Tumyeto army

Thrasher Magazine, Jan, 2004 by Michael Burnett

MIAMI

WE FLEW INTO MIAMI IN HIGH SPIRITS. Our rental van was big and red (a good sign), but without a tape deck (bad omen?). Everyone was badgering me about details of the contest as we loaded up to drive to South Beach.

"It will all become clear very soon," I said in my best soothsayer voice.

After checking into our rooms at the South Beach hotel, I went up the street and got a case of El Presidente for the toast. When I returned it was time to let the cat out of the bag.

I was a little nervous that I'd be met with blank stares or moans but the dudes were noticeably excited as I explained the rules and challenges.

"We're winning this thing!" Diego announced.

The dudes immediately huddled around the book to see which tricks they wanted to try and Ethan opened the envelope with our Miami City Challenges: 1. Wear a banana hammock on South Beach. 2. Skate MLK with FORE 3. Do doubles at the white hubba/red rail spot.

"Let's fucking do it!" Diego yelled, and he led everyone across the street to start working on the flatground tricks.

They came back all sweaty, four tricks on tape, and then we all went to get dinner and buy a banana hammock. Being the closest to a European, Diego agreed to take one for the team and rock the marble bag. We picked out a nice multi-colored job then went and ate at Jerry's Famous Dell That night we swam in the ocean while lightning struck on the horizon. It was a good first day.

Our crew was a solid, though not super-star packed, assortment. In addition to easily-recognizable pros Ethan Fowler and Diego Bucchieri, we had Kiwi powerhouse Gareth Stehr and two relatively unknown arms, Adrian Mallory and Johnny Layton.

Rounding out the squad was team manager and former pro Josh Beagle and filmer Jeff Morris. Beagle looked slimmed down and ready for action while Jeff had the serious eye of a veteran lensman. We seemed like a fully competent crew. I'd shot with Adrian once before, when he rode for Natural Koncepts. He backside lipslid a 10-stair rail with knobs on it, the photos of which I sent to NK just as he switched to Pig Wood. 1 almost didn't recognize him, as he'd gained a little height and a whole lot of hair since we last met. Adrian is from San Diego and has a real loose, flowy style a little like Tony Trujillo. Like Tony, he's a wiz on tranny as well as the streets and was our ace-in-the-hole for pool and air-catching duties.

Johnny Layton was only on flow for Toy Machine when we left for the trip, but from what I'd seen of and heard about him, he would be our go-to rail chomper. Johnny is 17 and totally consumed by skating--and spots and videos and who did what where and all that stuff. We'd need his enthusiasm to make it through the tough times.

Gareth Stehr is the Foundation kid from New Zealand you've probably seen jumping down the monster gaps. Gareth is really, really nice and I was glad he was coming. I imagined him taking care of all the big drops and double sets on the trip, and was curious to see what else he'd bust out with.

Ethan is a critic's choice and can rip a variety of terrain with his trademark power approach. The only thing 1 was worried about with Ethan was his reputation for cruelty. Seriously, I'd heard more than one story of him making his teammates cry on tour. The last thing I needed was to have the guys see me weeping in my Moons Over My Hammy.

The Butcher is my good friend and I felt better about the whole trip knowing he'd be in the van. Diego's a self-motivator with one of those 110-percent attitudes that coaches and drill sergeants love. Not only can he go Large Marge, he's a flatground maniac and occasional rail wrangler. I knew that, no matter the challenge, Diego would be down.

"I don't know what you're talking about, but I'm down!" he often says.

THE NEXT MORNING we all woke up extra-early for no good reason and after a quick trip to the beach (and an impromptu pose-down by a festive-looking Diego), we were on the streets. Everyone was still amped up and the dudes were skating a local seven-stair rail by 10:30am. Johnny got the back Smith, Diego the blunt, and Adrian the frontside crooks before kicking off his shoes and snagging a barefoot 50-50 for 50 points. Not to be outdone, Gareth gave new meaning to flash 'n' roll with a naked front board and 50 more. And this was all before breakfast!

We met FORE at the new MIA skate shop and were off to the Martin Luther King ledges. After getting kicked out, we headed to the nearby slant ledges where Forrest gave us a lesson on ripping harsh Southern spots. Next up--the blue hubbas.

Johnny took an instant liking to the big blue beauties and dished out backside Smiths, backside tail grinds and even the back tail shove. We were joined by some cool locals including Ian Rosenburg, a ripper I'd met on a past trip to Miami. It was he who had to take the brunt of one of the more controversial challenges in the book: Focus a Stranger's Board.

While it sounded funny in theory, Ian's reaction to getting his stick stomped by Johnny was solidly grim.