small Peruvian powerhouse VS. Big drunk jerk from Randy Ploesser on Vimeo.
Big Worf and I just got back from Perusing Peru and I have an hour of Flip video footage to Prove it to all of you skeptical "show-me-staters" and the 3 other people from around the globe that look at this blog.Not unfortunately, there wasn't a large amount of shralping on our trip so most of the video was predominantly shot to capture the vast and varied scenic beauty of Peru. However, in between our overnight bus rides and pathetic attempts to grow beards to fit in with the smug backpacker and expatriate types we often ran into there, we got some entertaining and exotic skateboard footage.
I'll kick it off with this video from our first day. After a huge dinner and several stiff pisco sours we went to check out the skatepark on the coast of the Miraflores area of Lima. Its a relatively good park but is coated with that obnoxious anti-graffiti shit that makes you slide out unpredictably and knock your teeth out. Think Plan Nine park times 3 (although this park was only the second slickest spot we skated as you'll find out later). Anyhow, I was cruising around half-drunk trying not to fall or run into the throngs of kids on scooters or driving remote control cars around, when a young Peruvian boy approached me and said something to me in broken English and extended his fist towards me. I gave him knucks and he shook his head and looked confusedly over at a large group of people to our right. He extended his fist again and I gave him knucks and made it explode. He looked over again at the group and they all said "SKATE, SKATE". I then realized it was a group of older friends who had apparently egged him on to challenge the tall white guy to a game of S.K.A.T.E. and that he was trying to Rochambeau with me.
I usually don't play people I don't know in S.K.A.T.E. because A) I'd rather continue skating at my own pace and pleasure or B) its some competitive little prick who just wants to beat you for bragging rights or to prove that he is a "better" skateboarder. However in this situation the kid, Nicolas, seemed nice, and flatground was probably the safest thing to skate at the park so I took him up on his challenge. He took me out with a swift "paper" (damnit, trusty rock!) and he proceeded to start the game. The ever perceptive Worful must have sensed the spectacle about to take place and took out my Flip camera and started recording. I looked at Nicolas's tattered board and shoes and thought "man, I'm pretty drunk but I think I got this little fucker easy." Boy, was I wrong. Nicolas tired me down and took me out with a deft series of unique flip and spin tricks that would have made Koston blush.
Worf suggested I give him my board since it was obvious he needed a new one and after the brutal beatdown he gave me, probably deserved it. Alas, it was the only board I had for the whole trip and I had to hold on to it. I gave Nicolas the web address for the blog in case he wanted to review his slaughter-fest when I posted it, so if him or any of his amigos see this, send us an email with his home address so I can send down some goods!
Stay tuned for more videos, i'm sure Worful has some great photos to post from the trip soon too!
