The Buddha Bank is one of those classic spots that non-skaters would never see. Hidden in a light-industrial area, in a not-fantastic (but not horrible) area of town, it’s not a feature that will show up on Google Maps street view. Not sure how Dale found it, but part of the ongoing holy mission is to be on constant lookout for new spots. The first time we went to skate it, luck was on our side – there was a parking block near by. We drug it over to the top of the bank. That was over a year ago. When we returned yesterday it was still there. Seriously, who but skateboarders is going to move a parking block if not necessary?
Pictures don’t do the place justice to the actual grunginess of the run-up to this bank. There are a lot of cracks in the concrete, usually a lot of little rocks around. Obviously not impossible to skate, but on modern hard wheels you have to pick your line with some care. We always seem to forget our push broom. But it’s a real spot.
There are a lot of possibilities here. That ledge next to the bank might be utilized. We have yet to even scratch the surface, but that's the nature of skateboarding. Finding infinite possibilities in the simplest, non-intended-for-skating structures.
Why do we alway have more fun at a place like this than we do at a skatepark?
I suppose because we grew up hunting these spots and skating them modern skateparks just don’t really compute for us.
These shots were taken on an iPhone SE with a fisheye attachment.
20 Spots #1: Buddha Bank
Dale grabs a sweeper.
Bob tucks a carve.