I remember one time a few years back, I was skating in downtown St. Catharines with Shane Furry and some other people I think were around. We all ended up at Montabello park. A few people were hitting up the five stair gazeebo. Some skated the rail, some skated the stairs. Then this younger kid, came up to me holding an older video camera and asked if I could record a boardslide down the five stair handrail. I said sure.

Well, that was Mike Graveline, and later on he got on the sud team, made and edited some great homemade videos and has become known as one great skateboarder and is still progressing and it hasn't slowed down at all. If you ever see Mike working on a new trick, come back in at least a week and he'll have it. Mike is currently living in North Vancouver attending film school and shredding all the great spots of Vancouver. I got to interview him a while back and here's the outcome along with some recent photos. I had another intro for this article....but I can't find the original document I typed it out on....so just enjoy the interview!

J.Coops: First things first Gravey....how did you get into skateboarding?

Gravy: Well, when I was younger, these kids in my neighbourhood got skateboards for their birthdays. I used to chill with them so I asked for one for my birthday. This May is seven years…

J.Coops: First setup?

Gravy: 7.5 Chapman skateboard, Fury Trucks, Flip Wheels & blank bearings. My Oma bought it for me…We went to SUD.

J.Coops: Who were you skating with when you were starting out?

Gravy: I skated with kids from school…One of them was Brad Agler. Then in high school I skated with Shane Furry, John 'biggidy' Bergsma, J-La, and Bragler.

J.Coops: You progressed fast in your first couple years of skating. Did skating just come natural to you, was it hard practice or a little of both?

Gravy: I don't really know, I can just remember trying to skate everyday as much as possible, no matter what was going on.

J.Coops: Was everyone in your family always supportive of your skating?

Gravy: Ya ever since day one. My parents were always willing to drive my friends and I to the spots, and they always encouraged me to skate. A good example of this was when my dad took Agler and I to Slam City Jam in 2002.

J.Coops: What are your thoughts on the skateboarding scene in downtown St. Catharines a few years back?

Gravy: For a while, downtown was quite the hot spot. You could go down there and easily find a couple skaters around at different spots. Library, Courthouse and Montebello used to be chillin spots to skate, and many more. In the winter, SUD or the parking garages was where to skate. I can still remember Bergy used to skate this ramp in a garage at a home that was for sale. Ripped it to shit though, and now it is no more.

J.Coops: What skate sessions do you remember being the most memorable?

Gravy: There are too many to name. The ones that stick out are all the sessions at SUD in the winter, plus any Downtown Skateboards missions when the Tisdales were helping with it. One that comes to mind at the moment is when Bergsma, Lake, Agler & Myself went to Toronto during the Arnica 2 days. We came across what we were calling the 'yeah right rails' and tried to get footy in the dark…it was so grainy and shitty. However, I can still remember how stoked we were when we found them. We skated the Skydome Banks for the first time that day as well.

J.Coops: What's the scene like in Vancouver? Is it as great as everyone says it is?

Gravy: The scene is good. Its really big…Like you may skate with people from all over the lower mainland at the same spot, or it may be all locals. There are also a lot of extremely talented people out here. The best thing is that all the skaters are cool with one another. Sister's Panters and Triple XL'ers alike.

J.Coops: Anything you miss about back home?

Gravy: Yeah, there are quite a few things I miss. In order I would say: My Girl, All the Homies; especially the Skate Homies, My Family, The Escarpment, SUD & Downtown. Also, I really miss the St. Kitt's park.

J.Coops: Is there still a strong street skating scene in Van, or is it more about big parks because a lot of things are now skate-proofed?

Gravy: Naw dude, the skate stoppers don't slow down the street skating scene at all, as for the park scene, its huge too. All over the region there are groups of skaters holding it down in the streets and parks alike.

J.Coops: Still have plans to venture out into California?

Gravy: I'd love to go and visit, and then maybe return there later, but for now I want to live in Vancouver for a little while and get a job in the film industry, I really want to go to Cali. and skate the beach!!!

J.Coops: Got any new videos in the works?

Gravy: Yes I do actually, I always am trying to get as much skate footy as possible, so naturally I have to do something with all of it. I want it to be done in 2007 sometime…Not to sure on the title yet…It'll be on da site.

J.Coops: Which Arnica was your personal favorite?

Gravy: The Third one, because it's the most recent…

J.Coops: If you want to be involved in the skateboarding industry/world/whathaveyou in the future, would you want to be involved as far as your skating talent goes or would you want to film?

Gravy: Hahaha…Well for now I am planning on maybe getting into the filming side of things, but we'll have to wait and see with respect to the talent part…

J.Coops: Who are you skating with nowadays in Van?

Gravy: I Skate with B-Dubs and D-Emp. They're from North Van, which is where I used to live. I also skate with my one roommate Chris, & The main man Watson. More chillin sessions with Watson, and gettin er' done sessions with the North Van Kids…

J.Coops: What do you feel is the funnest part about skateboarding?

Gravy: I don't really know how to answer that…I love skating to the point where anything & everything to do with skateboarding is so much fun! The coolest thing is the fact that as skateboarders, we look at the world through totally different eyes than the rest of society…We see spots everywhere…

J.Coops: Goals for the future?

Gravy: To Keep skating and get as much footage as possible for this next video. I want to maybe get more people on board for this video, so I can produce something sick.

J.Coops: Last words, shout outs?

Gravy: I would but it would be a long ass list. Everybody from Everywhere that is positive about themselves and keeps it real. Anyone I've ever known, or crossed paths with….there, that works.