On a very hot afternoon I met Matt and a very non-crowded Omaha park. I had new insoles and man they felt good. Currex. We’ll see if they pass the test of time. Anyway, we started no the ledge area, but I couldn’t really do much of anything. Matt had rattled off quite a few “basics” like fakie nosegrinds both ways and b/s nosegrind. Also a halfcab backfoot flip. Then we started playing in the snake run. I wanted to do a nollie front shove rock fakie after doing it on a bank the previous week with Dave. It took a bit, but then I got one. Matt wanted to film it so I took several tries to get another one. Both were super fun, as were the setup grinds. Then Matt got in on the action and did what he says is his first “Joe Hamiltons”. He had some funny bails on back 50s. Then we went to the flat bank and did our tricks. No surprise, but I took the longest. Matt said we both had to do kickflip to fakies. It took me less tries than the b/s flip surprisingly. We were doing the “puff puff pass” game with the phone to get all the tricks. It was motivating. Then to the ledge where Matt did the gnarly nosegrind shove and I was too lame to try anything with an ollie in it. Last was flip tricks into the snake run. Matt did the nollie lazer first try, then took a few tries to get the cleaner version above. I took awhile to get fakie bigflip. It’s been too long since I’ve even tried it. Stupid big setups. Matt gave up on the b/s late flip. I tried a couple treflips. Then this young basketball short wearing kid came and did the treflip in the same spot first try. To add insult to injury he looked back and snickered. Matt said “Welcome to Omaha Glen, worst scene ever”. Ha ha. The kid had no idea whatsoever. I got the really slow one a few tries later and felt good about the smaller setup (except how I couldn’t front 50 earlier). Also really liked the new insoles.

(setup 8.25 Null Lazer deck, venture 5.2 v-hollow trucks , venom 91a bushings, bones stf v1 53mm wheels, 2 washers on the inside of each axle, new balance numeric 212 maroon size 12, currex runpro medium arch insole )
(pain level 2/10)

After some basketball and hanging with my brothers family Ollie and I hit the skatepark. No one else was there.  The park is mostly terrible, but it’s surrounded by ledges. This makes it better than most parks. I was feeling somewhat hungover from partying with my brother and I had a new smaller setup. A new 8.25 board and old small ventures. Yes, I brought extra stuff with me on vacation because I anticipated this change. I couldn’t halfcab noseslide the long ledge. Settled on a line of kickflip to fakie, halfcab flip, noseslide, sweeper. Took a bit. Ollie filmed it. I was very happy with how easily the board was flipping. I had messed around with other stuff too, but not much. Did the ol’ boneless rail transfer too. Ollie did the fakie shove. That was about all he did.

(setup 8.25 Null Lazer deck, venture 5.2 v-hollow trucks , venom 91a bushings, bones stf v1 53mm wheels, 2 washers on the inside of each axle, new balance numeric 212 maroon size 12, footprint gamechanger orthotic insoles)
(pain level 5/10)

On a hot afternoon I went out for a quick skate. I started a lame alley. Couldn’t do any flip tricks. Was hating the big setup. Had some fun front smith stalls. Then I went into campus. Checked out a waxed ledge, but it was dry and surrounded by stop rocks. Ended up at a granite ledge that doesn’t have much room. I took way too many tries to do a line of crook, flatground kickflip, firecracker the 3 stair. I had also tried to ollie up the 3. Then I cruised home.  There was a fun little 5 stair hubba to roll down on the way.

(setup 8.5″ abstract 6 deck, venture titanium 5.8s with regular cast baseplate, doh dohs bushings (blue 88a barrel boardside one, yellow 92a roadside), bones stf v2 51mm wheels, 3 washers on the inside of each axle, new balance numeric 212 maroon size 12, footprint gamechanger orthotic insoles)
(pain level 5/10)

Had a few minutes right after driving to Iowa City. Grabbed my board and went for a cruise. Rode down a bunch of long stairs then ended up at this cool little spot. The ledge had a huge crack preventing it from being grinded. At least for me. I took a couple tries to get a crooks jib on the narrow side of the far ledge then ollie down the slight gap. Then I got the text to head back so I did.

(setup 8.5″ abstract 6 deck, venture titanium 5.8s with regular cast baseplate, doh dohs bushings (blue 88a barrel boardside one, yellow 92a roadside), bones stf v2 51mm wheels, 3 washers on the inside of each axle, new balance numeric 212 maroon size 12, footprint gamechanger orthotic insoles)
(pain level 3/10)