It wasn’t hard for people to show me up, but it was hard for me to do 50 tricks. Somehow I actually did 58 and I’m super happy I was able to get rid of a couple of the ugliest ones (yes that means there are indeed worse ones that what you see above). But really I love all of the people in this video and it was incredibly fun (and exhausting) to do.

With Neil coming in a couple days I felt I had to test out the calf to see what my body was capable of. With rain threatening I went to Wilville as I was feeling a strong lack of confidence and anxiousness about my calf pain. Setting my board down felt good though and I went on to have some fun. Had a few really slow kickflips, fakie flips, didn’t really get beyond that on flippers but for some reason felt like nollie b/s flips were possible (never got close to one). Dave showed and we both kind of played with manuals into the bank to start lines. Dave would actually get some manuals though, I never made it to the bank. He lined it out with a nollie shove fakie on the bank then switch 180 off. I had done a line I really liked of kickflip, manual, 180, switch nose shove, shove. Also had some fun slappy crooks and boardslides. Nollie tails both ways were fun. Didn’t want to try any front 50s as that was the trick that hurt me the last two times. Was really happy to skate and not get hurt.

(setup 3/10 null 8.3 pmg, jessup ultragrip, thunder team hollow 149 no big washer, 51mm bones stf v1 pj, new balance numeric 288sport green/gum size 11.5 no insoles)
(pain level 3/10)

After breakfast I left my mom’s and stopped at the Fairplay park on the way home. I had the park by myself up until the minute the calf pain shot up again. The park was a little wet when I got there and they had done a couple of things to it like make a little euro gap, put in a rail, a couple wood ledges with angle iron. I was incredibly cautious to begin and didn’t feel good on my board. Man I hate how Thunders turn. I had some slow kickflips, some little pops on things, axle stalls on the brick coping qp. I had no confidence though, couldn’t even make myself roll in on the brick coping that I’ve done many times before. I would get one run I was kind of happy with. Ollie onto the ledge then a kickflip to fakie on bank near the hip. Man, after writing that it should have been something I do first try. I had tried a few noseslides to crooks but never got too close. Got a few flow flip tricks like halfcab flip, fakie flip, b/s flip, varial flip. Was trying to front 50 the ledge and got into a couple stalls before pain shot through the calf on one. ARGH. I’m really sick of this pain and recurring injuries with my pushing/ollie leg. It’s quite depressing, like maybe I’ve finally worn my body out.

(setup 4/10 null 8.3 pmg, jessup ultragrip, thunder team hollow 149 no big washer, 53mm bones stf v1 pj, new balance numeric 272 green/black size 12 half insoles)
(pain level 7/10 calf)

Thought a day off and some new shoes would help my calf which seemed to hold true initially. It was incredibly nice out as I got there around 5 after work. The park was mostly dead except a group of kids that would constantly be in the way. I had 288 Sports and they were super slippery on the older griptape. But man my kickflips felt good. I skated about 40 minutes. Came really close to a slow kickflip 50 on the lurb and ended with an accidental 5-0 on the bench which made me happy, but hurt enough I knew to stop.

(setup 5/10 null 8.3 pmg, jessup ultragrip, thunder team hollow 149 no big washer, 53mm bones stf v1 pj, new balance numeric 288S green/gum size 11.5 no insoles)
(pain level 7/10 calf)

After feeling sick and resting most of the day I went to the side of the school for some flatground. I was on a bigger board again with Thunders. My calf was hurting pretty good and my dumbass was determined to skate through it. I would get a few flippers. Kickflips, fakie flips, halfcab flips, b/s flips, fake bigflip, varial flip, but that was about it. Close on some on other ones. Liked my setup. But when I was done my calf hated me.

(setup 5/10 null 8.3 pmg, jessup ultragrip, thunder team hollow 149 no big washer, 53mm bones stf v1 pj, new balance numeric 306 blue size 12 nike sb dunk insoles)
(pain level 5/10 calf/general pains from 306 which hurt me and I don’t know why I tried skating them again)

Feeling grouchy I went to meet friends at dog park right as a stiff breeze kicked in. It would be quite frustrating and seemed to effect everyone. I almost left after taking almost 10 tries to get a kickflip. I blame the wind, but really it was another setup change that is to blame (8.25 with 8″ venture highs). I don’t remember much about this session other than a game of SKATE with Jake in the corner that was somewhat protected by the wind. The reason it was memorable was because I got a few sketchy treflips before the judges finally just had sympathy and counted one.

