Max Myers’ Do’s and Dont’s of the Downhill Disco.

Pump Station, a spot appropriated a while ago by local riders, has played host to a number of events and gatherings, but not one of this magnitude. On the final day of April, a formidable collection of skateboarders, of an even more impressive variety of age and sizes, congregated at this spot to get down on the most booty-kickinest cones race out there. The 2nd MuirSkate Downhill Disco had over 130 riders signed up to participate, and so the pace of the day reflected that in more ways than one. The course had multiple kickers, ramps with tunnels over them, and cones the entire length. Whoever built these kickers designed and built them well—they had a nice lip and really made it easy to boost big. By the time I showed up, there were groms putting down the fattest airs I had seen in a while, the sides of the road were lined with spectators, and the flow of riders down the hill just never stopped. It was difficult to get clean practice runs of the race course, and to everyone’s disbelief except my own, I managed to sprain my ankle tripping off the side of the road during practice time. I dispatched my trusty buddy Eric to fetch a case of beer, and sat down with my foot in some kind gentleman’s ice chest to observe the rest of the day. Over the next few hours, I watched many people successfully, and not quite as successfully, navigate the swath of cones and jump-ramps littering the hill, so here’s a little of what I saw, and my Do’s and Dont’s of the MuirSkate 2011 Downhill Disco.

Do: Blast 180 hippy jumps for extra style points.

Don’t: Underestimate the hippy jump and eat it trying one for the first time in your life on this tiny thing, like I did within 15 minutes of arrival.

Do: Be consistent. Robbie Lyons throws down the most steezinest manueuvers, like this 360 boneless, every time I see him skate.

Don’t: Let this Gravity ripper go under your radar.

Do: Go big. Chance Gaul was putting down this nutty board varial off the big ramp like it wasn’t a big deal.

Don’t: Try this if you aren’t 14 and seemingly unbreakable.

Do: Be this guy. Scott threw an excellent event and somehow managed to keep the chaos organized—commendable to say the very least.

Don’t: Piss this guy off.

Do: Should you get injured, drink enough beers to feel comfortable lying under a jump ramp while people fly over you.

Don’t: Drop your board Louis. Thanks.

Do: Throw out shwag to the kids. Nothing is radder than free stuff.

Don’t: Get a brutal elbow to the face unless you really need some wheels.

Do: Skate so hard and drink so many sodas that you look like this at the end of the day.

Don’t: Get road rash all over your nice one-piece pajamas.

Do: Huck yourself off some ramps. Jimmy is going huge on this one during one of his timed heats.

Don’t: Get distracted by the mass of staring groms whilst boosting off said jump ramp.

So that’s it, the 2011 Downhill Disco. If you missed it this time, be sure to make the next one. The jump in the size of the ramps from last year to this year can only mean even more brutal results at the next event. Big ups to the MuirSkate crew for making this one happen.

Words By Max Myers & Photos by Marcus Bandy