Here we ago again, stop number three: Frankfurt Germany. This is a place known to fellow Germans as Railslide Hall. You got to love an indoor park without an air conditioner when it's 85 degrees outside. The temperature inside was a balmy 97 degrees. As far as the skate elements go, the place was set up pretty damn well. I was able to get a few runs in on the street course before the demo started. The only question I have about the Euro skate scene is: why do people feel it necessary to smoke when you are inside a skate park? I guess they haven't heard of second-hand smoke. I wonder what Euro's do when they go to California (my home state). I am sure they must be good at dismantling smoke detectors.

Bam attempting the 17-foot drop.

The same skaters from the first stop were here, too. Well, as they use to say in the eighties "Skate and Destroy." Bam Margera, the O.G. prankster, wasted no time in finding the biggest thing in the park to jump off of. Bam climbed up the backside of the vert ramp and then scaled the fence lining the back of the ramp. You see, Bam is a very sick individual but you probably already knew that, especially if you've seen CKY2K or an episode of Jack Ass. The drop was about a 17-foot fall. Bam told me this was the biggest thing he had ever tried to jump off of! Bam attempted the drop about fifteen times. He stuck the landing three or four times but then fell to his already black and blue hip. On his fifth attempt, his board shot out and hit a kid square in the middle of his shin. The kid didn't even flinch, even when his leg started to squirt blood. You might say he was caught up in the moment like the rest of us. Bam never rode away cleanly but he earned some serious punk rock points from his peer's.

Bucky Lasek with the backside boardslide.

Steve Berra was pulling big 5-0's down every handrail in the place, not to mention his switch kick flips also. Kris Marcovitch was doing lipslides up the hand rail to 360 shove it's off and 360s flips from bank to bank. Bucky was doing frontside lipslides and bluntsides and all types of flips. Rooftop (Mike Escamilla) was pulling 720's on his trusty steed, a.k.a. his BMX Bike. Mike even picked up Sal Masekela's skateboard and started to try to board-slide one of the handrails. He pulled it twice until he broke Sal's board - I am sure Sal will manage to get another one somehow.

Tony Hawk going over the gap.

The highlight of the Demo took place during the vert session. Tony, Bucky, Jason Ellis and the Condor were trying to air the gap between the vert ramp and the mini ramp, which was strategically located about 16-18 feet away. The park owner told me that no one had even thought to try it. But this is The Tony Hawk Gigantic Skate Park Tour and when these guys get together, nothing is impossible. The Condor pulled it off two times and both Tony and Bucky pulled it off as well. Ellis was trying to grab method over it but was having a rough time. Jason slammed a few times pretty hard. You got to give this guy credit even though he's an Aussie. Ellis Mate will be going under the knife to repair is damaged ankles - you can guarantee he will be back for more in a few weeks.

All and all, another great stop. This puts an end to the European leg of the Hawk Tour. Next stop: the great state of Texas in two weeks. I hear everything is bigger in Texas: I'm sure we can expect some big things from the boys.

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