Went to Louisville park after a constructive night of loading footage and helping with dishes. There were a couple scooter kids when I got there. The temperature was slightly above freezing, but it didn’t feel that cold. I had a whole new complete so I expected and had a slow start. My first ride on grind was fun because of how fast my new Indys grinded. Indys? Yeah I’m trying them. I’ve really been liking the 8.5″, but wanted to reduce the wheelbase a little. Indys have a narrower wheelbase then Ventures. Simple solution. I also got the 8.25″ trucks so I would get a tiny bit quicker of a flip. Yes I’m a nerd. Back to skating, it took a bit before I started ollieing and stuff, but once I did it felt good. Got front 50s right away, noseslides, baby ollies. A skater showed up around now that flew around the bowls and wouldn’t say hello to save his life. I tried some lines as always and a bunch of silly tricks I only do when basically no one is around. Like ollies over the hip that I would normally be too embarrassed to do. My fav line was front shove on flat, crook the ledge, roll in to the snake run then a few back 50s and rock ‘n rolls. Had some fun fakie flips, got a halfcab noseslide, switch noseslides, but couldn’t do the over the top back 50. Got front 50, front 50 front 180 out, front 5-0, front 50 shove. Carved the pool a little. Got kickflip to fakie and backside on the bank, somewhat close to treflip fakie, didn’t get treflip on flat either. It was still a fun night though. Another skater had come and gone. At the end it was just me and an owl up on a light pole. It was cool. The indys seemed good, although stiff. It might be because I chose harder bushings or because it below freezing by the end of the night.

(setup 8.5″ null rabethica, indy black titanium 144s, spitfire f4 classic 53mm yellow/orange swirl, 4 washers inside each axle, venom 94a bushings, bones swiss, lakai manchester grey size 11.5, spenco thinsole, adidas majerus insole)

@siouxer666 and @garrettswheelers playing at Lafayette. Guest trick by @lastfallensoul

A post shared by Null Skateboards (@null_skateboards) on Oct 22, 2017 at 7:55pm PDT

I guess I was coming down with something as I got to Lafayette park after work and decided to start with a nap in the car. Turns out I crashed for a solid 30 minutes. Riley, Sean, Brian and Donnie were there when I arrived. Garrett would show up shortly after. I felt quite sore. Warming up was not easy, especially around people that totally rip. I hit the tiny parking block quarterpipe for awhile with Brian, Donnie, Sean. They were all doing good tricks. Donnie tried powerslide to fakie 5-0 and slammed so hard. It was hilarious. Brian was doing long bluntslides and almost popping in backside. Sean with boardslides 270. Oh yeah, I had a couple really embarrassing slams (yes, the guy who intentionally likes to run into trash cans can get embarrassed) right away. One on a kickturn, the other while trying to early grab over a cone. It put me in a bad mood. On the manny pad Riley was doing really hard stuff. Sean did a sick kickflip nose manual before I could manual it. After awhile we skated the rock ride/hip. Wallies over it or so fun, had a couple kickflips on the bank after. Brian, Garrett, Donnie, Sean did a bunch of tricks on the rock. Garrett beat Donnie in a game of SKATE on it. Meanwhile I was filming Riley try that spin around manual forever. Like forever ever. Ha. He would eventually get it and by then I was ice cold and stiff, but still tried to skate with them. It didn’t work. The rock bank looks fun to do tricks on, but I wasn’t warmed up enough to even do a kickflip on it. Garrett rattled off tricks left and right. Sean has such good style. Donnie is a beast and I wish I had some of his always commit mentality. Riley did so much so easily. Fun seeing those dudes.

(setup null machine 8.5″ deck, venture 5.8 v-light, 1/16″ riser, venom 88a bushings, 52mm spitfire f4 radial slim green/black, new balance numeric 212 navy/grey size 11, spenco 3/4 thinsoles, footprints 5mm insole)

