Jacksonville skateboarding doesn’t need more hype, it needs more history. That’s why I sat down with Nate Carey, the filmmaker and skater behind Abel Skate Mag, a platform that’s been shining a steady light on the Jacksonville skate scene for years. We start with where he’s from, how moving around shaped his perspective, and the kind of origin story only skateboarding understands: seeing Marty McFly, asking for a first board, then getting fully pulled in once real skate videos and magazines hit.

From there we get into the details that make skate culture feel real: favorite skaters and classic video parts, the parks that feel like home, why a tre flip becomes “your trick,” and how Florida skateboarding stacks up when you’ve lived elsewhere. Nate breaks down what it takes to film and photograph skating in a way that actually captures the moment, plus the grind nobody sees, the hours of editing behind a few minutes of footage. We talk why Abel Skate Mag started in 2016, how community coverage matters, and what it means to consistently show up for local events and local talent.

Then the conversation opens up. We switch gears into BLM, COVID-19, masks, voting, and how misinformation and division spread online, before detouring into UFO footage, aliens, and the late-night rabbit holes the internet makes too easy. If you care about the Jacksonville skate scene, Florida skateboarding history, skate videography, or building an inclusive local community, there’s a lot here to sit with.

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A legendary Florida vert ramp didn’t just appear, it survived. We’re down in Holopaw, Florida with pro vert skateboarder Rodney Mead and Daytona OG Gnarly Charlie while we work on Rodney’s Vert Ramp Rehab project and swap the kind of stories you only get from decades in the trenches. If you grew up on 80s skateboarding, backyard halfpipes, and the loud, messy magic of local scenes, this one hits deep. 

We get into Rodney’s early setups, the ramps that taught him everything, and the hilarious Christmas morning disaster where the “hidden” boards got found and the punishment lasted longer than the stoke. Then we jump straight into the real-world problem every ramp builder knows right now: lumber prices, material shortages, and how fast a rehab budget can explode. Rodney also breaks down the full saga of how the Orlando Vans Skate Park ramps shut down, got refurbished, and ended up being bought, sold, dismantled, hauled, and rebuilt into a new home base for Florida vert skateboarding. 

From there, it opens up into the bigger picture: Florida vs California skate culture, why the West Coast got the spotlight, and how social media changed the rules for getting recognized. Rodney shares his competition path from Vans events to Tampa Pro points, X Games proximity, and the surreal Combi Pool “golden ticket” year that got derailed by a decades-old warrant, only to lead to a passport and international contests like Vert Attack. We close with Charlie’s Team Pain mega ramp build stories and what it’s like to watch history get built from raw wood and stubborn will. 

If you’re into vert skateboarding, ramp building, skateboarding history, or Florida skate culture, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a five-star rating. What’s the most legendary ramp story you’ve ever heard or lived?

One sidewalk ollie can start a whole life. Aaron Mullins joins us to rewind the tape from South Florida to Jacksonville, where skateboarding goes from a kid’s obsession to a full-on compass. We talk first boards, the Back to the Future spark, and what it felt like walking into Kona Skatepark for the first time with the “wrong” setup and the right amount of hunger. If you care about Jacksonville skateboarding history, Florida skate culture, or how a scene shapes a person, this one hits home.

We get into the crew years: learning from skate videos, chasing progression in the streets, and linking up with skaters who are simply on another level. Aaron breaks down how Lindsay Robertson’s skating lit a fire, how contests and early sponsorships actually worked, and why being around the right people can keep you from fading out. We also talk about the unglamorous parts: building your own obstacles, getting hurt, and the weird mental space where you land something big and barely remember doing it.

Then we deliver what people keep asking for: the real origin story of “Dr. Jones,” straight from the days of Lighthouse Park and the chaos that follows a good session. We close with gratitude for Kona, the legends who came through, and the stoke that stays even when life, work, and injuries get loud. If you’ve ever had skateboarding pull you out of a rough season, you’ll recognize the feeling.

