Color 9.6SE Buy This Issue Now

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In an ’86 Vanagon nicknamed ‘The Mule,’ I traveled with three quarters of Solitary Arts (riders Bob Lake, Jef Hartsel and co-owner Yong-Ki Chang) down from the Bay Area to Culver City, L.A. to skateboard and participate in an exhibition. For these men of the Solitary Arts, the connection to their board is one of the most important commitments in their lives. In an era when the old head-nod to another skater can be met with blank stares and attitude, Solitary Arts reminds us that it’s not just about the trick, it is how you get there that counts. At every opportunity, these seekers of stoke skated the L.A. area as if it was going to be their last session ever. For them, skateboarding is more than just a spot, more than an era; it is an activity that expresses the universal appeal of fun that we are all looking for on seven plies (or nine if you ride the Piano Pinner).