"Fulmer Ramp" was on the westside of town and located at Derrick and Davy Robbins grandparent's house. Those guys along with Dale Calvert (RIP), Luther, Steve "Casper" and some others had one of the first half pipes in the area. It was 8' wide with maybe 6' transitions and no flat space. Tommy and I talked them into letting us cut it in half and add 4' of flat space between the transitions. This was pretty easy to do since the ramp wasn't cemented down in the ground. We also built decks on it and at one time a small vert extention with pool coping. Those guys were pretty receptive to whatever we wanted to do with the ramp. I think they were all stoked seeing some "new blood" take an interest.
And skate that ramp we did! Tommy even pitched a tent out there at one time. We ALL learned "the pump" on that ramp. I learned "frontside air" and how to "drop in" there. Most everyone started off at the bottom. Holding the tail of your board and running up one side. Then stuffing the board under you and riding toward the opposite wall. One would then kickturn and pump to try and go higher each time. Only the "brave" would go up to the top and "drop in". Occationally the "old timers", well.. they were old timers to us back then!, would show up just to let us know who built the ramp and who was still boss. Derick Robbins would rip wheelers and backside airs using up the whole ramp. At 8' wide you really didnt have much room to work with. This guy Craig would just drink vodka all day and the more he drank the more "edgy" his wheelers were. He would pump that ramp so hard.. only to slow down at the top to "wheeler perfection". At times it looked like he was about as far on the edge of his wheel as you could get and still be touching ramp. He would glide for about 12"-20" inches across the coping. I remember being in awe of that.
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During one of JFA's Ann Arbor stops .. we brought them out ... Thats Brian Brannon running on the flatspace. NO CLUE if other photos were taken. This is the only one that has surfaced
Tommy and me (wes) double up while Jamie Lewis and Jim Brown look on