Hippie Mike is a man of many talents, many skills and many creations. A master of construction, Mike loves to build and create unique and custom projects, but he also takes the same mind frame to everything else he does.
It was a beautiful day outside, especially first thing in the morning. Super sunny and just the perfect day to go out for a skate. A lucky coincidence that it was Go Skateboard Day on this day since the weather has not been the friendliest lately in the Vancouver Region. To prove how lucky it was, we got pissed on hard the very next day.
I got down to the Skate Plaza at about 10am to be greeted by hundreds of people of all ages skating their hearts out already. There was a huge line up for “Waffles on a Stick” formed on the side road and the crew was in full effect. Hosted by Vans and Underworld, along with DC, RDS and many others, MC Cyrus was ready to take control of the mob any time he felt like it. I skated around a bit and threw down some tricks on the Wally Ledges around the pillar and then started shooting photos. The best trick contest down the 7 stair was tight. Cody (GhettoBird) from Bonsor hardflipped over the rail, Ryan Prasad and Graham Bohn threw down multiple flip tricks to perfection, Dominic Devries showed up with a backside flip, and then kickflip front boarded the rail – the list went on and on. Cyrus was just handing out boards like Trick or Treat on Halloween. The kids skated the stairs, the hubba, the ledge over the grate, and the hip, and all 4 got demoed…
The mob moved out around 1:30pm to Cambie Bridge, followed by a couple street spots and then made their traffic disrupting way over the Georgia Viaduct towards Strathcona Park. I think there were more people at Strathcona at that one moment than there normally would be in an entire year. The place got destroyed, in a good way. I left early to head to Hastings Park for a BBQ, but not until after Ryan Prasad laid down a Heelflip Nose Manual Nollie Bigspin on the long ledge – solid buddy!!
Watch out for this kid, he is sick.
We headed out to Hastings and were met by the Local Crew, Surrey Stu Benoit, Timmers, McCallum, Adam Hopkins, and so on. Rob Boyce was there too, one of my favorites to watch. The beers definitely came out at Hastings, like usual. And everyone who knew how to rip bowl, did just that. The tricks were insane, huge airs all over the place, and Frontside Kid was going so fast on his grinds I think he may have melted the coping. Out of all, I think Adam Hopkins was the man to watch. Big airs left, right and centre, tailslides, smith grinds, handplants and more. He even blew the crowd away at one point by tossing out a drunken 540 McTwist in the deep end first try – no pads. I thought that was pretty much gonna shut it down, but then Andy Anderson rolled in just as the sun was dimming – Protest Represent!!
Andy had the crowd wowed in the matter of 30 seconds in his first run to warm up. 2 runs to get the legs going and then straight to the Indy Transfer over the gap from the hip to the other quater pipe that I made him learn last time we were there. Andy kills it, and proved it once again. Jeff Cole called him out on a trick he’d never tried before – Frontside 5-0 transfer fakie over the spine, and Andy laid ‘er down 2 tries. The night slowly came to an end and people finally disbursed. It was a great day for skateboarding, and just plain hanging out. It’s a great vibe in this City where all skaters come together in harmony, and it makes me glad to be a part of it.
I heard yesterday at Go Skate Day that the new Richmond Skate Park was finally complete, and they were holding the Grand Opening that night. I was stoked that it was done and planned to go shred it up today since I would be working right near there, except it was raining when I got there.
It’s located right beside the Thompson Community Centre on Granville Ave, near No. 2 Rd. (5151 Granville to be exact)
I took a photo anyway so those who don’t know what it looks like can see. I was a little confused on the style of the park, and some of the obstacles make no sense at all to me. But that’s what happens sometimes when certain cities take things into their own hands. Personally I think I like the old Richmond Skate Park better. I know there was some issues getting this park built, so all I’m gonna say is – at least it happened. Hopefully people enjoy it. Definitely will be good for manual tricks anyway.
I guess I need to go film 5 more tricks now for the Show Up Mike contest…
In 2006, I released the first full length video from Protest Skateboards. A lot of people probably didn’t see this video just because I didn’t publicize it, didn’t have it for sale anywhere, and didn’t utilize YouTube back then, if it even existed. It’s a shame though because it contained one of the craziest skateboard video parts ever made with the2×4 board, which a lot of people have watched now since I put that section on YouTube.
The Video was named Never Give Up.
It was named this for many reasons, mainly just because I’m one of those people that makes tons of goals for themselves and then does whatever it takes to fulfil those goals. And sometimes, most times, there are many many surprise barriers that come into play.
