Fireside chat with professional skateboarder David Gravette
NA- Hey David! Thanks for chatting with us. First off, let’s talk about your latest Bronson Speed Co. video. It was released on Thrashers website this summer and it had a big response. I’ve heard that you've basically been recovering from one serious injury after another for almost the last decade and you were still dealing with an injury during the filming. But you don't seem to be playing it safe in this new part. Does having this video finished feel like a special kind of triumph?
Dave- Oh for sure! After being forced off the board for 2 years! With back to back major surgeries and left with a medical mystery of a hip that would not stop dislocating... I didn’t think I would ever skate again, let alone film a part. It was at the point where I was popping my hip out tying my shoes, sitting down or just sleeping, so I figured I might as well start trying to skate again ‘cause I might as well pop it out doing something fun! After a couple of months of popping my hip out 5 times a sesh just rolling around, one day it just happened overnight. I went skating one day and my hip stayed in! I thought it was a fluke at first, but it wasn’t! The hip still slips a bit every now and then, but I’ve been back on the board for a year now and absolutely love it!!
NA- Portland has a big role in the Bronson Speed Co. video. You grew up in Washington, but you've been living in Portland for a while now. Has the Portland skate scene mixed with the nearby wilderness been a big part of why you've lived here for so long?
Dave- Without a doubt! Nature was my first love before I knew what skating was. I love all forms of natural scenery, but the northwest forests and mountain lakes are where I grew up and are probably my favorite features of mother nature! It was a no brainer to move to Portland. It was the perfect balance of big city and small town and allowed me to continue being productive on my skateboard while enjoying first-class nature!
NA- You guys did a lot of filming in the wilderness for the Bronson video. You filmed a waterfall back flip, bonfires, archery, and secret skate parks in the woods. Was that a big production to make happen? Or were you going to those spots anyway and you just had a cameraman come along?
Dave- That’s just everyday life for me and Tyson!!
NA- Awesome man! Kayak Dave has been getting after it in the last few years. Paddling, fishing, and he even made an appearance in the Bronson video. Where did Kayak Dave come from and what has he been up to lately?
Dave- Kayak Dave is a product of your creation!! After I was recovering from another shoulder surgery I needed something to boost my spirits and kayaking seemed like it would be good rehab for my shoulder, so I took my first trip to the Next Adventure Paddle Sports Center and was greeted with some really helpful staff that got me set up with exactly what I needed! And I went straight to the lake! It was an immediate bond. I loved how I now had access to parts of nature the jabronis didn’t! And then when I discovered fly fishing from my kayak, it was just.... game on! At this point, I have a hard time going one or two days without dipping yack. My fleet consists of 3 kayaks, a 13-foot sit on top for heavy fish mish, 12-foot solid cruiser, and a 35lbs 9-foot hybrid that you can bring anywhere!
NA- You’re a skater, a camper man, fisherman, kayaker, BMXer, and general outdoorsman. Outside of skating, has getting out on adventures always been a big part of your life or has it been more recent to your life? Were you a boy scout or anything?
Dave- I think I have always looked at life as collecting as many awesome life experiences as possible, and if you do more things, you’re gonna get more experiences. Also, with all my major injuries I tend to pick up a new hobby cause you got to find fun things to do that are possible with whatever part of your body is not currently working. I wasn’t a Boy Scout, but I did tracking school and my family was very outdoorsy. I honestly can’t remember a time in my life where I wasn’t camping and trying to catch critters.
NA- I’m an old man skater who grew up as a big fan of Jason Adams in the 90s. I can’t help but draw a line between his video parts and your video parts. You both have such creative approaches and always have a good mix of street and transition skating. He was the original Creature Kid, but he was gone from the team before you joined the Creature team. Have you and the Kid ever crossed paths? On or off the board?
Dave- Dude! I have always quoted Jason Adams as being my favorite childhood skater! I watched his Label Kills part every day! He also started my love of country music! For as many past sponsors as we've shared, I haven’t got to spend much time with him... but we have crossed paths and he’s super cool! He even painted me an insane portrait of Hank 3! I thank you very much for drawing a line between our parts! That’s a huge compliment to me!
NA- I first met Willis Kimbel over a decade ago when he was coming into the shop to trade gear for hammocks and camping supplies. He seems to have always had the adventure bug. Around that time, you also came in to trade in your gear to get some new camping gear. Weren't you and Willis roommates back then? Were you guys camping at all or mostly skating together?
Dave- Oh yeah, definitely we skated and camped a bunch! We didn’t get as adventurous as I do now, but you didn’t really have to back then, we could just go camp Zig Zag on a Saturday and see no one...
