Snowboarder Fredrik “Shredrik” Austbo has a challenge that might surprise you. The 20-year-old boarder comes from Norway, but there’s not as much snow as he would like. Not enough snow in Norway? Well, this is Stavanger in southwest Norway.

Fredrik Austbo says the season is short, and the nearest good mountain is more than two hours away. Therefore, he started out in soccer shoes, hockey skates and with a skateboard. He’s also into gymnastics and surfing. So, when he first tried a snowboard at the age of 10, with all of his athletic ability, it felt perfectly natural. Therefore, Fredrik is reminiscent of American Shaun White, with the potential to combine the snowboard with the skateboard in a “free and happy” way. How’s this for a good solid day: “I eat a good breakfast and then go up to the mountain and ride the whole day with my friends. Then afterwords, I go skateboarding.”

As an adolescent, Fredrik “Shredrik” Austbo says he didn’t think of turning pro or making money, even though he was winning loads of medals and trophies in Europe. Only during recent years did he turn truly serious about a pro career. His main influence is his coach and ThirtyTwo team manager, Jan Prokes.

Because of his wide ranging background, Fredrik Austbo is amused at a snowboard.com feature that invites viewers “to watch some footage of ThirtyTwo team rider Fredrik Austbo shredding up the concrete over at etnies . What? You didn’t know he could skate? Hell, yeah! Turns out Fred’s a full-on tranny dog who loves to grrr-ind coping for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Fredrik Austbo has broken out of the European confines to compete at destinations as distant as the United States and Canada.

Sources:
http://www.groms.tv/ath_f_austbo_skate.htm
http://www.snowboard-mag.com/node/14889

If you are in New England and looking for a great place to go skateboarding, the Rye Airfield is the place to go. This skate park is a New Hampshire Mecca for skaters, which offers about 50,000 square feet of skating terrain. It is generally open Tuesday through Sundays, however, if you want, you can rent out the entire complex on Mondays.

Rye Airfield – The Basics
The Rye Airfield can be found at 170 Lafayette Road in Rye, New Hampshire. During the school year this skate park is open Tuesday through Friday from 3 p.m. until 8:45 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. until 8:45 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. until 5:45 p.m. During winter and spring break, Rye Airfield expands its hours so that it is open Monday through Friday from noon until 8:45 p.m., in addition to its normal weekend hours. During the summer months the park is open Monday through Saturday from noon until 8:45 p.m. and Sunday from noon until 5:45 p.m.

This is not a free park, so you will have to find a few bucks to get in. Session passes cost between $10 and $14, day passes cost between $25 and $33, and 30-day passes cost between $49 and $75. The price that you are charged will depend on whether you are a member or a non-member of the Rye Airfield.

Rye Airfield – The Features
The Rye Airfield is one of the largest skate parks in New England, so pull on a pair of jeans and grab your board for one of the best skate experiences of your life. There are four different sections to this park. The first section is the Proving Ground. This area includes ledges, gaps, a pyramid, deck-to-deck jumps, a hubbarail and a variety of trannies.

The second section of the park is called the Flow Unit. Here you will find a great ten-foot quarter pipe, an eight-foot bowl and more modest seven-foot bowl. Make sure you have the skills to navigate these features before you set your board in motion.

The third section of the park is the Micro. Here you will find micro ramps, mini box jumps, rails, pyramids and a double many.

The final area in this park is the Gap Ledges. Here you will find three great ledges with deck-to-deck jumps. This is a great area to learn new tricks.

According to a recent news report, a group of teenagers were eager to enjoy some fun in the sun on the Sunshine Coast of Australia by jumping off the Coolum Beach’s Esplanade rooftop – on skateboards.

The teenagers were practicing awe-inspiring leaps, twists and jumps on top of the roof and managed to catch the attention of shoppers and retail store owners over the weekend. The daredevils managed to pull off an impressive lineup of skateboarding tricks including vertical jumps, 360 degree leaps and 180s on top of an uneven rooftop.

Residents and shop owners confirmed that they were dong no harm and were just having some fun. The skateboarders simply enjoyed their practice session and adrenaline rush before heading home for the evening.

Ramping Up Your Skateboarding Skills

Skateboarding tricks and stunts can take months, even years to master, but the gurus of the skateboard have learned how to ride, maneuver and balance properly to avoid serious injuries.

Beginners may need to wear protective gear such as knee and elbow pads, the right shoes and even a helmet to reduce injury from a skateboarding mishap. Getting just the right angles and balancing the body just right before performing a jump or leap can be difficult for the beginning boarder; still, there are some ways to improve your skills.

