elpasoskateparkassociation's Photobucket Desert Surfing skatepark El Paso TX 1977-80 album media

Paul Zimmerman

elpasoskateparkassociation — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 09:01:08 MST

elpasoskateparkassociation posted a photo

Paul Zimmerman - 1978_desert_surfing_pz_2.jpg

A lanky 13-year old Paul Zimmerman aka Ziggy hits the the extension ramp. Notice the real pool coping from the Fire Bowl on top. There was another extension just like it on the opposite side of the lower first run. How smooth does that big bank bowl look in the background? Thanks to Jeff Clark aka "Micro" for this photo!

1977 headline

elpasoskateparkassociation — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:19:16 MDT

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1977 headline - 19770722eptimesdesertsurfing.jpg

The El Paso Times announces the coming of El Paso's first skatepark Desert Surfing. In truth, Earth Surf, built in northeast El Paso was built first. Both would go out business and get bulldozed in the early 80's.

1977 El Paso Times article

elpasoskateparkassociation — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:19:12 MDT

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1977 El Paso Times article - 1977eptimesskatearticlecopyR.jpg

The media features a nice shot of Fred Stewart hits the old Firebowl pool which was located on a farm about where Del Valle High School is now. Legend has it the old pool was full of tumble weeds that the locals decided to eradicate with a Bic lighter - the bonfire was epic! EP Times reporter Edna Gunderson was Scott Mayo's chick and would later go on to write for Rolling Stone Magazine.

Chris Bickerdike

elpasoskateparkassociation — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:19:00 MDT

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Chris Bickerdike - dsrf_bickerdike_spin.jpg

Chris Bickerdike does a kickturn, but his forte was downhill speed runs. He placed in the top 10 at the World Championships in Akron, Ohio on a converted snow ski. He would lay stomach down, face first on 60 mph descents with practice runs going down Trans Mountain Road.

Sam Petroff

elpasoskateparkassociation — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:18:54 MDT

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Sam Petroff - dsrf_petroff_hstand.jpg

Desert Surfing team rider Sam Petroff performs an unusual 3 board handstand. Sam was also a champion gymnast at Eastwood High School.

snakerun

elpasoskateparkassociation — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:18:50 MDT

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snakerun - dsrf_snakerun.jpg

Unidentified riders snake down the Desert Surfing slalom hill.

Pete Biddle

elpasoskateparkassociation — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:05:37 MDT

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Pete Biddle - jvDSRFk-flipA.jpg

Pete Biddle was nicknamed "the Youth" because he was only 13-years old. But this Eastwood Junior High kid could rip arguably more than the high school boys. Old school "Bobby Boyden style" kickflip on the street bank.

Concrete Wave design

elpasoskateparkassociation — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:25:31 MDT

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Concrete Wave design - concrete-wave01-600w.jpg

Desert Surfing was patterned after the Concrete Wave skatepark in Anaheim, CA. The layout was 3 downhill snakeruns (into banked bowls), a slalom hill and a street area (with a bank.)

Concrete Wave 2

elpasoskateparkassociation — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:25:29 MDT

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Concrete Wave 2 - concrete-wave02-600w.jpg

Notice the green astro turf and fencing. Desert Surfing DID NOT have these "amenities" thank goodness. What that did was open up a lot more lines - we could actually ride across the runs like a washboard. Pete "The Youth" Biddle blew our minds with a huge launch out of the 2nd run (into the first) during the Desert Surfing team tryouts.

Sisson 3rd snakerun

elpasoskateparkassociation — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:25:26 MDT

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Sisson 3rd snakerun - jvDSRF3rdBR.jpg

The 3rd snakerun was supposed to be for "expert" riders. Scott Sisson proving he's an "expert" while about to be "snaked" by an unidentified rider.

Shogo and Rich

elpasoskateparkassociation — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:25:23 MDT

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Shogo and Rich - jvDSRF3rdCR.jpg

John Sanford pilots his Yamaha motorcycle down Wedgewood. Sure beats riding the SCAT bus! Shogo and Rich used to sit "on their skateboards wearing full pads" en route to Desert Surfing.

Sisson bert slide

elpasoskateparkassociation — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:25:20 MDT

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Sisson bert slide - jvDSRFbertAR.jpg

Sausage man pulls off a frontside Bertleman slide in the 3rd bowl. Is that Shogo's ramp frame on top?

Sisson fs tailtap

elpasoskateparkassociation — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:25:18 MDT

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Sisson fs tailtap - jvDSRFbertBR.jpg

Scott Sisson was nicknamed the "Sausage Man" by Chris Bickerdike after he wiped out doing the triple catamaran down Trans Mountain Drive. The crash left Scott with huge keloid scars on both shoulders (that looked like sausages!) A crash here wouldn't be so bloody?

Richie air!

elpasoskateparkassociation — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:25:15 MDT

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Richie air! - jvDSRFbertCR.jpg

The Desert Surfing crew was always building ramps. Huge quarter pipes, quarter pipe vert extensions and this early bank launch ramp. Richie doin' the bunny hop grabber with a interested crowd on hand.

Richie handplant

elpasoskateparkassociation — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:25:13 MDT

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Richie handplant - jvDSRFk-flipCR.jpg

Rich used to hang with Shogo, Cliff Everett and Will Biddle - the big boyz on the Eastside crew. Rich could not only hang, he could ride. Backside handplant on the 3rd bowl hip.

Sisson pirouette

elpasoskateparkassociation — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:25:11 MDT

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Sisson pirouette - jvDSRFpirhouetAR.jpg

Looks gay, but pirouettes were a hot freestyle trick back in the day. Scott Sisson doin' the hop-spin thing.

Shogo tapper

elpasoskateparkassociation — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:25:10 MDT

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Shogo tapper - jvDSRFpirhouetBR.jpg

John "Shogo" Sanford maxing out a backside tailtap on the street bank.

Dirty Dave tailtap

elpasoskateparkassociation — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:25:07 MDT

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Dirty Dave tailtap - jvDSRFriveraAR.jpg

"Dirty" Dave Rivera grabs nose on a backside tail tapper.

Shogo Sanford

elpasoskateparkassociation — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:25:06 MDT

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Shogo Sanford - jvDSRFsanfordAR.jpg

John "Shogo" Sanford busts a fat frontside air on the 3rd bowl hip.

Dirty Dave FSA

elpasoskateparkassociation — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:25:04 MDT

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Dirty Dave FSA - jvDSRFsanfordCR.jpg

"Dirty" Dave Rivera must have been about 6 foot 3 inches tall. Here he bends a long way for a front side air on the 3rd bowl hip. Is that Jaime Favela watching?

Dogtown at Desert Surfing

elpasoskateparkassociation — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:25:02 MDT

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Dogtown at Desert Surfing - jvPERALTAaR.jpg

Dogtown and Z-boys filmmaker/skate legend Stacy Peralta showed up for the grand opening. Stacy sits for a photo with James Valadez and a very pubescent Z-man.

Z-man's ramp

elpasoskateparkassociation — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:24:59 MDT

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Z-man's ramp - jvZrampAR.jpg

Two and a half blocks away from Desert Surfing, Z-man and friends built this quarter pipe ramp. Note the high tech engineering and materials. Using whatever they could find (like old rusty swing set poles and scrap wood) not a dime was spent on construction! Z-man doin' a front side wheeler to bail. Many boards would wind up dodging car wheels after shooting into Wedgewood traffic.

Z-man's ramp 2

elpasoskateparkassociation — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:24:57 MDT

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Z-man's ramp 2 - jvZrampBR.jpg

Nice tube shocks and cutoff shorts, eh?