BARCELONA & BORROWED BOARDS
In true urban fashion, Laurent slips one sideways. | p: Ryan Ricker
My trip to Barcelona began by flipping through old photos of my last visit to the Spanish Capital with the Paris Trucks Team. As I scrolled through the pictures, I paused on an image of myself lying bloody at the bottom of a fifteen stair wallride in the middle of the city. I rspanspanber being so bummed I had hurt myself the very first day, unable to rip the city like I so badly wanted to. After dreaming of going back for over four years, I was so stoked to finally make my way back.
“WE TOUCHED DOWN ONLY TO DISCOVER THEY HAD LOST MY BAGS.”
I had a backpack full of trucks, wheels, and luckily one pair of extra socks and underwear, but I had just arrived in the skate capital of the world and didn’t have my boards. Saying I was pissed would be an understatspanent.
It was hard to stay mad when one of my favorite humans, Axel Serrat, picked us up from the airport with gifts in hand. If that wasn't enough to turn my mood around, meeting Paris' head honcho, Joey Pulsifer for incredible tapas soon after leaving the airport did the trick.
Set up and almost ready but Guille couldn’t wait. | p: Ryan Ricker
After tapas, we met up with Abou Seck and checked into our apartment, a nice flat we would call home for the next week and a half. The following morning, we woke to find Alexandra Kubiak Ho-chi and Laurent Perigault unloading enough gear for six skaters! Skateboards and bags of every size quickly filled the apartment. The dust settled and then I heard one of the bags "meow.” In addition to bringing a mountain of skate supplies, Alex and Laurent packed their cat! I thought, "Who brings a cat on a skate trip?", but quickly became jealous and wished I had brought my cat too.
With everyone moved in, we immediately headed out to shred around the city. Axel led the way, and we arrived at our first spot which was barely a hundred yards from our front door.
"THERE WERE MONUMENTAL SPOTS EVERYWHERE--YOU COULD SPEND YEARS IN THE CITY AND STILL SKATE SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY. SO EVEN ON A BORROWED BOARD, BARCELONA WAS A DREAM TO SKATE."
The team lapped secluded hairpins through a quaint Spanish neighborhood. | p: Ryan Ricker
On the second day we met up with Spanish local, Guille Salvá, who drove us into the hills to get a view of the city just as the sunlight hit the ocean. The runs from the top were narrow and steep. Axel showed us some technical, sweeping downhill roads that had escalators at the bottom waiting to take us back to the top. Even Alex Colorito had to set his camera down and get in on the action.
For four days we woke up and immediately got on the phone to call the airport hoping they had found my bags, and most importantly, my boards. "They should be here today," was always their answer. On the fifth day, Axel and Ryan got up early and drove to the airport on a mission. When they returned with my bags I was overwhelmed with joy.
Always with a camera, Alex Colorito filmed our entire journey. | p: Ryan Ricker
We hit spot after spot for the remainder to the trip. Everyone got lines and tricks on film and was sore and happy each night. At the end of it all, the ten day trip to Spain ended exactly the way I wanted to: covered in souvenir cuts and bruises I’d take home with me.
