Santa Barbara Or Bust!

Yesterday I had an opportunity I’ve dreamed about for 26 years… I got to tag along with Mike V and visit the Powell Peralta offices and factory. I can’t even begin to explain how important the company is to me. In 1985 I saw Future Primitive and it shot my life into a direction that has yet to be derailed. The company, videos, ads, graphics and skaters helped shape my youth and well, heck.. even my adult life. It was such an honor to be there and get a behind the scenes look at all the things I’ve always wondered about. I have to give a huge thanks to Michael Furukawa for taking the time out of his busy day to show me around and answer all of my questions.

Besides all the great history we all know and love about Powell Peralta, one thing that I think is so great about them is that they are a true skateboard company. They make all of their own products in their own factory! Everything is researched, developed and manufactured in the good ‘ol USA. To this day, George Powell still creates the shapes of their wheels! How cool is that!? And getting to hear Michael Furukawa explain some of their wheel and skateboard manufacturing techniques and hearing how passionate he was about it reassured me they are still the best skateboard company of all time.

What you see here are a few photos from the day. Enjoy…

Crusin’ the 101 North.

Mike V mans the wheel.

Once we got to the factory the tour began. First stop was the back parking lot to check out the old portable mini ramp that was used on many Bones Brigade summer tours.

Here is Mike and I in front of the ramp. I first met Mike in August of 1988 in Rochester, NY and he was skating this very ramp that day! 23 years later, here we are.

The tour continued inside… Next stop was the wheel room. Top secret stuff prevents me from showing you some of the technology that make the wheels so you’ll have to settle for a pic of a trays of some fresh-out-of-the-oven wheels.

Newly poured wheels being cut into shape.

Here is the room where the heat transfers for board graphics are stored and filed including the new aqua blue Mike V Elephant down on the end.

The other side of the room was where the retired graphics lived.

All of the heat transfers are screened in-house and applied to the decks using this machine as Michael demonstrates.

A stack of Caballero decks waiting to have the top dragon logo silk screened on.

Silk screening the top of a Caballero deck.

Pallets of boards waiting to be shaped, sanded and skated!

A new skateboard taking shape.

Michael showing us the master shape for Mike V’s OG Elephant deck.

This is the main apparatus that is used to cut Mike’s OG Elephant shape.

Here is Mike investigating a stack of freshly cut Elephant decks awaiting to be sanded.

Sanding! A new deck getting smoothed out.

The next stop on our tour was the main warehouse area where everything is stocked and shipped. We stumbled upon this new Mike V display that was just delivered. It was made for this weekend’s Crossroads Retail Show.

Further on into the warehouse it was time to check out the the latest Powell Peralta goods and do a bit of shopping.

Mike grabbing his new aqua blue Mike V Elephant for his personal stash.

Next we met up with long time Powell Peralta employee, Jim Knight. Here, Jim and Mike discuss the upcoming Powell Peralta coffee table book. I was privy to see some of how the layout of the book will flow during the visit. Can’t wait to see this thing completed.

No photos were allowed inside but behind this door is the Powell Peralta archives. Every photo and every artifact is stored away in there. I could have spent hours in that room.

Vato Rat pool tiles in the bathroom.

Back upstairs and into the offices… Mike signed 5 decks to be sold soon to benefit the Grind For Life organization.

Our day at Powell Peralta came to a close and we let Michael get back to work. Now we were headed on down to the House Of Blues in Anaheim to see Motörhead!

The drive down to Anahiem was smooth sailing and upon arrival Mike’s friend, Robb Whitaker, hooked us up with tickets, all access passes and escorted us to our front row, center balcony seats. They were the best seats in the house!

Lemmy!

After Motörhead’s set Mike was spotted and signed autographs and posed for pictures for some fans who were in attendance.

From there we were escorted backstage to meet the band. Here we are about to enter the band’s lair.

Here’s the cap to an amazing day…. Robb, Mike V, Lemmy from Motörhead and myself.