The 2020 skateboard contest season has been cancelled because of the pandemic, but Monster Energy’s Tom Schaar and Trey Wood keep bringing the stoke with a brand-new skateboard video feature. Released to global audiences across Monster Energy’s social media channels today, ‘Highway in the Sky’ captures a week-long tour of legendary Oregon and NorCal concrete skateparks in a captivating three-minute edit.
Viewers can now go online and watch two of the world’s top professional park skateboarders in the brand-new ‘Highway in the Sky’ video, live now on YouTube. Watch it here:
Expect huge airs and high-speed lines under northwestern skies at iconic skateparks alongside never-been-done transfers at DIY spots.
“This was my first skate trip since the whole pandemic started and I was so bored at home. With not being able to fly, all the contests being cancelled and the whole situation here in California getting pretty scary, it was time to get out on the road again,” said Monster Energy team rider Schaar.
As part of Team U.S.A. Skateboarding, the 20-year-old from Carlsbad, California was poised to represent the United States in skateboarding’s debut at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, now postponed due to the global coronavirus pandemic. So, when teammate \Wood introduced the idea for a road trip, taking a van from San Diego to Portland with a crew of friends, Schaar was on board.
“I just wanted to get things moving again after all this time sitting at home in Arizona,” said Wood about the impetus for the mission. Joining the trip in the first week of August were friends and certified skatepark destroyers such as Chris Russell, Jake Wooten, Tom Remillard, Clay Kreiner, Skyler King, Chris Gregson, Klay Andersen, Cody Lockwood and Kevin Kowalski.
In order to capture the experience in crisp footage, the crew brought filmer Braden Gonzales as well as a secret weapon: Pro skateboarder and filmer Gregson, known for his engaging follow-camera shots on park terrain. “He is a wizard behind the camera and when you go out filming with Gregson, you just know it’s going to be special,” said Schaar.
Over course of one week, the squad skated high-profile skateparks along the route, hallowed ground steeped in decades of skate history. “A few of us had never been to Oregon and the concrete parks are definitely the best in the world. Everyone killed it and they shut it down at every session!” said Schaar.
Stops included the Dreamland Skateparks-designed Bud Cross Skatepark in Brookings, Buffington Park in Port Orford, and Klamath Falls Skatepark, all in Oregon.
Also, special treats like the concrete bowl in Kevin Kowalski’s backyard in Seal Rock and the indoor vert bowl at skatepark designer Mark ‘Red’ Scott’s house. Plus, a mandatory pilgrimage to legendary Burnside Bridge DIY in Portland and the 40,000 square-foot Volcom Brothers Skate Park in Mammoth Lakes, California, as the grand finale.
“Some of these parks have been around since before I was born. It’s gnarly to think of all the tricks that went down there and finally getting to skate these places was pretty surreal,” said Wood, who received his first pro model skateboard by his board sponsor, Madness Skateboards, one day before embarking on the trip.
Along the way, Wood and Schaar made sure to add a few never-been-done tricks to the legacy of Northwest skateparks. Known as one of the world’s most competitive park skateboarders with nine X Games medals to his name, Schaar is especially stoked on clinching the ender for “Highway in the Sky”, filmed at “a really smooth and great DIY built by Cody Lockwood under a bridge in Portland.”
But no spoilers! The only way to find out is to watch the high-energy ‘Highway in the Sky’ video right now on YouTube. Also make sure to read the behind-the-scenes article featuring road stories from Schaar and Wood on the Monster Energy website.
Now that the video has launched, Wood and Schaar are already plotting their next road trip to collect more footage for future video projects. Next up, the crew will be hitting up legendary concrete parks all across Idaho in early September. Despite the ongoing effects of the pandemic, remaining cooped up at home is just not an option.
“We’re all waiting for things to get back to normal and contests to start back up. So right now, it’s the perfect time to go on some trips to film and get footage,” said Schaar.
Catch all the action in the brand-new ‘Highway in the Sky’ video clip, live now on YouTube.
Also visit http://www.monsterenergy.com and follow Monster Energy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter for exclusive updates on Tom Schaar, Trey Wood and our team of skateboarding athletes.