After a busy day at work, a nap and some dinner I finally got to Saul’s with a new deck and new wheels (Monico 8.3 and Spitfire 52 radials). I was hyped when I arrived and Jake was there too. The bowl looked so fun, it’s been too long. Jake was going for a long run when I got there that involved a blunt to fakie at the end. It had feeble grind, front 5-0, tailblock, etc before it. Saul had already skated earlier in the day and was still getting it. Hell yeah. His runs with the quick carve grinds are amazing to watch. So fast. I took a few tries to get a carve grind again, but when I did I had it and it felt sooooo fun. A few years ago I learned slappy crooks which have become one of my favorite tricks ever. I would put carve grinds up there too. Somehow with my new setup I kept ending up doing rock fakies in the shallow and after a tail stall I would be setup perfectly for the hip. So I went with it and several tries later got a very sketchy/slow shallow to deep 50 over the hip. I definitely lifted onto my front truck and stuff, but whatever, it felt so rad. A bit later Saul did a sitting kickflip. It was rad. Jake has a tendency to bet me a ‘cider’ to land a trick. He often ends up owing me a cider, but I never take him up on it. Anyways, I told him he would have a clean slate if he landed the blunt to fakie. 4 tries later he did it. So sick! And then he was out. Saul went at the hip for a bit too. We did it after rolling in then axle stalls, it’s the perfect angle. Things got a little sketchy as it got dark so we called it. Fun night, I want to skate there more. I wish life wouldn’t get in the way all the time.

I was supposed to do some errands, but I wanted to grind more. I went to the default of the research ledge. I was happy leaving Saul’s, but the hype would quickly fade. They have these buses running all of the time there now. So every 5 minutes a bus leaves and a new one pulls up. It’s annoying and it added to my frustrations. In fact my first noseslide attempt was terrible and my board shot under a bus. I had to climb under it and get my board. I should have known to leave right then, but I’m stubborn. Never got a boardslide pop out. Got noseslide and noseslide to fakie. Got a couple terrible back 50s with lots of tic tacs, first try crooks, but then couldn’t do it again. The worst halfcab noseslides. A front board pop out first try. But could never get a front 50. The ledge is getting chunky. It’s not fun anymore, every trick is a battle and the buses make it even worse. I think I’m going to say RIP to this ledge. I need to go to start driving to parks when I want to skate a ledge. Boulder doesn’t have any ledges. Ugh. I went home bummed on the ledge, but hyped on Saul’s. Maybe I am finally starting to like transition skating.

(setup null monico 8.38″ deck, venture v-light 5.8, bones medium bushings, 3 washers on the outside of each axle, 52mm spitfire f4 radial slim, new balance numeric 212 sand 11, spenco 3/4 thinsoles, footprints 5mm insole)

Feeling a little groggy I met up with Rob and Dave at Crisis shortly after noon. After some bidness we went across the street. All 3 of us had new decks. Dave and I had the board that Rob designed and Rob had some random Christian Death board. Ha ha. I had setup an 8″ Monico deck after enjoying the small board the day before, but I went for high trucks with bigger wheels. Anyway, warming up went good. I probably skated my best the first 30 minutes then started feeling really warn down and tired. Rob was getting at it and almost got back 108 fakie 50 shove out first try so we setup Hosercam. It because a battle, but in the end Rob was successful getting it super good. I hucked a Safeway dream trick, kickflip front 50, but never committed. I had some fun back 50s, struggled with fakie 50s. Dave rattled off all kinds of tricks. 50s, 50 nollie shoves, 50 180s, 5-0s, the Blaine trick, halfcab noseslide, and mostly a halfcab noseslide 270 out. Rob went on to do back 50 bean plant out, front tail body varial, just straight ripping. I had a couple flip tricks early on that felt good, but the roughness of the asphalt there is starting to not feel great to try flip tricks. I sat for awhile. A couple other dudes joined. Dave was trying front crooks and would land it once the camera was turned off.

@fullertrron boosting #thestubborns

A post shared by Rob Helmstetter (@43shifty) on Sep 10, 2017 at 3:05pm PDT

We bounced to the bank spot. I felt better there then I thought I would. After some warming up I filmed Rob and Dave get some lines involving tailslides, bean plants, front shoves and bonelesses. Good stuff. I struggled with ollies to fakie, boneless, b/s flip (Dave beat me to it) and then hucked a b/s heelflip for a bit at the end. I never got very close. Dave boosted huge bonelesses. Dave and I had some fun chinese nollies out of the sidewalk and some close calls. I guess that’s about it, the dudes stacked clips. Oh yeah, I ended trying a bigflip and didn’t get very close. Argh. I went home and fell asleep for a long time. Guess I was feeling a little sick. Ugh.

