Kevin and I showed up with Christmas completes and had someone take a photo of us.  We were thinking it would be funny to just leave after that. Ha. Kevin had some Venture lows instead of his normal thunders.  I sized down to 8.3 with the new venture 8.25 trucks.  I had huge new wheels. 53mm SML wheels.  I was super hyped to support that company, but should have gotten smaller wheels as I really struggled for awhile.  Kevin on the other hand was totally shredding rattling off ledge tricks.  Nosegrinds, back smith, 5-0s.  Carleigh showed up and pretty quickly joined Kevin on the bump to barrier.  He did different tricks until she landed the boardslide.  The nosegrind was sick. Carleigh did the boardslide pretty quick.  There was almost no one skating so we told Rob to come back.  He did. Rad. Of course the crowds had reformed unfortunately.  The only thing I did that I was hyped on was the line Kevin filmed.  I did it a couple times before filming.  Way better of course (Just joking, but since there is no footage in my head it was better). Ollie the flat bar (hyped that this seemed easier on the smaller setup), wallie the barrier, nollie back tail the small narrow ledge, crook the black ledge.  Carleigh and Rob jumped on similar lines. Rob with the ollie then front 180 over the barrier.  Rob gots pop.  But it’s funny because he can’t wallie it.  Carleigh did ollie, wallie, front 50. 

Later on we met up with Jack at his wood spot.  It was so hot.  That spot is so hard. Well, not for Jack and Kevin. They were ollieing up the weird corner like it was nothing.  Both doing manuals. I think jack ollied the big two out of manual. Kevin did manual drop down to quick back 180.  Kevin ollied the flat gap easily.  Jack did a bunch of tricks over it. One of the steeziest backside bigspins I’ve ever seen, backside flip, impossible some more I’m forgetting.  Carleigh and I were struggling to get up the corner ledge. It was frustrating. I was posing ollies over the flat gap.  I eventually got the ollie up the ledge. Did a boneless down a level, then somehow made it over the flat gap. I say ‘somehow’ because what I did was not technically an ollie.  It was some weird awkward momentum that got me over the gap. It stoked me out regardless.  It also showed Carleigh that if she actually ollied she could do the gap. She tried that while I tried another line to clean up the ollie.  I tried ollie up the ledge, kickflip on the narrow ledge, ollie the gap. I got it and ended it with a back 180 off. It felt awesome.  Carleigh got the ollie too. Jack did a rad quick foot line. Ollie up, gap ollie, half impossible.  Wow. It inspired Kevin to switch flip the gap.  Unfortunately an hour and a half later he gave up after landing on several. Doh.  Fun long day of skating though. I like my new setup so far. 

(setup 8.38 null event horizon deck, venture 5.6 trucks, doh doh bushings (88a boardside, 92a roadside), 53mm sml og wide wheels, 3 bearings inside each axle, mob grip, new balance numeric 533v2 pj grey size 13, currex run pro insoles)

After work on a very hot Tuesday I stopped by the dog park with about an hour to skate. When I first got there only a couple people were skating. Withing a few minutes though another 10 or so people showed and all were skating hard. It was the first time I was annoyed with the crowds. Everyone there was around 20. The bigger board felt big, but it felt right. I struggled with lots of basics. About the only positives were that I had some okay back 50s on the low part of the black box, nollie back tails the little narrow ledge. I struggled with front 50 on the bench, halfcab noseslide the bench, crooks the tall part of the black box. I ended by finally ollieing over the wallie barrier without any wheel bonk. Then I went home for dinner and saw my friends were skating Glenn Close. 🙁

(setup 8.5 Null Lazer deck, venture trucks 5.8 cast baseplate titanium hanger , venom 91a bushings with no bottom washer, bones 52mm stf sidecuts wheels, new balance numeric 379 b/w size 12, currex runpro medium arch insole )
(pain level 5/10 all of a sudden my right knee hurts bad again ugh)

After some basketball and hanging with my brothers family Ollie and I hit the skatepark. No one else was there.  The park is mostly terrible, but it’s surrounded by ledges. This makes it better than most parks. I was feeling somewhat hungover from partying with my brother and I had a new smaller setup. A new 8.25 board and old small ventures. Yes, I brought extra stuff with me on vacation because I anticipated this change. I couldn’t halfcab noseslide the long ledge. Settled on a line of kickflip to fakie, halfcab flip, noseslide, sweeper. Took a bit. Ollie filmed it. I was very happy with how easily the board was flipping. I had messed around with other stuff too, but not much. Did the ol’ boneless rail transfer too. Ollie did the fakie shove. That was about all he did.

