On a nice morning I met up with Rob and Kevin at dog park. Eric would come later. Miles and a friend were there, but the park was mostly empty. I had a new deck, 8.38 Jack. My goal is to stick with 8.3 for a long time. I started really slow. In fact I didn’t really do anything noteworthy. I finally got a good feeling halfcab noseslide. A new trick on the little guy – switch front 180 5050 nollie shove out. Sounds cool, but I’m glad there is no footage of it. Kevin had some odd slams, but still rattled off tons of trick. Nollie nosegrind, back 180 fakie 50 fakie ollie out, nollie 5-0s, back smiths, a lot. Rob had some hits like no comply boardslide, manuals, back 50 no comply out, boardslide the tall bench. Eric had some good tailslides, 5-0s although seemed to struggle with heelflips which is ultra rare. Kevin and I played a couple game of SKATE to end the day. We played two because the first one ended too quickly when I did double or nothing on halfcab flip and missed even though I landed on both. He also got me with the nollie and switch flips obviously. I forget what the last trick was. Second game featured me not landing much of anything again except for a treflip which made me feel okay. Kevin finished me with a switch b/s flip.

(setup 8.38 null jack night skate, jessup ultragrip, venture 5.8 cast plate titanium hanger no big washer, bones 52mm stf v1, new balance numeric salmon 212 size 12 with nike sb zoom air insoles)
(pain level 3/10 felt good but the shoes have gotten too thin)

Up early again, but not as energetic. I had been too lazy to setup a new 8.3 so I just put my Ventures on the 8.5 setup. It felt too large the whole time. I started off slow with a warmup line of ride on grind, boardslide the flatbar, ollie the qp/bank/mound hip, front tail the hip. Next I tried to ollie onto the little manual pad, kickflip, crooks, noseslide the bump to ledge. I’m not sure if I got that one, but I got all the tricks. Front 50s on the ledge were hard. The big board is heavy and the extra wheelbase makes it harder. I took a long time to get a halfcab noseslide. I’m not sure what’s up with that. I seem to have almost totally lost that basic easy trick. Then I got kinda motivated to try and selfie film a couple “harder” clips. The first was supposed to be b/s flip the hip. Except that I never got it. I literally tried 55 of them. A solid hour of trying. Only got my feet on like 3 of them. And I really don’t know why. After that I was too bummed to try anything else “harder”. I posed some halfcab heel noseslides. One of which flipped and locked in perfectly, but only with the front foot on. I ended with a line of manual the pyramid, axle stall, noseslide pyramid ledge. It was harder than it sounds since the qp is so weird I kept shooting out on the axle stall.

(setup 8.5 null perception deck, jessup ultragrip, venture 5.8 cast baseplate titanium hanger no big washer, bones stf 103a v1 52mm, new balance numeric 212 salmon size 12 with nike sb zoom air insoles)
(pain level 3/10 felt really good but sore from skating more lately)

Woke up at 5:30 and didn’t have to work til 9:30. So I got going and went to Broomfield on a nice sunny day. I was determined to make the 8.5″ with Indys work. I skated it for awhile and warmed up on it. Ollie the parking block, nollie front tail the blue ledge, kickflip on flat, noseslide to fakie the black ledge. Then I was going for noseslide black ledge, front 50 front 180 out blue ledge, fakie flip, switch front nose black ledge. But I couldn’t front 50 the Indys. I debated it, but I went and grabbed the 8.25 and ended up getting that line real quick. I stayed with it the rest of the session even though I mostly hated it too. I did some basics training, akay ollieing onto ledges. Things I don’t do when others are around as I’m too embarrassed. I did ollie onto the black ledge and front 180 off then fakie bigflip. Manualled the blue pad even though I was just trying to ollie onto it. Ha. Had some longer crooks, couldn’t halfcab noseslide to save my life (UGH!). I tried a line that took awhile. Front slash the brick qp, boardslide transfer the brown ledge, kickflip flyout of the bank. I had gotten too tired to pop onto ledges anymore. Lastly I tried halfcab noseslides on the little blue ledge until I got a few. In between tries I posed switch flips which felt close until I started committing and then they were no where to be found. Weird session. Gonna go back to 8.3 and stay there forever (ha ha ha) and 52mm wheels.

