A Tale Of Two Cities - skating in Kansas city, Kansas and Kansas, Missouri - Brief Article

Thrasher Magazine, Nov, 2001 by Joe Hammeke

Kansas City is really two neighboring cities that share a name. You've got Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri. The two cities are separated by the Missouri River. The urban area is on the Missouri side while the suburban parts are on the Kansas side. The closest cities that rival in size are St Louis, MO, five hours east and Denver, CO which is eight hours west. So, you probably get the point that Kansas City is an urban island in a sea of farmland.

The city is famous for its fountains, jazz music, and BBQ. The fountains are scattered throughout the city and come winter many make excellent places to skate once they are shut off for the season. When I was there, most of the fountains had water in them and many of them were being used as a refuge from the excessive heat.

During the week I spent in Kansas City we skated many spots in the downtown area. To hit most of these you just park your car somewhere near Barney Plaza and skate around. Within a six block radius you are sure to find at least a few spots that you recognize from skate videos. Barney Plaza has been featured in many videos including the Foundation classic, Barbarians At the Gate. It was during the filming of this that Josh Beagle sacked himself on a handrail and left a bend in it that remains to this day. You might also recognize a gap to rail that was featured in Birdhouse's The End. Other spots we hit on the Missouri side were the industrial district, several schools, and a couple of spots in the ghetto. One is an empty wading pool. Tranny dogs, don't get excited--this is the Midwest where pools are not transitioned. But it did have a nice oversized three-stair leading into the pool along an assortment of manual pads. The other spot was a series of ledges down sets of stairs of all sizes known as the crack-h ead ledges. Both places were littered with an abundance of dirty diapers. It was here, I was warned, that many a video camera has been jacked.

Skating on the Kansas side is a little different.

BOMB ASS BBQ

If you choose to visit KC you will have to eat BBQ at least once, and I highly recommend Gates. There are several Gates restaurants in the KC area so finding one souldn't be a problem. Actually the only problem you might have will be getting their sauce off your fingers when you are through. The prices are affordable and the service is phenomenal. The first time I went to Gates I was on a school field trip and there were in excess of 20 people that arrived at the same time. With their signature "Hi! May I help you?" greeting they were taking orders from hungry customers five deep and not one order was wrong. Our group was seated and eating some of the best BBQ within five minutes of entering.

Joe Hammeke

Most of the spots are in office parks and other "suburban" institutions, and many of these spots are only good for one trick or so. To get between spots you have to take your mom's SUV. When skating on the Kansas side you are less likely to get mugged but more likely to get hassled by some jocks. Most of the skaters in the KC area make trips to Lawrence, Kansas regularly to skate the college campus. The group I was with was no exception. KU, home of the Jayhawks, has it all. Ledges, gaps, rails, and stairs of all shapes and sizes. What it also has is an overzealous campus police force, so either travel alone or be prepared for a confrontation. We were booted in less than half an hour.

Near the end of my stay in KC, I became aware of the town's skate rivalry The sides are classified by area code. You have the 913s on the Kansas side and the 816s on the Missouri side. The best way to describe the two sides would probably be through the shops and skateparks represented by each.

Let it Ride, the 913er's shop, is clean and organized. They carry skateboards and snowboards, with most of the shop being devoted to skate clothing and the display of it. The board selection consists mostly of boards from the Tum Yeto and Giant distribution families. When I walked in the new Foundation video was playing. The shop has a filmer who owns a VX1000 complete with death lens, generator, and lights. Every day they go out with a crew and get more footage. Typically a weekend day begins around 9am and lasts 'til midnight or so. They also have several shop-produced videos which are in the style of 411. Lots of dizzying cuts, narration praising the skaters, and music from the world of college rock. Their skatepark is located in Overland park. It is clean and litter free. The parking lot is paved and the concrete is smooth, but the transitions are kinked and the park is too small to go very fast. In the hour or so we were there cops drove through twice.

Zowie, the 816er's shop, is stocked with 151, Anti Hero, and the like. There is a small amount of skate clothing but the majority of wearable goods are the hippie-type clothes spilling over from the head shop in back. Along with a skateboard you can get the latest in glass pipes, hempwear and beaded necklaces; you can even get tattooed. When I walked into the shop Griptape and Gasoline was playing in the VCR. The shop doesn't have a dedicated filmer but Tom assured me they were working on a video. Most of these guys start skating about three or so in the afternoon, once they find their way home from the night before and get over the hangover. Hell, one of their guys was on such a drinking binge that I never got to skate with him. It was also rumored that Binge was relieved of his Beer City sponsorship for showing up to shoot an ad while drinking. Seems kind of ironic. These guys don't need a generator because once the sun starts setting it's Miller Time. In the event of a late night skate session, the car li ghts will do just fine and when it comes time to edit the video...no G4s here baby, just two VCRs are all you need. Their skatepark, the north park, is located in Pleasant Valley next to the softball field. The parking lot is gravel. There are beer cans scattered all over and the cops hardly ever come through. The park is a giant pit covered in graffiti. You can go as fast as you want since a transitioned wall awaits you at the end of every line. The only drawback is the excessive amount of flat bottom, necessitating some pushing. Oh, and the walls could be taller than the four- to five-foot range that they are.