RALLYING THE TROOPS
“The whole trip was really Trey’s idea, so thanks to him for making it happen,” said Tom Schaar, who received a group text from his teammate in early June about the mission. Included in the text chain was a crew of close friends that also count among the world’s most lethal destroyers of skatepark terrain: Trey Wood invited Chris Russell, Jake Wooten, Tom Remillard, Clay Kreiner, Skyler King, Chris Gregson, and Klay Andersen, while also arranging to meet Cody Lockwood and Kevin Kowalski once they reached Oregon.
“I just wanted to get things moving again after all this time sitting at home in Arizona,” said Trey Wood, who also enlisted Monster and his board sponsor, Madness Skateboards, for support.
In contrast to the usual perks of traveling to high-profile skate events like the X Games, the concept for this trip was rather down to earth: Pile into a van with the entire crew and head North from San Diego to Oregon, hitting up concrete skateparks along the way. No plush hotel accommodations but perhaps camping here and there under the open sky, plus stopping at legendary Mammoth Lakes concrete wonderland on the way back.
Turns out, Trey didn’t have to ask twice.
“Everyone was instantly on board!” said Tom Schaar. “This was my first skate trip since the whole pandemic started and I was so bored at home. With not being able to fly, all the contests being canceled and the whole situation here in California getting pretty scary, it was time to get out on the road again.”
SKATING HALLOWED GROUND
The squad got together on August 1 in San Diego for a skate session, followed by a big surprise that started the trip on a high note: With everyone in attendance, Trey Wood’s team manager at Madness Skateboards presented him with his first pro model board. Talk about a major career milestone!
“Trey had absolutely no idea this was happening, and it got him so fired up. He was killing it the entire trip!” said Tom Schaar. “I was already excited about finally getting out there after being cooped up in our houses, but this got me extra stoked,” said newly minted pro skateboarder Trey Wood.
What also got everyone extra stoked was the list of high-profile skateparks along the route, hallowed ground steeped in decades of skate history. The crew hit Bud Cross Skatepark in Brookings, Buffington Park in Port Orford, and Klamath Falls Skatepark, all designed by Dreamland Skateparks in Oregon. Also invite-only terrain like the concrete bowl in Kevin Kowalski’s backyard in Seal Rock and the indoor vert bowl at skatepark designer Mark ‘Red’ Scott’s house. Plus, a mandatory pilgrimage to legendary Burnside Bridge DIY in Portland and the 40,000 square-foot Volcom Brothers Skate Park in Mammoth Lakes, California, as the grand finale.
“Some of these parks have been around since before I was born. It’s gnarly to think of all the tricks that went down there and finally getting to skate these places was pretty surreal,” said Trey Wood before referencing iconic tricks, immortalized at these parks by the likes of even more iconic pros including John Cardiel. “Burnside was definitely my favorite,” said Trey. “The atmosphere and energy under the bridge are just insane, especially knowing all the history. Watching Cody Lockwood skate there is the most insane thing, he destroys that park.”