Wanted to do another classic spot for post #800 and I honestly can't think of a more landmark place than San Francisco's Fort Miley. While it may not always get top billing on the marquee, I don't know of any other spot with as much longevity for being one of skateboarding's premiere proving grounds. Almost like a rite of passage, heads have come to the Fort from all over in order to try and put something down for the history books. From TG to Booze N Titz, Miley has survived in the face of skateboarding's progression for decades with a deceptively-simple layout that remains completely up for interpretation.
Legendary status.
Alright party people... in the past when dealing with special posts like this, I've often tried to give a roll call of thank yous to everyone that has gone out of their way in order to help support the Chrome Ball Incident. But given the generous nature of so many that I have come in contact with over the years, to do so at this juncture would be quite an undertaking... ultimately yielding a laughably incomplete attempt, despite my best efforts. So I just want to sincerely thank anyone out there that has helped me out or dug CBI in some form or fashion.
Skateboarding is the best thing that ever happened to me and Chrome Ball and the opportunities it has given me is the ultimate testament to that. I started this site as a way to give back to skateboarding but my debt only continues to grow.
Thank you.
Chops
(Love you, Peel)
Great post!
ReplyDeletePulaski or the Brooklyn Banks for the 900th post?
Or maybe Lockwood? Ha... Can't wait!
Thanks Chops!
Jeez, this almost made tear up a little. Such a weird little spot with so much good shit going down over all these years. So many memories here. Justin Girard's nollie pressure flip really takes me back to the good old days. Who will bring pressures back? You know it's gonna happen.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny, if Fort Miley was an actual skate park, it would be a Thrasher Mag "Certified Piece Of Suck".
Keep doin what you're doin, Chops. When life sends you a perfect wave, you ride that bitch to the shore!
Fucking amazing, thank you.
ReplyDeleteAwesome. That place is so hard to skate! Top bar grinds are so insane.
ReplyDeleteTG, from beginning to end. love that dude.
ReplyDeletegreat post, chops... and thank you for the thank you. thank YOU.
So good.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this, Chops. You nailed it with this spot. Ultimate classic, mystical spot, hidden in the woods and overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge. I went there a few years back and tripped on how the banks were tighter and the rails higher than I ever imagine.
ReplyDelete*imagined.
ReplyDeleteLove the Pepe nicotine ad. Sware nicotine smoke rings were the best bearings for the price in 1997.
ReplyDeleteAdrian
awesome post. this site is the best
ReplyDeleteBombing Clement Street on the way home from a morning skate at Miley is the best...as is this post.
ReplyDeleteI took a road trip from New Jersey to San Fransisco last summer coast to coast and out of all the spots I came in contact with over the trip this one was by far my favorite. That place was too fun. trying to make the pilgrimage back out there just for this spot. Keep up the good work brother!
ReplyDeleteSkaters still rock the same gear Tommy's wearing in the 1984 fast plants shot. Pretty rad.
ReplyDeleteSo much good stuff. Dill's back smith and Quim's switch ollie. That ollie was from around 96/7? Definitely the first boned out switch ollie I ever saw.
ReplyDeleteIs this spot ever a bust? I remember hearing whispers that it was pretty hectic a few years ago? Definitely want to hit it up on my Cali trip this summer.
Incredible. Thanks for all of your hard work, Chops. Words can't explain how stoked I am on your work. I love the trips down memory lane.
ReplyDeleteIt's great when you get there, intimidating when you realize how hard to skate it is, amazing when you start to figure it out, and depressing when your board shoots out and falls a million feet. Not only do you have to trek to retrieve it but then it's probably chipped to shit, don't forget to have some boards blocking the farside ...
ReplyDeleteAgain, thanks Chops for taking all the time to scan this stuff! It's so much fun to remember all the mags I had and gave away. I can remember most of these ads and pictures and which magazine they're from.
ReplyDeleteFt Miley was a cool place to see in person. So gnarly were the transitions and just seeing the bars and seeing what Shao, Cards and Alv did make it all that more gnarly. Don't want to lose control of your board there!
congrats on 800 and thanks for all the great posts and trips down memory lane.
ReplyDeleteI like the Judas Priest Kelly Bird board Valdez is riding!
Grinding the top bar is insane but the middle bar stuff is pretty messed up as well. Drehobl's feeble just seems so weird to come back in. How is there even room for your body to do it? In those super old photos, there are no bars (TG pic 3 and 42)? Or is that just a different part?
Awesome post brah, I kept scrolling down and down and down and down and the radness just kept on coming! Super job as usual, sittin' on Chrome!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for all the memories and here's to another 800 thousand and beyond!
Thank you for continuing to do this awesome site! I hope you keep it going. You've covered so much, it must be hard to come up with posts.
ReplyDeleteHahaha! I'll be coming back as long as you keep poting!
Peace.
Great post!
ReplyDeleteSkated there on a trip in 2001. Such a fun spot!
Great post. When I was a kid I always assumed that there was a black hole on the other side of the rail and it seemed so gnarly. Still does.
ReplyDeletethanks everybody.
ReplyDeletefg, i was thinking about the Banks for this one actually but I kinda already did that one for Quartersnacks. Might have to revisit that one though.
Thanks E.Y., I didn't mean to get so mushy at the end there. I always loved that ad of Justin's as well. It kinda tripped me out when I interviewed him to learn that he doesn't really care for that one. So classic.
Thanks Sam!
Never got to skate it, Jeff. Always wanted to though. Maybe someday I'll get out there again.
Thanks Ben! Means a lot.
Keith, those rails weren't always there. They were put up in the early 90s by some park rangers...
Thanks again guys.
Congrats on #800! That Julien Stranger backside tailslide sequence just made my week. Thank you for doing what you do, our hats are off to you.
ReplyDeleteChops does it again! I wanna backside ollie like TG & Sheff...met Mr.Sheffey up at Blackbox last month. Told him I've been a fan since Soldier's Story. He thanked me, smiled and said "me too man!" Super cool cat.
ReplyDelete*crocker* *crocker*
word booty.
<3 Chops/CBI x 1000
ReplyDeleteMy memories of Fort Miley. I was too young, didn't know how to skate (other than simple bonelesses,) and my board was too big to ollie, but Theo Jak invited me to a Jaks Team meeting that devolved into a dirt clod/rock throwing fest in the parking lot (all good fun, really.) TG showed up and was boosting airs off the banks (this was in 85, before the rails were added.) I ended up skating all the way across town back to Haight Street with Pierre. Good times. Those Jaks boys were nuts. Strange how Zeke became a Jak later; didn't expect that one. Anybody know whatever happened to Zeke's buddy Skater Nick? Keir.
ReplyDeleteThe organization on this post is so good.
ReplyDelete