Here’s the original Dogtown article from Craig Stecyk, “Aspects of the Downhill Slide”, archived along with the entire collection of Dogtown articles here.
With more than a little influence from Hunter Thompson and Lester Bangs, Stecyk built the skateboarding mythology you still see thriving today.
“Downhill somewhere past 45, the fine line fluctuates. It’s at a different place and time for each rider, but after 45, it becomes increasingly apparent. An alI- compassing awareness of an impending bad situation. Something you pay no attention to, yet somehow can’t ignore. An entity you don’t want to look at, yet have the urge to see. Downhill, one inch to either side or one inch past this intangible line and it suddenly becomes a physical presence. By the time you see this line, it’s all over anyway; the only thing left to do is reassess your mistakes, get down and try to find it again. The really interesting thing about the line is that it keeps increasing. A year ago, it was at 40 for most; now it’s beyond 50. People keep pushing this line, oblivious to all else, maybe someday soon they will tie it into knots.”
With the Dogtown articles Stecyk was able to organize the chaos around him into addictive and hilarious narratives, filled with colorful characters and caustic anti-authoritarians who, with Stecyk’s words and images, dared the devil in all of us.