Words and photos by Chris Dangaard
It’s early morning in Southern California when Matthew Willcox and I hit the road headed north to San Louis Obispo. We make a run over to SLO skatepark for a Boardrz skate contest.
During the contest I met local skater James Foulk who tells me about an abandoned hotel with an empty pool. He says it’s cool to skate it and nobody ever gets kicked out. I mention the pool to Matt and we agree it’s worth another 40 minute drive further north to check it out. We tell a few other heads about it and we all decide to make a run after the contest.
We arrive in Paso Robles and sure enough we find an empty pool with nobody in sight.
The crew arrives, Bryson Farril, Christian Grenier, David and John Lilly, and local James.
The pool is pretty rad, unusually good coping, good transitions in the deep end, and other than a sketchy drain cover there’s no holes or plaster rash.
It’s an easy 100 degree out when the guys start the session. Matt takes one run and starts throwing up some backside airs, David answers back with a nose grind, and Christian who says this is is first backyard pool begins working on a frontside nose bone.
John Lilly takes a few runs before he pulls down a nice nose pick. By this time Matt is going full blast into method airs, Indy grabs, and then starts throwing inverts. The session is literally heating up, like pour water over your head because it’s hot af out there!
All in all it was with the drive up there, the session lasts about an hour or so before everyone agrees it’s time for food and shade.
Thanks everyone who came out and went hard. As always great times and good vibes. – Chris Dangaard
Driving up to SLO from socal this weekend. Could you possibly point me in the right direction of this pool?