We met up at Merritt Skate Park for a quick session with Protest rider Jay Mykyte (the King of Style) to kick off his week long annual skate tour through the okanagan.
Featuring: Jay Mykyte, Carrie Williams, Big Rip Kaelen Faux, AJ Zabell and Hippie Mike
Squamish Skate Park with a Fresh paint job in the Bowl
Featuring: Adam Hopkins, Andy Anderson, Mike LeBlanc, Oli Ward, Big Rip Kaelen Faux, Byron Essert, Madix McReynolds, Presley Huska, Ryder Riekert and Jacob LeBlanc
Music Credits:
Pur Pale vs. BIOHACKER
Song: Retrograde (Pur Pale Remix)
Original Composition: Tufty Hacka (Biohacker)
Remix Composition: Ryan “Tweak” Clark (Pur Pale)
Mixing & Mastering: Ryan “Tweak” Clark
Released: 2020
When the “Normal” isn’t satisfying you, what do you do? I always live by a saying from Bob Marley – “If you’re not living good, travel wide”. Traveling wide doesn’t necessarily mean relocating where you live, it can simply relate to traveling far from your own comfort zone and trying new things. Diving into the forest away from the social world and just being one with nature for a change. We all have dreams and aspirations, and a lot of people just keep those thoughts as dreams, but what if you want to make them come to life?
What if you said today that it’s time to make a change?
What are you really afraid of?
Time by yourself is when you get things done, use that time wisely to plan out your future. Then actually act on your plans.
And if your plan is loose and you don’t really know how it’s going to work, try it anyway and let it figure itself out. Usually a plan has to be adjusted in the middle anyway so maybe being a little loose is a good thing. This leaves it open for other opportunities to come together and create something amazing as one.
Hang out in new crowds, work in different industries, try new activities.
If the Norm is to sit back and take what life you’re given, then escaping that norm would give you the Freedom to find your true self.
Only then can you know which life is better
In Memory of a good friend Ryan McKellar we spent a Saturday afternoon at Bonsor Skate Park in Metrotown (Burnaby BC) with a couple local legends Travis Emerson and Ryan Prasad. Watch as the remind the street section of Bonsor who’s boss… Also starring: Cisco Gooding, Big Rip Kaelen Faux, Allen Handley, Justin Parenteau, AJ Zabell, Oli Ward, and myself Hippie Mike
Music Credit:
Song: Bright Eyez’Em
Artist: L.S. (Featuring Bin Nyce)
Album: In This Life
Released: 2008
If you have Kids you will quickly relate to this, and even if you don’t have kids of your own but hang out with other people’s children you will also know what I’m talking about.
Kids can drive you crazy at times, they are needy and stubborn, but it’s not their fault. It is our job to feed them, bath them, clothe them, and love them, and in return they show you a love that no one else can. When a young child looks into your eyes or holds you by the hand and expresses themself they are giving you the full Truth of how they feel, they don’t know anything else. When they are really young everything they do is a new experience and is either fun, scary, or super cool. Then as they grow older a confidence builds inside them that allows them to become more independent and start to take care of themselves, and find their own true passions. It’s hard to remember that we were all once little babies, infants, toddlers, children, teenagers, young adults, etc… We all went through the same things to grow up, and each of us have different stories to tell.
The one thing that motivates me to always be a caring father is when I see my kids enjoying themselves with a smile that cannot be faked. The excitement that comes to life is so real at times that just being there with them pumps you up and makes you happy. I’m very lucky to have a child that loves to skateboard, and not just wanting to be good at it, but actually just enjoys skateboarding for what it is – a time to challenge your mind and body to learn and remember new things, a way to feel free from everything as you roll and flow across the concrete, and a connection to so many people you can call your friends for life. When we go out together it’s a special time between us, one that both of us will remember differently, but the same.
I try to do as much as possible with both my kids, and so does their Mom. Every minute of every day only happens once, we must make the most of it. One day you will look down at your kids and realize they are taller than you, they own their own cars and homes, and have kids of their own. Today is a day like any other day, hug your children and let them know that you love them, it’s important for both of you
We headed up to Lake Country BC on the weekend to go visit our good friends and see their new baby. There happens to be a Skate Park not far from their house so we headed down for a rip. Nathan Lintunen (one of the 2nd generation of Protest Skateboards Team Riders) doesn’t skate very often anymore, but he’s still got the skills, the tricks and of course the styles, and he proves it here in Episode 2 of SkatePark Styles at the Winfield Skate Park. This is probably the first time Nathan has been filmed on his skateboard in over 10 years, a true skateboarder not out there for the fame, but just loves to skate and have fun…
Starring: Nathan Lintunen and Big Rip Kaelen Faux
Song: Acoustic jam played by Nathan Lintunen
Episode 1 of “Create It and Skate it with Hippie Mike”, starring Big Rip Kaelen Faux, AJ Zabell and Hippie Mike. Watch the boys create and skate a wooden Wallie Bank Grind Ledge and have fun together as they test it out at a secret spot.
Music by Ryan “Tweak” Clark
Artist: Pur Pale
Composer: Ryan “Tweak” Clark
Album: From Shadows To Silhouettes (Volume 2 – Instrumentals)
Year of Release: 2017
Released in 2010, and filmed for over 3 years before that, “Evolution Revolution – What the “F” were We Thinking?” was a very unique skateboard video put out by Hippie Mike and Protest Skateboards. Inspired by hearing people complain that too many spots around Vancouver have been shut down and there’s nothing to skate anymore, the Protest Team decided they were going to make their own spots, and skate other spots that were not necessarily “Made for Skateboarding”. Rocks, Grass, Dirt, Logs, Fridges, Cars, and any obstacles that just needed some plywood to become skateable, watching this video should change your perspective on what can be skated, and if it can be skated these guys are ready to go…
Filmed and Edited by: Justin James and Hippie Mike
Starring: Jon Irvine, Cisco Gooding, Nathan Lintunen, Jeff Cole, and Hippie Mike
Protest Skateboards full length video “Diversity” was filmed in over the year of 2017, and edited while I was unable to skateboard. I filmed my own part about 6 weeks before going under the knife for ACL replacement and High Tibial Osteomety in which I didn’t skateboard again until June of 2018. We premiered the video at SBC (Smiling Buddha Cafe) in downtown Vancouver in January of 2018 during a Protest Best Trick Contest on the ramp, the place was packed and everyone had a blast. The video was made to showcase the newest team of Protest Riders, how diverse they all are from one another yet still so similar in what they love – skateboarding. With an age range of 7 years old up to 45 years old, this video is what skateboarding is all about, being yourself, doing what you love, and sharing your passion with others. Each rider (except for young Kaelen) only had 1 day to film their part…
Starring: Big Rip Kaelen Faux, Ryan Brynelson, Jay Mykyte, Eve Feaver, and Hippie Mike
Filmed and Edited by: Hippie Mike