Phil Shao

On The Road - 25 days of skating, over six thousand miles of highway, one rental van, thirty two tanks of gasoline, two citations, and a smorgasboard of skatespots all add up to one hell of a road trip. Peel back your eyelids and join in on the events that went down in Thrasher's summer tour.

From Madison Avenue ESPN®, skating is everywhere. But beyond all the hype and fanfare, there is a lot more than image. Check out how one clueless fool decided one day that he was going to be a "skater".

Skate harassment is at an all-time high and the battle will never be over. To a cop, nothing is more sacred than a sweet donut. Come between the man and his jelly filled delight and feel the wrath. Step into the shoes of heavyweight patrolmen Hank DeSouza and Dennis Marino as they quench their sadistic appetites for apprehending rag-tag crews of skaters who continually destroy public property within their jurisdiction. As always the names that appear have been changed to protect the guilty.

They come from all walks of life and every city in the universe to San Francisco for the dream of becoming a skateboard superstar. The migration is constant and because the magazine is here it is not unusual to find a skater out there who is willing to throw down if there is a camera around. The media is somewhat responsible for sponsorship but in reality, if you are worthy of adulation, it will come to you. We titled this video "Sponsor Me!" for all those screaming kids throughout the world who want to know what it takes to become the next skateboard celebrity. In between our victories and defeat we ask ourselves "What is sponsorship?"