For the last eight years Eat The Bologna has been based in North County San Diego where I covered the local scene from my perspective. From right in the center of one of the healthiest skate scenes in the country I was able to show what it looked like to me. Now I am relocating to Portland Oregon and the zine will be coming with me. I am looking forward to taking everything I’ve learned and applying it somewhere new. Change is good.
ETB has always been hyper focused on my personal experience. I never wanted to be a source for information on the biggest local events or pretend to be any kind of authority on the local scene. In fact, I took pride in carving out my own slice of skateboarding in a place that was so saturated with skateboarders. It was always fun to me to show up at spots the day after seeing them get destroyed on Instagram. I enjoyed taking photos of my friends rather than the best skaters out. It was always about building up the locals.
I took a special pride in seeing the homies from the apartment complex I lived in come up. Watching Ozzy, Andy, and Smilers succeed fills me with joy and I can’t wait for more and more people to see what amazing skateboarders they are. The nights spent at Connor’s watching a new generation of kids learn how to kickflip together were some of the most pure moments of skateboarding I have ever experienced.
I will miss having dozens of great skateparks a short drive away. I will miss 365 days of perfect weather. I will miss Grandeur. I will miss smooth parking lots and icy red curbs. I will miss Lookback Library. I will miss Sheffey remembering my name at Alga. I will miss spot hunting with Josh.
There are also things I won’t miss. A scene that is so big is also a scene that is complacent. People don’t feel the need to be welcoming to new faces because there are already too many faces. People are taking what they can get and not giving back. People think they are cool and can surround themselves with others who will parrot that back at them.
Already in the short time I have spent in Portland I have been overwhelmed by the difference in attitude of the locals. People care about their scene and are willing to put in work to improve it. They are welcoming of some weird kid from California with little wheels. They are happy to enjoy the summertime because they know winter is coming.
So I look forward to bringing the same focus on my personal experience that I cultivated in California to Portland. I have already met people I want to interview and take photos of. I have found places that I love to skate that may not have perfect ground but have perfect vibes. I hope that my perspective can bring a new light to this scene. I hope to lift up the locals and get people excited to be where they are. ETB in PDX will be a new chapter. Vol. 2 starting now.
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