I was just where?

Thrasher Magazine, Oct, 2005 by Jake Phelps

BEING A TERMINAL TOURIST, I often find myself wondering where I am, When I got off the plane it was quite obvious: China. Now, why was I in China? Well, I was going to watch Danny Way jump the Great Wall on a skateboard. This five-day, whirlwind trip was full of bus tides, pictures, people, heat, and smog. When I got to the hotel I saw Danny--there were lots of questions: "You got it? Do you think you can do it?" He was in a trance. I could tell he just wanted to do it and get it over with.

The next day we went to the site. The Great Wall is thousands of years old, and the ramp set up before us was truly unbelievable. It looked more like a rollercoaster than a skateboard ramp. Ninety-foot drop-in to 75-foot jump across the wall to 55-foot tall, 45-degree slant to 32-foot-tall quarterpipe--the jump looked like cake, but the quarterpipe at the bottom was truly scary. Imagine having a steep, 20-foot-long driveway that leads into a six-foot-tall quarterpipe. Harsh.

On Friday, Danny told me he wanted to do it just to get it done--there were no TV cameras and he wanted to test it out. I was standing in the temple balcony when he came down the mountain and got the wobbs at the bottom of the ramp. I didn't think he would make it across. He dove for the platform and did a full flip washing machine down the whole thing. I was sure he'd broken both legs. So much for Friday. Saturday was one day away: a normal person would have called it quits. Danny Way is not your normal person. He went to the hospital and got two cortisone shots for his ankle, and then went back to the hotel for massages and chiropractic help. The world waited. When you have your own action figure, you know it's time to bust.

Saturday dawned and all the Chinese dignitaries were there, the crowds, a Chinese street contest, and a fashion show. One thing I found out about the Wall is that it's cursed. People have died trying to jump it, cars, bikers--you name it, they've tried it. Obviously they don't know Danny Way. At 3:30pm we had a worst-case scenario meeting with the management, who told us to keep the event hush-hush if he didn't do it. At 5:00pm, July 8, 2005, he emerged from his enviro-tent and made the 79-stair walk up to the top of the eagle's nest. Everyone held their breath. History is now.

The first shot was a behind-the-foot method. In the can. The curse was broken. Now all he had to do was deal with the monster quarterpipe at the bottom. Bailing a 35-to 40-foot air is like jumping off a three-story building. Now that he made the jump, all he wanted was to make the biggest air in the world. His money grab is the 360. He did three 360s, launching the biggest airs ever. He never made 'em, but who fuckin' cares. Seeing the Wall and seeing Danny jump it fused some kind of Clash of the Titans-esque 3,000-year-old history with modern day's rawest level of skateboarding. It was a very appropriate setting.

RIGHT AFTER he made it, he told me the Grand Canyon was next. Believe it. We're talking about a man who does what he says he'll do. Not many like that. I think of him as immortal--broken neck, surgeries--he's a terminator. And when he says he will be back, he will. All hail Danny Way, the action figure that came to life, pushing limits for 17 years. God almighty. Let's see what's next. Some people live at another level. He makes us all look like pussies.

Props DC for the ride. I will remember it.