2006 Southeastern Winter Slalom Series proposal

Wesley Tucker · Post by **Wesley Tucker** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 8:03 pm

The forecast for Dublin, Georgia for Sunday is:

High of 85
Mostly Sunny
65% humidity.

I'm heading down to Erin Office Park to session with Ga. Tom. If anyone wants to come and run some cones, we'll be there at noon and skate til we're tired.

Tom, I'll bring your cones!

Wesley Tucker · Post by **Wesley Tucker** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 6:27 pm

After getting back from Texas, we got GREAT weather today, so I went over and took some pics of my practice spot. This is where I'm proposing a FLAT SLALOM CHALLENGE sometime this spring.

At first I proposed it for the weekend of March 18, but some people don't want to travel to a race then again on the 25th to the Down Here Retreat. So that leaves April. So far there is NOTHING on the calendar in the South heading up to Luna.

Here would be the view from the start ramps:

The course is off to one side of the lot because I've skated this spot for four years and know all the nooks and crannies. This "alley" is completely blemish free and absolutely flat:

Here's the surface with one of my permanent practice marks:

All these cones are spaced at my practice distance of 5.5 centers, but the same number of cones can easily be run at 6-foot spacing. A few less cones would allow some wider 8-foot spacing with bigger offsets (just like the Bus Depot race.)

Looking back up the course you can get a good scale of the lot. If a crew responds and decides this looks like a fun way to spend a Spring weekend, I'll get permission to tape off the entire lot "inside the trees." That's plent of room for ramps, course, runout and turn around. And, no one will be inconvenienced. Even taking the whole center of the parking lot still leaves over 120 parking spaces outside around the perimeter:

Don't forget to bring any kids you got. Westvavo/Mead donated to the Town Of Summerville what has got to be one of the most primo playgrounds I've ever seen. Hell, everyone bring a toy gun and we'll pick sides: one to defend the fort and the other to make the assault!

Here's my start ramp. If I get a definite response from at least 15 people in the next couple of weeks to do this thing, I'll build another in plenty of time to race:

Y'all let me know. It would be pretty easy for me to get permission. I'll just have to make sure of a weekend without a softball/baseball tournament and that's pretty easy in April. Later on in the summer it might be a bit more difficult. Then again, later in the summer it wouldn't be a whole lot of fun spending a whole day on that parking lot!

Wesley Tucker · Post by **Wesley Tucker** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 7:35 pm

Marion Karr wrote:Look foward to seeing you all on a hill somewhere later this spring.

Would anyone like to come down here on the 18th for a BIG FLAT slalom race? I have a spot that is PERFECTLY flat (not the Bus depot,) with a grade 9 asphalt. I can easily set a 50-cone course that is fun, fast, pumpable and with good run out (run out on the flat is easy: you stop pumping and turn and you slow to a halt.) And I'll supply START RAMPS. I've already got one and can easiliy build another with a week's notice.

As always the weather will be a factor, but at least if it does rain, you'll already be in Charleston. Plenty of places to eat, things to do with the family and all that stuff.

And, there's a slight chance it won't be that outlaw.

I'm talking about my parking lot at the baseball complex where I skate every day. If there's no "spring tournament" on the weekend of the 18th, I'll just ask the P&R department if I can tape off a piece of the parking lot for some skating. They're hip to it and with it being a civic facility, they have no issues with liability.

Here's the geography:

3,5 hours from Statesville
3.5 hours from Dublin
4 hours from Athens (66 wouldn't come anyway, he's going snowboarding that weekend)
4 hours from Gainesville (I SWEAR I can get to The Swamp from my house in four hours.)
7 hours from NoVa (I drive it all the time)
6 hours from Va. Beach (Davmo and AaronMo should make it.)

Anyone like the idea? Again, it'll be flat, but the asphalt is so primo (four years old) that it keeps momentum. Your speed will be exponential on this surface. It won't be a grind fest. As long as the wind is good (there's a prevailing wind that's always a tailwind when I skate) then it's a fun ride.

Just think of it this way: remember The Cow Palace? Imagine that with 50-cones at 6- to 8 foot spacings.