(setup 8″ null monico deck, venture v-hollow highs, 88a venom bushings, 52mm bones stf v5, nbnumeric 212 sand, spenco 3/4 thinsoles, 5mm footprint insoles)

Dave and I skated the curb on the newly repaved driveway at the school across the street while we waited for Jack to show up. I had a new deck and new shoes and they felt kinda weird. We didn’t really do much, some pivots, pivot shoves, no comply tails, etc. Jack showed and messed around long enough to do a bigspin pivot. Then we was off to LA!

(setup 8.38 null spanbauer deck, venture 5.8 trucks, venom 91a bushings, no bottom washer, spitfire f4 101a 51mm classic wheels, 3 washers on the outside of each axle, nbnumeric 212 burgundy, spenco 3/4 thinsoles and FP 5mm insoles)

@fullertrron #thestubborns

A post shared by glen gillinghammer (@corpoglenny) on Aug 23, 2017 at 8:40am PDT

After a nice visit with Eric at MRKT we went to Fossil. The park was basically empty, just one 30-something skater ripping. I had a big new 8.5″ deck and it felt weird. I warmed up on the top of the park. Rob was up there too at times, but Dave was mostly just below. My legs felt quite sore, but they were working alright for awhile. It has been a long time since I’ve skated a 3 stair. I had a warm up line of front 180 down the 3, switch front 180 up the curb, kickflip off the curb. It hyped me up. Boardsliding the curb off the drop is so fun. Rob did kickflip then beanplant down the 3. Then we started working on lines with back 180 down the 3. Rob won. Nose manual, then ollie up the ledge then back 180 down. So good. I kind of got it. Kickfip up the curb, ollie up the ledge, but the back 180 I stuck and fell. I say “kind of got it” because had the landing not been tore up from years of people landing primo I am confident I would have rode away. After that I struggled getting the ollie again so I gave up and joined Rob and Dave below. The main ledges felt tall to me. I struggled with any confidence. I would end up getting a few crooks that felt good and some slow/bad front 50s, but that was about it. Rob had some nice back 50 back 180s over the bricks on the curb. Dave nice front and back 50s. Dave did some cool ollies from the deck to the curved ledge I’ve never seen anyone skate before. The Cheeyas showed and it was hard to keep skating with them destroying so hard. Bo rules. He did front 50 kickflip out, almost back 50 treflip out, back 50 the 7 stair, ollie over the double set rail. Street Jaeson is a treat. Fastplant the 9 stair hubba into the bank, boardslide the double set rail, easy basic grinds. Hayden did front smith pop up onto the ledge, gap back 50, back back lip, wallie the 6 stair hubba, gap to manual, etc. Taylor was ripping too. Solid 50s, ollie, etc. Fort Collins dudes can skate anything. Dave closed the session by ollieing the Carroll gap. So sick.

(setup 8.5 null rabethica deck, venture 5.8 trucks, venom 91a bushings, no bottom washer, spitfire f4 101a 51mm classic wheels, 3 washers on the outside of each axle, nbnumeric 212 sand, spenco 3/4 thinsoles and FP 5mm insoles)

Went out in front of the house for a bit on a really nice night and totally struggled in new stuff. I had the new 533v2 shoes (thanks Tytus!) and a new 8.25 Jack deck. The shoes are more comfy for sure, but different. I didn’t get much chance to break them in so they were extra stiff. Got some kickflips, shoves, halfcab flip, but it took awhile. Landed on a couple treflips, but didn’t get one. Then just hucked one of every trick for a bit. Got close to a few, but never got any more tricks.

(setup 8.25 null jack spanbauer deck, venture 5.2 AWAKE lows, venom 90a bushings, 1/16″ riser, spitfire 101a 51mm F4 wheels, 3 washers on the inside of each axle, nbnumeric PJ 533v2 black/white/gold 11.5, spenco 3/4 thinsoles with stock insoles)

Biked over to Saul’s after work, dinner and a nice nap. Rob and Saul were already skating, Nolan and Matt showed shortly after me followed by Jack and Carleigh. Rob struggled with front slashes initially, but then almost every one of them after that. This was the last session with Nolan before he moves to Portland. Such a bummer. He is so fun to watch and skate with. Him and Jack were getting crazy with the ride in grinds. Nolan did crooks and 5-0. Jack did like 10 tricks. Disasters, 5-0, sugarcanes, etc. Saul had some stand up 50s, the ultra quick carve grinds, fast frontside carves. I skated decent, got my line of grind the little corner then a front rock. Tried the double carve grind like Saul does in the deep end and mostly failed. At least I didn’t bail any roll ins. Matt took a long time to get a back 50, but then showed me up with a first try double grind. Nolan 360 flipped over the hip, did a bunch of huge FSAs and a million other tricks. Jack had some really scary front 5-0s, some amazing bigspin pivots and got close to kickflip front pivot. Carleigh was doing the the best back 50s in the deep, got front disaster on the bricks and almost back d. Fun session. Rad peeps.

