Arts & Culture

Hot Spots: Valley Center Skate Spot

Johnny Mueller

February 15, 2016

Aaron Adams busting out a “dog pisser” on the quarter pipe at Valley Center Skate Spot on Jan. 31, 2016. (Johnny Mueller/The Telescope)

Let me introduce you to a little slice of skateboarding heaven: the Valley Center Skate Spot (VCSS for short).

The view of Valley Center Skate Spot from the top of the quarter pipe on January 31, 2016. Johnny Mueller/The-Telescope.

VCSS is a do-it-yourself (DIY) skate spot created and funded by members of the Valley Center community. Unlike most skate parks, which are typically constructed by teams of designers and park builders, VCSS was built entirely by local skateboarders. The spot has since become a hub for skateboards who prefer its crude and stylized DIY design, and since it is a DIY spot, you never know when new features could be added.

This spot includes, but is not limited to: an 8 foot vertical transition quarter-pipe, a barrier with a perfectly laid cement transition, a small pool-esque section with pool coping, a dangerously 45-degree angled pole jam, numerous waxed parking blocks, spine transfers galore and (my favorite) a 4 foot transition tree well with metal coping.

“It’s pretty rad,” Aaron Adams, a Palomar college student skating at VCSS said. “It’s a small place for people to learn but you can definitely go big. There’s seriously so much stuff here.”

The DIY spot was built in the back of a parking lot, but the cement is smooth yet grippy, making it ideal for any level of skater. There is an ample amount of features to choose from, which gives skaters the option to focus on a particular feature, or the opportunity to skate the entire spot in one run.

Aaron Adams busting out a “dog pisser” on the quarter pipe at Valley Center Skate Spot on January 31, 2016. Johnny Mueller/The-Telescope

Even though VCSS is in a convenient location (right off Lilac and Valley Center Road) it’s extremely easy to pass up. This illusive spot is tucked behind a Fire Station, then behind a fence and, lastly, hidden amongst trees.

VCSS is beyond low-key. I am an avid skater and I had only heard rumors of this transition paradise from local skaters. In fact, while searching for it I passed the entrance twice. But that is what makes this spot so hot!

For those who are in search of a little adventure and a new, unconventional spot with an endless flow, I suggest searching for the Valley Center Skate Spot and putting your mind and body to work.

For more information on this hidden-gem skate spot visit: http://www.confuzine.com/2015/01/08/valley-center-skate-spot-california/

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