Went to Valmont feeling tired, sore, unmotivated and uninspired, but looking at the weather it probably wont be dry for a long time so I still went. I parked before realizing there was a puddle in front of the ledge too so that sucked. I skated the manny pads for awhile. Almost had fun for a bit for awhile. Tried a long line with kickflip up a curb, manual, nose manual, back 180 up a curb, fakie bigspin off. Got to the bigspin, but almost died on it. Going the other way I tried sw 180 up a curb, ollie off, manual, front 180 nose manny (never landed) then a fakie ollie off a curb. I was obsessing over how low my board felt and hating on it and how cracked my tail was. I skated a bit of the ledge and tried a front tail shove and got close. Then I lost all motivation and left after my foot finished off my board. I hate how I obsess over setups. You would think after skating for 25 years I would remember that low trucks will eventually bum me out. Oh well, at least this time I landed a few tricks while I had them.

Finally made it to the Launch ramp! After work, driving to Ft Collins, doing business at MRKT then eating a burrito I met Chad at Launch where he volunteers. No one else was there. Rad. We walked in and before I even set my drink down Chad nose mannied up the box then came back and switch manualed it. Geez. We moved the boxes after it was clear I couldn’t ollie yet and skated the ramp for awhile. It’s a bit harder then it looks, but still really fun. I got a few grinds on the pool coping side and a few front disasters on the other side. It’s fun carving around the pool corner. Chad a super sick nollie front 360 and a bunch of rad ollies and basics. He wasn’t afraid to carve the corner then come flying at the manny pad and do a trick at full speed. One of my favorites to watch. Then we went back to the ledge off the ramp config. For awhile it was just one of the boxes off the ramp as a manny pad. Chad straight up ripped it. Nollie back heel switch manny down it first try. Frontside flip sw manny. Tricks that made me feel really old. My self deprecation was in effect. I was sucking. It took me forever to get a manual.

Ok, so every time I’ve skated low trucks I love it for awhile. Then I start to hate it. The last few times skating I’ve still liked it, but I’ve definitely started thinking it’s stupid. The problem is I’ve landed a lot of dream trucks on the low setup. Hardflip, cab flip, kick 50 shove. The thing I dislike is how tall ledges start feeling and it really hit me hard. I could not do anything. We started our runs out by ollieing over the blue barrier into the ramp. It looks super easy, but it’s kind of awkward. Well, for me it was. Chad did like 10 tricks into the ramp. I did manage 180s both ways and a kickflip or three. Ollies felt weird. I kept landing on my tail and cracked my board a bit. It took me for f’ing ever to commit to a front 50 off that thing. The blue wood sticking up weirded me out so much just saying “hey roll your ankle right here”. I managed to back 50 up it, turn around and front 50 down while setting the slowest speed record ever recorded at Launch. I almost got a kickflip up onto the ramp and a b/s flip out. I was feeling so old and awkward. Chad slayed that thing. We played a couple games of SKATE that Chad one. I proved that I can land a nollie treflip and not have a good day. Chad ripped it all night and was fun to be with, but my skating was some of my worst ever and I should have just skated the ramp. Ha. Now, time to obsess over taller trucks ..