Do you still live near Breck?
No, not anymore; I’m up in Big Bear Lake, California. Big Bear’s Summit is right here. We’re stayin’ right on the main street, up the road at a house. Seth and Lenny are here. It’s got a skateboard ramp in the back. Right now they took off the big ol’ flat wall and there’s a curb now, set on top. It’s a fun little skate spot.

You suffered a head injury last year in a bad accident. Give us some background on that accident, if you don’t mind. What exactly happened?
Yeah, I was up in South Lake Tahoe. It was me and Dylan Lynch, went to visit Ryan Allaire and Matt Douglas. Matt just got a house up on top of this hill. They’re goin’ to school out there and they just moved into this house and me and Dylan were gonna just stop by, but we ended up stayin’ there a couple days. Just wake up and go right outside the house and there’s a snake run all the way through some housing developments, all the way through and take the road down to a light and then there’s a skateboard park about one block up on the right. So, there was skateboarding for a couple days. Then, there was talk about certain girls comin’ from overseas. Maybe I shouldn’t say anything to that, but there was talk of that like, “Oh yeah, there’s girls comin’ from overseas for school.” I guess that’s what all of them were talkin’ about. I guess that turned out to be the day I hit my head. I guess I went down and skateboarded, went to the college and everyone was like, “No, they’re meeting at the school,” I guess meeting those girls. We were heading up to their house and it was turning into one of those nights. I guess we were gonna go up and stay another night, spend another couple days up there. It turned out to be on the way up, we stopped at a stop sign and then I just got out, was lookin’ straight with a grin on my face. Jonny Lazz was drivin’ and Ryan Allaire was in the back, in the trunk. It was an old Land Cruiser and there were a couple of people sitting in the back seat, too. It turned out OK. We just went from there. I remember it was dark out, it was black, all the streets were black; you could kinda see some haze. I think I just remember manualing and I was like, “Oh yeah, you can manual for a long time doin’ this.” I remember that at first, during the beginning. There was this one street that dipped down and turned up, right where the road that we gotta meet up with is, to go down and bomb all the hills. It turned out that right before it cut to the actual road, I hit a crack and smashed my head. I woke up from there two and a half weeks later in Reno in ICU. I went under the car a little bit I guess, and like I was sayin’, Ryan was in the trunk and he said the car popped up and left the ground. I guess I skidded to the side of the road. They pulled my camera out of my pocket and took a picture of me. I just had a beet-red face with eyes wide open, my shoes behind my head. I guess they got out and were like, “Lucas,” and were tryin’ to ask me questions and trying to talk and I wasn’t sayin’ a thing. Then the paramedics got there and I guess I was like, “Naw don’t touch me, let me be, no.” Then they drugged me and flew me out in a helicopter. They had me down as being in a coma because I just wanted to move around, I just wanted to not be there and get up and leave. I kind of remember three flashbacks and there are all sorts of stories but the three things I remember…

I puked blood I guess three times. I just remember someone grabbed one of those gray buckets they have there. I put it in front of me and I just remember red, went “Cachaaa”, it was awful, just sheer red, kinda like a dark red.

I remember the morphine, done there. The third thing was seeing Lane. He helped me out a lot. I guess he came in every day just checking up, seein’ how I was doin’. Tellin’ people how I was, but it helped.

I guess I wanted to get up. I guess I got up like that movie “Jerk”. That’s what my mom was saying “You got up in your gown, hostile, wires were all ripped out. I got up and was like I’m taking this and this. I grabbed my bag and I guess I was like “OK I’m gonna get some new shoes, some new jeans, set up a new skateboard and then go back and go skateboard. Get the fuck out of here! They had to kick everyone out. Dakota, I guess one of my friends, tried to get me out of there because I really wanted to leave. I guess he tried to sneak me out but I had one of those electrical bands that beeped when we went to the exit. So he got kicked out for that.

Anyways, what I remember right before I woke up. I left the hospital room and went to the Tavern in the Nightmare Before Christmas, but there was more of a wave of more buildings on the left of the tavern. I remember walkin’ around seein’ crazy lookin’ dogs and people. I walked around the corner and I was walking towards what they call “The Light”. It was just a bright light, bright haze. I was walking towards it and these little creatures, little gremlins in a way, these little creatures were hoppin’ around with a big ol’ smile, you could see their teeth. They’re like “aww naww, you’re not leavin’ yet – nope”. I’m like “oh OK”. I turned around and walked back into the black. From the top of the hospital room, below me was me just sitting on the hospital bed in all my street clothes, no one in there. I turned to my right and looked behind me and there’s a window and the window was just bright light and nice cars cruising around and it went like a drape. It just went down and turned back to what it was. I turned around and I just woke up.

