Sanchong

I was in IKEA taking the escalator down and noticed some ditch like bank with remnants of wax markings. I went down and inspected it, and sure enough, it was a spot! However, I needed to get my ÄPPLARYD sofa back to my house. I later went there at night, and indeed its a rad place to skate. 

I sessioned it for about 45 minutes, but unsuspecting while i was taking a leak in the tree next to the bank, a guard dog crept up behind me. I could hear a growl, and looked to see a massive brown and black 台灣犬.. They must have trained it not to attack, because it could have taken me out quick. 

I respected it, and it respected me, and let the foreign unwanted guest go. I later found out that Formosan Dogs, as they are called in English, do not hold their bite on their target. This habit is adopted and may be traced back to early boar hunting All of this taught me a lesson about trespassing in Taiwan. They will have dogs, even at IKEA!

Youbike is the best way to go spot hunting. Its super cheap, found everywhere, and best of all, has a basket to hold your skateboard and brews on ice. I created a makeshift ice cooler in the front basket. Make sure to grab 2 ice packs at 7-11, and they will be as cold as ice. Really nice idea on a hot summer night. 🍺

Most Ikeas have some kind of skatespot. Is it just a coincidence or secretly planned by a  skater to gift the locals? Skaters are everywhere, majority of us need to find real jobs, but why not help out the community. I read that skatestoppers were created by ex-skateboarders who sold their soles/souls to the devil to earn a buck or two to help the state of California combat those who shred. How could someone turn their backs on something that gave them so much?

This is in an area where there is little to nothing surrounding it. You can skate here, day/night without being hassled. I gave it a go, and finally got a wallride to boardslide. Some gut watched me try it for about an hour. I thought he was trying to intimidate me, but after I landed it, he clapped and cheered me on. Really made my night. He was probably curious what I was doing, and why I was throwing myself on the ground, and realized my efforts in the end. 

Down the way, following the river, I found this bike bump park. The lights were still on as bright as can be. I love cruising the riverside in New Taipei. You can always find something. 

Freshly poured and painted

Another example of a random riverside park find. 

Next to the bump park

 In front of Carrefour are these banks which I've never seen open due to so many scooters parked around it. It's insane how many scooters are here. Luckily the teenagers find it not cool to modify their mufflers anymore. Many of them would form scooter gangs and drive around trying to be as loud as possible. 

I think they got the concept from Japanese biker gangs. Its pretty comical to see. They just ride around revving their engine to try and sound scary. Reminds me when I was a kid and would put baseball cards in my bike spokes to sound like I was a badass. The whole neighborhood can hear one of those modified mufflers. Recently the government is trying to put in sensors to combat the problem.