On a warm and sunny morning I picked up Dave and we went to the nice and simple old prefab Berthoud park. And it ruled even though warming up seemed slow. I took a lot of tries to get a kickflip over the hip. Dave less tries. But once we had moved on it went pretty great. Dave’s switch front bigs were so good. He had never even done a fakie ollie the way over the hip, then he does a fakie flip too! I had fun trying some switch front boards, was hyped the b/s flip only took a couple of tries. The crooks were really fun. I haven’t done a treflip over a hip in like 20 years, since the Aurora Wheel Park days, and maybe even before Null. So yes I know this one is terrible, but man it felt great that it was right there. I want to go do it better now! After that I tried a line for a while of nollie front tail the little round bar, flatground heelflip, front 50 the curved ledge. Never got all of them in a line, but did get each trick. Dave kept going. The slip ‘n slide blunt was cool. And the kickflip tail OMG! Extra fun session.

(setup 9/10 8.25 null spanbauer, jessup ultragrip, thunder hollow light 148 with royal bushings, spitfire f4 99a yellow classic shape 52mm, new balance numeric 440v2 black/gum size 11.5 half insoles and currex runpro insoles)
(pain level 3/10)

Saturday morning we collected at Broomfield to skate before watching the Adidas demo at Arvada. Paul was the quickest to jumping on the ledge. I think he did back 5-0 front 180 out before I had even ollied. Paul went on to do some good nosegrinds both ways, lots of back 5-0 front 180s. It’s always a treat seeing Hayden skate. He does amazing things so casualy and nonchalantly. The nosegrind pop out looked so fun. Saw some boardslides and manual from Rob. I mostly lined things out as usual. First one was halfcab noseslide, kickflip flyout, front slash the bank to curb, crooks the black ledge. Slappy crooks the lower bank to curb then a flatground treflip. I tried to line out front 50 the black ledge then a back heel on the mellow bank. I did get quite a few front 50s, but they became too hard after a while. I resorted to halfcab noseslide, got a heelflip and ended with a slappy crook on the parking block. Fun session.

(setup 7/10 8.25 null spanbauer, jessup ultragrip, thunder hollow light 148 with royal bushings, spitfire f4 99a yellow classic shape 52mm, new balance numeric 440v2 black/gum size 11.5 half insoles and currex runpro insoles)
(pain level 5/10)

Then we went to the Adidas demo which was awesome and I got to meet Mark Suciu, one of my all time favs. Good news, he’s super nice! And he shredded! As did most of the Adidas team.

After a mellow day of work I went out to Douglass on a humid day after some rain. I started on the side of the school. First warm up line was pivot on a curb, nollie front 180 the micro hip, fakie flip on flat, switch noseslide the ledge, switch 180 out of the bump. Was trying the next line when a father/son joined the session. Seen them at dog park a few times. It was kind of weird because I was trying my next line and couldn’t tell if they were going or not. I was trying kickflip the micro hip, front 50 the ledge, treflip out of the bump. Never got the treflip. Got a couple smith stalls that were fun. Other flip tricks were not working. I was on my 8.5/14.25/thunder setup and it felt entirely too big. I went out to the front of the school. Tried to line out ollie up the curb, flipper, ledge trick. But I couldn’t get a treflip or heelflip and my knee pain became too much. I had done some fun noseslides and a first try crook that made me happy. But man those ledges felt incredibly tall, front 50 didn’t even seem remotely possible.

(setup null 20 year 8.5/14.25, null grip, thunder 149 hollow lights royal bushings, spitfire f4 99a 52mm classic yellow, new balance numeric 440v2 black/gum size 11.5 half insole plus currex run pro insoles)
(setup 3/10)

Didn’t really feel like skating most of the day but was in the office and the clouds were out on the way home so I went to dog park. Only a couple of people there. One of which was the super slow guy that kind of makes me laugh. Didn’t think it was possible to skate slower than me, but sometimes I can’t even tell if he is moving. Anyway, somehow I felt better than expected. Maybe it was because I was trying my Thunder setup. I had a line of front 50 the lurb, crooks the bench, back 50 the curb. 3 basics, but it was fun. I also got up on the bench with front 50s a few times. All of which were slow, but I managed a shove out once that I haven’t done in forever. Also got a crooks on the upper deck. Came really close to kick back 50 on the lurb, even got into 5-0 a couple times. Couldn’t get a treflip. Decent session even if it ended on a frustrating note not getting a treflip or kick back 50.

