Another warm morning before work I had the dog park to myself. I felt good physically, but mentally I couldn’t really get into it. I wanted to try back 50s. I got a few on the tiny ledge. I started on a line and kinda changed it as I got further or did a trick. At one point I did back 50 the tiny pad, front 180 off the kicker, halfcab boardslide the small flat bar, then bailed crooks on a bench. I couldn’t get back 50 on the low step. I kept focusing on how the trucks are narrower than the board. Such a lame thing to focus on. Kickflips still felt good. I tried a few more flippers, but didn’t land them. Struggled with front 50 on the benches, but got a bad 180 out. I tried to ollie the cone off the kicker a couple times, it seemed possible, but way taller than the barrier. I left after some fails to get a fakie 5-0 on a concrete bench. I felt bummed on my lack of effort, but at the same time still in love with the dog park and hyped on how much I’m ollieing these days.

(setup 8.75 null event horizon deck, venture trucks 5.8 cast baseplate titanium hanger , bones medium bushings, sml 53mm og wide wheels, 2 speed washers inside each axle, new balance numeric 533v2 gray stock insoles)
(pain level 2/10)

On a hot morning I went to the dog park before work since I have the late shift.  I had the place to myself for an hour with the exception of a quick 5 minute session from another older skater.  I started better than normal even though I had put the 8.75″ deck back on.  Tried a line of switch noseslide a concrete bench, wallie the smaller barrier, noseslide to fakie the back of the step ledge, fakie flip, halfcab noseslide, crook.  I only got to the halfcab noseslide once and bailed it.  Tried a line of front 50 a concrete bench, front 5-0 the end of the little narrow ledge, back 50 the low step, didn’t get the back 50. At one point I did a little hippy jump over the tiny kinked rail. It was nothing. That’s what I liked about it so much. That trick was scary to me, but because of how awesome the dog park is for my skating I just did it without thinking. Then I went in on the ollie over a concrete bench.  It took 12 minutes.  Ha, I know this because I filmed it.  In between tries I was doing some of the best feeling kickflips I’ve done in awhile.  After ‘getting’ the ollie I putzed around some more.  Got a couple good feeling halfcab noseslides.  I ended the session with the best treflip I’ve done on flat in awhile.

(setup 8.75 null event horizon deck, venture trucks 5.8 cast baseplate titanium hanger , bones medium bushings, sml 53mm og wide wheels, 2 speed washers inside each axle, new balance numeric 533v2 gray stock insoles)
(pain level 3/10)

Even hotter day.  Sean and I rolled to La Raza where Kevin met us.  We warmed up.  I was wearing shoes without orthotics for the first time in awhile.  It felt good.  I had a few kickflips, a heelflip, front 50, weird front 5-0/50/smith surfy accident and a great feeling front 50 shove.  Then I filmed Sean and Kevin get great lines.  Sean’s took awhile, but was well worth it.  Kevin’s line came easy.  It’s good, he deserved getting it so quickly.  Halfcab flip, bonk the crack, back 180 nosegrind.  It’s the Ventures.  He’s woke.  Oh wait, so is Sean.  Everyone knows what’s up.  After filming Sean, Kevin called out a trick for me.  Switch front noseslide shove.  I went right into it.  About an hour later I gave up.  I wasn’t bummed though, it felt good to try a hard trick.  I was motivated.  I need to try that one more.

(setup 8.5 Null Lazer deck, venture trucks 5.8 cast baseplate titanium hanger , bones medium bushings, sml 53mm og wide wheels, 2 speed washers inside each axle, new balance numeric 533v2 gray stock insoles)
(pain level 3/10)

On a hot Saturday I met up with Fuzz, Dave L, Dave F, Rob and Kevin to do some actual street skating at one of our favorite spots.  Rocky Mtn.  As soon as I got out of the car I felt terrible on my skateboard.  The orthotics are killing me and my boardfeel.  Sure the knee pain is going away, but man the foot pain is back.  It’s always one or the other.  Rob had started a warmup challenge of manual ollie over a grate back to manual.  I didn’t participate.  Kevin, Fuzz, Rob got it.  Kevin and Fuzz may have added another grate to the mix.  Dave L might have done it too.  Dave F hadn’t shown yet.  I just dorked around slowly.  Actually the only thing I did worth even noting was a nollie shove manual on the speed bump.  I did a few of these.  Dave F showed up and got in the mix quick.  Most people skated the bank/curb for awhile.  I didn’t feel like ollieing up the curb so I didn’t.  I saw Kevin do a kickflip up, ollie onto the bank, then switch manual the sidewalk.  Doh, I knew I should have filmed that.  I saw Rob do some hot curb manuevers.  Crooks pop up, back shove front 50.  I started filming Fuzz.  He got a sick line twice.  Ledge, manny on the bank.  Then I started filming Kevin for awhile.  He was bummed having to try a trick that came easy the first time.  Dave got a sick feeble stall on the bank to curb.  After awhile I asked Rob/Fuzz to film as they weren’t skating and Fuzz was kind enough to film.  I started dorking around with an idea.  Ollie up to rock stall to “nollie” shove onto the ledge then kickflip off.  Kevin got his trick.  Fuzz started filming me, gave up after awhile then Rob started filming me.  I finally got it.  I was very hyped.  Thanks for filming it so well Rob.  Dave L got a rad back tail / crail / manual combo.  Then we left for a 2 stair manny pad.  Pretty sick spot, but the wind was fierce from a nearby storm.  It didn’t stop Kevin and Fuzz from manualling it.  Maybe Kevin would have gotten a manual kickflip had the wind not been so bad.  Rob no complied up and almost to manual.  I couldn’t get the ollie up.  It’s amazing how poorly I skated all day, but getting a clip felt absolutely great.  

(setup 8.5 Null Lazer deck, venture trucks 5.8 cast baseplate titanium hanger , bones medium bushings, sml 53mm og wide wheels, 2 speed washers inside each axle, new balance numeric 212 gray size 12, spenco 3/4 orthotic under footprint 5mm insoles)
(pain level 4/10 pain in left ball of foot)