(setup 8.25 Null Lazer deck, venture 5.2 v-hollow trucks , venom 91a bushings, bones stf v1 53mm wheels, 2 washers on the inside of each axle, new balance numeric 212 maroon size 12, footprint gamechanger orthotic insoles)
(pain level 5/10)

On a very hot Saturday Neil, Fuzz, Rob, Kevin and I met Jack at a bank spot Fuzz has been wanting to stubborn at for awhile. I can’t believe I didn’t take a photo, but it’s basically a bank on each side. One side is mellow with curbs up top (but set back a little) and a hubba to do stalls on from the bank. The other side a steeper bank with a flat gap and chain for the kids. Jack of course ollied into a small part of it right away. The rest of us took a minute to adjust to the spot. Kevin wallied into the bank, Fuzz with the front axle yank to fakie on the hubba. Neil with cool ollies. I was enjoying my new setup and started with a little front pivot on a parking block. Jack did front pivot kickflip to fakie on the side hubba. Rob had some cool lines with kickflips on the bank, front tails, backside ollies. Fuzz was trying smith stall on side hubba and did a funny sequence of yank ins and other stalls. Kevin had some cool stalls on the side hubba. Front tail fakie, front tail back 270 in was so sick. Fuzz had switch nose stall 270 shove. I was trying no comply flips into the bank and got close then made the mistake of asking Jack to film it thinking i could land it. What a good friend for sticking with me as I kind of eeked out a heel drag version in about 120 tries before nearly puking because of the heat. Regardless, I’ve never done that trick into a bank and I was hyped to try hard. Kevin had also done a kickflip nose stall, but for the most part it was a sit in the shade and watch Glen struggle session for an hour. Sorry dudes.

Then we went to this spot. Super sick spot with so many different options. The heat wave was in full effect. Especially after Jack did a kickflip axle stall on the dumpster right away. I attempted to ollie, but was in so much pain from jumping into that little bank so many times. Rob and Kevin got the manuals quick. Rob’s was sick as he ollied the little crack gap in the middle. Jack did nose manual nollie heel, kickflip manual kickflip out. Fuzz started a 3 trick wave. He started with 180 up, 180 the crack, 180 off. Ha. The fakie ollie up, fakie ollie the crack, fakie ollie off was so sick. Rob had no comply up, kickflip the crack, his patented steezy back 180 off. Neil got a super sick line. Nose manual shove out from bank by the dumpster, front shove out of the bank, wallie the corner of the building. He also played the 3 trick game on the loading dock. nollie up, back 180 the crack, switch front 180 the drop. I had gotten my legs to kind of work, came remotely close to nose manual. Got a crappy backside flip over the hip. Jack went in on kickflip manual treflip out. He had one hilarious airwalk out, but was getting super frustrated. Luckily he knew to call it before the heat got him too bad. Fun day. Best crew. I would have liked to land that no comply flip better though. Argh.

(setup 8.5″ abstract 6 deck, venture titanium 5.8s, doh dohs bushings (blue 88a barrel boardside one, yellow 92a roadside), bones stf v2 51mm wheels, 3 washers on the inside of each axle, new balance numeric 212 maroon size 12, footprint gamechanger orthotic insoles)
(pain level 3/10)

Had contemplated meeting Dave at Erie park, but I didn’t really have enough warning and it was cold and snowy. I had setup a new board. I decided to just cruise across the street and it had started raining so Erie was out anyway. My knees were still jacked. I did a couple slappies on some dry parts and a few switch front 180s off a curb. The rain picked up so I went in my garage and did a few kickflips, fakie flip, terrible b/s flip, even worse frontside flip, some shoves, hucked some front heels, tried one treflip and called it a night.

(setup 8.75″ null event horizon deck, venture ftc 5.8s, doh dohs bushings (blue 88a barrel boardside one, yellow 92a roadside), spitfire f4 radials 52mm blue/yellow swirl wheels with 3 washers on the inside, new balance numeric 379 brown size 12, nike zoom air insoles)
(pain level 6/10 in the knees, knees, knees)

I’ve been wanting to try an 8.75″ board for awhile now. After dinner on a breezy Friday night with rain showers threatening I went to the research ledge. I started up near the long stairs and messed around for a bit. I was amazed how easy it was to ollie up a step. After a bit I went down to the ledge and tried noseslide and it stuck so fierce I almost flew into the wall. Yikes. So I waxed it. It’s not in that great of shape anymore. Saul biked by as the rain drops started, but the wind dried them up quickly. I had some growing pains with the big board, but for the most part it was a decent session. I skated the first half in the 379s, but since I’ve been so sore I also busted out some old 868s. They felt pretty comfy, but harder to flick. I did manage my best line in them though. Front 180 up the curb, halfcab flip on flat, crooks, sketchy treflip on flat. I also managed to kickflip up the curb which I was extra happy about with the bigger board. With the crack placement on that curb it makes me pop sooner than I want to get up the curb. I had a few bad tic tac’y back 50s, a not-posted-up-at-all halfcab noseslide, couple front 50s that didn’t really grind because the ledge up hill is garbage, was 3-3 on backside flips. I tried to end with some posted up crooks, but it was pretty dark and I didn’t have nearly as good of board feel in the 868s.

