giving back to his community.

Still, his passion remains in motorcycles. In a recent interview with the Douglass-Riverview News, Russell shares that one of the ways he's advertising the restaurant is stunt riding in the parking lot on a shiny red bike. So far, the strategy's been working; guests have reported that they would sit through a traffic signal nearby just to watch the amazing stunts Russell was putting on. He also participates in "bike nights" in the neighborhood, where everyone can enjoy some music, great food and watch an incredible show.

Alabama is a great state to be in if you love to skateboard. The weather here is perfect for skating year round. This means that unlike skate parks in the north, skate parks in Alabama are generally open year round. If you are in or near the town of Decatur, Alabama, you will want to bring your board and skating gear to the High Wheels Skate Park. This park offers some of the best ramp skateboarding in the state.

High Wheels Skate Park - the Basics
High Wheels Skate Park can be found at 2052 Terry Way Parkway in Decatur, Alabama. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year. While it is not a free skate park, you can skate or bike at this park all day long for only $5, which is not a bad price. Bikes, roller skates, inline skates and skateboards are all welcomed here.

In order to use this park, you will need to follow a few basic rules. First of all, you will need to sign a liability waiver. This waiver basically states that you are responsible for your own safety while using the park. Next, you will be required to wear the appropriate padding for your sport. This means elbow and knee pads. Finally, if you will be riding your bike in the park, you will be required to wear a helmet with a chin strap.

High Wheels Skate Park - Features
High Wheels Skate Park is known for its extra wide ramps and skating surfaces. One of the best features at this park is their 6-foot-tall half pipe. This half pipe is elevated to seven feet, has 7.5-foot roll-ins and is 40 feet wide. This park also offers a 4-foot-tall spine ramp that is twenty feet wide. If you like street courses then this park has one of those as well, however, it is located on gravel and basically intended for bikes. Other skating and biking features found at the High Wheels Skate Park include a mini ramp and various skating obstacles. While this is not the most elaborate skate park in the world, it has a lot of good features that you will enjoy.