(setup 6/10 8.25 pmg, jessup ultragrip, thunder 148 team hollow royal bushings, 51mm bones stf v1 pj, new balance numeric 440v2 black/gum size 11.5 with half insoles and currex runpro insoles)
(pain level 5/10)

After working from home with Nate we went to campus and started out at the curb cut meetup spot. We were having fun trying tricks out, manuals, etc. Dave joined after a while and then Jack and Joe showed up when their bowling game was cancelled due to a private event. Nate and Dave had done the nollies into the first one then back 180s out of the next one when Jack and Joe showed. Jack rolled on his cruiser board and did a second try treflip out of the kicker and several no comply flips and then no comply double flips just messing around. Joe had a hardflip or two. All on Jack’s cruiser board. Nate kept losing his wheel on treflip attempts. Dave got the kickflip out pretty quick. Nate got the treflip. I took forever to get the b/s flip and followed it up with two equally ugly and tic tac riddled flippers. Dave had a bunch of back 360 manuals, I had some front 3 ones. Dave almost did switch tre! We went into campus for a bit, ended up at the business building. Dave had some good kickflips, front boards and nollie lips on the curb. Nate’s little window ride were so cool. We both got noseslides to fakie on the ledge which is way taller than it appears. Dave got the wallie and drop in thing which resulted in a good laugh all around and perfect ender for the session. Then some yummy Pete’s after that!

(setup 4/10 8.5/14.25 null 20 year, jessup null ultragrip, 8.5 slace, 52mm spitfire f4 99a tablet shape, new balance numeric 440v2 black/gum size 11.5 pinnacle prostep insoles)
(pain level 5/10)

Earlier in the day I met up wtih Jack, Dan, Joe and Scotty P at research wood ledge spot. They were mostly done skating, I did a couple boardslides/noseslides that was about it.

After dinner I picked up Dave then Nate and we went to an almost deserted Frederick park. We all kind of cruised around a while, warming up our different ways. Nate had never been to the park before. I had a nollie front big over the hump first try that was fun. We settled in on the manny pad/euro pad area for most of the session. Nate and Dave had already manualled and nose manualed the pad. I was 2/10 on ollies up the taller pad. 0/1 on kickflips off. Dave and Nate also did the quick on to the lower pod then 50 the upper one. Both did it so well. I got ollie up, ollie up which was new for me I think. Those dudes were both trying front board shove transfers and getting close so I set my phone up. Nate would actually get 3 of them, the 3rd of which was so good. I took a while to get anything and was really struggling. Starting to huck slow flatground in between tries helped me feel better even if I only did a couple basics. The nose manual took me forever. Dave was so close to the front board shove transfer. Crazy the lights shut off and we were still trying. Those dudes rip, watching the footage man I skate way too slow. It was a fun session though.

(setup 3/10 8.5/14.25 null 20 year, jessup null ultragrip, royal 149 ultralights, 52mm spitfire f4 99a yellow classic shape, new balance numeric 440v2 black/gum size 11.5 pinnacle prostep insoles)
(pain level 5/10)

Rob and I met up on campus and rolled around a bit to find a spot. We ended up at a narrow little bank next to a 3 stair right on the main road. Rob had some crails and a tight narrow nollie bigspin. I did shove fakie and took a bit to get kickflip to fakie. Then we ended up at Baker ledge which surprisingly had no cars and the jersey barrier was gone. Awesome! The ledge wasn’t in the best shape, but we still had a good time. Rob got manny right away, maybe nose manual too, tried halfcab manual and was close. He had front noseslides, halfcab noseslides, front board pop outs. I couldn’t get a manual to save my life, don’t even think I got a clean nose manual. I did get close to a line of nose manual 180 then fakie 50 the ledge. Other tricks were noseslides, switch noseslides, kickflip up the curb.