Marion Karr · Post by **Marion Karr** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 5:55 pm

Tom,
The timing system looks awesome. I can see a great deal of applications with it. Did you actually have to buy two? Start and finish?

Marion

Gary Saenz · Post by **Gary Saenz** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 5:46 pm

Just got the email from Rusty about this timer setup. Looking to get one myself and it seems to be a decent setup.

Tom Thompson · Post by **Tom Thompson** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 1:35 pm

Joe - equineelectronics.com .....dude's name is Russell. He seems eager to work with the skateboard racing community, gave me a good deal w/good service. Tell him Robert Thompson sent you.

Mine is their basic lap timer modified into a point A to point B timer. I've used it about 12 hours total so far, no problems.

Joe Iacovelli · Post by **Joe Iacovelli** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 5:55 am

WT or TT,

Can we get more info on the timing system?

Thanks,

Joe

Wesley Tucker · Post by **Wesley Tucker** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 3:31 am

Everyone sessioned this weekend. Cool. Ga. Tom and I skated another one of his spots in Dublin. It's a good spot with the approval of the landlord. No bust factor. Tom has also invested in the coolest (and maybe the least expensive) timing system I've seen. It's made for HORSE BARREL RACING it's really simple: four light-beam sensors connected with a wire, some inexpensive microphone stands and it plugs into a hand held stop watch. Accurate to 1/1000th of a second. It won't do duals, but it great for single lane jams, practice and downhill sprints:

Fun hill and a decent grade. Surface is maybe 7 out of 10:

Tom set a tight course with a couple of gnarly offsets. Spacing maxed and maybe 6-1/2" feet. Tom was doing decent. We both started with some serious cone carnage and things got cleaner after about an hour:

Tom went from about a 15.5 adjusted all the way down to 12.7 on 40 cones. He did have one run at 11.9, but 'fessed up to DQ'ing on the last two cones. Damnable honesty:

I spent a long time getting some stuff dialed in and it was worth the trouble. Hey, it was practice. I started with a high time of 17.1 and finally got it down to 14.1. No matter what I couldn't get within a second and half of Tom's time. Oh, well.

This is a good spot and the fact that it's bust free really adds to the appeal. There's another hill in the same park. We didn't run but it has even better asphalt and is a little steeper. Another trip to Dublin is in order.

Tom Thompson · Post by **Tom Thompson** » Mon Jan 02, 2006 6:31 pm

Yes, absolutely. Erin Office Park is about 1 mile from Fred's. It would be good for duels. But honestly, it just doesn't have the appeal Fred's does. The surface is a little rougher, speeds are slower, and the runout can be gnarly. Actually, I'd like to run duels at Fred's like you, Ron, and I did. But want to wait until after we get a single lane race under our belt. You know, to make sure there will be no negative backlash from Mr. Fred. Small 2-3 skater sessions are one thing, full-on races are quite another. Not to worry mind you. I don't forsee any problems as long as we're "respectful" and clean up behind ourselves, etc....

Having said all this, Erin is a permission spot of mine and is a good alternative, if need be.

Wesley Tucker · Post by **Wesley Tucker** » Mon Jan 02, 2006 4:34 pm

Tom,

To change the subject just a bit, what's the latest with the office park? We never did get to run there. I believe you said it would be the ideal spot for running duals.

No, I'm not suggesting you change the 1/15 race venue. It's a long spring, though. Other places to run is always cool.

Mr Surly · Post by **Mr Surly** » Fri Dec 30, 2005 7:48 pm

Tom Thompson wrote:Carl - there's hotel info listed on the sign up page @ ncdsa.com.

woops! thanks

Tom Thompson · Post by **Tom Thompson** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 8:57 pm

Carl - there's hotel info listed on the sign up page @ ncdsa.com.

Mr Surly · Post by **Mr Surly** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 5:07 pm

Tom Thompson wrote:There are some fun little ditches near the hotels. Very hard to NOT skate them. I've been run-off by the GSP, no biggy....Skate 'em at your own risk...

tom, can you send / post some hotel info please? thanks

Tom Thompson · Post by **Tom Thompson** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 1:22 am

Big thanks to Longboards By Fatboy, Chiill Skateboards, Skaterbuilt, and Pleasure Tool Bearings for stepping up and donating prizes.

