An Urban Jibbing Myth

Saturday arvo, in a little piece of bushland paradise hidden away in Mt Waverley, the good people of Melbourne are walking there dogs and enjoying the Autumn air. But Saturday arvo's in the park are just too fun to leave for just the fit healthy and active... Hence there were more that a few strange looks as a bunch of punk kids dragging garbage bins of ice shavings and snowboards trundled down a winding wooden star case in the park. A treated pine hand rail that buckled its way through the forest was about to support more than the usual seniors from the local retirement village. TSC camper Shaun Belmore, Andrew Roth, Miles Henson, and Alex Scott, along with a few celebrity ring-in's, like Tom Pelly, Courtney Phillipson and Ben Willick, were responsible for the hive of activity in the park. After a few loads of ice and a few more rebuilds of the kicker (Thanks to mischievous mutt Hiro, who took it on himself to claim the jump his own by embedding footprints all over the in-run), the sun set and the session was under way. "That's one ball breaking, pimp smashing, anti-christ of a run-in" said a little 4yo girl on a pink tricycle. Her dad and her were part of a growing crowed, braving the crisp forest air and rabid mosquitoes. The fact was that quite a lot of local Mt Waverliean were staved for idea on Saturday night. Since the axing of "Hey Hey is Saturday" some years ago, and prime-time classics like "Gladiator" and "Rove" all being pushed back to Sundays due to the increasing accessibility to cheap movie rentals, fast internet and "Sakata Rice Crackers", there just was limited choices for pre-footy viewing between the hours of 5 and 7pm. Anyway, the young girl was right. The run-in wasn't all that. So after all that work it was discovered that the enchanted forest jib would only work if your board had no edges, was small enough to fit between a rock and a hard place, the rider was regular footed, and they wore a blood red t-shirt to match the colour of a devil tattooed on your skinny chest... Enter Tom Pelly. Well it's all fun and games watching Thomas on the slip & slide, but the other boys wanted action too! Just as you were all getting depressed about the lack of quality entertainment on Saturday evenings between 5 and 7pm, in was now a blessing for us as young miles, a long time Mt Waverley resident, had taken to scouting in the past few years during this time slot. His adventures had taken him to places far and wide, and on one occasion not so long ago, he had ventured across "Stevenson's Road". Dogging rent-a-cops and security cameras, the trained eye of Mr Henson had spotted a fabulous playground of jibs, rails and brick walls. And after a few inspirational words from the explorer. "Mum! Pizza. Boys! To "Can Not Be Named High School" Some time later, after employing the necessary "anti-school principal" procedures, the team was getting busy in the moonlight (aka a 1000 watt fluorescent security lights set off by Alex Scott's long silky mane flowing in the breeze). Ledges, down bars, the list goes on... no, actually thats it, but it was hella fun. And apparently it was all so all in the name of Belmore's homework! C+ More images in the Gallery