NA- You spent some time at the YMCA Skate Camp this summer. I remember seeing that place in old 411 skate videos. It looks like a beautiful park in the middle of a beautiful wilderness. Is it basically paradise?
Dave- Yeah man that place absolutely rules! A bunch of rad skateparks in the middle of Sequoias with a video game fishing lake! Yeah, that will play!!! I also watched all those 411s and wanted to go so bad! It may have taken 20 years, but I got there and it seemed pretty much same steez!
NA- Are there any projects you're working on now?
Dave- Yeah for sure. I got some stuff coming out. I think there should be another video part coming out soon. I got kind of a behind the scenes look of my life type thing coming out for Creature soon and other than that just gonna keep doing as much as I possibly can and milk out the last part of NW summer!!!!!!
NA- Thanks for chatting with us!
Dave- Thank you!!
NA- You guys did a lot of filming in the wilderness for the Bronson video. You filmed a waterfall back flip, bonfires, archery, and secret skate parks in the woods. Was that a big production to make happen? Or were you going to those spots anyway and you just had a cameraman come along?
Dave- That’s just everyday life for me and Tyson!!
NA- Awesome man! Kayak Dave has been getting after it in the last few years. Paddling, fishing, and he even made an appearance in the Bronson video. Where did Kayak Dave come from and what has he been up to lately?
Dave- Kayak Dave is a product of your creation!! After I was recovering from another shoulder surgery I needed something to boost my spirits and kayaking seemed like it would be good rehab for my shoulder, so I took my first trip to the Next Adventure Paddle Sports Center and was greeted with some really helpful staff that got me set up with exactly what I needed! And I went straight to the lake! It was an immediate bond. I loved how I now had access to parts of nature the jabronis didn’t! And then when I discovered fly fishing from my kayak, it was just.... game on! At this point, I have a hard time going one or two days without dipping yack. My fleet consists of 3 kayaks, a 13-foot sit on top for heavy fish mish, 12-foot solid cruiser, and a 35lbs 9-foot hybrid that you can bring anywhere!
NA- You’re a skater, a camper man, fisherman, kayaker, BMXer, and general outdoorsman. Outside of skating, has getting out on adventures always been a big part of your life or has it been more recent to your life? Were you a boy scout or anything?
Dave- I think I have always looked at life as collecting as many awesome life experiences as possible, and if you do more things, you’re gonna get more experiences. Also, with all my major injuries I tend to pick up a new hobby cause you got to find fun things to do that are possible with whatever part of your body is not currently working. I wasn’t a Boy Scout, but I did tracking school and my family was very outdoorsy. I honestly can’t remember a time in my life where I wasn’t camping and trying to catch critters.
NA- I’m an old man skater who grew up as a big fan of Jason Adams in the 90s. I can’t help but draw a line between his video parts and your video parts. You both have such creative approaches and always have a good mix of street and transition skating. He was the original Creature Kid, but he was gone from the team before you joined the Creature team. Have you and the Kid ever crossed paths? On or off the board?
Dave- Dude! I have always quoted Jason Adams as being my favorite childhood skater! I watched his Label Kills part every day! He also started my love of country music! For as many past sponsors as we've shared, I haven’t got to spend much time with him... but we have crossed paths and he’s super cool! He even painted me an insane portrait of Hank 3! I thank you very much for drawing a line between our parts! That’s a huge compliment to me!
NA- I first met Willis Kimbel over a decade ago when he was coming into the shop to trade gear for hammocks and camping supplies. He seems to have always had the adventure bug. Around that time, you also came in to trade in your gear to get some new camping gear. Weren't you and Willis roommates back then? Were you guys camping at all or mostly skating together?
Dave- Oh yeah, definitely we skated and camped a bunch! We didn’t get as adventurous as I do now, but you didn’t really have to back then, we could just go camp Zig Zag on a Saturday and see no one...
NA- You spent some time at the YMCA Skate Camp this summer. I remember seeing that place in old 411 skate videos. It looks like a beautiful park in the middle of a beautiful wilderness. Is it basically paradise?
Dave- Yeah man that place absolutely rules! A bunch of rad skateparks in the middle of Sequoias with a video game fishing lake! Yeah, that will play!!! I also watched all those 411s and wanted to go so bad! It may have taken 20 years, but I got there and it seemed pretty much same steez!
NA- Are there any projects you're working on now?
Dave- Yeah for sure. I got some stuff coming out. I think there should be another video part coming out soon. I got kind of a behind the scenes look of my life type thing coming out for Creature soon and other than that just gonna keep doing as much as I possibly can and milk out the last part of NW summer!!!!!!
NA- Thanks for chatting with us!
Dave- Thank you!!