Why I did it - skateboarding in Portland, OR - Brief Article

Thrasher Magazine, Nov, 2002 by Joe Hammeke

A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE. MOST OF MY TIES WHERE I WAS LIVING CAME LOOSE. NO GIRL, NO JOB, BORED WITH THE SCENE, THROW IN A BIT OF A SAVINGS ACCOUNT AND I WAS READY TO GO.

I THOUGHT ABOUT IT and tried a few cities out: San Diego, street skating is a bust and everyone is too concerned with photo incentive. Los Angeles, too crowded and expensive or straight ghetto, you choose. LA has the photo incentive problem too. Seattle looked good--I have a few friends there to skate with and the chance to meet others, but Seattle is pretty expensive and I had a hard time connecting with the entire skate scene. While I was in Seattle I made a few trips to Portland and discovered that this is the place for me.

What sets apart the famous skate cities from the not so famous? The scene. Sure, you can rip in any town you want. But what all known skate towns have is a single congregation point. SF had EMB and now 3rd and Army, Philly had Love Park, and Portland has Burnside. Burnside is no secret, nor is it new, but it's still here and provides a much-needed spot for skaters to get together. Not all come down to skate the park all day. It's a place to meet up before street skating, a place to hang out when injured, meet other skaters, and if you're really desperate, meet some girls.

Quite a few of the photos you see here are from sessions that originated under the Burnside Bridge. Some of the guys are pros, some are bros, and others were just there ripping. All of them are skateboarders, the greatest people in the world.