When I first met Mike Myers, I thought he was an arrogant prick in addition to being completely out to lunch. He gave me this big spiel about a numbering memory system he'd come up with. He said it enabled him to memorize anything and that his name translated to 37. I think what really bothered me is that he saw right through me; he called me on every weakness I exposed. 37 showed no sympathy for whining.		37 fires up his new wood stove
Whenever I'd see him, at Shady Skates or Jerry's mini ramp, his skating and his appearance seemed to shout at me. Mismatched socks, brightly painted helmet, oil and mud on his clothes, battered longboard; he's one of those skaters whose style emanates as much from the tricks he's doing as the look on his face.

Skatopia photo by Jerry Hahn

37 is a Pittsburgh native, not an area blessed with many ramps to ride. Over the 5 years that I lived there I witnessed more skaters start their own clothing companies as opposed to building something to ride. A kid from Pittsburgh once told me "ramps are for rich kids." 37 picked up ramp building skills in the Army (of all places). So he built himself a mini ramp ... in the living room of a 2nd story apartment. Skatopia came together and that made us weekend warriors for a while. That place played a big part in shaping my perception of skateboarding and its possibilities. I know it had a big effect on 37 also.