By Chuck Harp
The little things. It’s what the world is made of. Small joys. Like hearing the sounds of boards slapping against the graffiti-laced metal ramps of Marsh Park, cutting through the endless highway hum that lingers outside my window in Los Angeles’ Frogtown neighborhood. But from there, you can spot many Marsh expats fanning out, covering the neighboring riverside Greenway Trail, bringing more love to that river than anyone could imagine. Only, in their own way.
One fascinating aspect of skating a spot is how it inevitably spreads out further and further, like ants constantly in the construction phase of their farm. A state of never being complete, constantly trying to improve itself. And a skate spot is no different. Just follow the winding pedestrian path along the LA River and you’ll discover fabricated worlds beyond the
understanding of those whooshing by on bicycles.
Sure, during your travels you may find the remains of some past projects. Overgrown curb spots in need of landscaping. Sticky ledges pleading for some TLC. Run-ups once smooth now nothing more than cracked blacktop, glazed in loose gravel. Used, abused, and abandoned, leaving only fossils of yesteryear. But that doesn’t mean the spot is over. It isn’t like a wave that breaks and
rolls back. It only moves, forever flowing forward. Reshaping itself to fit the needs of those brave enough to try. Whether that’s a small strip of concrete or a perfectly placed parking block.
Or maybe, something far different.
Recently, I traveled North along the river toward Atwater Village. I crossed a faded red and white bridge and was then greeted by barriers separating the walk-up from drop-off into the awaiting nature flowing below. Most of the barriers were covered in trash and weeds. All except for three. Atop them stood a DIY fingerboard park created with concrete.
Endowed with not only rails, carved stair sets, ramps, and a marble slab grind box, but also a beautiful view. To top it off, a few boards were left behind for those passing through or forgot theirs at home. A living example of the little things, both figuratively and literally, that can bring the most out of life. The beginning skills we’ve learned along the way that fill our lives, like a raindrops filling a puddle, then a pond.
There’s no telling how long this micro-DIY will last. But should it become nothing more than rubble rolling down the river, maybe it can at least spark a new trend. One pour of concrete can lead to a full park. In the do-it-yourself world of skateboarding anything is possible.
It all starts with just one idea, regardless how small.
