Was borderline skating before work as I had some errands to do first, but ended up getting there around 8:30 on a warm morning. I had the place all to myself again except right at the end when a blue haired lady did some rollerskating in the corner. I started off feeling good and ended up having a pretty good session. Early on got a line of crooks the picnic bench, kickflip on flat, noseslide shove the ledge. It’s been awhile since I’ve done that trick and I got it first try. That put me in a good mood. Then I kind of mixed up two main line attempts. Front 50 the ledge then kick back tail the tiny ledge. Got remotely close. Going the other way crooks the picnic bench, back 180 a parking block, fakie flip on flat, halfcab noseslide shove. I had done the halfcab noseslide, but never got the line as thinking of the shove out messed me up. At one point I got a first try fakie nosegrind the ledge which was also another high point (even though it was garbage). Got a few crooks on the metal bench, didn’t land 360 flip after. Finally got a couple front 50s on the picnic bench. Well, one was an accidental 5-0, the other a slow and fun 50. This spot rules.

Then after work I met Sean there before a filming mission. I was sore and it was hot and kinda crowded. Sean was ripping. I didn’t do much other than try boardslide 270 shoves on the small flatbar and nollie back tail shoves on the tiny ledge. Got close to the nbts. And I wallied the wallie thing before we left. Sean ollied the table like it was nothing and got on the benches easily.

(setup 8.38″ null lazer deck, venture ftc 5.8s, doh dohs bushings (blue 88a barrel boardside one, yellow 92a roadside), bones stf v2 51mm wheels, new balance numeric 212 maroon size 12, footprint gamechanger orthotic insoles)
(pain level 3/10)

On a somewhat cool morning I went to dog park before work. I am so floored by this spot. I want to skate there so much and hopefully progress a little on ledges again. Warming up seemed hard at first. I was wearing some gamechanger insoles in hopes that I would have less knee pain. They helped. I had the place to myself. I cruised around doing lots of basics and lines for awhile. It’s so fun. I got a few slow front 50s on the ledge, front 5-0 the narrow ledge, got a front 50 shove, a bunch of crooks on the table bench, ollies over the kinked rail. Couldn’t get 50 on the picnic bench or ollie the wallie thing.

After work I was eating/chilling/doing laundry when Dave texted to go to Glenn Close. He was there with Saul and Jake. Turns out it was Dave’s birthday! Happy Birthday Dave! It was a really fun session. Saul had done his first ever slappy crook and I saw him get another (unfortunately not on film though). Jake did slappy blunt to fakie (twice). Dave was doing incredibly long slappy crooks and noseslides. I got a slappy feeble first try then slappy front feeble a few tries later. I was so hyped! Hadn’t done the frontside one there before. Saul of course also did regular slappies on the raw curb. Dave had some good 180 lines. Back 180 into the curb cut, switch back 180 out, back 180 fakie 50. Slappy front crook to fakie, switch slappy crook shove!!!! We messed around with a few more things near the end like slappy back smiths, etc. Fun times, HBD D!

(setup 8.38″ null lazer deck, venture ftc 5.8s, doh dohs bushings (blue 88a barrel boardside one, yellow 92a roadside), bones stf v2 51mm wheels, new balance numeric 212 maroon size 12, footprint gamechanger insoles)
(pain level 4/10)

After work I went to the new Dog Park on Steroids. I pulled into the parking lot and saw ~30 people skating. WHOA! The secret it out! It’s hard to describe the initial feelings I had rolling into the crowded spot that used to be our little secret. But the obstacles are awesome and everyone was pretty cool and it ended up being awesome. Nate was coming so everyone in the crew wanted to see him so our crew grew huge. Saul, Eric, Rob, Fuzz (very briefly), Matt, Kevin, Jake, Jack, Carleigh, Ed and of course Nate! Wow. I’m sure you can imagine how hard it would be to remember what everyone did. Especially since I’ve skated there 2 more times since. I started off super slow and cautious. Eric was ripping out of the gates. Rob went through a similar initial bum out, but ended up shredding and loving it. Street Ed was rad to see. He has a clean ollie and 50s. Saul was on the slappys. I didn’t see much and he was the first to go. Matt went off! All the stock tricks on ledges done with such good style. Kickflip and nollie shove over the little wallie, also front noseblunt the butter bench! Dude. Kevin them stock ledge moves too. Front blunt the butter bench, switch ollie the wallie thing, nollie flips galore. Rob snapped over the wallie thing and got wallie over it too, front board the tall bench, boardslides, halfcab boardslides, halfcab flips. I didn’t skate well, but was happy with some of the things I did. Front 50 the ledge, wallie the wallie thing, crooks the low part of the picnic table, halfcab noseslides, crooks the metal bench. Jake went off too. A million ollies onto the picnic table, a bunch of tricks on the ledge. Jack did a back 270 to front tail on the butter bench. Unreal. He also did nollie 180 crooks, bluntslide to front board the kinked rail and ended things with a totally f’d up kickflip hot dog that I’ll post soon. I didn’t see much of Carleigh, but she told me she tried and did a manual! Ha ha. Eric also told me he did a wallie front 180 over the wallie thing. And I believe him because he was doing regular wallies like it was nothing. Lots of heelflips too, crooks the butter bench. This place totally rules. Nate and I ended with no comply flips over the parking block. What a fun crew to roll with. Sorry if I forgot someone or any tricks you did. Love you all.

(setup 8.38″ null lazer deck, venture ftc 5.8s, doh dohs bushings (blue 88a barrel boardside one, yellow 92a roadside), bones stf v2 51mm wheels, new balance numeric 212 maroon size 12, nike zoom air insoles)
(pain level 5/10 in the knees)