Colossal Skateboard Ramp Floats Gracefully on Lake Tahoe


As a professional skateboarder, it's safe to say that Bob Burnquist has shredded his share of railings, streets, and ramps. So, when Visit California challenged him to dream big in 2013, Burnquist took them up on the offer. His idea was a twist on the conventional skating ramp. Instead of existing on land, it would float on water.

Creatives Jerry Blohm and Jeff King designed the structure and, together, they faced many challenges, including leakage, weight, construction, and material. “The valves are most important because [if] they leak, the thing will rest on the bottom and Bob will be skating underwater,” Bolhm explained. Construction lasted for four days and took over 300 man hours. The final product weighted in at a massive 7,300 lbs, but floated gracefully over the waters of Lake Tahoe.

The ramp looks spectacular set against the beautiful California landscape. It's an unexpected treat to see someone skating in the middle of water. Burnquist's sun-soaked idea came to fruition thanks to Dream365, an initiative started by Visit California that inspires people to dream big in California.






Bob Burnquist website, Jerry Blohm website, and Visit California website
via [Knstrct]

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled "Embroidered Life" that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
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