Rather than waiting until race day to collect contributions for a winner's payout, I've decided to go ahead and accept Paypal donations. Any amount you can contribute will be GREATLY appreciated. My paypal email is robtho1@yahoo.com

Tom Thompson · Post by **Tom Thompson** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 5:48 pm

Cool Marion, surely won't hurt!

Keith's coming but not skating, still healing. Bobby's in if he can get off of work. Strong possibility that Mr. Radikal's sending a gift certificate!! FL, GA, SC, DHB....YEAH!!

Going to pass the hat on race day. Braggin' rights are cool but won't fill up your gas tank for the drive home....Can't fire up a grill on the race hill, so I'll cater up some post race grub....

There are some fun little ditches near the hotels. Very hard to NOT skate them. I've been run-off by the GSP, no biggy....Skate 'em at your own risk...

....to be continued....

Marion Karr · Post by **Marion Karr** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 1:16 am

Tom, I will bring mine as a back up just in case. It's easy to haul.

We got em signing up and will have a few more before the end of the year.

Marion

Tom Thompson · Post by **Tom Thompson** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 12:56 am

Hey Marion - got the timer covered bro. Just bring the crew and let's ROCK!

Marion Karr · Post by **Marion Karr** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 3:47 pm

Tom, The DHB are signing up in force for your race! It's going to rock.

I will be bringing the Timer and Keller, of our local crew, has agreed to come and run it! That way all the skaters can just focus on skating! Keller runs our timer a bunch at our local sessions.

Talk to you soon.....

Mr Surly · Post by **Mr Surly** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 8:24 pm

Tom Thompson wrote:The first race of the Southeast US Winter Outlaw Slalom Series is now listed on the ncds contest calender. Come gitcha some!

for those that dont wanna work too hard:

http://www.ncdsa.com/contests.asp

Marion Karr · Post by **Marion Karr** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 2:59 pm

The DHB Stoke Train is coming to your HOUSE!

Looking forward to it!

Tom Thompson · Post by **Tom Thompson** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 3:28 am

The first race of the Southeast US Winter Outlaw Slalom Series is now listed on the ncds contest calender. Come gitcha some!

Tom Thompson · Post by **Tom Thompson** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 8:09 pm

Cool Lenny! We'd love to have ya.

Lenny Poage · Post by **Lenny Poage** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 4:45 pm

Stoked on it! Hope I can make it!

Tom Thompson · Post by **Tom Thompson** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 9:26 pm

A-ight guys, I've chosen Jan. 15 for the Dublin outlaw at Fred's. I'm calling it the 1st Shamrock Outlaw. I picked Sunday because there appears to be less/no traffic in and out of Fred's on Sundays. Race format has yet to be determined. You can count on it being challenging and you can expect a new twist or two that you've never seen at any other race.....This is full-on outlaw racing and anything can happen.

Many many thanks in advance to Mr. M. Karr for bringing his timer and his boundless stoke!!

I'm posting this race on the ncdsa contest calender sometime this weekend. Sign up!

Oh....and my status as "King Of Georgia" will officially be on the line. I'm a fighting champion and can't wait until April to defend....Ron, Marty, Rick....bring it.

more details to follow.....

Wesley Tucker · Post by **Wesley Tucker** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 3:01 pm

OK,

Three days out and it looks like on Saturday Suwanee will be cold and wet and Dublin will be warm and dry.

Y'all wanna make a call on Friday which way to go? Hey, if everyone is up at at 'em by 6:00 Saturday morning, then waiting til almost the last minute will work for me.

Marty Schaub · Post by **Marty Schaub** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 11:00 pm

Gee, four miles from my house, I think so.....

BTW, they are building a Taco Mac directly across the street from the Suwanee hill. Some times it's better to be lucky than good....

Wesley Tucker · Post by **Wesley Tucker** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 8:54 pm

Is everybody up for a session in Suwanee this Saturday? The early weather looks like things might cooperate this weekend.

Chris Barrett · Post by **Chris Barrett** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 5:30 am

That looks like alot of fun.

