Nike 6.0 Trip

So.

Spent the last couple days in Portland on Nike's dime checking out the latest from 6.0—their somewhat inclusive action sports division. More on the trip (and the shoes) later, but for now, a few select photos. On the 16th, they actually built ramps on campus (Nike's HQ is called "the campus" for very good reason) and let their athletes loose on it while hundreds of employees drank dollar drafts and watched them go off. Obviously the wakeboarders, surfers and snowboarders were pretty much out of luck, but Mike Spinner, Nigel Sylvester and Garrett Reynolds had a blast.

• Mike Spinner, tailwhip. This is one of the best photos I've ever taken, in my humble opinion. It certainly helped that Spinner can throw whips whenever he wants. (Two days after this, he won Dew Tour Park.)


• Garrett Reynolds, manual to whip. The whole black/blonde hair thing is confusing, but when you're as dialed as Garrett, I guess you can do whatever you want.
• Nigel Sylvester, 180 bars. It was funny listening to the announcer (who I believe is also the TM) talk about Nigel—that he doesn't enter contests or ride big ramps, and he instead rides to make video parts and that kind of stuff. I think he meant well, but Nike may still have a little to learn about street riding.
At the end of the session, Nigel became without a doubt the first rider to jump into the manmade pond/lake in the center of campus. Photos of that to come. I expect there's still water in his bike.

And after it was all over, after dinner and a trip to the arcade, I went with the team to the former Savier (now Nike SB) skate warehouse downtown and partook in a closed-door session. By the end, it was just myself, Nigel, and a pair of Nike skate guys—and I was wishing I brought an additional flash. Or two. I missed Nigel's bar to smith to hop bar out, but I did get this barspin on the same obstacle. Still a little underexposed, but oh well.