Kelly Belmar's Backyard Bash - skateboarding event - Brief Article

Thrasher Magazine, August, 2001 by Wez Lundry

APRIL 23, 2001 MARRED THE 10-YEAR anniversary of one of the best backyard spots ever, Belmar's. One of the first to emerge, Kelly's is the best of the three Huntington pools. People have since taken to building stuff by their own hands with mixed results-but Kelly's is almost as old as Burnside, the originator in large-scale DIY projects, and therefore nears historic skate site status.

No better way to celebrate a birthday than with a party. The BBQ was stoked, and the session commenced all day long. Jeff Grosso has to be the first one mentioned, as he detroys Belmar's like no other man. Huge body jars, crunchy 50-50s over the death box, around the corner, and into the roll in or to fakie, madonnas, big airs, and just tons of speed. Salba was there too, and pound for pound nobody's got anything on Salba (probably because Salba has the most pounds in skateboarding). Lines of death, grinds anywhere, slobs, frontsides; Salba has been skating longer than most of you have been alive. Jake Piaseki was ripping in converse low tops no less (what, the heel bruise?), throwing up big boneless ones and smacking his tail over the large channel. Jodi MacDonald had some fast lines, airs, and grinds down, proving that some chicks can put it up there better than the men. Lots of other older guys showed up-Jinx, Ricky Barnes, Lucero, and Mike Smith to name a few. Some young guns were there too, like Craig W hitehead, Rex, and Papa Chris Swanson.

The BBQ became a vulture's nest, and someone poached my chicken, but whatever. I stole someone else's burger. No one cared, there was plenty to go around, and the beer never stopped flowing. As the sun finally started to set the session wound down, but not before Swanson, half-cocked and mohawked, rolled in grabbing frontside with a beer in his hand. No better way to end the day. See you in another 10.