After another Sunday getting stuck working way longer than needed I eventually made it out to a parking garage off Valmont to skate some flat. I avoided the library spot only because I was in a super foul mood after working and didn’t want to be around people. One of the better garages for flatground is now totally vacant and I made good use of it. Well, I skated in it for an hour and a half or so. I had brought my 8.5 and 8.25 setups and after a quick spin to compare realized how stupid 8.5 feels to me. I got to my warm up line of kickflip, no comply 180, fakie flip pretty quickly. Then I went in on 2 trick lines. Fakie flip followed by halfcab flip. Halfcab flip took too long, but then started a line with it then did b/s flip. Did quite a few cruddy b/s flips and couldn’t get fakie bigflip after. Gave up on that one and then everything kinda turned into random hucks. I would get a first try fakie varial flip, eventually a fakie bigflip, couldn’t get a heelflip to save my life, f/s halfcab flip, super close to nollie varial flip and somewhat close to nollie front heel. I was kind of close to nollie treflips so I setup the phone to have one clip of the session and much to my delight I landed one in a few tries. I didn’t have much time left to skate so I called it on a good note. I was pretty bummed on how I change setups all the time making these tricks harder. And the fact that I spent another week basically on 8.5 when I should know by now that I always end up disliking 8.5. Argh. I can skate 8.25 better. I should stick with it and I really hope I do for quite some time.

(8.25 null spanbauer, jessup ultragrip, venture 5.6 cast plate titanium hanger, venom 91a bushings, spitfire 51mm 101a classic shape, new balance numeric 288S b/w size 11.5 no insoles)
(pain level 2/10!)

Went out to the garage not feeling overly motivated, but tried to stay focused on trying the tricks I want to learn in 2022. I was met with complete frustration not landing anything. It was so frustrating. I was seriously not landing anything. I did have a new pair of white leather 288S to blame for weird flick. At one point I got a few ultra basics in a row, but nothing cool. Did get remotely close on switch flip and tre.

(setup 8.25 null vhs, jessup pj ultragrip, venture 5.6 v-hollow royal bushings flat top washer no big washer, 52mm spitfire f4 99a classic, new balance numeric 288S white size 11.5 no insoles)
(pain level 4/10 some achilles mostly just general soreness)

On a nice morning that was breezy at times I went to meet Bryan, Jake, Will, Rob at dog park. I’m alway late of course, although this time only a few minutes and everyone was at Valmont. I was hyped on the idea of warming up there and there wasn’t many people. I was riding my 8.25 setup this time. It was okay. Had fun pumping around a bit then getting the rainbow grind, kickflip to fakie on the bank, no comply bigspin on the bank, some fun axle stall on tight quarterpipes in the pump zone and would eventually get the noseslide then kickflip to fakie line again. But man I did it so bad. Bryan had some cool powerslides, almost pressure flips, quick turn arounds to cab bigspin on the bank. Jake did grinds in the deep end of the bowl, maybe a front blunt on the volcano. Rob had steezy carves on the barrier and almost got the rainbow grind.

Then we went to the ledges. Saul joined, did some slappies and more that I didn’t see. Rob continued his killing spree with nose manuals, back 50 nollies, nollie front 50 back 180. I didn’t really do anything I was proud of in any way except a 2nd try 3 shove and a halfcab flip in SKATE against Jake. Jake was ripping. Saw Will get some nose manuals. Bryan did his patented fakie bigspin tailslides.

• 

Saul and Jake were calling for HH so we did it. Sean joined. There were a few people initially, but they would leave. One of them had a cool old Null message in the bottle deck. It’s a weird park. I can’t say I like it, can’t say I hate it. The transition makes more sense than Valmont, but at the same time it’s really hard to get speed for a lot of it. Saul had some good lines though lots of his quick grinds and almost back 50 over the hump. Jake killed it front 5-0s, disasters, roll in, fly out nose grabs. I had fun, a dorky little kickflip over a mound, a few back 50s. Rob cruised it well as did Sean. Then I went back to dog park and just filmed then filmed at street spots. Garrett came up big. Good day.