All my life I was one of those guys that was always hurt, and I would get seriously injured often where it would take months to recover and life would never be the same. To some, they might consider me to be accident prone, but for any that knew my lifestyle, I was far from it. I just liked to do crazy things, and invent a lot of new tricks on skateboards and snowboards. I wasn’t accident prone, I just spent my life doing things that if you make a mistake, you’re gonna get hurt.
So we worked on this video for quite a while, and one day in 2005, I got really hurt, blew out my MCL kickflipping down a 3 block. I couldn’t believe it happened, especially on such a basic trick down a fairly small gap compared to some of the stuff I used to fly over, but it happened. I was out. It took me almost 7 weeks to put my cane down permanently and start skateboarding again. 1 week later I was asked to do a Video Shoot for a Commercial this guy was making for a contest and I said yes. I started ignoring the pain and doing flip tricks on the flat banks and over this pyramid. I had a great day, and didn’t get hurt!
I think I was too excited though because as the guys were putting away their equipment, I stopped them and said, “I got one more…”
I pulled out this fold up table and told them I was going to hijump it, you know I jump over it and my board goes under and we come back together in perfect unison.
Blam!! My back foot slips off my tail when I land it and fully folded my knee over sideways, again.
So my friend Homer carried me out to the car and we went back to my house so I could wallow in sorrow. I had still not been to see a doctor, and had no plans for it. I spent another 6 weeks recovering again, all the time gaining weight and losing skills. It was painful, mentally more than anything. But I knew one thing, I was not going to quit. I worked hard to recover, and I made my way back, and unfortunately had to give up big gaps after that injury, but I still skate hard everywhere I go.
It just proved my entire way of life though –
Go out and try new things, fight for what you believe in and work hard to bring your beliefs to reality, take what’s thrown at you and throw it right back, get back up every time you’re pushed to the ground, and whatever you do…
Never Give Up!!
Intro Poem:
As your body crashes into the ground,
You know you’re hurt, you want to scream,
Scream from the pain,
or more the frustration,
Your life could be over,
a career down the drain,
Pain crushes your soul like a tidal wave of mass destruction,
Welcome to the very first episode of GLORY DAZE with Hippie Mike!! We’re here in North Vancouver at one of North America’s oldest skate parks – Seylynn Bowl. Today we’re spending time with a true “old schooler” that’s still out here representing on the board. Sponsored by Sector9, he was King of the Bowls in 2004, the original owner of Push Skate Shop and still one of the original NV Locs. He just turned 40 years old a couple of weeks ago but that’s not slowing him down one bit – give it up for Eve Feaver!!!
Hippie Mike: First off, how does it feel to be the very first person ever profiled by Glory Daze?
Eve: Feels pretty good, yeah it’s an honour
HM: How many years have you been skateboarding?
Eve: Well I got my first skateboard when I was 6, so about 34 years ago… Actually skating on it all the time, probably, close to 30
HM: Who were your biggest influences as a kid?
Eve: A good friend John Munro who I skated with together for a long time and had a lot of fun
HM: Who are your biggest influences now?
Eve: Right Now?? My kids are a very big influence on who I am, and my grandfather. He’s living in Ontario, and he’s an artst and a very humble man
HM: Name your 3 favorite people to skate with and why…
Eve: Only 3, eh… I try to enjoy skating with anyone who’s around, but 3 people, I’d have to say – Bushman (Don Wilson). We’ve skated together a long time and we’ve got a lot of great connections and things in our lives in common, and we get along pretty good; Umm, Jamie Sherratt, same thing. We’ve been skating together for a long time and family ties, man. People you know who have families bring you closer together; and uhhh, Surfer Mark. Skates here, and you know usually you pop by for a few minutes after work and there’s only a few select people who are always here, and he’s one of them, a lot of fun to skate with
HM: Where is your favorite place to skateboard?
Eve: Seylynn, without a doubt
HM: Were you here (at Seylynn Bowl) for the Opening Day back in 1978?
Eve: I was not here – I was 6. It wasn’t something that my parents were necessarily a part of, so, I wasn’t a part of it
HM: Name your 3 favorite tricks…
Eve: My 3 favorite tricks? Nosepick. Hand Plants. And I guess, slides of all sorts… powerslides mostly.
HM: What do you do when you’re not skateboarding?
Eve: Family; my kids and wife. Try to do some sports with them, golfing with them, or just hanging out. That’s pretty much it, skateboarding and family
HM: Have you ever got a Hole in One?