I went from there and I believe I spent a month there after I woke up walking around. Then they cut off my security wristband so I could leave the hospital and walk around. They said I was supposed to be paralyzed, they didn’t know how I was just up and walking around. I guess I lost some weight a little bit. I was kind of, not weak, but not how I was when I remember. Then they put me in class for a little bit, walking outside, runnin’ around, and then I’d do some other balancing things and whatnot. I spent the month there, then went back to Rutland, went to the Rutland Hospital and was taking a 3-course rehab experience. One class would be like ‘press the button if you hear this or that’, ‘press if the days are in the correct order which it is.’ Random questions like that for one class. I took like a ‘think’ class. I made a good fish and rice, like a really nice meal. It turned out to be that I only cooked once but I didn’t cook after that with that class. They had me do some other mind treatment, doin’ stuff with paper and whatnot. The other class was goin’ on a bike and they had me work out. Not work out, but just to boost muscles. I was there for a month they told me. Then they went into a meeting with all the supervisors and management that were in the classes and they were like ‘we really think you should stay, we really like having you around. We don’t like other people, but we like you.’ They said some words like that but I was like I really don’t know, I didn’t really feel for it, I didn’t really like it. I thought I could just go on. They had me on seizure medicine and some other pills, it was just taking 2 pills a day. One for the digestive system and the other was for keepin’ the mind at a simple pace. It wasn’t like high or fucked up, it didn’t feel high or fucked up. It just controlled the mind, not controlled, but I could think, not at a fast pace, not like ya-da-da-da. I could think. I stopped the pills after a month. I was like I don’t wanna take these pills just to take pills. I don’t know I just didn’t feel like having the pills be what makes me better and whatnot.

Made it an extra month then moved out, met Tanya, met my wife. That was a help too ‘cause I was startin’ to go real low and then I just came around. Something brought me to her and it turned out she does me just as good. Good feeling, good vibe, I believe she helped me out from actually goin’ to the bottom, from being not even at a good location at all to having her around. Then we moved in.

The first night story I can tell you, that’s funny. I ended up meetin’ her right and then in the morning I’m like don’t leave. From there, me and my wife carried on and then moved to Utah. We were there for a little bit and then once we came out here, we didn’t leave from here. We just wanted to stay out here. Got the lease all figured out and got everything here this summer, brought over a U-Haul. Got everything from the storage unit and all in one spot now. It’s pretty good.

Since the injury, would you say you’re fully recovered?
I would have to say, it was a crazy kinda thing. I think my mind will still continue to grow. I took a test when I was in Rutland, when I first got there, before the first month. I’m waiting for a couple more weeks after that until I choose not to go. They said my body was at 72%. I guess there are people my age that haven’t hit their head who are at 72%. I just thought that until it gets up to a certain number out of the 72 range that it’ll keep growin’. The mind is good, it feels good. It’s not a game at all, it’s a puzzle piece. It’s goin’ and I’m figuring out stuff every day. I think that it’ll just continue growing. I’m feelin’ good right now, snowboarding feels good, everything’s good. I’ve got a good mind and I’m just tryin’ to keep my mind up.

Along those lines, what are your plans for this upcoming season? Are you filming, doing contests or just planning on taking it easy?
Well, there is gonna be filming. You got Technine and I’ll be filmin’ for them. They were there since I hit my head, too. They sent me out an iPod and there’s a crazy story listenin’ to music off that; I can tell that story later. But, I’ll just be filming and maybe if there’s a cool event around that I’m feelin’ I’ll go cruise around for the setup part. Other than that, I don’t really think there are many contests in mind. Mostly just wanna film and keep filmin’.

Take us through a typical day in your life… if that exists.
(Laughter) Typical day… Well, it is about the choice of what the day’s gonna be. Wake up, get naughty in the morning. I got my wife here next to me (Laughter). Wake up, get up, get on the phone, all depends. Go get some coffee or something like that to get the morning started. Maybe get a sandwich or something, maybe eat or not eat. Then head to the mountain and just snowboard all throughout the day. Then after that, come back to the house. We got a skateboard ramp, so we can skateboard, do something; play chess. All depends on the day kinda, but the morning situation is the same every day (Laughter). Nothing bad about that! Good way to start the day. The bowl down the hill has been fun though. Goin’ skateboarding there. I have to say that’s the best thing about being back, cruising the skateboard pool because I’ve never really skateboarded pools and pool coping. Just slashing it. It’s great.

How important is money to you?
I guess there are a whole variety of choices on money for people. But myself, I have to say money is good. I gotta say that. Get stuff to get you through. Get your food. Spend it if ya got it! (Laughter). I’m gettin’ better at saving a little bit. It’s different from the beginning of getting money until now. I would just spend it like, “Yeah, we got money!” Ok, I went through that whole part of life. I would rather save money, that’d be good. I’d be happy without any money, just me and my wife, my dog. Of course I say that, but whatever happens, money is good. Doesn’t everyone think that?

