We'll be right back.

We'll be right back after a message from our sponsors...

Just kidding of course as there are no sponsors. We are however full of the above pancakes and we're heading out to hit the skate park. We'll be back to posting this or that later....

Element Skate Camp Part II

So we left you hanging after Element Skate Camp Part I. No big deal, here's the follow up!

I only imagine if I kept on walking that I'd eventually find the Ewok Village...

...Back to reality...Element Skate Camp!

There was just so much to take in during drop off that I had to snap some shots! Just a small taste of the art at camp...

The "Art Shed" itself was in the midst of some TLC.

Paint party!

Details...

Things you don't do at other camps.... learn how to make skateboard decks!

The sanding/shaping station...

Resident artist...spank

Not just skateboarding, canoeing, campfires, skits, elemental awareness etc... Ping Pong!

The mega mini alone was a a good reason to beg to stay the week!

Of course, that never happened. We left and came back six days later very, very early in the morning!

All packed up!

We had to leave L.A. at 5:15am to make it to camp in time for the 9:30am viewing of the week's video. These guys just simply rolled out of bed!

Good morning dreadlocks...

Taylor Morgan takes a well deserved high-five before introducing the video he stayed up all night editing!

Too early for popcorn!

Jealous? Don't worry...you can view the entire week's footage here!

After the screening, I took one last look around. More art...

More mini ramp!

Probably one of the most loved ramps. The launch ramp in to the lake!

The bowl!

Number One Son was loving the mini-mega "El Diablo". I couldn't be more jealous!

Time to hit the road...

Enough said...Always Shred!

Get your freak on!

While in Los Angeles, I did the unthinkable and that was to leave my camera behind almost 50% of the time. Why? Aside from not always wanting to lug around heavy gear while walking for most of each day, sometimes you just need to live and let the documenting of said living take a back seat.

Regardless of the amount of time the cameras spent idle, I can assure you that lots of photos were taken and will be posted over the next short while! Including, but not limited to: skateboarding, people, cars, bikes, more skateboarding, food and "freaks"...

...So stay tuned!

Austin Hufnagel

When we landed in Los Angeles, the first order of business was to settle in to where we were staying in Venice Beach. The second order of business was obviously to head to the Venice Skatepark. Due to an obvious young age, combined with a great deal of talent; the first skater that caught my eye was Austin Hufnagel. On our third day at the park, I finally got to meet him and his father. On the fourth day at the park, we shot some photos!

Meet 11 year old, Austin...

Austin was introduced to skateboarding at an early age while growing up in Puerto Rico. Currently calling New York home, he is fortunate enough to be vacationing on the west coast. What better to do while on the west coast that to hone those skills at the local park!?

Backside over the hip...

After shooting a few photos... he asks if I'd like to shoot "the backflip". Obviously yes, but I was still shocked at the question. My own question was "are you ready?" His answer...

It goes without saying, super kid... superman!

I could tell right off the hop that this kid just loved skateboarding. Being great at it is a perk. Being dedicated to it, is what helps makes him great at it. Being fearless also helps a little I'm sure!

Check out Austin's facebook page here.

Don't be jealous!

Just like Mary's shirt says...DON'T BE JEALOUS. Of all the portraits that were shot yesterday of the people we met, this one gets our vote for portrait of the day.

Visiting Venice Beach from South Central...Mary

The Postcard

We're still on the west coast and no we're not sending you a postcard, so this will have to do. Enjoy!

Angel "Seck" Martinez

We don't care too much for "sponsor me" videos and requests from kids who don't seem to get what we're all about at Pancakes and Skateboards. Sometimes I wonder if they'd even viewed our blog period. What we do care about is every once in awhile meeting new friends near and far that we just "click" with. Once example of this would be when we met "Seck" in Mexico City (Distrito Federal).

Seck has never asked for anything, but what he has done is keep in touch since we met back in 2011. He represents just about everything we love about skateboarding in general. In case you missed it in a recent post, here's his latest clips... (note the P&S love)

That video prompted us to do something we should have done a long time ago... We welcomed Angel "Seck" Martinez to the P&S family!

That that!

Element Skate Camp Part I

What's more than 5,000' above sea level...

Surrounded by all sorts of nature, just like this gigantic Pinus lambertina a.k.a. sugar pine cone...

...and has a skate park and other various (and awesome) ramps and a bowl planted right in the middle of the Sequoia National Forest?

Element Skate Camp!

To be continued...

Hanging out with Beckham

Air mattress hijinks to start off the day!

Get your Superman on!

Finish the day with L.A. Galaxy vs. Vancouver White Caps! All in all, a good day!

L.A. wins!

 

David Beckham was in attendance as well. That's that!

A Penny for your thoughts

The soft, urethane wheels of the Penny board + the smooth concrete of the boardwalk = Number One Son falling in love with skateboarding all over again.