Eve: No (laughs), not yet. It’s gonna happen though
HM: are you prepared for the amount of money it’s going to cost you when you do get a hole in one and have to buy the entire golf course a drink?
Eve: I am not… it’s gonna be on my own little, made, backyard, 1 hole golf course
HM: What year did you open Push Skate Shop?
Eve: 2004.
HM: What year did you sell it and why?
Eve: 2007 or early ’08. It was about 3 ½ years. It was hard to have a Skate Shop, a fulltime job and a family. One of them was going to go, and that’s the one it had to be. We wanted it to stay there, it didn’t matter who owned it, as long it was there. Everybody needs a place to stop in and hang out for a second, you know, grab a pop or something
HM: How many companies have ever sponsored you
Eve: (long pause) One. That’s it
HM: Any appearances in Magazines, Videos, Tv?
Eve: I have never had a single picture in a magazine. I have a couple of small parts, like a shot or 2 in one of the Sector9 videos, in a Protest video, and The Seylynn Story – a documentary on the park
HM: One of the best videos ever… Were you ever involved in the planning of any skate parks?
Eve: Yes, one in Coquitlam, in Maillardville, which is being built right now. It’s another New Line Skate Park. We’ve been working on that for about 4 years or so, and it will be ready soon, hopefully in July
HM: Have you ever had any serious injuries?
Eve: Uhh, serious enough, yeah. I separated a shoulder at Hastings, which… sucked. It’s hard to work like that. And I fractured my tibia at the RDS Park. Landed flatbottom on the big ramp and my heel smacked my tibia. That sucked too. But no, I’ve been pretty lucky. A little skin left a the parks, but no real breaks
HM: What is the toughest thing about being 40?
Eve: The toughest thing about being 40?… Um, wondering if I could keep up, and so far I can, although I don’t quite have the air in the lungs as much anymore, but I think I can get there
HM: Do you consider your skills on a skateboard to be better or worse now compared to when you were 20?
Eve: Better. You see, it was “doing” a trick at the start. And now, it’s “feeling” a trick. I enjoy all the small parts about everything I’m doing. I don’t know, it doesn’t have to go by fast anymore. I can take my time. I can still move fast and still enjoy every small bit of every trick
HM: What’s your opinion of having soooo many skate parks for these kids today to access – good or bad?
Eve: It’s great. It’s awesome that they get so much variety. Instead of just flatground type skateboarding, there’s such a mix now. You can decide on any day to go do a completely different type of skateboarding, so yeah, it’s good
HM: In 2009, we experienced the tragic episode involving a head on collision in the bowl right here at Seylynn Bowl Series contest and we lost The Mad Carver – Don Hartley – forever. I know you and Don were good friends and had known each other a long time. How did that day change your life?
Eve: (long pause)… It’s changed it for every day after. I think about him every time I skate; every day, if I don’t skate. A real influence was Don Hartley. Not just on a few – on many, many people, from all parts of his life… That day, I was in the run, it was during our run – all the Locs, everybody that knew each other, and it happened. And it was like the hammer dropped, you know, everything changed from that day on. But he has a very strong family, and you know, they’re great, so, I don’t know how much more to……. you know…. it changed a lot of people, and I am just so grateful to know him at all. I thank skateboarding for that. I wouldn’t have known him otherwise
HM: If you could change 1 thing about today’s world, what would it be?
Eve: That people would care a little more about just everyday life with everybody else. We all gotta deal with all the same problems basically, so everybody’s gotta recognize, you know, and take a second for everybody else
HM: Describe who “Eve” is on the inside, and what motivates you to be that person…
Eve: Umm….. I like to do things… I like to work hard. Whatever it is I think I take pride in what it is that I’m doing. Try to have fun with everything I’m doing…. I don’t know, that’s a tough one. How do you talk about yourself that way? I look to my influences to help me make choices too. It’s not just me. I am other people as well. I am who I came from. And sometimes there are battles, and sometimes you’re thankful for all that you have. That’s me I guess – don’t need too much, just happiness I guess
HM: Do you consider yourself to be a leader or a follower?
Eve: I think I am a Leader, but sometimes I know my place, and can follow
HM: What is the best accomplishment in your lifetime?
Eve: Well, kids are my best accomplishment. I guess that’s the standard one. But something that I’ve done that is only mine…… King of the Bowls (2004)
HM: Who was the coolest Pro you ever got to skate with and where?