You just celebrated your one-year wedding anniversary. Did you just decide to get married one day or was it planned out for a while?
I have to say, it felt like when I first met Tonya’s dad, Scott, I went in and was just like, “Hey, I really wanna marry your daughter.” I just came right up front, first day. He’s like, “Well thank you, that shows me what good type of person you are by just coming out with that and telling me. Yes, you have my permission to marry my daughter, but wait a year to see how the year plays out.” So, it was a little bit on that part. There wasn’t any thinking about what it was at the time when we went to Vegas. We did the whole wedding thing. We went a couple extra times. We flew back and forth from Utah to Reno to Tahoe, we stopped there. It was on the second trip down. It felt right at the time, it still does. Yeah, we got things figured out and got married in f**king Vegas! That night too, we went to buy something from this dude who freaked me out in a wheelchair. The deal was for me to walk with him when I gave him money so he wouldn’t take off. He’s like, “Walk this way,” and another homie comes in and is like, “Yeah, walk this way” and I’m like, “Yeah, ok guys, you go that way and I’m goin’ back.” They were tryin’ to like skeeve me out. Then we went down in the morning to get tickets for the next day to the next closing, and next day went up that crazy s**t, took that cart straight up the f**kin’ wall and did the spiral things they have there! Yeah, we got down in Vegas. Happy Hotel, the Holiday Hotel I believe it was at, with the clown on it, across from Stratosphere…

You’ve always credited your mom for pushing you as a rider during your younger years. Does she still have an influence these days?
Well, my mom I would definitely say as a kid when I first started I remember… I guess it could be different because I could say what I think about it and she would say it was kinda different, it wasn’t like that. But I remember I’d be like, “Ok,” and go to leave and she’d be like “Naw, naw, get back up there, skate that little portion Lucas.” I’d have to say she was willing to help out, she was always happy to have me doin’ something, ‘course that’s the way it would be. Yeah, she drove around, took me over to that “Beast of the East,” that skateboarding comp and did that a couple times in the summer. The whole USASA of course as a kid, she was always happy to drive around and whatnot. I would have to say with my mom, moms, you know, they try to… My mom always still thinks of me as a little kid. I think she’s just getting over the fact that I am growin’ up and that I am at an age now. I think she would have to, not influence… Well, when she’s happy, I’m happy. She wants me to do a lot of other stuff and I’m just tellin’ her, “You know I’m not like that, I wouldn’t do that kinda stuff.” She would try to prepare me. She’s doin’ her mom thing, but I’d tell her, “Hey, let me be myself, just don’t mind it.” Family is there to love and love decisions. You can’t get stressed out about stuff. She’s not stressed, but just tryin’ to find her balance. It’s good, I love my mom of course, and I have to love my mom. She definitely loves me so I think its good all around.

If you weren’t snowboarding for a living, what would you be doing?
Ah damn! I think I’ve said before, I don’t know what I’d be. I don’t know if I’d be working or some f**king addict. I can’t say anything, maybe I’d be a monster truck driver or some crazy s**t (Laughter). I don’t know what I’d be doin’ at this point. Some redneck back east drivin’ a truck or something (Laughter). I’m happy with how life turned out, man. I’m happy and grateful with where I am, man.

Any shout outs, words to the wise?
Word. Whoever’s goin’ out in the winter time, have a great winter. Keep a good mood, a good vibe. Of course, I bet everyone knows that. Just live! Have a good time, good winter. I could go on but have a good winter when you’re out ridin’!

I got one more story I could tell ya. E-stone sent out an iPod for me when I first went in and I guess Lane took it and put some music on it. This is when I believe I was still in a daze, still under the drugged coma a little bit. I had the music on and OK, this was my dream. – I went up a mountain on like a triple and I grabbed onto where the chairlift hooked onto the wire and went up to some lodge. Went in the lodge and everyone was running around all crazy, like food fights and crazy chaos. I walked straight across there and went up this stairwell that went up to a platform then back up around and turned. Then there was all these bars on it blocking it. I had my hand on one and it just snapped down and I got up and jumped across the gap from the stairwell over into the level upstairs. I walked right over to this door, opened up the door. It was like this circle ring blowing up. I jumped on it and like supermannned across and jumped to the next one. I forget what was in the second one. In the third ring was all these bodies all fucking mangled up and there was just a dog gnawing on something. He just looks at me and gives me a nod like “yeah”. Then I went outside the door just so happy, on top of some mountain, near some other chairlift. I looked behind me and I’m so happy and people were just pouring out of the building. Then I just woke up. That’s what I remember of that story, I thought it was cool.

They had you on some good shit, huh?
I guess so. (Laughter) There’s all these crazy stories. They had to strap me down too once. They had to strap me down because I was trying to get out. They had to keep me solid so I wouldn’t shake the brain up, but that’s another story for ya!