(setup 8.25 nullosaur, jessup pj ultragrip, venture 5.8 cast plate titanium hanger, venom 91a big bushing and venture little bushing, spitfire 50mm f4 99a classic shape, new balance numeric 212 salmon size 12 with nike sb zoom air insoles)
(pain level 4/10 weird left knee pain)

On a warm evening I set out in front of the house to warm up briefly before going to campus. I had taken a couple days off after the 2nd vaccine shot kinda messed me up. I had setup an old 8.5″ deck with some Indys. It felt great initially until I got to a kickflip and remembered why I stopped skating Indys. So I biked to campus with my regular 8.25 and stopped at the flagstone ledge for a “warm up”. Instead I never got going and had one of those “why do I even try to skate?” sessions. My setup felt terrible. I hadn’t had a chance to put some larger wheels on. I had a couple slams on flatground kickflips, couldn’t ollie onto the ledge, couldn’t do other flippers. At one point I started to feel a little better doing crooks than b/s flip until I got a major shinner on the b/s flip. As it was getting dark I setup the camera for a crook so I could post and say something like “the only trick I have left” or something else dramatic and negative. I had done a few, but was trying to get a good one when I saw the spark. It was way brighter on my eyes than the video shows. It was cool. After that I sat for awhile and decided I would call it a day. I had gotten some other tricks like noseslide, noseslide fakie, boardslides, the slowest front 50 imaginable.

(setup 8.25 nullosaur, jessup pj ultragrip, venture 5.8 cast plate titanium hanger, venom 91a big bushing and venture little bushing, spitfire 50mm f4 99a classic shape, new balance numeric 212 salmon size 12 with nike sb zoom air insoles)
(pain level 4/10)

Got a text from Saul to head across the street.  Turns out him and Luzius were on a mission to document Saul’s back smith around the hook.  Dave didn’t skate and we were interrupted at times by a freak rain storm.  Saul also did reg front and back slappies.  I had some fun front slappies, a few basic flippers then worked up to slappy front crook which ended up being extremely fun.  Then it was off to filming Nullers on campus.  Other than a manual and noseslide at Baker I just filmed the whole time.  

(setup 8.25 nullosaur, jessup pj ultragrip, venture 5.8 cast plate titanium hanger, bones medium bushings, spitfire 50mm f4 99a classic shape, new balance numeric 212 salmon size 12 with nike sb zoom air insoles)
(pain level 3/10)

Will, Kevin and I met Rob on campus.  First spot was the little two stair with the light bank to it.  Great warm up spot.  I had put my venture 5.8s back on along with some little 50mm spits so I had some issues getting used to a new setup (like always).  I had a back 180 nosepick 180 that felt pretty neat.  I’m writing this too late to remember what others did, but we all had a few moves and seemed like a good warm up.  Next we went to Baker.  I think Rob was the first to get a nose manny and also the first to heckle some kids that couldn’t even say hello to us.  Kevin and Will front 50’d pretty easily.  I had a good slam on a front 50 when I popped way past where I needed to.  I guess that seemed to prove to me that Ventures have way more pop than Thunders.  I got a slow one after a halfcab flip.  Couldn’t get the noseslide to crook though even though I got up in one or two better than before.  Kevin and will had done a few basics then sat down while Rob and I kept skating.  Rob had halfcab boardslide quick, hc nose, front nose 270 and more.  Kevin did manual to 5-0 and nose manual to 50.  Next we went to the new business area.  Rob shredded as evidenced in the footage.  Will had a sick nose manual to firecracker and then some lengthy 50s and 5-0 on the long lower ledge.  Kevin’s line was pretty insane with the pivot to fakie and the halfcab down the 4.  I was unable to skate and got so frustrated I threw my board into the grass.  After a friendly kick out we ended up at the ol’ bank to curb.  Will battled no comply.  Kevin battled back tail then rattled off some Suciu-like combos.  Rob had pivots, pivots to tail, front tails.  I battled a few basics then tried no comply tail shove.  Never quite got one.  I’m definitely not old enough to count whatever it is I did.  I ended forcing myself to get at least one really bad treflip then we bounced for some glutenous food at Petes.