After that Sean, Paul and I went to the ledge near Steelyards. As Sean warmed up I did some noseslides. had a noseslide to fakie followed by a halfcab flip that would be the highlight of my day. Then we went and filmed at a nearby construction site which was completely draining and appeared to hurt my calf again.

(setup 3/10 null 8.25 spanbauer dead spots, jessup ultragrip, venture v-cast 5.2 high with royal bushings no big washer, 51mm bones stf v1 pj, new balance numeric 306 blue size 12 nike sb insoles)
(pain 4/10)

Went to Broomfield after work on what seemed like a nice day until skate time when a strong wind kicked in. Argh. Shortly after arriving I went to carve through the new bowl section and slipped out slamming really hard. The session did not get better. Rob was smart and bounced pretty quickly. Sean did Sean things. I bailed my first few ollie attempts onto the blue ledge which was very close to a board focus. Played a game of SKATE with Sean and do not remember a single thing about it other than I didn’t land much other than a first try fakie bigflip.

(setup 8.25 null spanbauer dead spots, jessup ultragrip, royal ultralight 149s, 51mm bones stf v1 pj, new balance numeric 306 blue nike sb dunk insoles)
(pain level 4/10)

Had forgot all about the silver session until Jesse texted me about it so I went. I again didn’t have much energy and it showed quickly. I couldn’t ollie, flip my board, put in any effort. I wanted to at least try some backside sugarcanes but it turns out that back disasters would be hard enough on the tiny qp. Jess would land his first back d’s. Raul did it first try. I came really close to b/s flip the hip, but never got both feet on. Had some good bump to noseslides and crook. Jake and Nick shredded how they do. Nick’s rock ‘n roll powerslides are awesome. Jesse and I ended with a game of SKATE that he won, but it was finally close as I had him to SKAT. But he got a letter on pop shove! Ha ha. I was made to take several tries to get a halfcab flip and lose it on a fakie bigflip that I would get a few tries alter.

(setup 8.25 null spanbauer dead spots, jessup ultragrip, royal ultralight 149s, 51mm bones stf v1 pj, new balance numeric 272 b/w size 11.5 half insoles)
(pain level 5/10 vulcs)

Such a nice afternoon, so little motivation but ended up at dog park with Sean and Paul. I thought I’d feed off the good weather and I actually had some motivation once things got going, but I literally landed nothing and completely hated my setup. It was a lose lose situation and the only positive I can take away from the session is that slappy crooks are really fun. Sean was kind of in a blah mood too. Paul shredding as usual.

(setup 8.25 null spanbauer dead spots, jessup ultragrip, royal ultralight 149s, 51mm bones stf v1 pj, new balance numeric 272 b/w size 11.5 half insoles)
(pain level 5/10 vulcs)

Nice warm morning, lots of older people at dog park. Crew was Jake, Cass, Rob, Sean then eventually Garrett and Joe. I had changed to 8.25 deck. I really liked it. The key word being “liked”. I don’t remember much about this session prior to a game of SKATE with Cass, Sean, Jake. I got a letter on Sean with a treflip which made me happy. But that was the only letter I got on Sean and he would win. I outlasted the older 30 somethings though. I would also get several front 50s on the black ledge and an ultra rare manual the blue pad. Saw Rob do shove lipslide, nollie lipslide, front 50, nose manual, back 50 back 180 blue ledge. Cass front noseslides, front tails, chilling. Jake had front tails and mostly skated the bowl. Sean did Sean things. The long 5-0 down the new bank to ledge so casual blew me away. Garrett and Cass looked good on their boards too. AFter that we drove all over Lakewood and didn’t skate anything.

(setup 8.25 null spanbauer dead spots, jessup ultragrip, royal ultralight 149s, 51mm bones stf v1 pj, new balance numeric 272 b/w size 11.5 half insoles)
(pain level 3/10 vulcs)