After some food, a nap, and the weather clearing up I went across the street to the school for a bit. Did some slappies on the side to warm up then went in trying a line that’s on my list for a bit. Kickflip into one of the curb cuts then 360 flip out of the next one. Got quite a few kickflips and committed to a few treflips, but ran out of time.

(setup 4/10 8.5/14.25 null 20 year, jessup null ultragrip, royal 149 ultralights, 52mm spitfire f4 99a yellow classic shape, new balance numeric 547 vulc / 440v2 black/gum size 11.5 pinnacle prostep insoles)
(pain level 5/10)

On a hot and sunny afternoon I met up with Rob and then Dave right after work at a very bright dog park. The park was mostly empty, the shadows were intense. It took a while to get going, but we did. Rob had lots of back 50s on the curb to get going, manuals, almost manual over to boardslide, boardslides, back 180 fakie 50 180 on the curb, nollie lips. Dave got gnar quickly and after warming up on the sad ledge got some switch ollies up the lurb. Then he did f/s halfcabs off and nose manuals after and then lipslide full metal jacket. He also did an insanely proper front crook on the lurb. I tried to get his back with halfcab crook, but didn’t. I skated alright for me. Had a fun line of front 50 180 the lurb, switch front nose the bench, fakie 50 the curb. Kind of did a front smith on the lurb, but I guess I was in lipslide first. Either way my front wheels were on the ground. Got a second try nose manual the curb, almost kickflip up the lurb and ended by taking wayyyyyy too long to do a halfcab noseslide on the bench. My legs were toast, had some bad knee pain at the end. Argh.

(setup 8.5/14.25 null 20 year, jessup null ultragrip, royal 149 ultralights, 52mm spitfire f4 99a yellow classic shape, new balance numeric 440v2 black/gum size 11.5 currex runpro insoles)
(pain level 7/10)

Warm evening, went to the school still feeling worn out after skating so much during Neil’s visit. After sucking so bad on the ledge last session I wanted a more stable and wider board. I went Ventures. And initially I loved them. Would get a few slappies, feel pretty confident, some basic flippers. But went in on 360 flips and it took forever to get a terrible 270 flip. Argh. Went behind the school and did some rock stalls and tried to ollie onto the main rock unsuccessfully.

(setup 8.5/14.25 null 20 year, venture v-cast 5.8 royal bushings, spitfire 52mm yellow classic 99a, new balance numeric 440v2 black/gum size 11.5 currex run pro insoles)
(pain level 5/10)

On Neil’s last day we rolled to Golden park on warm day a little after noon.  It was Neil, Rob and I meeting Cass and then Dave.  We cruised around a bit then skated the little plaza area for a bit.  People did some basics.  It’s a fun area.  I was happy to get halfcab noseslide in a try or two rather than spending way too long.  Those guys left and I spent way too long to do a slow front 50 on one of the ledges.  Then I came out and managed to ollie onto the taller stand alone ledge.  Those dudes were sitting.  I did a few crooks and noeslides.  Cass may have ollied onto it too actually.  Dave arrived and ollied on right away.  Dave lined out a kickflip off a little bump, pivot on a tight qp, boardslide the long mellow hubba.  Cass boardsid it too, then me.

Off to the long ledge we went.  None of us had been there, and were happily greeted by a lowish ledge that slid and grinded well while being in the shade.  Neil and Cass were on 50s right away.  Noseslides were had.  People started feeling things out.  Rob would do halfcab noseslide then crooks.  Dave did front 50 nollie back 180 then switch crooks!  I got a few super slow front 50s that grinded at least an inch, several switch noseslide 270 shoves and a couple barely slappy crooks.  Cass had front noseslide shove and close to fakie back tail.  Neil’s knee was hurting but that didn’t stop him from getting his lines as soon as the camera came out.  Front 50s, halfcab noseslides, crooks shove, noseslide shove, front shoves.  Dave also got back 50 back 180 out.  Definitely want to go back to that spot, it was cool.  Then we had a nice dinner, chilled  a while and celebrated a week+ of shredding.  Miss you already Neil!

(setup 5/10 8.25 null spanbauer dead spots, jessup ultragrip, slace 8.25, 52mm spitfire 99a tablets, new balance numeric 440v2 black/gum size 11.5 currex runpro insoles)
(pain level 5/10)