Friends.

I met my friend Scott Ward at Buster Haltermans ramp in the fall of 1989…I believe. It could have been 1988, but old age and memory impairment are getting the best of me this morning. He was a kid-no more than 15 years old. He was already a better skater than me. It pissed me off back then. He was smooth, stylish & talented. WTF!? We all lived in Pennsylvania & really started riding vert together around that time. I have some classic memories of sessions in Busters barn with Scott & friends. One night in January 1990, we were all riding. The memory is clear because I have a video clip on VHS tucked away somewhere of that night. The radio is playing in the backround and you hear the DJ say, “…it’s 18 degrees in Harrisburg on WTPA. The home of Rock-N-Roll!!” In the video, you can see Scott standing there all sweating on the deck of the vert ramp….he was actually ‘steaming’. Steam was coming off of him, it was that cold!

Funny. I recall trips to Cheap Skates Skatepark with the crew. I have insane memories of Cedar Crest Country Club BBQ sessions in Virginia. I remember driving-half asleep-to Eastern  Vert in North Carolina, to ride with Neal Hendrix, Darby, Opie, Devin Maquire, Paul Urich, Sean Andrew and Scott with the rest of the PA crew. Awesome times! I moved to California permanently in October 1997. Scott left PA about 2-3 years later. He set himself up as a writer & ultimately ended in Laguna where he started a successful landscaping company. He rides backyard pools with us out in the Badlands & throws FS Stalefish airs better than most. He cruises with a smooth, fast style & my only complaint to him is that he doesn’t skate enough. This is a great big ‘Hell yeah!’ to friends. Scott has seen me through most of my ugliness & downturns; helping me become a better person. By-the-way; Scott thinks everyone should listen to death metal… preferably the mighty ‘Opeth’ .Thanks to Peter King for the image.-Skate Long-Ozzie