The sight of of Paul Hoffman's Skatercross ID card at the Hoffman/Dawson website: http://www.oldstylefreestyle.com/ has motivated me to go back and scan my pictures from that park. Skatercross, in Reseda California, was the first skatepark that I knew of. At the time, I was just learning B&W and just beginning to feel comfortable around the Venice skaters. Somehow they managed to talk me into driving them over the pass to the San Fernando Valley. I was a bit overwhelmed by the place at first. These pictures are all from the summer of 1977. My memories are all a bit cloudy, so please forgive me if some are innacurate.
I think that Skatercross got it's name because it was partly based on the idea of motocross/BMX parks. I always thought it was sort of like a bobsled run. Unfortunately there were constant traffic problems as bigger skaters would come barrelling through a bunch of little kids who were falling every ten feet, and since there was no actual race going on there was little motivation to get to the end where you would only find yourself on line to go to the top/beginning. Little groups would form at certain 'corners' and just practice as if it were a ramp or bowl.
The park was also unusual in that it was right in town and quickly became a teen hangout. You had to pay to skate obviously, but there was also a fee to get on the premises at all. I was such a beginner that I didn't have the nerve to ask to go out on to the run itself, so my angles were severely limited. I couldn't get out to that biggest 'bowl' and my pictures of skaters skimming over the edge from behind amount to psychic skate photography....I had no idea who would appear!
I scanned all of my Skatercross negatives, and although I edited them down somewhat, but tried not to be too fussy about it, I wanted to give you all a feel of the park. I also wanted to include as many individuals as possible, not just the hottest skaters