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A lot of skate scenes have legends on boards, but the real backbone is the person behind the camera who keeps the receipts. We’re sitting with Jacksonville’s own Bo Crum to talk about how North Florida skateboarding got documented from the early days at Kona Skate Park to the era of shoebox archives, shoulder-cam lines, and footage that still shapes how people remember the culture. 

Bo walks us through his origin story, moving from Tennessee to Jacksonville, learning transition, and linking up with skaters who became pillars of the region. From there we get into what it actually takes to film skateboarding when nobody’s doing it yet: earning trust, stacking tapes, and capturing moments that don’t feel historic until years later. We also talk about his new documentary series, Reflections, starting with Jamie “Fish” Alcorn, whose path from Kona local to custom motorcycle builder is the kind of story that only makes sense when you see the full arc. 

We don’t dodge the harder stuff either. We dig into what “fair competition” could mean as skate contests and sports in general try to balance inclusion with divisions, and we talk about why women’s skateboarding grows fastest when the environment feels truly welcoming. Add in Kona memories, injuries, vert ramp reality checks, and travel stories from the skate media world, and you’ve got a conversation that feels like a real snapshot of skateboarding as a lifetime culture. 

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You can trace a skate scene through its spots, but you understand it through the people who built it. We sit down at Kona Skate Park in Jacksonville, Florida with Rick Andrade, a longtime skater born and raised in Austin, Texas, who started skating in the summer of 1986 and carried that energy everywhere his Navy career took him. From backyard mini ramps and ditch sessions to the influence of Bones Brigade and classic skate videos like The End, Rick explains why he always leaned toward going fast, going big, and making it look right. 

Then we get into the real Jacksonville skateboarding history: Skate Asylum days, Kona memories, road trips, and the DIY grind that turns a tight crew into something bigger. Rick breaks down how Legacy Skateboards comes together, from blank decks and hand-cut stickers to contests, demos, and the “Legacy crew” reputation that followed them across Florida. Along the way, we swap stories about growing up, getting hurt, finding balance, and what it feels like to return to skating after life shifts into marriage, kids, and a career that demands you move. 

We also nerd out on skateboard setups for anyone who cares about what actually works under your feet: board sizes, wheel sizes, OJ vs Spitfire vs Bones, Independent trucks, risers, and bushing combos that help you stay stable at speed. Finally, we tackle the big question about modern skateboarding media: did Instagram and instant clips “break” skateboarding around 2013, or did it open the door for more skaters and smaller brands to get seen worldwide? 

If you’re into skateboarding culture, skate history, Kona Skate Park stories, or the intersection of a military life and a lifelong skate habit, this one hits home. Subscribe, share this with a friend who still talks about VHS premieres, and leave a review so more skaters can find the show.

Bam Margera drops a rap diss and the internet does what it always does: dares you to watch. We took the hit for you and ran the live reaction, but the real heart of this one is Jacksonville’s own Billy Winfield stepping into the studio with us to talk skateboarding, music, and how a scene shapes the person you become.

Billy’s a local skateboarder and hip hop artist with a gritty, dark sound, and he’s got the stories to match. We go deep on growing up skating Kona Skatepark, learning tricks young, and how your style evolves when you’re chasing progression, catching slams, and dealing with the reality of injuries and getting older. From mini ramps to step-ups, we get nerdy about what feels right on a board and why skateboarding builds a kind of confidence you can’t fake.

Then we pivot into the music path: a drummer dad, a house full of sound, and a crash course in foundational hip hop like Wu-Tang, Tupac, and more. We talk catalog building, the pain of losing files, and why planning a smart release matters. Billy also previews his concept project “Failed To Load,” with track phases like startup, processing, error, reboot, and data retrieval, plus upcoming shows including a Jacksonville headline date.

If you’re into skate culture, Jacksonville hip hop, dark rap, and unfiltered takes on internet chaos, hit play, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave us a review with your favorite moment from the conversation.