(setup 8.25/8.3 null 5.8s with forged baseplates, 52-53 wheels, new balance 212s size 12 272 insole)
(pain level 5/10 ugh)

Had changed my setup to the 8.25 with new wheels on it and some new 288s. Went to the wood bench research area well after dark. Everything felt off. Smaller board, smooth wheels, thicker shoes. I wanted to land a bunch of flippers, but I only got kickflip and fakie flip. I couldn’t back 180 the little brick gap which was borderline setting me over the edge. I was able to ollie onto the ledge much easier than last time at least. I left after about 30 minutes realizing I just didn’t have the energy to keep skating.

(setup null 8.25 glenosaur, jessup ultragrip, venture 5.6 v-hollow bones medium bushings, 51mm satori atchley 101a washers outside, new balance numeric 288s grey size 11.5 no insoles)
(pain level 2/10)

My achilles was not hurting too bad and I had a new pair of Swifts.  There were some puddles around that I spread out and started the warm up process.  It went alright.  I had done a few none pop things before making myself do a few flippers.  Kickflip then fakie flip.  B/s flip then halfcab flip.  This put me in a good mood and the new shoes were feeling good.  Then I had to try and skate the ledges and ruined the mood.  I would get a line of front 180 into the bank, halfcab noseslide, front 50 the black ledge.  But the front 50 did not come easy.  I also tried a line of crooks the end of the up ledge, heelflip, ollie to fakie the wedge.  The heelflip took forever.  I don’t remember how the session ended, I think I just got tired and called it a session.  

(setup null 8.25 nullosaur, jessup ultragrip, venture 5.6 red cast baseplate v-hollow hangers, bones hard bushings, 50mm spitfire f4 classic shape 99a, es swift 1.5 cream size 12 stock insoles)
(pain level 4/10)

• 

Directly after a stressful day of work I bolted to meet up with Rob, Neil, Dave and we drove to Lakewood.  It was hot.  The ramp had been done since last time we were there. It was crazy how fast the coping was and how smooth the ramp was.  It took some getting used to.  Jake was there as was John the owner who only skated switch on his daughters 7.5″ board.  Ha ha.  He had some good switch carves, axle stall, switch back smith.  Dave had been there recently and it showed.  Grinds over the hips, around the bowl corner like it was nothing.  He would get up to back tail over the hip, switch crook the mellow corner, back d, backside ollies over the hip.  It’s really hard to describe how hard he ripped.  Jake was quick on the grind over the hip too, he would get a few.  He had some nice grinds around the bowl corner too, lots of front 5-0s and the only one to successfully get the ollie transfer.  I battled the transfer with him and landed something, but I never got enough transition.  It was fun hucking though.  I also had some fun back 50s, a few other rampy tricks and a couple back disasters on the tiny qp (couldn’t get the treflip after though doh).  Rob’s carves through the corner are incredible, fast slash grinds, back 50s.  Neil got some rampnesia again, even on the little 3′ wall.  But man he flowed around that bowl slashing grinds and ollies when he got in there.  

(setup 8.25 null spanbauer pro deck, jessup ultragrip, venture 5.6 cast baseplate with riptides v-hollow hanger, 3 washers inside each axle, venom 88a big bushing 91a small bushing, spitfire f4 99a 50mm classic shape, es switch b/w size 11.5 no insoles)
(pain level 5/10)

• 

My ankle was still hurting, but it was Go Skate Day and I thought I could handle some slappies.  I had my new setup and was blown away by how sharp the Aces could turn.  There was a big puddle from the sprinklers right in front of the main spot which would get much worse after the sprinklers turned on once again.  UGH!  I did a few front slappies, few slappy crooks and that’s about it.  I didn’t want to pop with my ankle feeling the way it did and the sprinklers kinda ruined it anyway.