Eve: So, at the old Richmond Skate Ranch, I got a chance to build some of the ramps with Lance Mountain, and that was pretty fun. And Neil Blender was there too and me and some of the guys that were there went for a street skate through Richmond with Neil Blender. To see a guy that you only see in the magazine or something and it was a fun time just hanging out with another skateboarder who just happened to be from another place. That was good. But there was also Steve Caballero I got a chance to skate with there. Um, Adrian Demain, but Ray Underhill was one of the funniest, friendliest guys I ever got to skate with
HM: What’s the best beer to skate with?
Eve: Uhhh, Ozujsko??? (laughing, since I had just given him his first taste of Ozujsko during the interview)
HM: Name your 3 favorite skate brands of all time…
Eve: Powell Peralta, Skull Skates and Sector9
HM: What is your most influential Skate Video to watch?
Eve: Seylynn Story – always
HM: And finally –
Do you ever see yourself quitting skateboarding?
Eve: Nope, not for a second. No matter what happens, I gotta roll still, so that’s the way it’s gonna be
HM: So I’d just like to thank you for coming on Glory Daze, especially being the first person ever. One of my favorite people to skate with – anywhere – Eve Feaver…
It’s that time of year again. The annual Volcom Contests have begun. Be ready for the Railside Contest in Port Coquitlam coming up fast – June 30th. Who’s gonna be there, I don’t know. I would assume that Mickey Papa will be kickin’ around, and I’m hoping that Dominic Devries will be competing. Both of those guys destroy that place. I guess the only way to see who’s in it is to show up.
Registration starts at 11am and the contest ends when it’s over.
Hit the Volcom Site for more detailed information, or to watch highlights from the events that have already happened.
In support of Go Skateboarding Day, The awesome dudes from Vans will be feeding the troops with a waffle breakfast at the Plaza in the morning and having a bbq for the hesh dogs at Hastings in the evening, and of course there will be some sort of secret competitions around the city. I’ll be floating around shooting some photos and will have a write up article on the site within a day or two. Come out and Join in the events…
Here’s a fresh teaser video from the one ond only Daewon Song. We all know Daewon is one of the most technical innovators of the sport, and him and Rodney Mullen definitely had a huge influence on me to set up my own obstacles all the time just like they used to. But the weird part about this video was how Daewon seemed to be skating all the types of spots I dream about – rocks, trees, just nasty stuff.
Check out Daewon’s part.
Now check out my last video part in “What the “F” were we Thinking”. I think we need to get together buddy. I doubt the majority of my tricks can compare with Daewon, but at least we could shred the same spots…
I heard the rumours the other day, and now it’s confirmed – Tony Hawk and the Birdhouse Team will be arriving in town at the end of July and shredding Hastings Park. I remember one time Tony Hawk came to Hastings when I was there, it was back in 2001 or 2002 and he came up with the Tony Hawk Tour Bus. That was a sick day of skating, lots of awesome tricks went down. I remember getting my shirt signed by Tony and when I told him to write “Ravers Rule” he just laughed and asked me if I actually watched the video Ravers (The original Birdhouse Video from 1993). I told him it was one of my favorites.
Now over a decade later, this amazing man we refer to as a legendary skateboarder is coming back for more. Hastings, be forewarned.
The Hawk will be soaring through July 28th.
Other names included on the Tour – Aaron “Jaws” Homoki, Willy Santos, Kevin Staab, Clint Walker, Clive Dixon, David Loy, Shaun Gregoire, Shawn Hale and Michael Davis.
Nyjah Huston has proven time and time again that he is the man when it comes to Street League. He won 3 out of 4 last year, and is now already 2 for 2 in 2012. It still blows me away when I watch the Street League series because almost every trick that goes down is what used to be a closing banger for a video part. These guys are tossing insanity first try, every try. Tricks that should take a week to land once, just getting pulled out of people’s back pockets and displayed perfectly for the world to see.
I don’t know what to say, except it’s Nyjah versus the world right now… and he’s definitely winning.
I send out my feelings on this Father’s Day to my Dad who just passed away 7 weeks ago. Remember that today is the day to love your Dad and let him know what he means to you. Don’t take your time with each other for granted, you never know when the last laughs you enjoy together will be…
Who You Were To Me
I never met the man that made me,
But I loved the man that made me who I am,
Because you were meant to be my Father,
You were the best for me.
I cherish the time we had together,
And I will always remember how much you cared,
And I will be to my son what you always were to me,
