Keegan Sauder checks in

May 06, 2008 @ 11:54 AM

Photo: Scott Pommier, gap to 50-50
Text: Deeli

Keegan, did I wake you up? What’s the plan for today?
No, I’ve been trying to leave the house for like 40 minutes already, just phoning people. I’ll probably get out of here round noon and may be skating by two. The plan for today is to try and shoot a photo for my Zero ad. And maybe go for a motorcycle ride later on if that works out.

Have you got a specific spot and trick in mind?
I’ve got a few ideas, but so far nothing set in stone. Anything that pans out, I’d be stoked just to get it done.

When’s your deadline?
I’m usually not the best guy with these deadline things, but yeah, I think I have until Monday at the moment.

It’s Friday morning now, does that put pressure on you?
It can—it can be good and it can be bad. In the end, if you don’t think about it, you’re just going skating anyway, so I actually shouldn’t be complaining, it’s all pretty sweet. Fuck it.

Are you going straight to your spot or do you warm up in the park first?
Zero has a park in the warehouse, so if I need to warm up, you can always just roll around there. Being a weekday down here, you can’t really even skate, so we’ll probably just go look at some stuff and try and figure out what we’re gonna do on the weekend. That’s like…it’s pretty typical down here. Most of the stuff gets done on weekends.

Any other definite projects at the moment?
Well, there’s supposed to be a Zero video out in September, and since I haven’t had a Zero part yet, I need to have a part in that one, that’s a given. It’s sort of my main motivation for this year, to try and make the best part I’ve ever made in my life. That, and not paying rent, if possible! [laughing]

Am I calling you in Vancouver?
Oh actually I’m on a cell phone in…where am I? I’m in Carlsbad, California. I just became homeless as of January 1st. By choice. So I’m just kind of on this Keegan Couch Tour right now.

Who are you staying with?
Right now I’m at Craig Robinson’s house, he’s the Zero team manager. I’ve been staying with John and Philippa Rattray quite a bit. They put me up for a while.

Living out of a bag?
Yeah pretty much, just out of a back bag and then somehow through Rvca clothing I have a Vespa lent to me, so I’ve got the under seat compartment filled up with clothes and stuff.

You didn’t ride that thing down from Vancouver, right?
No I just drove that from LA down to Carlsbad, which is like about 80 miles [120km], but it’s a 200 cc, and those things haul ass on the freeway, so it wasn’t that bad. And if it breaks down, I don’t care. For free it’s pretty amazing. But I definitely prefer a motorcycle though. You feel more of a man on a bike. I don’t even know what to say about how you feel on a Vespa! [ laughing]

So what about this motorcycle ride you mentioned, you got a bike as well?
Yeah I’ve got an old Yamaha. But I kind of doubt that that’s gonna happen today, we’ll probably just be skating until sundown!