July 12, 2011

BUBD 4: A Success Story

Young men playing a dice game called "Cee-lo," during "Beer Up, Bro Down."

Cultivating a successful and fun and relevant skate event for some years is often an arduous and trying task, with little to small thanks. Lucky us.

The fourth installment of Beer Up, Bro Down (an admittedly ridiculous/horrible event name, I should know!) was a surprising and pleasant success. In years past it was marred by brain injuries, fights, rain and low attendance/sloppy organization. While this year's event could have suffered the same impediments, it did not.

This past Saturday, not at all crisp by any estimate, found an ever-growing group of new dudes to the event and vets alike massing at the Grumpy's downtown. A session on the street behind lead to hill-bombing by the river and sweaty revivals at The Nomad.

The 90 plus air temps and the irresponsible dew points led to a perfect climactic condition for skateboarding and heavy drinking; one was forced to hydrate liberally (with water) just to keep on keeping on.

Having picked up a suitcase and tallsixes we bombed parking garages and August Van Art (Augie) perhaps had the best trick of the day riding out over the LRT lines as only one could with the safe backing of PBR and a Bloody Mary. Monty's Spits faced an Escalade and were not so lucky.

As many of you voted for, the pack then turned for Northeast, and we (I) soon found ourselves being somewhat interrogated about the difference between skateboarders and longboarders at the Yacht Club by an unassuming middle-aged woman. Excellently, she already understood the inherent differences.

By this time it was truly night, a time in which BUBD had never truly existed. The band took a stop at Mayslack's, much to the delight of some The House shopping parents of a 17-year-old skateboarder. The law student, the English dude and the otherwise well-spoken individuals constituting the crew at this point must have given them much hope for the future of their son.

Bottineau Skatepark, ring it from the hills, is otherwise unskateable unless one is drunk and it's roughly 11:00 PM.

The night apogee'd, or cratered, depending on if you were there, when the remaining crew reached the other Grumpy's within the Minneapolis city limits. There, mush mouths took over, maybe, and we assessed just how the heck we felt. Tired. There, we questioned the drinks we'd just bought, and (this is a fact) we all found a safe way home.

Simply put, we (London Luke and I) do "Beer Up, Bro Down" every year because more than anything, it seems like a hell of a way to spend a Saturday. See you next year.

1 comment:

Andrewpaulsen said...

London and munz set it up, the bro's did abide and we all came thru to get nutz. Munz, gotta say you left out some major details. Chuck and CJ out battle outside triprock? Bombin Eagans parking ramp with aaron and jons bomb drops? It gets fuzzy. For the record, evil and I bused back to STP for a few at augies to drink and look at bartenders in hotpants. Truly an epic night! Is twice a year out of the question?