Article and Photography by Drew Poland (@bmoredrewfoto)
Well over a decade ago I remember watching a documentary called “Skatopia: 88 Acres of Anarchy,” and thinking “this place is like Burning Man and Woodstock had a crust punk baby that skateboards.”
So when some Baltimore locals invited me to go to this year’s Bowl Bash, I had zero hesitation.
For the unaware, nestled deep among the winding backroads and countryside of Ohio, lives an 88 acre property and skatepark called Skatopia. Owner Bruce Martin bought the property in 1995 when he was – and I quote – “Evicted from West Virginia for being too cool in a non-cool environment.”
Having now met Brewce, I believe it. This guy’s rad all around.
I also believe it may have had to do with Johnny Law, but who’s to say for sure except the man himself. So I won’t speculate.
The first day I pulled in around 10am, thinking most people would still be trickling in or sleeping off the previous nights partying since it technically started the day before, but plenty of people were around and I met up with the locals I know for a minute.
I scoped out the property and got my bearings for the place but knew it wouldn’t have an uptick until later. It’s still early and it’s 98 degrees out with no breeze and minimal clouds. I’m drenched head to toe and can’t imagine people skating in this, so I plan to bounce until later. As I’m about to leave two guys in a car pull up, the passenger is absolutely slaughtered and slurring, the driver is sporting a luscious mullet and full handlebar mustache, and asks me if I’m headed to the water hole.
Water hole? Guess I am now. We chat about directions and I follow him as he seems to know where he’s going. We get way lost but come across a corner gas station and I ask the cashier if she knows where a spot might be, without hesitation she says “oh honey, you’re almost there! Go down Dexter and turn on Malloons Run, you can’t miss it.”
I hop back in my car and am now the lead car, we really did ride right past it, but I see how easy it is to do so. A whole bunch of cars are already there and they all agree it’s hidden and we got poor directions. “Brewce said two lefts” says someone in a minivan we passed a few miles ago. “It’s like three lefts and a right. Fuck it, we found it and it’s a gem.”
Hanging from the large graffiti covered truss bridge is a rope with a handle but I can’t seem to figure out how anyone would use it, as it drops straight down from one of the trusses. Several people have already jumped off from the right ledge, which I estimate to be about 40’ from the water, but I’ve yet to see anyone send it from the top, which is another 10’ higher.
I speak too soon and two grown men climb up, one jumps without hesitation and the other is going back and forth about it. Understandably so, it’s pretty high and apparently gets shallow not far from the center, so you have to jump right in the middle which is also the highest point. You also need to jump out, or you’ll hit the bottom of the bridge which is a metal ledge 10’ below. He finally sends it and everyone shouts in celebration. It was a good jump.
Two young kids climb up with the men, one nervously sends it after his father goes, and we all shout and scream. They later jump in tandem together, dad from the top and son from the lower ledge. I’m excited I caught that moment but am shooting film so worried about how it came out.
More people have arrived now and we have some small level of chaos going with a few fireworks, joints, and something in a small chemical bottle being passed around. Everyone is enjoying themselves and the water cools the heat out even if just slightly it’s a huge help. I finish another roll of film and bounce out. It’s too fucking hot.
I come back that afternoon, shoot some of the Epcot bowl, and some of the bands playing. There are already wheelchairs in the pit, but out comes some inflatable whales for a song titled “Getting stoned in a whale” or some shit. The band yells for someone to “surf the fuckin whale!” and then the song comes in heavy — one of the locals I know, John Wise, yells for a whale and jumps in its general direction holding onto it for dear life as it circles the room with him riding it.
I figure that’s as good as it’s going to get up here, so I wander back outside to get some dusk photos of the place. I came across a guy passed out on the Skatopia limo. He stands up and starts talking gibberish then falls back onto the hood again, out cold. The group sees me snapping photos of this dude and someone yells “take a pic of this” and goes full Buffalo Bill in Silence of the Lambs, tucking their junk back after taking their pants off. On autopilot, I take a photo of this. Maybe you’ll get to share my horror in seeing this.
That was enough for me and I called it a night. If Goodbye Horses had suddenly started to play, I probably wouldn’t have come back.
The next day I arrive just as a car is lit on fire in the main field. People are taking selfies and group photos with it as some young kids (like early teens) drive a car through the field shooting fireworks out of it.
