The skating is rounded out with one last session on a road near to James’ heart and his place on the lake. It proves to be a monster as well, boasting hairpins, a 60mph straight, and countless sweepers and bends. Not everyone comes out unscathed, and a couple close calls coupled with the guys being at wits end brings the trip to a solid finish. The preparation for the long trip back to the “valley of scum” gives everyone time to reflect what they had just experienced on the road over the last week.

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 3

Episode 4

They come to the top of a canyon, with roads extending to the left and the right. One is the old grade, the other is the new truck bypass. The left path takes you down 2 miles of narrow and outrageously steep pavement, narrowly splitting guardrails and uphill traffic on either side. The other is a busy highway, with lots of large trucks, and 50mph chutes. The crew sleeps next to a lake, and tries their hand at fishing again, but to no avail, and end their day with more travel by making their way to James’ lakeside cabin in Pinecrest.

Episode 1

Episode 2

–Duke Degen

Duke Degen is new to the Arbor freeride skateboard team so look for his profile coming to our website very soon!

Arbor freeride skateboard team riders Josh Hunt, Max Myers, Eric Singer and Jimmy Riha (right to left).

Josh Hunt in the San Diego hills.

“The Axis is an epic freeride board with a little bit of flex and with the drop-through it’s easy to slide and just have fun. Carving was a snap, back and fourth listening to the wheels grip the pavement, you could just hear how solid the ride was. It’s a skateboard you can also have fun on flat ground just shredding around town. Jimmy took a couple runs down some underground garages that night. His review was simple, ‘too much fun!’ Taking it to a parking garage with some friends was a good time–carving and gripping around turns. I love the way I can slide these boards and bring it back inline so easy. Thanks Ardor for hooking it up and making another sweet skateboard.”

–Josh Hunt, Arbor Skateboard Team Rider

Jimmy Riha shredding in the San Diego sunset.

HOMETOWN: La Jolla, CA

HOME SKATEPARK: Ocean Beach

YEARS SKATEBOARDING: Years=Life

ARBOR PREFERRED QUIVER: Custom cutouts, Bamboo Pin, Koa Hybrid, The Axis and The Assault and any thing with wheels.

Please describe your style of skateboarding: Fast, fun, sketchy…really sketchy…really fast.

Where is your favorite place to skateboard? The training grounds.

Do you surf? Hell ya, been surfing for my life. Now, I find spare time to hit up Blacks and shred.

Do you snowboard? Nope, not yet…waiting to get on one soon!

If you could pick four people to go skate with, who would they be and where would you skate? Teammates Jimmy Riha, Dave Govea and then Geoff and Victor.

What is the worst lie you ever told your mom? No mom, I’m not high…then when we sat down for dinner I ate all the food.

What is the worst lie she ever told you? You’re so cute, no one loves you like your mom does!

Mac or PC? Don’t know, I don’t have a computer. I’m kind of a caveman when it comes to that. But, I see that Mac would be a good one.

Would you rather be smart and ugly or dumb and beautiful? Well, I’m already pretty ugly so…smart would be even better.

Describe your perfect day of skateboarding: A nice road, good ride and some wheels to burn through.

Arbor Assault Video from Arbor Collective on Vimeo.

Team rider Josh Hunt slides through on the new Assault.

Arbor’s most advanced downhill design, the Assault is a fiberglass reinforced, drop-through skateboard that’s built to deliver high-level speed, drift, and carve performance. The new Assault’s cambered, symmetrical shape is ideal for switch and slide management, while its flex provides an amazing level of rail-to-rail power with a phenomenally smooth ride. Added sidecut creates a centered stance and improves turn initiation. Expect stability, control, and return in a lightweight package.

“With the Assault, we set out to refine the shape of our new Axis skateboard deck and create the ultimate all-around freeride design,” says Arbor’s President, Bob Carlson. “We enhanced the materials and adjusted the specs to deliver a flex, wheelbase, and lightweight shape ideal for hardcore downhill freeriding. What we ended up with is the most responsive drop-through on the market, built with a completely unique fiberglass-reinforced lay-up.”

The Assault is built with a combination of sustainably sourced maple and pre-cured fiberglass. The deck is finished with tip-to-tail Jessup grip tape that includes a die-cut logo. Completes come Arbor’s new 72mm, 75A Durometer Slalom Series Wheels (made from sucrose-based bio-urethane), 9” Gullwing Chargers Trucks, ABEC 5 bearings, and recycled plastic risers. Complete Assaults are competitively prices at an MSRP of $249.50.

Arbor Assault Video from Arbor Collective on Vimeo.

The 2010/11 Arbor Skateboard just hit the website. Click here to check them out!

Jimmy Riha presses into a slide in the hills of San Diego.

A nasty pintail asphalt grinder by Dave Govea.

Peep the photo gallery!