(setup 8.25 nullosaur, jessup pj ultragrip, venture 5.8 cast plate titanium hanger, bones medium bushings, spitfire 50mm f4 99a classic shape, new balance numeric 212 salmon size 12 with nike sb zoom air insoles)
(pain level 3/10)

After work I went over to the side of the school for some flatground friday.  Warming up went alright before the flip tricks started.  Then I literally could not kickflip or fakie flip or heelflip.  I almost lost my mind.  I had gotten a few slow flippers and was able to eek out a terrible 360 flip to at least to keep me sane.

(setup 8.25 nullosaur, jessup pj ultragrip, thunder hollow 148s, bones stf v1 52mm 103a, new balance numeric 212 salmon size 12 with nike sb zoom air insoles)
(pain level 3/10)

On a nice evening I biked to campus. I got a few licks in on the old meet up curb then left after getting a fun warm up line: manual the median, slappy crook, no comply 180, switch front nose the curbba. Then I biked by Baker, but there was a car right in the center of the ledge so I ended up nearby at the downhill curb brick area. I wasn’t as sore as I’ve been, but I still had no confidence. I played with some stationary nose stall to crooks and remembered the advice Hayden gave me. Just turn it. And they worked. So I tried to slide some, but that is not the place for it. I had done a few slow flippers and 50s. Thunders definitely don’t grind as well as Ventures. Dave showed. We skated the spot for a bit longer. He had some cool ride on grinds, front 50 nollie back 180 out. We shut down the spot with a couple mirror lines. I did fakie flip, switch 180, front or back 180 ( i can’t remember). Dave did kickflip, front 180 up, front or back 180 (can’t remember) off and then followed it with a halfcab flip. I had bailed my halfcab flip at the end so Dave totally showed me up. Then on the way to the new spot we went by Baker and the car was gone so we skated. That ledge seemed perfect for a noseslide to crook. I tried for awhile amongst other trick. I got a super slow front 50, crooks, noseslides. But it all came together when I finally got a nose manual then followed it with my first ever noseslide to crook. It wasn’t a proper locked in crook, but the witnesses heard a grind and it’s a new trick and I’m 48 and it felt awesome. Dave shredded. Manual to 5-0s, front noseslides, ride on tailslides and a first try pinched front crook! Next we went to the new spot. It was starting to get dark so the stair grind wasn’t as good as normal. The table was already set up off the wood bench so we did that. Dave would ollie onto the table pretty quickly. I tried to be quick, but ended up never quite doing it. Mark this down as the start of me questioning Thunders. Then I filmed Dave battle a crazy line for awhile. Dropin on a sketchy elevated table to tailside the bank to ledge. He did it really well. Then we messed around with the tricks in the clip above. I did a few of the dorky deck check manuals to deck check. Dave hadn’t landed the boardslide through the corner until the one time I pointed the camera at him. Ha. I ended on a fun line of switch 180 up the awkward curb then boardslide the tallish wooden bench. Pretty awesome night of street skating.

(setup 8.25 nullosaur, jessup pj ultragrip, thunder hollow 148s, bones stf v1 52mm 103a, new balance numeric 212 salmon size 12 with nb 440 insoles)
(pain level 3/10)

On a cloudy morning I met Rob on campus.  We pretty much went right to the new skatepark, I mean new business building that is better than most skateparks. It took us a bit to figure out how to skate it, but someone had waxed up the two stair and it grinded well and that was the main attraction.  We both struggled with the Colorado crack to start lines with manuals, but would get them.  Rob had back 50s easy. He would get a line of manual, back 50 back 180 out, front board.   I had manual, front 50 front 180 out, terrible halfcab flip, ollie onto a ledge, fall off, slam on a front board attempt.  I never got the courage to ollie the little curb to drop.  Had a couple front 50 shoves.  Going the other way had boardslide or noseslide a wood bench, front 180 up the 2.5 then a f/s halfcab flip.  We went over to Baker.  Rob had back 180s then halfcab nose and boardslides, and nose manuals.  Front nose, front nose 270.  I was unable to get a nose manual.  Had a fun noseslide to fakie then f/s halfcab heel.  Couldn’t get treflip or lock in to crooks.  Got one super slow front 50 then my right knee started hurting.

