One of the best skaters of all time and winner of last week’s best video part.

After a long and sketchy drive from Buena Vista and an amazing welcome home greeting from Liz I went to meet Dave at the dog park. But he bailed before I got there. My motivation was hurting, my body felt okay, and somehow the mid 30 weather didn’t bother me. I was wearing the Es vulcs again because I felt like skating vulcs. It’s crazy how much better the board feel is. These are a little too thin though. Anyways, I skated for about an hour. I didn’t skate fast or good, but I landed some tricks. I tried a line of fakie flip, halfcab flip, 360 flip for awhile. Couldn’t get the treflip and got a text from Matt requesting a treflip. Turns out he was with his dog at the park. He wasn’t looking, but I did land a treflip that try. I was hyped. Thanks for the motivation Matt. I landed a lot of heelflips, f/s halfcab flip, b/s flip randomly I did a few nollie back bigspins (okay “nollie” is a stretch). Came close to halfcab heels both ways, nollie inward heel, nollie tre, some more. Got tired so I left.

(setup 8.25″ clutch sample deck, venture 5.25 awake lows, 50mm bones stf v1, 3 washers on the inside of each axle, white venture bushings, es accel sq burgundy/gum size 11, custom orthotic insole)

Went for a brief spin at sunset. This time I tried behind our casino. There were some decent red curbs, some regular parking blocks, decent flat, some manny pads and a five stair. I didn’t have much energy and didn’t try to hard. Some of the ride on grinds were fun on the red curbs. I slid out pretty bad trying to boardslide a parking block. Had some fun blunt transfers on parking blocks. Didn’t try the five stair. Struggled to ollie up curbs. The warmth had my bushings feeling really loose.

(setup 8.25″ clutch sample deck, venture 5.25 awake lows, 50mm bones stf v1, 3 washers on the inside of each axle, white venture bushings, es swift 1.5 grey size 11.5, custom orthotic insole)

Had some free time and went to skate flat for a bit. I tried a few areas, but settled on a patch of decent asphalt across from the hotel/casino we were at. The temperature was in the low 70s and if felt amazing. My legs felt really good, but my shoes felt huge. My feet were slipping around in them. I managed quite a few slow flippers. Heelflip was more of a struggle than it should have been. I got a few treflips that weren’t clean. Halfcab flips, b/s flip, close to nollie varial flip and nollie treflip.

(setup 8.25″ clutch sample deck, venture 5.25 awake lows, 50mm bones stf v1, 3 washers on the inside of each axle, white venture bushings, es swift 1.5 grey size 11.5, custom orthotic insole)

All packed up and ready to head to my mom’s and then Vegas to visit some family. Golden park would be right on the way, but I decided Broomfield is worth a bit of extra drive. The park was mostly empty. There was another older dude at one point and then a couple younger dudes. But I mostly skated in ways that I like to when the park is empty. I was trying to manual the blue box then ollie onto the down slant ledge, but the older dude was working on front 50s and I didn’t want to barge his session. So I tried to manual the black ledge instead and got just as close. I was determined to get back 50s back. I snuck a few attempts on the blue ledge, never got one, but did get a back 5-0 shove out. Ha. Hadn’t done that in awhile. Had a fu line of tiny ollie to fakie on the brick qp, switch front 180 the parking block, front 50 down the slanted ledge, axle to fakie the quartapotty, switch front nose the blue ledge. Hyped on that line. Also tried for awhile to do a bank ride on the top, kickflip to fakie on the hump and then switch 180 into the bank, but I was ever ready for the bank. God a couple terrible halfcab noseslides that were not posted up at all. Got front 50 shove, front 50 front 180 out, front 50 to front board (first try and it’s been awhile for that one). Couldn’t get close to noseslide 270 shove. Crooks were bad. I was really sore, but said I couldn’t leave until I got a clean back 50 on the blue ledge. So basic, but I seem to have totally lost that trick unless there is a wall behind me. I added a few flip tricks and quartapotty tricks to the mix. I did get a back 50 and I called it quits and drove to BV.

(setup 8.25″ clutch sample deck, venture 5.25 awake lows, 50mm bones stf v1, 3 washers on the inside of each axle, white venture bushings, es swift 1.5 grey size 11.5, custom orthotic insole)