Settles Bridge Skatepark

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Skateboarding has evolved greatly from its birth in the 1950s. Once, more of a ballet on wheels, the skateboarding of today involves so much more. Balance, strength, agility to name just a few attributes boarders must possess in order to pull off the stunts and tricks that wow fans and give young kids scrapes, bumps and bruises as they learn how to pull them off. I’ve always been fascinated with skateboards where as a young kid my neighbors and my family would take turns learning to balance as we tried to make our way down the driveway without falling. Now as a photographer I love capturing the talent it takes to ride not just a skateboard but to land jumps and tricks and not fall as the board slides down a rail or comes to the lip of a bowl. To finish up the Three of a Kind for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on skateparks in the metro Atlanta area, I went to Suwanee to check out the Settles Bridge Skatepark, where although it wasn’t as busy as the Historic Fourth Ward or Duncan Creek, it just goes to show you never know what you’ll find until you try. As I pulled up, three skaters were doing their thing and one happened to be another pro skater David Lamb. I say another (if you haven’t seen the Historic Fourth Ward post) as Grant Taylor made an appearance in Atlanta the day before.

Michael Jewell catches some air as he rides his skateboard at the Settles Bridge Skatepark in Suwanee on Thursday, March 27, 2014.

Michael Jewell catches some air as he rides his skateboard at the Settles Bridge Skatepark in Suwanee on Thursday, March 27, 2014.

 

Troy Wilkas rides his skateboard in one of the bowls at the Settles Bridge Skatepark in Suwanee on Thursday, March 27, 2014.

Troy Wilkas rides his skateboard in one of the bowls at the Settles Bridge Skatepark in Suwanee on Thursday, March 27, 2014.

 

David Lamb slides along the lip of a bowl as he rides his skateboard at the Settles Bridge Skatepark in Suwanee on Thursday, March 27, 2014.

David Lamb slides along the lip of a bowl as he rides his skateboard at the Settles Bridge Skatepark in Suwanee on Thursday, March 27, 2014.

 

Troy Wilkas catches some air as he rides his skateboard at the Settles Bridge Skatepark in Suwanee on Thursday, March 27, 2014.

Troy Wilkas catches some air as he rides his skateboard at the Settles Bridge Skatepark in Suwanee on Thursday, March 27, 2014.

 

Michael Jewell slides along the lip of a bowl as he rides his skateboard at the Settles Bridge Skatepark in Suwanee on Thursday, March 27, 2014.

Michael Jewell slides along the lip of a bowl as he rides his skateboard at the Settles Bridge Skatepark in Suwanee on Thursday, March 27, 2014.

 

David Lamb rides his skateboard in one of the bowls at the Settles Bridge Skatepark in Suwanee on Thursday, March 27, 2014.

David Lamb rides his skateboard in one of the bowls at the Settles Bridge Skatepark in Suwanee on Thursday, March 27, 2014.

 

Michael Jewell hangs on the lip of a bowl as he rides his skateboard at the Settles Bridge Skatepark in Suwanee on Thursday, March 27, 2014.

Michael Jewell hangs on the lip of a bowl as he rides his skateboard at the Settles Bridge Skatepark in Suwanee on Thursday, March 27, 2014.

 

Troy Wilkas rides his skateboard in one of the bowls at the Settles Bridge Skatepark in Suwanee on Thursday, March 27, 2014.

Troy Wilkas rides his skateboard in one of the bowls at the Settles Bridge Skatepark in Suwanee on Thursday, March 27, 2014.

 

Michael Jewell slides along the lip of a bowl as he rides his skateboard at the Settles Bridge Skatepark in Suwanee on Thursday, March 27, 2014.

Michael Jewell slides along the lip of a bowl as he rides his skateboard at the Settles Bridge Skatepark in Suwanee on Thursday, March 27, 2014.

 

David Lamb catches some air as he rides his skateboard at the Settles Bridge Skatepark in Suwanee on Thursday, March 27, 2014.

David Lamb catches some air as he rides his skateboard at the Settles Bridge Skatepark in Suwanee on Thursday, March 27, 2014.