Interviewed By: AB
Photos: E-Stone and Sean Sullivan

Once again both Steve Caballero and Pedro Barros prove that they are the guys to beat in Master’s and Pro Bowl skating.

Coming off a recent shoulder injury, veteran Caballero put amazing lines and tricks together to edge out fellow Bones Brigader’s Tony Hawk and Lance Mountian for the top trophy. One the Pro side of things… Well needless to say, Pedro Barros is the man to beat in 2012. He has won every bowl comp this year! The Brazilian phenom blasted his way past Rune Glifburg and Bucky Lasek on his way to the top spot.

Pro Top 5

1. Pedro Barros          $28,000

2. Rune Glifburg         $14,000

3. Bucky Lasek           $7,000

4. Andy Macdonald     $3,500

5. Nolan Monroe         $2,500

Master’s Top 5

1. Steve Caballero      $14,000

2. Tonk Hawk              $7,000

3. Lance Mountain      $4,000

4. Mike McGill             $2,000

5. Eric Nash                $1,750

Excerpt from: World Cup Skateboarding
Photos: Lee Leal

afterhours at Squaw from afterhours on Vimeo.

We got to skate in Madrid and travel a lot. And, the team did really well.

So, the age old question, skate or snow?
Skating is first, obviously. That’s what got me into snowboarding, just being a skateboarder from New Hampshire. Skateboarding is what inspired me to do it all. As I get older, I do like snowboarding more… You can just cruise around in powder, pretty low impact. Usually in skateboarding there’s some impact on a daily basis.

Have you ever had any bad injuries?
Skateboarding? About two years ago, I fell off our mini ramp and split open my forehead pretty bad. It left a big scar on my head and my mom was freaking out. It was three days before my skate camp started (Kirk runs a skateboard camp in the summer). My eye was swollen shut when all these parents were dropping off their kids. Otherwise bruised heels and sprained ankles.

Can you tell me a little bit about Vermont Skateboards?
It all sort of starts with our founder Nick Pedemonti. He used to run a snowboard/skate shop down in Connecticut called The Cutting Edge. They had an indoor bowl, and the New England scene was pretty heavy down there. He moved up to Manchester, VT about six or seven years ago and opened a shop here.

Paul Schwippert is the other founder, his son Adam is a professional skateboard racer. He came in for some of the longboard ideas. The two of them started it about two and a half years ago. At the time I was living here, running a skateboard camp in the summer, and a skateboard program at a school up here. That’s how we all tied in originally.

What do you like about the New England skate scene?
There’s a pretty good variety, especially of outdoor street spots. You have New York, Boston, Montreal, Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire — so there’s just totally different flavors and cool spots to go. And, you’ve got the seasons. Right now, it’s a nice time to skate, and in the summer.

What’s your favorite part about going to skate events?
Huck has all the funny stories. My favorite part is with any skateboard, traveling to different parks is always fun, seeing new talent. We know our team will always make a good impression. So instead of being a salesman for the team and pushing graphics, you know they’ll ride. And, traveling with friends is always fun.

Who was your favorite athlete when you were growing up?
It was a skater and snowboarder named Sean Palmer. He was pretty young and rash, and just tied into skating and snowboarding. Since then, my favorite athletes have been people that I’ve known personally.

Jerry Tucker was one of the first people I met when I moved to Vermont. I definitely looked up to Jerry Tucker, he’s one to emulate as far as athletes and skateboarding.

And, Jerry Tucker also rides for Vermont Skateboards, right?
I was lucky enough to get a team together, and to keep them involved in the sport and keep them stoked. Our Vermont Skateboard team is Jerry Tucker, Dave Mull, Steve Mull, Connor Ose, and Zed Mack.

Personally, those are some of the best skaters around here. Tucker is from the Ludlow area, which has a pretty hardcore skate scene and a few legendary skaters came from there. Connor is from Burlington. The Mull brothers are from Manchester where we’re based out of, as is Zed.

What can we look forward to this year from Vermont Skateboards?
We’ll be doing demos, throwing some parties here and there obviously, and getting more product out. The Mull brothers’ who skate for us have a video site called theworble.com, so you can always look up stuff there. We’re going to tie in with a Maine skateboard series in the next couple of months.

We’re going to do a lot of new pro models soon, Jerry Tucker and Jeff just got their first pro models. There’s a lot of people out here that are Jerry Tucker fans, so it’s cool that he got his first model. Hopefully Vermont Skateboards will grow so that we can share the product with more people and expand the team, pump these guys up and put more energy into the skating side of their lives.

Find out more at the Vermont Skateboard Website and Fbook.

Interviewed By: Sydney Lindberg
Photos: Brian Sullivan & Mark Spooner