After my disappointing outing yesterday I went to sleep angry and wanting to skate. Since I work the late shift and it was super nice out I left early for work with the plan of going to dog park to skate flat. Instead I saw no one was at Boulder park so I pulled in. I pumped around a couple times. Then had a fun warm up line of back tail stall on the mellow bank then front tailslide the little hip. A couple other people showed up, but mostly stuck in the bowl. I had started a line that got longer with each bail until I finally settled on it. Front 50 across and down the little ledge, go around, come out of the qp, noseslide down the ledge, tail stall drop in thing on the weird hump, manual the pyramid, kickflip over the b/s hip. I would often deviate from the line or do other tricks (kickflip tricks on the little bank up top, ollies on the hips). The line took a long time, but was pretty rewarding when I got it. I tried to add b/s flip to the end, but didn’t quite get it. Then it was off to work. Can’t believe how nice and warm it was. I should mention that the Es Swifts were annoying me. Sure they are comfy and flexible, but somehow they have no board feel. I sense a change coming.

(setup 8.5 null lazer deck, 5.8 venture black icon trucks, venom 90a bushings, 3 washers inside each axle, bones 51mm stf pj v1 wheels, es swift 1.5 navy/clear size 11.5, stock insoles)
(pain level 4/10)

Feeling very uninspired on a dreary Sunday I went across the street to try and finish Dave’s challenge. Halfcab back 50. I did a few warmups and kind of went right into it. I was having fun at first and getting close. I actually got into nosegrind a few times as aiming for my front truck seemed to work better. I also tried front 5-0 kickflip out going the other way along with a few basic flippers. After awhile of getting close and not landing it I started to get very angry. I moved to the lowest part of the curb and still couldn’t get it and I snapped and focused my board. Ugh. Worst feeling ever. Luckily it was pretty cracked at least so it wasn’t the worst move, but it’s still a terrible feeling to get to that level.

(setup 8.5 null lazer deck, 5.8 venture black icon trucks, venom 90a bushings, 3 washers inside each axle, bones 51mm stf pj v1 wheels, es swift 1.5 navy/clear size 11.5, stock insoles)
(pain level 2/10 but zero motivation)

On a wet dreary morning things got delayed. After awhile Jack was at my house. We watched some Stubborns then started skating in front of the house around the time Fuzz showed. Jack and I played a game of SKATE. It was pretty fun. He’s a gentleman and doesn’t take me out immediately with the flippers he knows I can’t do. He did a few tricks before I was ready, but it seemed like a good warm up. It started funny when Jack bailed a kickflip and I beamed him and did a kickflip. Ha. That is such a weird feeling to do a flip trick and not see the board flip. Anyways, it was a fun game, he got me on heelflip, 360 flip, fakie 360 flip, something else and then switch frontside flip. I had gotten him to SKA with halfcab flip and fakie bigflip and something else.

Then Kevin showed and we drove off to campus, but it started sleeting/hailing and we ended up at 303. Some shopping/food/drinks later we ended up at the 3 up 3 down on the hill. It was mostly dry. I was not feeling up to it. Kevin jumped up it right away though. Maybe even quicker than Jack. Fuzz and I dorked on the curb for a bit to get some type of legs to jump up it. For whatever reason I had absolutely nothing and could not commit to the ollie. Kevin was charging high speed manuals. Jack was kickflipping up and wallriding down. Some seriously sick wallrides. Pop shoves up too. Mike joined us. It was good to see someone with as much pop as him slam a couple times getting up the 3. That 3 is no joke. Kevin did 180 up then fakie ollie off. Fuzz tried to get his back, but the 180 up did not come easy. He had a bunch of 180s that slid out. But he did get it, and it was sick. I stubbornly kept attempting the ollie up. I would almost quit and film, but made myself get an ollie up. It took forever. I backed it up with a terrible ollie off. It made me feel better to get up it though. Fuzz and I chatted about what a battle it was and how we are still happy we did the little we did. Then I filmed the young ones rip it. Mike did 360 flip, b/s flip and switch varial heel off. Jack did kickflip up then impossible back 180 off. Kevin did front 180 up then switch fs flip off. It was a struggle, but he got it. Oh, forgot to mention I cracked my board pretty bad on one of my attempts up where I just did a deck check.

(setup 8.5 null lazer deck, 5.8 venture black icon trucks, venom 90a bushings, 3 washers inside each axle, bones 51mm stf pj v1 wheels, es swift 1.5 navy/clear size 11.5, stock insoles)
(pain level 1/10 when we started, then way worse trying to get warmed up again)