Pala Norte – Ultimate Pool Sessions

X-Gaymes invade the S.F. Valley

As soon as the last bucket cleared the lip it was like a X-gaymes qualifier in progress.

This pool ‘Pala Norte’, thusly named in reference to the Pala pool that gets major traffic down south, recently popped up nearby to my neighborhood. It’s not taking very long these days to spread the word about a good new pool, but usually the Valley bowl riders keep the lid on what’s available to avoid the crowds. Not this time…

It was a fine Sunday afternoon after the rains stopped. Between 3 of us we had the clean rain water out of the pool in about 15 minutes. As soon as the last bucket cleared the lip it was like a X-gaymes qualifier in progress. Every 5 minutes another group of heads popped up and jumped in the pool. There was literally no room for anyone in the shallow end we began dropping in from the deep end.
Soon there were almost 20 people hanging and it was a mob scene. Heavy duty grinds going down, airs, light and stair carves.

Dave Mollen working it hard!

Crowded Shallow End

The bowl can be described as a tear drop almost kidney. About 9 1/2 feet of good tranny in the deep end and it got real tight in the shallow to the point of not being able to ride. As you’d roll in the light was directly in front of you, the stairs up and to your left, and the deathbox on the right. Coping is set in just right and it has small pebbles laid into the concrete which makes for really loud grinds. SICK!

Standing Room Only!!!

SO after the dust settled we awarded Neil Heddings the gold medal, Dave Mollen the Silver, and a tie with Toby Berger and Pat Garcia getting the Bronze. Check the video to see some of their full on ripping.

Hopefully the next X-Gaymes will be far from here! Oh Shit, they just signed a 2 year deal to have them in Los Angeles. I guess it’s going to have to be hard core locals only from here on out… 😉