The Wood - Skateboard Podcast

Episode 14 - Mandon - Style and soul in the House (park)

Mandon Maloney has been skating a long, long time.  You can always find him at House Park in central Austin.  He has seen skate style come and go and seems to have always done his own thing in bowls and on ramps.  He is super low key and humble.  In this episode, he talks about his early days in Dallas, his favorite places in Austin, his music and band, and his favorite things all of them.  He never even mentioned his old house having a cameo in Streets of Fire, or his more than 2 decade professional tennis career.  Like I said, a super humble dude. 

Episode 13 - What’s up with this guy? Scott Garlington (Switchie)

Scott Garlington (Switchie) has always been a bringer together of people, and he rips also.  From arriving in Austin as a dreadlocked Drag rat to nowadays meditating through his skateboard at House Park on the reg, Scott has earned his place as one of Austin's established.  In this episode we get to hear his take on skateboarding in Corpus, OKC, and Austin as well as the wood ramp scene in the early 2000's.  

Episode 12 - Dave Wattigny - Broken Neck, Spleen, Parisites and Pools

In this episode I had a great time speaking with with Dave Wattigny.  He speaks of all types of tales from his photographic memory of his early days on his Hobie board, to the Broken Neck, a busted spleen, to the Dust Bowl in Lafayette, to "pool-cleaning" and building the pool in Parisite Park in New Orleans.   

Episode 11 - Isaac Martinez: Maggie’s Ramp Reflections

In this episode I got to speak with Isaac Martinez during a Wednesday night session at his house in central Austin where Maggie's Ramp is located.  He talks about the ramp story, the early days of his skating, his influences, and his board shaping.
 

Episode 10 - Reflections on Hollywood laybacks

In this episode I got to speak with John Wilinski aka: Hollywood while he was in town and ripping up Maggie's ramp in Austin, TX.  Hollywood has been around the block and back again on a skateboard and has a unique perspective on skateboarding both as a pro and as a ramp builder.
 

Episode 09 - Ebone brings her skateboarding stoke to the new school

In this short episode at the Fredericksburg contest on April 29, 2022, I had a chance to sit down with Ebone and talk about her love for skateboarding. Growing up in South Austin, she has found her crew of like-minded women who also skate and have a stoke for the sport.  She also teaches at a middle school and has been given the opportunity to  share her love for the sport and for her students by helping them learn how to ride a skateboard.   

Episode 08 - Orale! It’s Daveed with the hardware

This is one of two short episodes from a contest on Fredericksburg. David Castillo, founder of Orale! speaks with me as we talk about skateboarding in The Valley in South Texas, and in San Antonio.  He also talks about his company Orale! that specializes in hardware made for skateboarding.  Park building legend Grapes also makes a cameo appearance.

Episode 07 - Sam Bethke - San Marcos street skating, security guards, and martial arts

In this episode I interview San Marcos local Sam Bethke.  He recounts the days in San Marcos, TX before the official skatepark, the street scene, and his run-ins with the security guards.  Then, later in life he discovers Krav Maga and describes how it all ties in to his first love of skateboarding.  
 
Brought to you by: Foundry Skateboards 
https://www.foundryskateboards.com/

Episode 06 - Wes Hunter - The Wood Ramp Chronicles

In this episode I speak with Wes Hunter.  Longtime local in the Austin skate scene and longtime ripper at many of the iconic wooden ramps that were built in Austin over the past couple of decades.  We speak a little bit about those ramps and his influences as a skater.

Episode 05 - Stephen Esposito - Phoenix Rising

In this episode I talk to Stephen Esposito while we were skating at Tom Henry's concrete skatepark in his backyard.  He recounts his skateboarding roots in Phoenix and Chicago before his move to Austin.