Discovered at a Virginia Beach contest by Neil Blender and Lance, a young Mike Vallely was asked to join the Powell-Peralta team and quickly rose to fame as a premier street skater. After initially rejecting the Roach graphic, Vallely worked closely with VCJ on an elephant theme. Mike and his elephant deck were both very popular. Artwork by VCJ 1988 Mike currently runs Street Plant, a 100% independently owned and operated family business. "100% Independent Skateboarding for Love, for Fun. No rules, no divisions, no schools. Just a Skateboard as a Paintbrush and the World as an Empty Canvas. Skate. Create. Enjoy!"