"Flora" Dispatch: Detroit Photo Feature

Flora Detroit Header Option
For ten days last summer we didn’t really have anything to care about. It was the longest days of the year, we were surrounded by friends we’d be with regardless and had more spots than we could ever hit. We got around on hotel bikes and a van that came without a team manager—almost an oxymoron in the skate world but as liberating as a horse without a rider. All we wanted to do anyway was skate and explore Detroit wih Justin Bohl. He’s a kind of a god of skate spots. Wherever he points, there’s one he Bondoed, rub-bricked or ‘creted—and if not, he will fix it if you ask. He radiates good vibes and thrives on the energy of others. Before we arrived he’d challenged himself to fix up 30 spots in 30 days. It was like a whole new skateable city had risen up from between the cracks of the existing one.

In the mornings we all met on the large shady patio of a cafe. Everyone was lazy but it was hot and it didn’t matter. We jumped in the van and skated until dark, rounding up clips for our Flora edit. When there was nothing left of the day we went to bed. That was all there was to it: summer. It was ten days that we’ll never have to remember as anything other than exactly what we wanted. —Mark Suciu

Photos by Justin Ching


Uncovering the crust, Mark and company come through with a beautiful depiction of Detroit

Tristen Rowean 50 50 Flora 750First one to it—Tristen Rowean, back 50 pop back 50 right after he touched down in Detroit

DETROIT FLORA WEB 58Warming up my legs for a long trip

DETROIT FLORA WEB 59Gapping out to nosegrind before Jahn showed up and the real rail onslaught began

DETROIT FLORA Drake Johnson 180 5-0 Justin Ching  Thrasher MagazineDrake Johnson showing off his Waller-honed tech side, Front 180 fakie 5-0 revert

Flora Detroit Web Justin Ching 2000 36Me and Drake

DETROIT FLORA Tristen Rowean Back Tail Justin Ching Thrasher Magazine WEB 61Tristen dusted himself off and made this back tail over the gap

DETROIT FLORA WEB 62Back Smithing in front of some classic Detroit visuals

DETROIT FLORA WEB 63 Drake Johnson front 180 Justin ChingDrake, massive front 180 at a spot we saw from the car

DETROIT FLORA WEB 64Jahn Perez crooks across the median and pops over the curb

Flora Detroit Web Justin Ching 2000 30Dan in the drink

DETROIT FLORA WEB 65 Dan Mancina back tail Justin Ching Thrasher MagazineDan “The Man” Mancina back tails at our favorite ledge spot

DETROIT FLORA WEB 66Then one-ups himself with a kickflip back tail

DETROIT FLORA WEB Dan Mancina Kickflipping in Detroit Justin Ching Thrasher MagazineKickflipping in the sweltering heat of downtown Detroit

DETROIT FLORA WEB Dan Mancina Front Crook Justin Ching Thrasher MagazineDan, front crook to fakie at a much-appreciated shady spot

Mark Suciu Backside Grind Back Tail 750Feeble to back tail, I shoulda held on longer but that bear trap had me spooked

DETROIT FLORA WEB Mikey Crack Heelflip Nosegrind Justin Ching Thrasher MagazineMikey Crack unleashing his signature heelflip back nosegrind on a very awkward hubba

DETROIT FLORA WEB 107Kris Bachtel’s strategic sign placement gets him high up on this backside wallride

DETROIT FLORA WEB Drake Johnson Switch Varial Heel Justin Ching Thrasher MagazineDrake, switch varial heel up in the clouds

DETROIT FLORA WEB 109If you Bondo five cracks, Drake will land his ollie first try. This is the biggest ollie I’ve ever seen in person

Flora Detroit Web Justin Ching 2000 35Justin Albert and Drake celebrate with another clip on the card

DETROIT FLORA WEB Tristen Rowean front tail Justin Ching Thrasher MagazineTristen front tails to fakie before a gnarly car crash scared us off the session

DETROIT FLORA WEB 111Jahn, front crook at a spot that was fun for everyone

DETROIT FLORA WEB Joey Guevara Justin Ching Thrasher MagazineJoey Guevara feeble grinds off the drop

DETROIT FLORA WEB Mark Suciu back noseblunt Justin Ching Thrasher MagazineBack noseblunting beneath the pylons

DETROIT FLORA WEB Jonathan Perez back 180 nosegrind Justin Ching Thrasher MagazineJahn, back 180 nosegrind—not an easy trick on a wide circle rail

DETROIT FLORA WEB Kris front SmithJustin Ching Thrasher MagazineKris was at home on this prop-up bump to bench. Smooth Smith

DETROIT FLORA WEB Kris frontside 5-0 Justin Ching Thrasher MagazineKris balancing a front 5-0 on loose trucks

Flora Detroit Web Justin Ching 2000 10Kris releasing his ectoplasm on this front noseblunt

DETROIT FLORA WEB Joey Guevara back tail Justin Ching Thrasher MagazineJoey back tails outside of an abandoned school

Flora Detroit Web Justin Ching 2000 42Joey G, ball is life

DETROIT FLORA WEB Kris wallride Nollie Justin Ching Thrasher MagazineInside the school, Kris wallride nollies on a wooden wave

Flora Detroit Web Justin Ching 2000 39Jahn in the spotlight

DETROIT FLORA Drake Johnson 360 flip Justin Ching Thrasher MagazineDrake put on a demo over this can, tré flip

DETROIT FLORA WEB 121 Justin Ching Thrasher MagazinePassing the zoot

DETROIT FLORA WEB 122Drake handles a hardflip

DETROIT FLORA WEB Tristen Rowean backside flipTristen, proper backside flip form

DETROIT FLORA WEB Jonathan Perez kickflip Justin Ching Thrasher MagazineJahn, kicking it with a kickflip

DETROIT FLORA Kris Bachtel nollie 180 Justin Ching Thrasher MagazineKris, crispy nollie 180

DETROIT FLORA Jonathan Perez switch flip Justin Ching Thrasher MagazineJahn switch flipping for the crew

DETROIT FLORA WEB Drake Johnson can ollie Justin Ching Thrasher MagazineDrake goes the distance with a three-bin ollie

DETROIT FLORA WEB Drake Johnson back 180 Justin Ching Thrasher MagazineAnd back 180s it for good measure

DETROIT FLORA Jonathan Perez lipslide Justin Ching Thrasher MagazineJahn up against a big ol’ 13—lipslide

DETROIT FLORA Jonathan Perez Justin Ching Thrasher MagazineThis rail had the roughest landing and Jahn had to pay to play. Frontside 5-0

DETROIT FLORA Mark Suciu front blunt Justin Ching Thrasher MagazineFront blunt transfer by the author

DETROIT FLORA Mikey Crack Back Smith Justin Ching Thrasher MagazineMikey, back Smith

DETROIT FLORA Kris Bachtel kickflip Justin Ching Thrasher MagazineKris kickflips a long bump to gap immediately before navigating a sketchy stairway. The formula for a solid summer trip really isn't that complicated: rent a van, pick a new city and pack in
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