Downhill skateboarding gives us the unique opportunity to search out our next skate location in some of the most unique and extreme places in the world. Be it in our own town, country or making our way slowly uncovering the globe to embrace each opportunity to hone our skills.
This small country of Switzerland offers countless diverse challenges within a relatively short drive. During the filming of Greener Pastures we covered one thousand kilometres traveling to each of the ten locations (not including skating) over thirteen days before making our way to Kozakov the first European IGSA World Cup race in Czech Republic.
In many cases traveling becomes more the adventure than skating, when in search of our next campsite, meal or stunning view. “The van” becomes a place of refuge which all skaters can relate to.
In Greener Pastures a magic wheel is used to create a metaphor for how each of us are connected. No matter who we ride for, what we ride, or how we ride it we are all brought together for a common passion.
In the middle of August this year, the Arbor Skateboard team stepped out into the Sierra mountains with a common purpose. The idea behind the project was simple and ambitious, trek into the wilderness, and skate roads we’ve never skated before. The thrill was in the hunt, and the end product is indicative and inclusive of much more than our primary vision; it encapsulates what life is like on the road for us, outside of racing and competition, where the only concern was having fun with our friends. The trip was about the team, the locations, the lifestyle, but more than anything, it was about skateboarding.
We put in the research and the time to find roads on maps, but had no idea what we’d be met with once we set foot on the pavement. There was no assurance of good surfaces, places to sleep, safe conditions, or cell phone service. We were on our own in foreign territory, and the only assurance we had was a drop in elevation.
For a week we woke up at the butt crack of dawn, tried to catch fish, slept in the cold, lost our way, got stuck on top of giant boulders, and skated some of the most unbelievable roads I’ve ever seen. People went down at 50 mph plus, and countless bystanders and tourists gawked as we trudged up and flew down the hills to get our shots. The end product is something we’re proud of and illustrates our passion for skateboarding.
It is our pleasure to offer you the teaser of Arbor Skateboard’s 2011 Get Elevated Tour.
“Greener Pastures” film series is hosted in Switzerland which encompasses a great diversity of landscapes offering an abundance of opportunity for places to film and explore.
The purpose of “Greener Pastures” is to expose some of the best skating with some of the best riders on earth in a high quality production. It is clear that longboarding has become an individual entity, distinct from other sports while still being connected to them. It is this new and vibrant identity that “Greener Pastures” looks to communicate to its viewers. But unlike other skateboard and longboard videos, “Greener Pastures” will represent all companies together, presented in an unbiased fashion. It is this type of unity that will allow for an uninhibited cooperation between riders. It is this sense of community and cooperation that is at the heart of the contemporary longboarding identity.
Arbor Skateboards team rider, Adam Crigler is a New York City boy and in this video, he and friend, not so dirty Sanchez pick apart Central Park. I love living in the city!
