Mike’s television show DRIVE is now airing in Australia for the first time and the feedback so far has been tremendous.
Here’s a recent letter we received:
“I watched your show which went to air yesterday in Australia – truly inspiring.
I have no link with the skateboarding community, except to think it looks awesome when watching as a spectator but your show really brought a powerful message and has kept me thinking ever since…
I think so many things around us at the moment is negative and especially of our generation, thanks for giving hope and showing that there are many wonderful people out there and that all is not lost.
All the best with future works, keep going, you have promted me to keep doing more to help make the world a better place.”
Check out this clip we just posted to YouTube from DRIVE Season 3… More DRIVE videos to come…
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Hey Mike,
Just checking out the DRIVE videos, and putting a smile on my face. Now 33, I also grew up in the backyard and schoolyard options for skating. A few of us in the neighborhood built launch ramps and quarter pipes for our driveways and would skate until 10 or 11 at night over the summer. Although I didn’t know it then, my mom would defend us whenever neighbors would complain about the noise the ramps made. With the support of my family and the families of my friends, we developed a love for skating that, at least for me, continues to this day regardless of skating daily or not. Hell, with their support I was able to notch a contest win at the age of 13 to nab an awesome prize: a red elephant series Mike V. deck!
Thanks for keeping the love alive. Peace.
Rad. Thanks Brice.
I’m really looking forward to the DVD release of season 2 and 3. Is it coming out anytime soon?
I just wanted to drop a note to explain that Drive is one of the main reasons I started skating again the last couple years in my early 30’s. I had been an avid skater for many years growing in the up in the 80’s, but as I got older other distractions crept in and I kind of let it go. I would try to skate every now and then but those times got further and further apart until eventually I just wasn’t in the shape I needed to be in to enjoy it. Those days seemed behind me. Compounding that with the way that skating and the scenes changed over the years I found myself generally intimidated by the whole thing. What happened to launch ramps and shin ho hos?
So flash forward about 10 years and I’m a 31 year old who hasn’t skated in a long long time. During one night’s sleep I had a very vivid dream of riding a mini half and remembering what it felt like. That planted the seed. Then my local cable programmer started carrying Fuel TV and I started seeing skating again and getting that very visceral gut feeling of awesomeness watching people land tricks, for it seemed I was becoming stoked! Drive caught my attention on Fuel TV because of Mike Vallely (I had the Powell elephant deck and I still have my old pre-teen sized elephant sweatshirt). Seeing Mike Vallely still going at it and then finding out all of my older school heroes where still skating gave me hope and a little sense of belonging. The one really important thing though was hearing Mike Vallely talk about the positive aspects of skating and what it really does for one’s well being and satisfaction.
Soon after encountering Drive I found out an old friend had opened a skate shop in the town I was living in. I wanted to support him and I knew that he could help me get a board together and answer all of my out of touch hardware questions without laughing at me too much.
At 31 I bought the first complete deck I had bought in 10-12 years. Since then I have been skating as much as I can and I am doing things I could never do when I was younger. It is such a rewarding experience physically and mentally.
The short version of this is that thanks to my friend’s shop, my dream and Mike V. I was able to convince myself to start skating again and I’m going to keep at it until I can’t do it anymore.
Thanks Mike, you are an inspiration. I’m glad Drive is getting more exposure. This might sound a bit over the top but that show profoundly impacted my life. Thanks again!
Thanks James… That’s a rad story man, glad to have you back with us.
No DVD anytime soon but you can download Season’s 1, 2 and 3 on Amazon
Mesmerising skating as usual. And I don’t think I saw one kickflip (hand flip of course).
That’s what I like.
Thanks Dave, I appreciate it my friend.
Truly sad that here in Mexico skating is only seen as an act of vandalism, its a shame that some skaters dont take action and actually try to change this, i wish my mom was as suportive on skating, it would truly help.
Great message you send out to people Mike
Mario… Parental support is great but self support and belief in self is greater… Your life is yours to live as you see fit. Never Give Up.
Hey Mike u r a ledgnd my name is Will and i’m 11 years old i stoped sk8ing 4 a for a while but thx to you i got right back into it and i was wondering if you could do a demo in melb australia
Hi Will… I hope to get back to Australia soon… Melbourne for sure.