(setup 8.75″ null valley deck, venture ftc 5.8s, doh dohs bushings (blue 88a barrel boardside one, yellow 92a roadside) no boardside washer, spitfire f4 radials 52mm blue/yellow swirl wheels with all washers on the inside, new balance numeric 379 / 868s size 12)
(pain level 5/10 knee pain)

On a gorgeous day I was kinda slacking. I setup a new board (8.25). I was messing around with it on the rug with my barefoot shoes (not the individual toe shoes I’m not that crazy) and they felt super good. So I went across the street wearing them. They felt beyond incredible. I did a few slappy crooks then started doing some tricks like front 50 and kickflip, but I tore the canvas on the shoes immediately. I went in for a bit and put some glue over them. Then I went out to just skate flatground. The shoes felt weird, but amazing. I felt like I had crazy control. I had done a few flippers when my work phone went off and I had to call it a day. Doh.

(setup 8.25″ null lazer deck, venture ftc 5.8s v-lights, doh dohs bushings (blue 88a barrel boardside one, yellow 92a roadside) no boardside washer, bones stf v1 pj 53mm wheels with all washers on the outside, xero hana minimalist shoe with thin es insoles)
(pain level 1/10)

Had the day off of work. Dave could only skate early so I was going to meet him around 9am. Kevin took a mental health day and we met Dave shortly after 9. It was way colder than we thought it would be. Like only 20 something. It did warm up quick at least. There were a couple bald eagles flying above us which always makes me smile. Not in a USA kind of way, but what a majestic creature. All three of us mostly start with shoves and stuff in the flatground. Kevin and I had brand new boards, Dave’s was one day old. I stuck with 8.38 as it seems about right. Kevin was struggling as he had his first non-DLX board in forever. He would get past the struggles though. Dave and I were trying no comply tailsides. He challenged me to it. It was funny because I asked him to film it. We’ve never filmed each other in this game yet. I wasn’t doing it anywhere near as well as him, but it was still fun. Around then Dan and Collin showed up. So cool. Then it turns out a lot of 98% would show up. Dar, Scotty, Ladd. We went on to have a fun big ol’ session. Lots of flatground was skated. I didn’t land much of anything for quite some time. Dan and Collin were killing it. Dan’s style is amazing. Collin did regular and fakie inward heels?!?!?! I was pretty blown away by all the tricks they landed. Kevin was in on it too and had a ton of good flippers. When Ladd showed up Dan had said he would do Ladd’s kickflip heelflip cancel (I have no idea what it’s really called). He did it like 3 times! I posed a few and it seems possible. Collin learned nollie bigflip in a few tries. I couldn’t get it. Dave was doing lines with cabs on flat then cabs over the back hip, super long tail slides on the bank, lots of really good stuff. It was a bummer he had to leave. Some ledge action went down. Kevin killed it with most of this tricks real quick. I had front 50 shove and maybe a slow crooks. Collin did crooks shove. I had a fun line of backside flip flyout (to complete halt but how’s counting), switch nose jib to forward into the bank, little scratch grind on the nub, no comply 180 on flat, fakie flip on flat, halfcab flip on the mellow bank. I got a treflip and f/s halfcab heel on flat, both were terrible though. Last thing I did was a flyout treflip and it felt really cool. Ladd was doing back 50s on the bank to ledge. Dan was trying nollie f/s flip out of the bank. Kevin easily did nollie b/s flip then pretty much ended the session with a nollie tre that was super good.

Then Kevin and I ate and later met up with the dudes at a little curb high manny pad. I was so sore that I couldn’t ollie up it the first few tries. Dan quickly manual, nose manual, switch manual. Dar was trying switch nose manual. Ladd was trying this weird pressure cancel flip to manual which he would eventually land. TWICE! At one point I pissed behind a dumpster and it kind of ran into the runway of the manny pad. Oh man. How embarrassing. It ended up being pretty funny though as Kevin was coming back and dodged Collin and rolled right through it. That was probably the angriest look he’s ever given me, but man it was funny. Collin was close to fs halfcab manual. Dan was trying front 180 fakie manual, then moved on to nollie fs 180 nose manual which he would also get after some struggles. Kevin locked into a kickflip nose manual and then the next try took the most amazing slam ever. He literally did a kickflip nose manual primo. It “rolled” about a foot before he Wilson’d as high as anyone has Wilson’d before. Ouch. He did try again, but eventually call it and chilled. I got a nose manual, somewhat close to kickflip manual, but gave up. I got a no comply flip up and some weird no comply boneless off. Dar was still going strong on his trick when Kevin and I left. Man what a fun day. It was great running into the 98%ers and skating with them. They are such good dudes.

