 |
Rodney Stryker
Florence - Oregon - USA Gear: Venomous FreeRider Sandboarding Oregon's dune system for the last 5 years has honed the skills of Rodney Stryker. Now with the opening of the Sand Master Park in Florence and a good number of sessions with NSL Champion, Josh Tenge, Rodney is looking good and intent on pursuing his goals. This Siuslaw High School student has a talent for jumping and has plenty of dunes ahead of him to make his mark in this sport. |
Rodney got started sandboarding when he went to visit a local friend, Andy Gray, who took him out to give it a try. Rodney was immediately hooked and got his first board, a snow board, to ride the sand that he picked up at the salvation army store. The snow board worked good enough but soon Rodney bought a used Venomous Liberator and rode it relentlessly until it snapped in half doing rail slides. By that time it seemed everyone was out on the dune riding sandboards. By that time Rodney was ready for the serious stuff and bought a Venomous FreeRider from a local board shop. That's his tool of choice today, carvin' Oregon's dunes on a full size free style board. The FreeRider allowed him to reach his goal of making more and bigger tricks and landing bigger air, ( of course ). "I still have them all." Rodney says proudly. Now he's huckin' front flips and riding much more aggressively and landing a lot more tricks than ever before. |
 Florence Oregon |
 and front flips are his latest trick. |
Rodney is like many 14 year olds, "My hobbies include, photography, skateboarding, cars, surfing, golf and hanging out with friends." he tell us. Honeyman Park is his favorite turf and since it's only 4 miles from his home Rodney is a familiar face at the state park just south of Florence. He's a familiar face at Sand Master Park as well. " I ride with my friend, Jordan, and sometimes Adam." Both are Florence locals too. Although he hasn't had the opportunity to snow board yet Rodney doesn't feel he's missing anything. "It's not like snow boarding. The dunes are dry and warm." Rodney sums it up, " It's a lot of fun! " Yes Rodney. We agree with you 100%. |
|
If you'd like to see Rodney in action and you're in the Oregon Dunes area be sure to visit the Sand Master Park in Florence, Oregon or look for him at Honeyman State Park just south of Florence. Given the popularity of this sport growing so rapidly in Oregon it may be difficult to know which pilot is him... well, just look for the one getting crazy on a full size FreeRider. Chances are that's your man. by Lon Beale Sandboard Magazine 12/01 |
 |
