On a super nice night I met up with Rob and Kevin at Broomfield park. I was feeling slightly better and would able to do some ollies, but the knee pain did kick in and kind of ruin everything again for me. Kevin tried to skate switch the whole time and had some good slams in the warm up process. Rob got it going pretty quick. Halfcab boardslides, crooks, front 50s. There were a few other friends there too. Justin, Kyler, Chase. The park was not busy, it was pretty great. I didn’t do much of anything, but did try several noseslide back 270s out. Didn’t get close, but did have a couple that felt possible. Kevin got a full pull. Switch nosegrind 180, nollie back neil on the brick qp, nollie nosegrind, nollie tre out of the bank. Dang! Rob had some good flippers going. Justin was locking into 6′ long front crooks on the happy ledge. Rob had to take off. Kevin and I played on the quartapotty. He learned switch feebles, I didn’t. Then he learned switch front pivot while I learned front axle to rock fakie. I tried to do more, but the knee pain became way too much. I must say I really did enjoy the hard and responsive Bones wheels again.

(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 379 b/w size 12, custom orthotic insoles)
(pain level 7/10 knees still bad)

Simon is one of the best skater’s I have ever seen. He hardly even filmed for this video. He’s one of those dudes that when he skates he charges super hard.

With my knee feeling slightly better I snuck out in between thunderstorms to huck a new trick. I knew I couldn’t really do ollies so I figured I’d just huck no comply flip body varial until I landed it. I went back to vulcanized shoes and put in the crazy stiff custom orthotics I have. They are terrible for board feel, but seemed to help reduce some pain. I started at a spot off Valmont. It didn’t seem perfect, but I landed the first no comply flip I tried so I figured it should work. 1 hour later I kinda landed it. I tried some more, but couldn’t get it. I drove around lazily looking for a perfect parking block and found one nearby. Got the first no comply flip on that one too and then landed with the body varial a few tries later. I was hyped! Then I did some spot lurking as the rain settled in again.

Later on before dinner I thought my legs might be up for skating more so I went in front of the house. I had no confidence even though my knee pain wasn’t as severe. I got through kickflip, fakie flip, b/s flip, halfcab flip before giving up on treflip and going inside. Oh yeah, I had put some old Bones STF v2s on since I was feeling the slow and sluggish Spitfires. Now there is a responsive wheel.

(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 379 b/w size 12, custom insoles)
(pain level 5/10 knees still bad)

Skipped out of work on a nice Friday at lunch and met up with Aki, Rob, Dave and Dave L. Aki was already snapping over the parking block and doing kickflips. My knees were killing me and not even cupsoles with orthotics could help. I would try a few no comply flips, but never get one with the flip, some switch spracks, one halfcab flip, kinda close to some fakie tres and posed some switch tricks since they hurt less. Rob had gotten some lines going to kickflip over the parking block, halfcab flips, no comply shove over the parking block. Dave L had some cool manual bonks on the cinder blocks, steezy ollies, nollie over the parking block. Dave had a few no comply variations over the parking block, lots of shoves, varial flip, kickflips, maybe fakie varial flip? Aki did back 180 over the parking block to switch flip, he also had a nice treflip and nollie flip. I’m sure I’m missing a lot of tricks from people. When I’m in a lot of pain or sucking I kind of go into my shell and ignore everything.

(setup 8.38″ null lazer deck, venture ftc 5.8s, doh dohs bushings (blue 88a barrel boardside one, yellow 92a roadside), spitfire f4 classics 52mm green/yellow swirl wheels, adidas 3st.003 navy size 12, footprint gamechanger low profile insoles)
(pain level 8/10 mostly the right knee)