DIY Willits – California

“This is a home made pool with obstacles around the deck, somewhere in the wooded mountains of Willits, California. The pool is real good – an amoeba with a death-box in the deep, shallow stairs, and pool coping all the way around… except over the shallow stairs where there is river rock mortared in for coping (up the ante!). This pool is not the easiest pool to skate. I have skated backyarders that are easier, but it is great nonetheless. Being three hours away from where I live, skating it all the time is out of the question, but if it was closer I would definitely skate it a lot!

It’s location is a challenge too. Not only do you drive a long way into the mountains, but once you get there the pool is located about 30-40 feet below the road and you have to do a small hike down to it. This I noticed would pose a logistical challenge to the build project. I think this just adds another feather into the cap of these dudes that work so hard to make stuff like this happen. The dudes that built the place: Lincoln Nass (Poolish Pride Skate Spot Construction, Vagabond loc), Scooter Fisher (Helped build the Black Pearl, Aztec NM, Mammoth Lakes Volcom Bros Park, etc.), Bart Steed, Sizer, Rye, Orr Menard (Bacon Skateboards), Kyle, Flea, Bubba, Josh Kocher, Rolo, Adam… It’s the best goddamn backyard pour ever.”

Words and photos: Matt Moose

Josh Kocher helped build the pool and the street area and quarter pipe. Slob Plant on the quarter. Photo: Matt Moose

Gene Boles also builds his own concrete creations. Check out MY DIY. The link is at the bottom of this article. Backside Ollie. Photo: Moose

Brad Johnston. Tailblock. Photo: Matt Moose

Josh Kocher. Invert. Photo: Matt Moose

Gene Boles. Frontside Hurricane rock. Photo: Matt Moose

Josh Kocher. Blasting a backside ollie. Photo: Matt Moose

Other links to check out:
Gene Boles MY DIY Project
Matt Moose’s theskatersunion.blogspot.com
Video from Skidmark Magazine of the DIY Pool in Willets
Willit’s pool builder LINCOLN NASS and friends shredding the pool.
POOLISH PRIDE: Skate spot design and construction