(setup 8.25″ null rabethica deck, venture 5.2 highs, venom 88a bushings, bones stf v3 52mm, 3 washers on the inside of each axle, nbnumeric 254 cream/gum size 12 with spenco 3/4 thinsoles and Footprint 5mm kingfoam insoles)

Fun times with young ones (aka 30 year olds). @the_neviathan @iamnotacreepyjake @matthouse @chadsterwick

A post shared by glen gillinghammer (@corpoglenny) on May 29, 2017 at 3:57pm PDT

Jake and I rolled to 303 then went to Civic Park to meet up with Matt, Nate and Chad. Warming up didn’t go as well as I wanted. I felt pretty sore. I had setup a new board. A Jack 8.25. And it felt good. A setup I was finally happy with the whole day. Jake and I tried to get warmed up on the little ledges for awhile. He got tailslides. I did some switch noseslides. Kickflips and fakie flips happened. Chad then Matt then Nate showed. Nate was killing it out of the gate as usual. Matt missed his first 5 treflips. Unheard of! He would get some of course though. After awhile we went down to the new area which is super fun. I took forever to get a manual then crook grind which Jake did way before me. Nate slammed super hard trying to manual a narrow ledge. Chad did some fast manuals then had some ankle pain kick in and took off. Matt and Nate had quick bonks a ledge and Matt did back tails on the ledge. Matt had another sick line with ollie a ledge then front tail to fakie. I had a really slow line of switch nose jib then nollie front tail. It was fun though. It rained for a bit so we sat in the covered area. Then Nate jumped up after sitting for awhile and wanted to play a game of SKATE. My legs weren’t ready and I didn’t commit to a single flip trick so I was out first. Matt ended up taking it and we were skating the two little ledges again. I got a back 50 and some switch noseslides. It was fun. Nate was doing super fast front tailslides and nollie front 5-0s and nollie noseslides. Jake front tails. Matt was chilling and filming the gnar. Ha. Then we got the boot and checked out the nearby wallies which Nate did. Then called it a day.

(setup 8.25″ null spanbauer deck, venture 5.8 lights, venom 88a bushings, bones sft v1 50mm wheels, 3 washers on the outside of each axle, old swiss bearings, lakai manchester 11 black/white, remind cush insoles)

I met Eric and Rob at Louisville for a flatground session to start the day. It was cool because Brian and Ric were still there after their skate lessons so we hung for a bit. I was still feeling sore from Saul’s. I thought I would loosen up, but I didn’t. I was really hard to skate being that sore. I got a few kickflips, fakie flip, halfcab flip. That was about it. I had put some Thunder bushings in since I remembered liking them in the warmer months of the year. But I didn’t like them. I had a new deck too. The Jason deck. I guess Jason never cared about flip tricks much so it makes since his presence didn’t help me. Ha. Eric and Rob chatted a lot. It still rules seeing Rob in the mix again. Rob got kickflips back, had some really long manuals, did the best backside 180s. Eric was getting denied on heelflips. All seemed right, it just wasn’t happening. After awhile those two went into the skatepark and I just stubbornly tried a line of kickflip, one foot then varial flip. I kind of got it. It was incredible how little I could pop. Then I joined those dudes in the park. I was happy to show Rob I can finally do beanplants like him on banks now. Okay, wait a minute. I just mean I can do the same trick as him, not with the same style obviously. I did some ride on grinds onto the ledge and some boardslides on the flat bar, but that was it. I went home pretty sad at how sore I was.

(setup 8.125 null inspiration deck, venture 5.2 low awake trucks, 1/16″ risers, stock thunder bushings, swiss bearings, 50mm spitfire classic formula 4 wheels, new balance numeric pj 533 black/white 12 stock insoles)