I met up with the Nullers.  Hayden got a sick clip.  People skated flat while I did nothing since I was in too much pain.  Then on to Longmont park for the LOCO skate society jam.  I never got my board out of the car.  It was good people watching.  

Then to Longmont ditch where I embarrassed myself trying to back 50 for awhile.  I seriously could not do it and it was so frustrating.  Everyone else was rattling off basic grinds/slides like it was nothing.  Well, Sean and Jack didn’t skate.  Hayden and Collin would sit.  Donnie was going 100mph on his dirt board to clear the drainage into grass.  Also did a bunch of solid tricks on his normal board.  I tried back smiths which I don’t think were really back smiths.  At least I entertained with some self depricating commentary like “worst” after I did one.  Fuller joined us.  He would shortly rattle off a bunch of tricks.  Tailslides both ways, 5-0s, such a good crooks.  Garrett was battling bluntslide kickflip forever.  He got soooo robbed.  It was brutal.  
Fun day, I wish I hadn’t been in so much pain.

(setup  8.25 nullosaur, jessup pj ultragrip, thunder hollow 148s, bones stf v1 52mm 103a, NB# 22 maroon size 12 run 619 insole then NB# 288S size 11.5 no insoles)(pain level 4/10 initially then 7/10 later on ugh)

On a cloudy day with rain threatening I met Will and Rob at Broomfield park. Jake and Sean would join later and then Darin much later. Rob and I quickly realized Will is much younger seeing as how he was jumping into grinds right away. Ha ha. It was a nice fun chill warm up though. I was starting to get the sharp cupsole knee pain that always turns me off on cupsoles. But a game of SKATE with Sean and Will helped with pain even though I was the first one out. I was happy to get heelflip, halfcab flip pretty easily. I saw Rob get back 50 quick, front tail, crooks, front nose, solid front boards, halfcab boardslide, a lot of ripping. Will is really good at front nosegrinds. He did like 20 of them on the black box, some where the entire length of the box. He had crooks too, lots of flippers, smith down the escalator ledge. Sean was on a terror pretty quickly. He had b/s flip and back heel and all his ledge tricks quick. Well, except the fakie back 5-0 which took awhile, but that’s understandable. Jake got going pretty quick. Front tail, front tail fakie, crooks, back 50, front 50 to front board. I was really struggling to get on the ledge and the sharp knee pain became too much so I switched to vulcs – NB# 22. They felt weird at first but pretty quickly I was actually able to ollie and get a few 50s. I had tried a run of 180 into the bank, halfcab noseslide, switch boardslide and got kinda close. Jake challenged me to a game of SKATE. We got through quite a few tricks with no letters until I got heelflip and something else. Oh I got a defensive frontside flip and it was funny because Judge Rob admitted to age bias. Rightfully so, Jake is only in his mid-30s. Ha ha. Then we went in on treflips. Will had joined the treflip battle and gotten a few before I landed a bad one worthy of a redo. Then another bad one worthy of a redo. Then a third one in a row that actually counted. I haven’t landed on 3 treflips in a row in a long long time so I was really freakin’ happy about that. Jake was super close but never quite got one and he went double-triple-quad or nothing and that was the game. We chilled for a bit. Darin showed. Everyone but me left so I skated some more with Darin. It started really slow with some rock ‘n rolls and axle stalls for me. He was doing front blunts, back tails. Then we started lining out the little ledge. His line was back blunt then bluntslide the ledge. I had nollie front tail, front disaster, nollie back tail which took way too long. Darin did front blunt. I tried a line for a long time of crooks the taller brown ledge, axle to fakie the qp, switch front nose shove the little ledge. I got one and was hyped and left it at that.

(setup 8.25 nullosaur, jessup pj ultragrip, thunder hollow 148s, bones stf v1 52mm 103a, adidas puig b/w size 12 with fp 3.5mm insoles then NB# 22 maroon size 12 adidas thin insole)
(pain level 4/10 sharp knee pain with the puigs, less pain with the 22s)