I head up to the Lula Bowl to find Ryan Nix and Camron Scott doing double wall rides while Anthony Monteleone films. David Burcky and Fernando Duarte are filming something else off to the side. A lot is going on and the locals that invited me are shredding, this doesn’t surprise me and I’d wager they did more skating than most this weekend. This group skates hard and often.
All this is happening while a couple are fucking in the bus with large swoops of concrete poured around it that make up the Lula bowl. You could transition out and right over them onto the top of the bus if you wanted. John Wise lights a firecracker and tosses it in, they don’t skip a beat and keep going. We all laugh and leave them to it as their session is about over, the heat is peaking for the day.
In the field, the car finally goes out and I catch a great Tiananmen Square like moment when the kid from yesterday’s bridge jump is standing right in front of it while it still smolders. He gives me the middle finger and that’s a cherry on top.
Later, I find myself back at the Epcot Bowl, a few guys are shredding it and you can tell they are comfortable with it. If you watch people ride it even for a few minutes you can tell you need a high level of balls and skill for it. Standing on the edge of it is uncomfortable at best, and it seems to almost come straight up.
A few bands play, and it seems one of the last bands, Mylph, might be playing. The pit and circle intensifies so I hop over and plan to shoot this for a bit then head up to the field.
Absolute madness ensues when the wheelchairs come out, half naked drunk people riding them around as Mylph thrashes on. Eventually the crowd smashes them to shit and they are tossed aside. While they play their last song, Freebird, of course, I watch a guy (Noah Corona of Punk Rock Tacos) with his dog Max go up and sit on the edge of the stage during the solo and I rush in to get a shot, cutting the back of my leg open on the wheelchair debris. Worth it.
I wrap a bandana around my leg and figure this is the time to bounce. I really need to make my way up the hill to see “the finale.” The pile of wood, pallets, and cars have been building over the last few days and I’m ready to see this go up.
I make it to the field, and within a few minutes a truck pulls up where you can see outlines and shadowy figures dumping gasoline around the pile getting it ready. It’s so dark I don’t even pull my camera out but just do what I can to let my eyes adjust and see what’s coming. The truck pulls away and nothing happens for what feels like eternity, then I hear noise come up the hill and people are gathering at the Lula bowl.
Some fireworks are shot at the pile but nothing really ignites it.
Suddenly, another shadowy figure gets close and it starts to ember and fizzle a bit. Next thing you know it’s fully engulfed like a California forest fire in a drought. It’s like someone turned a light on in a windowless room.
The fire burns so bright and hot you can see every detail of everything around you and it somehow accentuates just how dark the rest of the sky is. Stars are just as bright as they were moments ago and it’s a trippy mix of dark sky and smoldering volcano. I recently went to Death Valley, an international dark sky place, and frankly, Skatopia is just as dark. It’s an astro nerd’s wet dream out here.
Those kids are back at it in the car, they can’t be more than 12. I comment to another person out in the open of the field with me that this feels uncomfortable, we agree and move to the edges. A moment later the kids slam into the previously burnt up car, you know, the one I was a few feet from a minute ago. Yeah, that one. I’ve gotten most of the shots I want at this point and am just shooting to shoot.
I decided this is my getaway time. I make an Irish exit and pull away. I stop on the hill as I’m leaving and you can see everyone’s silhouettes at the Lula bowl backlight by the mountain of fire and smoke. It’s an incredible view.
I take a last look and pull away from Skatopia, eager to dump these photos into my laptop back at my hotel and edit a few before passing out. I edited the last photo I took first then promptly passed out. I had an early start and a long drive. That shot alone was worth the whole weekend for me.
So, would I go back to Skatopia and was it all I hoped for? Yes and no. The turn out was light compared to what I expected and this was echoed by a few people. That said next year is the 30th anniversary of the Bowl Bash. I really hope it’s an absolute rager and huge turnout.
Was it the chaos and anarchy I thought it would be? No. It certainly is chaotic and there’s anarchy, but not in any bad way. It’s an extremely friendly vibe and manageable. I met some pretty passive low key people. I also met some absolute off their rocker people. It’s a healthy mix that in some weird universe, balances itself out to create a harmonious anarchy, for lack of better words.
I think there’s absolutely huge potential but am left wondering if I’ve missed peak Skatopia.
Also, just so you know… YOU CAN’T PARK THERE.
