Another beautiful day. Went two hours of India’s dances and had an early dinner. Then after a nap I went out in front of the house for about 30 minutes. I had put a hole in the bottom of my Lakai’s so it was time for new shoes. Or, another pair of not-skated-til-death shoes from my stockpile. I pulled out some Emerica Provost shoes. They have one of the worst shapes in a skate shoe I’ve ever skated. But they are somewhat ok shoes and I am on a vulc kick so they seem like the ones for now. I didn’t skated great. My mom came out to watch for a bit so that was embarrassing. I showed her what a kickflip is and she clapped. Yeap, at 41 that is the first kickflip my mom has watched me do. I struggled at halfcab flips and fakie bigflips. Those have gotten much harder on the bigger setup. I got a 3 flip first try though which always puts a smile on my face. Glad I skated a little.

One day prior to my 41st BDay I met up with Eric and we went to Longmont to meet Dave, Rob and Neil. It was an insanely nice day out. We packed into Neil’s little Civic and made the drive to the newest Fort Collins park called Waterway. There were three dudes there already and as you can probably see from the photo this park is tiny. Only one person can skate at once. The first half hour or so was pure frustration for me. It was non stop waiting or almost running into your friends. We eventually figured things out and got in a groove. The kids left and Mike joined us. Everyone had moves. Rob had some manuals around the deck, front slashes on the pool coping, back smith the top little qp. Dave killed it. Stalls on the extension, long pool coping grinds, boardslide to fakie on the birdbath qp. Eric was trying back disaster on the corner bank and getting into back noseblunt. Neil had some long lines actually skating the ledge and lots of ollies on, into, under everything. My bailed axle stall count got high quick. About the only thing I did I liked was a front slash on the little corner qp. Mike cruised around like he skated there the night before. He did. Ha.

When we went to leave Dave and I being the little 40 something kids we are had to do the dirt ride. I kickflipped in. Tried a few other things, but didn’t get them. Dave ollied in and then switch ollied in. So cool.

Next up was Fossil Creek. There was a period at Fossil where I felt some of the best I have in months. It’s amazing how good warm weather is for my body (UGH why do I live in Colorado????). I didn’t really do anything new or crazy, but I landed quite a few basics for me and crooked grinds were locking in so good. That bottom ledge rules. Eric got a heelflip off the manny pad. Dave nose manualled the box on top of the manny pad and did a bunch of boardslides to fakie on the ledge. Neil was all over the place doing the basics well. Back 50s, front lips, front tails, nose manuals. Dude can skate. Mike no complied a flat gap, ollie to rock the Carrol gap. Chadman joined us and ruled it. Front board to manual, front smith grinds, kickflip nose manual, poppy, steezy, ruler. Jack and Carleigh showed. I was stoked because I haven’t skated with either of them in so long. Carleigh did the little wallie into the downhill pad right away. Rob and Dave eventually got it. Jack was trying wallie boardslides down the six stair hubba, boardslide 270 shoves on the 3 stair out rail, other neato tricks.

Then we went to Spring Canyon. It was so nice out. I was pretty sore, but went for it anyway and shortly into the session I felt great again. So awesome. Warm weather rules. Again, I didn’t really do anything new or all that great, but some of the basics came quickly and that park is just fun. I was 4/6 on treflips. My favorite trick (even though I did it horribly) was an ollie onto the bench and drop to 50 on the curb. At the end of the session I wussed out on dropping into the pool or carving over the coffin door. Rob had an amazing frontside nosegrind on the curb. Carleigh carved over the stairs and did wallies and pole jams. Mike grinded over the stairs and no comply jammed over the pole jam. Dave had some killer back tails on the spine thing, rock ‘n rolls next to the coffin, boardslide to fakie down the rail. Neil popped ollies onto everything, nose manuals, all them neil tricks. Eric slammed so hard wallie’ing the wood thing, but got up and landed it. Jack manned up to the coffin carve then grinded over it. Manual to boardslide, front hurricane the little rail, front 5-0 3 shove out, texas plant, transfers, everything. I’m sure I missed a ton of tricks. Oh well, it was a long day, we had a blast.