Wesley Tucker · Post by **Wesley Tucker** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 2:52 am

A few more from today. Just for the record, today may have just set a record as the most incredible skateboard weather we've had in a long, long time. When we started at 11:00 my car thermometer read 55 and when we finished at 3:00 it was 68. Ron's the only guy who broke a sweat (probably from chasing The King Of Georgia all day.)

It was a great session and accomplished what good practice should: we were faster when we got done than when we started. Tom and Ron progressively made the course harder. The best part for me was feeling as good when we finished as when we started.

Looking forward to another round December 3rd.

Tom Thompson · Post by **Tom Thompson** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 12:33 am

IT CAME FROM THE SEVENTIES!!!....oh, thats just Tucker...
<img src="http://images5.theimagehosting.com/wesleytop.jpg"/>

Ronnie Van Olsen, pumpin till it hurts and gettin faster...
<img src="http://images5.theimagehosting.com/fredsron.jpg"/>

50 cones, top of course, aw this is easy
<img src="http://images5.theimagehosting.com/fredscoursetop.jpg"/>

Bottom, offset and pyramid hell...
<img src="http://images5.theimagehosting.com/fred ... bottom.jpg"/>

I'm feelin' it in my legs. That's when you know it was a good session.

Thanks guys! Good skate, good grub...

Tom Thompson · Post by **Tom Thompson** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 12:19 am

This hill is the entrance to a FRED'S Distribution Center. It's about 1 mile from my permission spot. I've skated it a couple of times with no problems. The center appears to be closed and car/bust free on weekends.

This hill is butter smooth, long, and deceptively fast. Perfect for the 100 cone outlaw idea we've been knocking around. I'm strongly leaning towards using this hill for the January outlaw over my permission spot. If it turns out to be a bust, we only have a mile to move to my other spot.....The sharp left turn at the bottom leads into a huge parking lot that can't be seen from the main road. We'll all park there....

<img src="http://images5.theimagehosting.com/freds1.jpg"/>

Wesley Tucker · Post by **Wesley Tucker** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:10 pm

Hey, Y'all,

I just spoke with the managing engineer in the South Carolina Department Of Transportation Office in Chester, South Carolina. This is the office that covers Fairfield County and subsequently Exit 46.

"Greg" told me there is no scheduled plan to repave South Carolina State Road S-20-487, which is Parallel Drive, or our Exit 46 hill.

However, he said that doing such a project would be considered "maintenance" and that at any time a crew could head up that way and pave the road. Well, I asked him to please make a note of at least ONE PUBLIC INQUIRY about the poor condition of the road with the pea-gravel surface and that it is rapidly deteriorating with traffic. Although the road is a dead end, it has considerable traffic on it from the lumber trucks that are harvesting the stand at the top of the hill, hunters going to and from the Hunt Club at the top of the hill and also maintenance workers going to and from the TWO CELLULAR TOWERS located at each end of the road.

So, every southern skateboarder who wants to ride the best hill around has an assignment AND I AM VERY SERIOUS:

Call "Greg" with the South Carolina Department Of Highways Chester Field Office. His phone number is:

803-377-4155

Identify yourself as one of the following:

A lumber truck operator
A maintenance supervisor with All Tel or Verizon Cellular
A member of the International Hunt Club on Parallel Drive.

Ask Greg if there's any plans in the near future to repave State Road S-20-487? If not, who needs to be contacted in order to get the road on the regular maintenance schedule in order to get new blacktop? (Greg is the guy, by the way.)

Tell him that the lumber trucks are really "distressing" the pea-gravel and some hard black top needs to be put down before the road becomes too gravelly and pot-holed for traffic. If you say you are a lumber truck driver, tell Greg you have issues with the gravel as you've experienced braking problems with a load of heavy lumber on the "slippery" gravel.

Mix it up. Make Greg think that Frontage Road has a load of traffic on it constantly and that the pea gravel is really unsafe for heavy trucks.

C'mon, we're outlaw skateboarders. Let's do something a little bit outlaw and get the SCDOT to get off their ass and pave our favorite street!