First, you’ll be better off practicing at an actual skate park before venturing onto the rooftops of buildings in the near future. Skate parks are designed with special edges and tracks that cater to the wheels of a skateboard. This will make it easier to practice those ollies, grinds and 180s without running into walls or other skaters. Well, at least for the most part.

You’ll also need to practice good form. Keeping your weight balanced by bending your knees slightly and relaxing the body will help you maneuver the board easily and help you execute each move with ease. Keeping your eyes focused on the ground ahead (and not on your feet) will also help you navigate better and plan your next move.

Finally, don’t forget to use skateboard wax. You’ll need to rub this on the ledge you are working against so that you can ride up to the edge and make your turns with ease. A block of hard wax is fairly cheap and will likely last you through an entire skating season.

While it took a little longer to build this skate park than anticipated, the Ed Austin Skate Park of Jacksonville, Florida, finally opened its skating complex in May of 2008. At a cost of $425,000, this 7,500-square-foot skate park is a welcomed addition to the 141-acre Ed Austin Regional Park.

Ed Austin Skate Park – Unique and Organic
What makes the Ed Austin Skate Park a unique place to skate is that, unlike many skate parks, it was designed to provide skate features that had a natural architectural feel. This means that the features like benches, rails, ledges and planters that are positioned within the skating complex look like real benches, rails, ledges and planters that you would normally find in urban settings.

In addition to a great, realistic street course, the Ed Austin Skate Park also offers vert features. One of the highlights of the vert complex is the wide brick quarter pipe. This park also has concrete bowls of various depths and shapes and a modest selection of ramps and flow elements.

Staying Safe at Ed Austin Skate Park
Just like skateboarding at any skate park in the world, you are responsible for your own safety at the Ed Austin Skate Park. This means that you need to wear the appropriate clothing for the weather and for skating, that you wear a well fitted helmet with a chin strap and elbow and knee pads. You will also want to be aware of your surroundings while in the skating complex. Just because you know how to navigate your skateboard through a maze of people and obstacles without a scratch or how to stop on a dime, doesn’t mean that others using the park have the same skills.

Finally, be respectful of the skate park and its features. At a cost of nearly a half million dollars, this community-operated skate park was an expensive investment made for skaters. Don’t tag the concrete or wood structures, pick up after yourself and try to keep this park in as good of condition as possible so that it will serve skaters for decades to come and encourage local communities like Jacksonville to continue to invest in skate parks.

Castle Rock is a city between Denver and Colorado Springs, Colorado. This quaint little urban center has an amazing backdrop to skate against, as well as one of the better skate parks in the state. This skate park is called the Castle Rock Skate Park, and if you enjoy bowls or street courses, you are going to love it.

Castle Rock Skate Park – the Basics
The Castle Rock Skate Park can be found at 4420 Front Street in Castle Rock, Colorado. This park is less than an hour from both Denver and Colorado Springs, so it is the perfect place to go if you are visiting either of these cities. This is a skate-at-your-own-risk park, which means that you are responsible for your own safety. You will want to wear a helmet, padding and the appropriate clothing for the weather. Also, this park has easy transitions and roll-ins into the bowls, which means a lot of people who don’t really have the skills to handle bowls will be trying their luck. Keep this is mind as you roll in and be aware of who is skating around you.

Castle Rock Skate Park – The Bowls
The Castle Rock Skate Park has a great collection of bowls. The largest bowl has an estimated depth of 9.5 feet. There is also a tri-bowl with depths of three, four and five feet, a fish bowls, a mogul bowl and a handicap bowl. Most of the bowls in this skate park have roll-ins, and some bowls are connected to one another with spines.

Castle Rock Skate Park – Street Terrain
While the bowls at this park are great they are not the main attraction. The street course at this park is super cool and super big. In fact, the square footage dedicated to the street course is larger than most skate parks in Colorado. The street course is made up of banks, rails, stairs, trannies, curbs, planters, ledges and a great new snake run. Again keep in mind that there are skaters of all skill level using the park and some may not have the skills to maintain control of their boards and bodies. To protect yourself and them from injuries keep your eyes open for other skaters as you navigate your way around the street course.

Pala is quaint little town in California found in San Diego County. It is about 404 feet above sea level and is primarily a Native American community. This city is known for its treasures, primarily gold, tourmaline, morganite beryl and kunzite. However, it is also a great spot to test your luck at the local casinos. Finally, if you are a skateboarder, you will enjoy the Pala Skate Park, which is located next door to a great spa and resort.

Pala Skate Park – Pala, California
The Pala Skate Park is one of the city’s main attractions. This park can be found at 11154 Highway 76, Pala, California. This is a concrete bowl park that costs less than the price of a movie ticket to skate for the day. If you will be in town for more than the day you can save money by purchasing a weekend or weekly pass. This is a great activity for the kids to do while parents are gambling at the local casinos or taking advantage of the nearby spa treatments.

