skate journal: douglass with great people (april 13, 2019)
On a snowy morning Kevin and I went to 303 and then the sun came out and we went to Douglass. Some great people would join. Rob was there before us. Jack, Carleigh, Sean shortly after. Matt & Ed much later. I don’t really know where to begin on this one as so much was happening. Kevin, Rob and I were doing the line thing starting in the parking lot. Kevin front 50d the ledge first try. Rob got me hyped to do a no comply up the curb which felt extra rewarding. I went and messed around on the side for awhile. Almost got killed by a pit bull, but the owner saved me and left. I had fun run of kickflip the micro hip, 50 the micro ledge, 50 the somewhat taller ledge that Sean gapped out of. I thought I was ready for the big ledges and went and joined everyone. Jack was killing the ledge. I unknowingly joined a requirement to do noseslide to fakie. Rob was doing them in lines with fakie bigspins. Carleigh was getting them on the bench and doing kickflips. Kevin was doing tricks like front nosegrind, front tail, super good crooks, heelflips, nollie flips, ripping. Sean was chilling for awhile initially, but still able to do 50 then manual then nosebonk like it was nothing. Oh yeah, Kevin did a bunch of wallies in a row. I was struggling with halfcab flips and I blame the Adidas 3sts I was skating. Then I settled in on trying to 50 a bench. As Jack was doing 8 foot long back tails, crooks, bluntslides, nosegrinds, etc etc I just kept trying 50s. I almost got it second try, but then it was another hour or so before I would get it. It was such a struggle mentally. I was very close to focusing my board at times. But I knew that I would feel terrible all night if I didn’t go until I got it. When I landed the 50 it did feel great. I got it a few tries after just ollieing onto the ledge for some confidence. Note to self, ollie onto the ledge first! Anyway, I don’t remember much from myself after that. Kevin was still going strong as was Jack. Bluntslide to manual kickflip out, nose manual to nose manual to shove out. Sean had awoke and did the line above in like two tries. Matt 50’d the ledges first try both ways. His back 50s look so good. He took a bit to get back tail. At least he agreed the ledges are tall there. I didn’t see Ed skate much. Him, Carleigh and Rob were on the lower side ledge while I was battling the 50. I was still stoked to see him. Fun day even if the 50 was a struggle. That night at Holidaily was fun too. I am so fortunate to have such great friends.
(setup 8.5″ null lazer deck, venture ftc 5.8s, doh dohs bushings (blue 88a barrel boardside one, yellow 92a roadside) no boardside washer, bones stf v1 pj 53mm wheels with all washers on the outside, adidas 3st 003 for awhile then NB# 212)
(pain level 4/10)