(setup 8.38 null lazer deck, venture ftc 5.8s, venom 91a bushings with no bottom washer, bones stf v1 pj 53mm wheels with all washers on the outside, new balance numeric 379 tan size 12, stock insoles)
(pain level 3/10)

On a cold afternoon I went searching for dry with a new board and wheels. 53mm! But they are PJ wheels so you know they are still good. Ha. I also had a new deck as I didn’t want to use the soggy cracked tail as an excuse anymore. I went by the research ledge, but it was warm enough for snow to be melting and making it unskateable. So I ended up at the super mellow bank spot that is always dry immediately after a snowstorm. As I was sweeping the salt off of it someone walked into the nearby door and didn’t say anything to me. Cool. I started with the silly soft rock 270 which was pretty fun. I did a few flippers for a bit, like kickflip to fakie, fakie flip, b/s flip. Then the soft rock kickflip out. It took about 20 minutes and I kept switching between trying to go to fakie or regs. So I guess the result was neither. I debating cleaning it up, but decided I didn’t care. Then I skated it in ways I haven’t before. Did a line of back shove then back 180 onto it. Also a line of halfcab flip on flat, manual across it and then a b/s flip on flat. The flatground there is not good, it’s rough. Brand new STFs are always super hard so that didn’t help even though they were larger than I’m used to. Actually, finding the manual point was hard with the wheels that tall. I also tried a line of 360 flip on flat then nose manual, but I never committed to the nose manual. The 3 flips were terrible too, came to a total halt due to wheel bite. Then I did the halfcab flip. Then I tried the ollie over the little gutter. It felt much closer to the wall than it looks on film. I went to get a better one that was more over it, but my phone died. So did I clean it up even though my phone had died? Heck no. I moved on. Ha. Plus the slam hurt way more than I was expecting. I hucked casper stalls for awhile along with trying to grind the edge then manual around. I kind of got a casper stall. I’m glad my phone had died and didn’t record it, because I know it wasn’t proper, but man it felt fun. I think both feet had landed on the top and then I kinda scooped the front one under, but it flipped out really fast and felt great. Last challenges of the day were some backside ledge stall transfers into the bank. Like back nosepick in, back 5-0 into the bank, etc. Couldn’t get crooks transfer. Then I spent awhile trying kickflip back tail stalls. It took awhile, but the one I got felt incredible and I went home in a good mood. It was nice having a solo session. I need them.

(setup 8.5 null lazer deck, venture ftc 5.8s v-lights, venom 91a bushings, 53mm bones sft v1 PJ wheels, new balance numeric 379 tan size 12, old rubber STI insole)
(pain level 3/10)

After a lot of chilling and resting I got out on a nice day while fighting a cold. I went to the curb at first. The worst part of winter skating is all the sand/pebbles. The curb section was really bad from the school busses depositing rocks/sand/boulders/landmines. I had put an 8.25″ deck on because I thought I should. I didn’t like it. I had some fun slappy crooks and okay 50s. I tried kickflip 50s both ways and couldn’t get it. I blamed the “big” board so went in and put a new 8″ board on. Then I skated flat in front of the house for about an hour. I was fighting the sickness so didn’t have a ton of energy/drive. Kickflips felt great. Heelflips do not work in City Cups. Seriously, how do people like McClung and Gustavo heelflip in them? Took me so many tries to get a heelflip and I couldn’t ever get a halfcab heel. I never quite got a 360 flip. I got incredibly close to nollie flip, nollie treflip. Hucked a few more other tricks. I feel like nollie heel is so possible finally. It’s all because of Jack’s advice of putting all your weight on the front big toe. I had a couple great feeling fakie bigflips. When the sun went behind the foothills it got really windy and I went inside. Feeling defeated yet again, but not so angry because at least being sick counts as little excuse.

(setup 8″ null dream machine deck, venture 5.2 v-hollow high trucks, 51mm bones stf pj v1, 3 speed washers on the inside of each axle to make it feel a little wider, bones medium bushings, adidas city cup b/w size 11, stock insoles)
(pain level 3/10)