One board can change a kid’s entire direction and Ron Allen is proof. We’re posted up at the legendary Kona Skatepark in Jacksonville, Florida with a guest whose name sits deep in skateboarding history: Ron Allen, widely credited as the first professional African American street skateboarder. From getting his first setup in 1973 to navigating the 80s and 90s street era, Ron brings the kind of memory and honesty you only get from someone who lived every version of the culture. 

We get into the real stuff: how it felt to skate when skateboarding wasn’t accepted, how race shaped the way people read him, and why the line between ignorance and racism still has consequences. Ron tells a story about rejecting a board graphic that included a noose, then later seeing it circulate anyway, and it turns into a bigger conversation about consent, respect, and protecting your name in the skate industry. We also talk money, exploitation, and what riders did and didn’t get paid for during the VHS boom. 

Then we zoom out to what keeps people rolling: skateboarding and mental health, the “escape” that comes from full focus, the community that pulls you back during dark times, and the way music and skating mirror each other in work ethic and performance pressure. We even debate the Olympics and wrap with our “Is It A Sport” game where Ron makes the case that skateboarding isn’t a sport or a game, it’s a lifestyle. If you dig skateboarding history, street skating culture, and honest talk about the business and the joy, hit play, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.

Jacksonville skateboarding isn’t just tricks and footage, it’s places, people, and the years you put in when nobody is watching. We link up with Mike Peterson, aka Dinger, a hometown hero who helped shape how a whole generation here thinks about skating: skate everything, go fast, keep your style, and keep showing up.

We talk Kona Skatepark memories from the first scary day on the ramps to the legendary obstacles that keep pushing skaters decades later. Mike walks us through the old Jacksonville street spots and how local history turns into local identity. Then we get into the real behind-the-scenes work of building a skate scene: how The Block Skate Supply grew, why an indoor warehouse skatepark hit zoning and city roadblocks, and what it takes to create something that can actually last.

From there it gets wide-ranging in the best way, comparing Florida skate culture to California’s massive ecosystem, shouting out the skaters who set the standard for style, and even breaking down the Ollie North with tips you can take to your next session. We also hit real life: injuries, ACL recovery, blue-collar work ethic, running Southern Pro Tree, and the kind of happiness that comes from doing what you love without needing the spotlight.

If you ride for your city, you’ll feel this one. Subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a five-star review so we can keep bringing on the people who built the scene.

A touring stand-up comedian pulls up to Jacksonville, skates all day, then hits the stage that night and somehow it all makes perfect sense. We’re posted up at legendary Kona Skatepark with Taylor Clark (stand-up comedian and skateboarder) and St. Augustine’s Nick Day, and the background sound of skating sets the tone for a conversation that’s equal parts funny and real.

Taylor breaks down how he started doing comedy, why skateboarding keeps showing up in his writing, and the hard problem every niche storyteller faces: making “skate language” land with people who’ve never stepped on a board. We also get into Florida skate stops like DIY parks, the vibe at Neon Moon, and the history that hangs over Kona, including the kind of spots that instantly humble you.

Nick shares what it’s like being 20 and living out of a backpack for skate trips, chasing sessions from San Francisco to Philly, and learning how connected the skateboarding world really is once you start moving. From there we go deeper on expectations, gratitude, and a line that sticks: skateboarding doesn’t owe you anything. We talk sobriety and focus, how getting healthy can bring skating back, and why the best skate community is the one that lets people skate their own way.

If you’re into skateboarding, stand-up comedy, Kona Skatepark, Tampa Pro energy, or just love stories about finding your people, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who still skates, and leave us a review.

Episode 56 Pauly and Doc link up with former Crown Skateboards team riders, Jayson Colón and Aaron Mullen.
Mullen is a repeat guest, and we wanted him on this episode to help give some perspective, and straight up testimony on the absolute radness of Jayson's skateboarding. 
Jayson is originally from Puerto Rico, but he put down roots on the westside of Jacksonville, FL when his family moved here when he was ten years old.
Jayson is a quiet storm and rips every terrain from the streets to the vert ramp. 
We were stoked as always to chop it up with two NoFla skateboarding legends. 
Westside Duval stand up for this one!!!