Pala, California Attractions
There are three other main attractions found in Pala, California. The first attraction, located right next door to the Pala Skate Park, is the Pala Casino Resort Spa. Here you can gamble, go for a swim or sign up for a few spa treatments before heading on your way.

The second attraction is the Pala Casino. The Pala Casino offers a huge selection of games to choose between. There are over 2,000 gaming machines and over 59 table games. The table games offered by this casino include Caribbean Stud Poker, Pai-Gow Poker, Blackjack and Baccarat.

The third attraction is Gems of Pala. Here you can buy specimens of tourmaline jewelry or take a tour of the mine. This is a great stop if you enjoy pink tourmaline or if you are interested in gemology.

Vacationing in Pala, California
When vacationing in Pala, California, it is important that you dress for the weather. With cool winters and hot summers it is a good idea to pack clothing that you can layer. During the warmer months, you will want to wear sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses . In the cooler months, you will want to pack a windbreaker , a thin long sleeved shirt and long pants.

California is the center of the skateboarding universe. This state has an amazing collection of both free and fee skate parks. If you are looking for a great place for bowl skating, venture to Pala, California. Here you will find the Pala Skate Park.

Pala Skate Park – The Basics
The Pala Skate Park can be found at 11154 Highway 76 in Pala, California. This park is primarily a bowl park, and the bowls are fabulous. This is where you will want to bring your board if you are interested in catching some serious air.

Pala Skate Park – Hours of Operation
Like many skate parks, Pala Skate Park has a seasonal schedule for its hours of operation. The winter schedule is in effect from September until May. During the winter season you can skate at Pala Monday through Friday from two in the afternoon until dark, which is about 6 p.m. and on the weekends from ten in the morning until dark. The summer season runs from June to August. During this season you will be able to skate during the week from nine in the morning until seven in the evening and on the weekends from ten until six.

Pala Skate Park – Cost
Pala Skate Park is a fee park. You can buy a daily, weekend or annual park pass for a reasonable price. Daily rates run about $5 for the general public and $3 a day for local residents with a 92059 zip code. The weekend pass will cost about $5 if you are 12 or younger, $10 for skaters 13 and older and $3 for tribal members with an ID. Annual passes can also be purchased for around $100.

Skating at the Pala Skate Park
The Pala Skate Park is located in an area of California that has a temperate climate. This means that the weather gets cold in the winter and hot in the summer. Since the park is open year round you will need to dress for the weather. This means wearing long sleeved shirts and long pants when the weather is chilly and wearing breathable clothing when the weather is hot.

Go ahead and make Mike Vallely’s day. The pro skateboarding legend is helping “Paul Blart: Mall Cop“ successfully go head-to-head at movie box offices with Clint Eastwood’s more hyped “Gran Torino.”

Mike Vallely is one of the bad guys who gives Paul Blart bad days, but audiences love him. Vallely is among a group of extreme sports athletes who double as terrorists at the West Orange County Shopping Mall. The terrorists are named after Santa’s reindeer. Mike Vallely is Rudolph.

“This is the first real movie I’ve worked on. I did some stunts and cameos before, but this one, I really feel that I was part of the production,” says the 38-year-old Vallely. “We were part of the story,” he says, referring to the X-gamer ensemble. “Our characters were integral to the plot.” What exactly does Mike Vallely do in “Paul Blart: Mall Cop?” We won’t spoil it for you, although you can get some clues on the web if you are nosy enough.

Movie producers were looking for a skateboarder who could act as well as shred. Mike Vallely perfectly fit the bill, not just because he sports shoulder length locks with a full beard, and not just because he hangs out with Tony Hawk sometimes. Mike Vallely is a hard rock vocalist who is touring with his latest band, the 4-year-old Revolution Mother, so he is no stranger to the stage or the camera.

Skateboarder? Terrorist (in movie life)? Rock singer? There’s more. Mike Vallely is a Long Beach transplant from Edison, New Jersey, who also is into ice hockey; in fact, the National Hockey League’s Anaheim Ducks have asked him to maintain a blog on their web site. He’s a television personality with DRIVE on Fuel TV. He’s done Hollywood stunts now and then. He even thought about going into pro wrestling.

But skateboarder Mike Vallely also has a softer side. He writes poetry. He has done charity work for the NHL via the Anaheim Ducks. He’s a board member with the Tony Hawk Foundation, which gives grants to build skate parks in low income areas, and with the Patrick Kerr Skateboard Scholarship Fund, which supports college aid for young skateboarders.

Mike Vallely also is a family man, married for 16 years with two children. Talk about somebody having it all!

Sources:
http://mikevallely.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Vallely
http://www.shredordie.com/mikevallely