My last day in Hawaii :(.  I was quite sad as I packed my things.  After another nice swim we ended up at the ledge spot from yesterday because I really wanted to skate it.  I started feeling okay again.  Managed some ollies up the curb and boardslides, but the knee went twang again and I was done.  Argh.  I filmed Neil with my camera get the same line and it was good.  Fakie ollie up the curb all steezy, halfcab noseslide, crooks shove.  Nate took a bit longer, but also got a good line of back 180, switch boardslide pop out, front board pop out.  We didn’t skate anymore that day.  It was super nice out, we went snorkeling and saw some lovely sights on the beach.  I miss Hawaii a ton already, but looking forward to getting my legs working again.  

(setup 8.38 null curby deck, venture 5.8 cast baseplate with titanium hanger, 51mm bones stf v1 with all speed washers on the outside of the axle, bones medium bushings, jessup ultra grip, new balance numeric 306 foy blue/white size 12, sole orthotic insoles)
(pain level 9/10 knee pain argh)

On a rainy morning we were up early and did our swim.  We were up because we wanted to enjoy our last day with Josh as he had an afternoon flight.  We struck out at the 3 pipes spot because it was wet, then killed some time as it rained buying tourist things for out families.  Then we ended up at some target manny pads.  I had gone searching for other stuff while those guys skated the pads.  My legs were seemingly kind of working.  They got kicked out of the manny pads and I described a nearby hip/curb spot I found and we cruised it for a bit.  Nate had some ollies up to ride on grinds.  Josh some 180s and switch noseslide down the curb.  My legs worked enough for me to do a line of shove it, slappy crook, powerslide.  I was stoked though.  

Next we went to the DIY spot called Zones.  We did some sweeping and it was in good shape.  I almost died on the weird drop in.  Neil and Josh did double rock ‘n rolls.  Nate felt some things out.  I was feeling pretty sore already, but started going in on a weird/slippery part of the bank trying kickflip to fakie.  We were running late and luckily we were right by the airport because I took a long time to get one.  But man it felt cool to finally try a trick I was happy with on this trip.  

After dropping off Josh we ended up at a cool little ledge spot.  It was kind of a dream spot for me.  Good asphalt, low curb to do tricks up and two lowish ledges that looked good for crooks.  But my body did not get beyond the warm up phase.  I managed a couple boardslides and a very slow line of noseslide to fakie then switch front noseslide.  I filmed Neil and Nate get some lines but unfortunately I wasn’t used to Neil’s lens and I cut both of their feet off.  Argh.  Sorry guys.  

(setup 8.38 null curby deck, venture 5.8 cast baseplate with titanium hanger, 51mm bones stf v1 with all speed washers on the outside of the axle, bones medium bushings, jessup ultra grip, new balance numeric 306 foy blue/white size 12, sole orthotic insoles)
(pain level 8/10 knee pain argh)

With rain threatening again we went to the school with the fun ledge and two stair.  There was a puddle in front of the two stair and someone sitting on the bench so we found some new ledges to skate in the hallway.  They were kinda tall but slid and grinded well.  I had done noseslide and crooks and was feeling better about the day.  I tried a couple wallride nollies down a 3 stair as Paul tried wallrides.  My knee went twang.  Did a line of crooks then front 180 the 3 stair. Then a few minutes later when landing a noseslide the pain in my right knee went through the roof.  I knew I was done for the day.  Ugh, such a bummer.  Josh had some nice front boards.  Neil was doing front shoves easy, noseslides.  Paul had nice noseslides too.  Nate got a line of boardslide pop out, nollie 180, halfcab, front board off the 2 stair.  Neil got a line too that involved a noseslide and front 180 down the 3.  I filmed at the bench for awhile.  Josh got a cool line of noseslide to fakie then switch noseslide to fakie off the two.  Paul got a front halfcab noseslide.  Nate switch crook, nollie front tail.  

We found an insole store nearby and I got some orthotics to hopefully help, but the pain didn’t subside so it didn’t really matter this day.  We went to the downhill school.  I basically only bombed the hill.  Neil got a rad line with halfcab noseslide, tailslide, nosebonk, kickflip and nosegrind.  Dang!!!  Nate did front board pop outs everytime the camera was not pointed at him.  Paul was casually killing it and had a funny fall trying to manual a ledge with low branches.  In the end Josh and Nate tried flip ins for awhile.  Josh got super close to kickflip noseslide, Nate to nollie flip front nose.  

Then we stopped by Wallows not expecting much of anything.  To our surprise the upper part of the ditch was dry and we battled kickturns on the steep rough walls.  That place is crazy and it was amazing to finally see after some 30+ years of wanting to go there.  Josh and Neil killed it by carving over a pipe.  I had some fun kickturns and even tried to kickflip going uphill off the waterfall onto the bank.  But the roughness and the wind made that impossible.  Nate had some rad turns too.  I was happy my body let me skate for a few minutes even though it was incredibly painful.  

(setup 8.38 null curby deck, venture 5.8 cast baseplate with titanium hanger, 51mm bones stf v1 with all speed washers on the outside of the axle, bones medium bushings, jessup ultra grip, new balance numeric 306 foy blue/white size 12, nike sb zoom air insoles)
(pain level 9/10 knee pain argh)

With rain threatening we went to a school since it was a Saturday.  It was a rad spot, a bunch of tallish benches in a row, a round ledge, a mini kicker and some other random stuff.  It was a hard warm up spot.  Paul and Jeff had joined and shortly so would Dave.  Neil was ripping it, flowing lines, getting front 50s, noseslides, wallies.  Josh had some really good front tails on the round ledge.  Nate had front 50 on it, but was scared of the back 50.  I had really only done switch front noseslides, a couple noseslides and a crook when knee pain became too much.  I went off to stretch and the rain struck. 

Off to a weird bank spot where we barely started to get warmed up when the rain started again.  This time it was like a wall of rain and we got a little soaked.  

Off to another school with a mini bench, some normal benches and a kicker.  I had taken a couple Alleve and felt less pain, but kinda numb.  The four of us skated the mini bench for awhile.  Josh took a bit to get back 50.  Neil had some front tails and 50s.  Nate front 50, front tail fakie, nollie tail, probably more.  I got to the point where I could kind of flip my board and managed a couple front 50s.  Got two lines.  Halfcab flip then 50 and fakie flip then switch nose.  We went over to the kicker area where Paul, Dave and Jeff were skating.  Dave was almost getting monster tres off the kicker.  Paul did a super sick front shove, 180s, ollies.  Neil did a sick line of shove then 50.  Josh got some good back 180s.  Also a rad line of front 180 then halfcab noseslide.  I had posed a few kickflips, but had to give up because of knee pain.  Nate went all in on a line.  Ollie over the kicker then front board 270 shove.  He got so close.  He cracked his board and still battled.  But ultimately he had to give up and put that cracked board out of it’s misery.  
It was a tough day.  Skate trips are hard when you’re older.  But man warmer weather, the crew and swimming in the ocean sure are awesome.

(setup 8.38 null curby deck, venture 5.8 cast baseplate with titanium hanger, 51mm bones stf v1 with all speed washers on the outside of the axle, bones medium bushings, jessup ultra grip, new balance numeric 306 foy blue/white size 12, nike sb zoom air insoles)
(pain level 9/10 ugh)