And one more thing:

DON'T MENTION SKATEBOARDING!!! This is all about commerce and usage and safety and quality and spending the state's money to make a necessary road safe for heavy vehicles.

(Why is this in the "southern winter series outlaw" topic? Well, if you want to have a race here, it needs paving. Simple as that.)

Wesley Tucker · Post by **Wesley Tucker** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 5:51 pm

Tom,

It's all been covered in my "South Carolina State Championships" topic here in DOWN SOUTH. The State Of South Carolina came in back in July and "prepped" the frontage roads on I-77 for repaving . . . and haven't touched it since.

So the hill is completely level with no pot holes or reflectors and covered in a fine pea gravel. It's all ready for asphalt, but completely unskateable. Every time I go to Statesville I make it a point to check it out and see if the trucks and steam rollers have come yet to finish the job.

So far, no luck. I have no way of knowing if they ever intend to repave it or just leave it in the shape it's in now.

Tom Thompson · Post by **Tom Thompson** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 4:10 pm

Great! Trade and Suwanee rule. There's two races right there!

Wesley, what about Exit 46?....hunters?? Not to shoot down the Bus Station idea, mind you....

I'll pick a date for Mid-January in Dublin.

Wesley Tucker · Post by **Wesley Tucker** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 11:45 pm

Tom,

I'm there. And, hey, I'm game to a night-time Bus Depot throw down here in Charleston. In the winter the Tour Bus stuff slows down a little, so the odds of getting the shed at night are better.

Just to reiterate what has been said so many times before, the Bus Depot in Charleston is the Tour Bus shed at the Charleston Visitor's Center. It is FLAT, but the surface is that almost polished concete with no expansion joints. As Gilmour described it, it's so flat and the surface is so perfect that it's almost like going downhill because you never lose any momentum, it just keeps going up. The wheels choices are best at 86a and harder. Just keep the course rhythmic and clean and you'll go fast!

I'll snap up the THIRD WEEKEND IN FEBRUARY February 18 for a date. Don't ask me why or how, but that weekend in the Lowcountry is traditionally a warm spell. Been that way since I was a kid. The average high is 62, low of 37 with a mean of 51. That means temps at race time in the evening would be the in '40s.

How's that?

Oh, don't forget: this is a SATURDAY NIGHT RACE. Gotta race at night. The Visitor's Center is open during the day. I think it closes at 6:00. We can race from 8:00 til sunrise.

Marty Schaub · Post by **Marty Schaub** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 11:25 pm

Dublin sounds great. We also have Suwanee and Trade for a mix if we feel like it. Anybody down?????

Tom Thompson · Post by **Tom Thompson** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 8:01 pm

I propose we try this out. I know the idea has been tossed around for the past few winters...

3 or 4 races starting in January and running till March or April. Either hold each race in different locations, or have all races in one location. Personally, I like the idea of having them all in one killer location. We KNOW which hills I'm speaking of....

If the idea of multiple locations sounds best to y'all, I can host a race here in Dublin, preferrably in February/March but will throw my hat in the ring to host the first race in January. In fact, that might be best since I have no experience putting on races. Such details as points and stuff aren't important to me. I just want to race with my bros this winter....

My spot is on the outskirts of Dublin, easy to get to from I-16, within 2 miles of hotels and restaurants, a quarter mile from a hospital, and right beside a convenience store. It's located in an office park that consists of three parallel parking lots, each with it's own appeal for setting up cones. Not a speed demons wet dream, but good enough for tightish pumper's courses with top speeds nearing 20mph depending on the course.

Most of you SE slalomers could do a one day trip for this. NC, FLA, TX, MS, probably not...ALL are welcome.

Below is the lot I spend most of my time on. The surface is about 7.5 - 8. The parking lot is empty on weekends. This hill is ALOT like Court St. minus the perfect surface. Starts semi-flat and drops about 1/3 the way down. The run out is turn left/right like Court.

<img src="http://images5.theimagehosting.com/erin1.3.jpg"/>

We've got some great spots here in the Southeast, a boatload of stoke, fair winter weather, and at least 10 active slalomers I can think of off the top of my head....A legal pad, some pens, and a timer? I think we can swing that....DC's been doing it forever. We should too!

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