TO SKATEBOARD AFICIANADOS, tneir sport is more than just a passing fad. At right, Sloane Chen, proud owner of five boards, demonstrates his talents on the Diag. At center and below, John Seals practices one of his favorite stun- ts - jumping from the steps of the Graduate Library and sailing onto the Diag. 0 Daily Photos by JOHN KNOX They've flipped over skateboarding craze By R. J. SMITH the boards and related equipment, and "It takes a certain amount of guts many indicate sales this year were at to get on a skateboard, and it an all-time high. "It's a fad, and doesn't take very much to hit a ball. everybody follows a fad," explained an It's a lot better feeling." employee from the Kiddie Korner toy -John'Beals, skateboarder store in downtown Ann Arbor. SSSHroooom! It is a gusty Tuesday BUT FOR BEING A "fad" largely afternoon, and on the steps of the aimed at children, skateboarding is Graduate Library John and his friends quite expensive. To purchase an ef- are "freestyling", using their lightest ficient, quality board, price estimates boards with the softest wheels. Unable range from $80 to over $120. And the to display their talents on a larger sur- true skateboarder rarely is content face, the sidewalk surfers must content with one board. "I would say most kids themselves with doing "nose will end up with two to five boards," wheelies", "moonwalks" and "tick- said Alice Plotner, from Campus Bike tacks", "walking the dog", and similar and Toy. "They won't stop with one." confined-area stunts. For the consummate concrete But despite the accomplished conqueror, boards are not assembled maneuverings of his friends, it is when purchased but are put together by clearly John who grabs the attention. the owner after the components have AND WHEN HE crouches down on been painstakingly selected. his board and jumps six feet down from There are many brands and styles of the Graduate Library's steps - over a skateboard parts to choose from. Cam- concrete garbage bin - to land with a pus Bike and Toy, for instance, curren- bang on the Diag, or when he leaps tly carries 18 types of "decks", the from his board and flies in the air at board itself. They sell over 11 types of least ten feet over the center of the Diag "trucks," the brace which mounts the to land on another board, the effects are wheels to the deck, and over 26 different simply breathtaking. styles of wheels. Plain and simple, even though sum- IT IS THE cost of wheels that hits the mer is winding down, Ann Arbor is still rider hardest, running from $6.50 to slightly skateboard-crazy. $8.00 apiece. Called such things as Numerous toy, hobby and bicycle "blue UFO's", 'wonkers", "yo-yo's", shops in the area report large sales of See THEY'VE, Page 10 The AnnArbor Film Cooperative presents at Aud A-Thursday, August 10 MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL (Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones, 1975) 7 & 10:20-Aud A Monty Python's first film was so deliciously silly, even Anita Bryant liked it. Now the lads of the Circus mess about with King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Side-splitting visual spoof of chivalry, courtly love, Ingmar Bergman, and the Hollywood epic. JABBERWOCKY (Terry Gilliam, 1977) 8:410-Aud A Starring Python Michael Palin andLewis Carroll's well-known monster, this satire (directed by Python Terry Gilliam) lampoons everything from medieval chivalry to very up-to-dote young men with very up-to-date marketing tech- niques. Incisive brilliant, aesthetique due grime, brillig, slithey, mimsey, and frumious. Tomorrow: THE ROCKY HORROR PICTUIS SHOW