(setup 8.5 null smoke valley, jessup pj ultragrip, ace af1 55, spitfire f4 53mm classic shape 99a, new balance numeric 212 cream size 12, nike sb zoom air insoles)
(pain level 6/10)

With rain drops still sputtering I went to campus hoping it would stay dry.  It did. Barely. I started at the little yellow lurb to warm up.  What a fun little spot.  Pretty quickly I settled in on trying nollie bsts shove and front nosegrind 180.  I would get neither, but was at least close to the nosegrind 180.  I started to get really frustrated trying them so decided I’d roll out instead.  Ended up at the stadium bank.  Did a few shoves to warm up.  Then 5 kickflips to fakie to help break in the new 212s.  A few b/s flips.  Then tried big flip for too long.  Fakie flip took a bit.  Halfcab flips came easy.  Then I tried a GleNBD for awhile.  Fakie bigflip.  Never done it on a bank before.  Didn’t get it although was kinda close.  It would be easier on a steeper bank with a better runway.  Next I went to the fitness center area determined to do a 360 flip then ollie one of the little rocks.  And by 360 flip I mean 270 flip.  Ha.  I got a few cruddy ones, but then a CU truck pulled up and prevented the ollie.  Oh well.  I did one slappy on a highly waxed curb by the hill after this then went home tired and sore.  I had kinda rolled my ankle on one of the 360 flips.  At the time I knew it hurt, but didn’t think it would be much. As I write this it’s worse than I thought, but should only be a couple days.

(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 b/w/blue 212 size 12 with nike sb zoom air insoles)
(pain level 3/10)

Had a few hours of free time on Mother’s Day and needed to bring boards to Emage. Was gonna meet Will, but it didn’t work. And it was probably for the best as it started to rain the second I pulled into a parking spot near my favorite granite ledge. DOH! I debated skating at all, but I would get a few crooks in before the ground was totally saturated. The weren’t great crooks.

After Emage I stopped by Safeway ledge as it was dry. I had purchased some Adidas Puig shoes. I didn’t want to deal with the uncomfortable 440s so I went right to skate the Puig’s. And they felt pretty amazing to be honest. I didn’t land much for flatground and didn’t want to do too many kickflips because I hadn’t had a chance to pre-goo the toe. Well I didn’t really land all that much on the ledge either, but it felt good to skate a ledge where I can actually do back 50s. I should have cleaned up the back 50 shove, but I chose to try other stuff instead. I kind of did a couple front tail jibs, kind of a front smith, close to back 5-0, didn’t even try flip in anything argh. Still it was fun.

(setup 8.3 null smoke valley, jessup ultragrip, venture 5.6 v-hollow, spitfire 51mm 99a radial slag green, adidas puig b/w size 12 no insoles)
(pain level 4/10)

After another snowstorm dropped 9″ of snow the sun came out. It wasn’t very warm though so not as much had melted as I hoped. Liz had the car so I just walked over to the school after work. The area by the curbs was mostly dry, but the curbs had snow on them. I had some new shoes. Some Lakai Carrol XLKs. They seem potentially good, but were very weird on day one. Even though the sole isn’t physically thick, they felt really thick skating. I struggled to jump and flick in them. I started off really basic, struggled with the beginning of flip tricks. I did have a couple decent lines though. Halfcab flip (which took way too long), b/s flip, fakie flip in one line. Actually, that’s probably the only decent line ha ha. I would eventually get a rocketed heelflip followed by a terrible treflip, but everything was a struggle. Fakie flip then f/s halfcab flip. I would get a few more tricks, but couldn’t get nollie varial flip or tre, no front heel. I ended forcing myself to do fakie bigflip and f/s halfcab heel. I shouldn’t get too upset as I was on super rough uneven asphalt in the cold, but I was. Not a good first session in the Lakais.

(setup 8.5 null jack pro deck, jessup ultragrip, venture 5.8 cast baseplate titanium hanger no big washer, 53mm spitfire f4 99a conical full red/blue swirl, lakai carrol xlk grey size 12 no insoles)
(pain level 5/10)