Taking a cue from Wes, I recently picked up a Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/2.8 AIS lens off a friend of mine. It’s MF but produces some pretty amazing images and is super sharp assuming you nail the focus. Here’s a few ‘test’ shots I took of the Nike SB / Crazysmiles toys made to commemorate the introduction of BMX at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

While we’re on the subject (BMX, not cheap lenses…), here’s a few taken down at Seedless Clothing where me and Ry found a sick and almost totally original Mongoose Motomag lying around in Skeet’s office.

“You signed a petition asking the Prime Minister to ‘Prevent Portsmouth City Council closing Southsea Skatepark in September 2007.’

The Prime Minister’s Office has responded to that petition and you can view it here: http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page13600.asp“

The bit that we care about:

However, the Government understands that the council has had a change of heart and that Southsea skatepark will now remain open throughout the winter and beyond. Government further understands that the council is committed to the future of the park and is looking at a range of options both internally and externally.

Best get down there really and ride it before it does eventually disappear… KOC 2008 anyone?!

Some really bad news. I got an email from Taylor and there’s a bulletin on Myspace about this, so I’ll leave it in his words.

Recently our world lost one of its finest members. Gary A. Nesbitt’s body was found in the San Diego Harbor on Sept 29th. Gary has had a tremendous impact on many people. He has no close family so as his friends, we are all he has. We are making arangements for a memorial service at the Clairmont YMCA skatepark. If you would like to help plan or contribute to this event, please contact Taylor Robinson at 619 987- 7433 or email taylorpagerobinson@gmail.com. please foreward to any and everyone who was blessed to know Gary. We are all deeply saddened by this loss.
You are gone but not forgotten

A memorial service is planned for Saturday Oct 6th at the clairemont skatepark
3:30 pm-5:00 pm bike jam
5:00 -? memorial service
please bring food, drinks and stories of how gary impacted your life.

Gary wasn’t a myspace-er. I started this page after hearing of his death. I invite everyone to log on to his myspace page and make it “savage” style. Please sign out and re log on as garynesbitt@yahoo.com with the pass word savage1 and post any thing (pictures, stories, movies) that you would like to share with Gary’s friends.

http://www.myspace.com/garynesbitt

Gary was one of those people that you meet that you instantly consider a friend. He’ll be sorely missed.

RIP Gary.

Potentially the shittest news this year. Even shittier than the weather forecasters announcing that we’d be in for all this rain.

The future of Southsea Skatepark is looking uncertain. Portsmouth City Council is preparing to close the park in September of this year unless a suitable plan can be made in conjunction with a private party that would need to take over the lease of the facilities. A private party with the full support of current skatepark users has approached the council and their business plan was rejected due to out-dated views expressed by council members as to the usage and potential user groups associated with the park. The users of the park; skateboarders, BMX and inline have united to form a user group that will hopefully convince the Local and National Government that these facilities are a necessary part of the local community and that the park is unique and an investment in the future of all active members of the public young and old. Please add your support if you use the park, have ever used the park or if you value a genuine piece of British skate and sporting heritage and the right to campaign for adequate sporting and recreational facilities for the present and future.

I’ve got so many good memories from this place, and I was looking foward to making the trip there this year depending on weather. Make sure you sign the official petition here.