The sun was just comin’ up over the horizon ... And we were on our way to Philadelphia, PA....
Where the cops were already ropin’ off the Plaza in front of the historical Court House down town Philly !!
Normally this place is center stage for massive arrest round ups and problems ... you know the drill - formal Court House (above) with those 9 to 5 people...
AND THEN ..... PHAT RIDERS like Rodil de Araujo Jr. from Curitiba, Brazil, (left) rippin' it up!!
LOL .... especially 'cause there's a subway station right there for easy access (after hours... DUH!)
...No surprise ... that’s what always happens when the urban landscapes become the hottest skate spots in town – and skaters clash with the written law!
The crowd was already assembled ... totally surrounding the COURSE. It was a Good crowd – laid back .. but there was an electric like current in the wind..
The concrete walls of the plaza made a nice place to lean on and the trees helped keep the space cool.
Most of the skaters were already there when we arrived – Dayne Brummet and Caine Gayle - both from San Diego, CA (left) and Kerry Getz, home town = Philadelphia, PA and Kyle Berard from Virginia Beach, Va. (right below)
... watchin' the warm ups.. skaters casually doing some soft runs .. checkin’ the layout – tweekin’ the rail placements – launches – getting it all just right..
There were 2 major rails and a launch onto a hidden ramp coming from the South end.. first one over on the side.. strategically placed with a launch just on the other side of that wall.. (Chris Senn catchin' it from the very end - left)
...The second major rail right down the center coming from the South of the Plaza .. (Kyle Berard.. right)
and then one off at the other far side from us ..a fav for de Araujo Jr.
Turning it around and facing the other way - there was the "CENTER RAIL" which came right down through the middle of the tree lined center of the Plaza..
(Dayne Brummet - left)
As the time got closer to the start .....
or ... now back to "SPLINTERS"
Catcha there . . .
