Tags: florida, fort myers, franky morales, geoff acers, grant hinkle, julian bah, kato, kato mateu, nick wood, remz, roman daricek, v-town skateshop, vimeo, yuckem and woodster florida tour
Some days ago, as I was planning this Florida tour and putting the flyer together with the city of Naples scheduled, the phone suddently rings: Grant Hinkle, an old friend whom I had first met in Tallahassee in 2003 during the very first Remz Tour (which was also the very first daily updated tour by the way..), calls out of the blue with some really good news: Not only was the skatepark of Fort Myers now under new YMCA management (the city was about to basically tear it down) but he also got himself a job there managing the place.
The work that Grant and another local legend nicknamed "long hair" (as well as a few others) put over the years to save the park had finally paid off and kept the place alive. Needless to say, knowing that the crew from Naples was going to show up anyway I erased Naples and put Fort Myers on the map instead, support the supporters especially when they're bladers! This is where we were heading today.
Right out of the hotel, and since we arrived late yesterday in Sarasota, we decided to pay V-town skateshop a quick visit before heading south to Fort Myers. Glad we did, we didn't see Aren (the owner) since the last RFCC tour (remember those with all the companies together?). Chilled there for a bit and back on the road.
Hour or two later we finally arrive and right away Franky and Nick start putting their skates on, Grant fires the barbeque. The turnout was pretty good with slaters of all ages, and we even recognized some faces from the day before (you know who you are, Franky says hi..). Nick claims that today was the best skating day so far because of how the session went down: Pros and locals together proceeded to skate the place obstacle by obstacle, from the main center box to a disaster on the mini and finally a bank to wall. It was all good fun and great mood, no pressure, and everyone enjoyed it very much. The locals were pushing themselves and some people who didn't blade in years were on the course doing it! Grant and Paul's new mission with the Fort Myers skatepark is to keep expending and bring together the communities, and eventually increase the size of the park to build a whole new exciting place.. you know we will be back soon people!!
Yuckem and Woodster Florida Tour - Fourth stop from Be-Mag on Vimeo.
Today's edit featured Franky Morales, Nick Wood, and Roman Daricek, as well as Geoff Acers and Grant Hinkle each getting a clip. As for myself I bladed a bit on the mini after being done with filming, all in all another great day on tour!
Crossing Florida tomorrow through the famous Everglades Parkway, also known as Alligator Alley, to visit 'Skates USA' in Lake Worth. Stay tuned and let's see if Woodster's got the balls to fight a gator!!
all the Naples rollerbladers that are still around there come to FtMyersSkatePark as theyre home skatepark. And FtMyers always had a crew of dudes out here with style doing it since 97.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/49423109@N08/?saved=1
that gap was 24 foot he 3'd
franky is definitely the king of style
and yeah, franky is the king of style, crazy how styled out he skates
Whoah!! snakes..that took my attention. Good thing that it all went good.
I ken haz Franky steez?
totaaalllly awesomeee! glad i got to go take pics !
Dayum
love the snakes!