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)

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Lots of gray hair this morning. @skateboard_chicken @fullertrron @edhatesfun #slappy

A post shared by glen gillinghammer (@corpoglenny) on Dec 30, 2018 at 5:35pm PST

On a really nice morning I showed up at the newly repaved EBRC parking lot where Dave, Ed and Saul were already slapping them grinds. There were a few different sections. I was getting used to new trucks and wheels. Well, the only part of the truck that were new were the hangers so it wasn’t really that different. I had some new Spitfire 52mm classics too, they felt big too. Argh. We went over to the banked area. It was fun to carve, try to tailslide, etc. Saul did the crazy slappy over the death box which was crazy. He was slappying all over the place. Some manuals around the bank were had, Dave almost got front tailslide shove, Ed was popping backside ollies. There was a fun little gap there too. You just had to dodge goose crap. I had a fun kickflip up then ollie the gap. Dave ollied it too, he also hung up on it and took a good slam I guess. Dave kickflipped off the curb then him and Saul bounced. I was stoked how casual Dave’s kickflips were. Ed and I skated awhile longer. I did the kickflip on the bank. Then we went back to the longer slappy curb. Man it’s good. Ed has the best frontside slappys. I got a couple real backside ones, I’m normally not up on it enough.

Then I went to a crowded Broomfield park to meet Sean and eventually Carleigh. There were quite a few older skaters there. Dudes I’ve seen around for years, but never knew. They had tiny setups and it stoked me out. After doing a brief warm up on the quartapotty and blue ledge Sean and I played a game of SKATE. It didn’t go so good for me, I might have gotten one letter on Sean. Since it was over so quick we went for another one, no repeats. This game was awesome! Sean was a gentleman and didn’t get me with tricks I’ve never done. I got letters on tricks I can do though like both halfcab heels, backside flip and something else. I was really surprised to answer back with a first try fakie heel. Especially considering how regular heelflips weren’t working. I was able to get some letters on Sean though. Fakie bigflip, fakie varial flip, 360 flip and nollie tre! I was hyped to get those tricks. We both took awhile to get last tricks. I was going for fakie tre, he was going for Rick flip. Both of us were constantly close, but he got his first and I came close to the Rick flip, but didn’t get it. Super fun game. We mostly skated the blue lurb after that. I didn’t get much. I got a mirror line. Nollie front tail, axle to fakie on the qp, halfcab noseslide. Sean did his front 180 nose manual switch back 180 out so good. Then he tried to mirror out a switch front 50 with a switch back front 50. It took him a long time because he couldn’t switch back 50. But he did get a couple good ones after Carleigh showed up. Carleigh did some good front 50s, kickflips, ollies. I gave up on hard stuff and tried to line out in a way I haven’t before. I did nollie front tail on the blue ledge, boardslide transfer the brown ledge, axle to fakie the qp, fakie 50 the blue ledge. I had done a few flip tricks too. I was really tired and sore when it was all over.

(setup null 8.25 lazer deck, 5.8 venture FTC trucks with forged baseplate, doh dohs bushings (blue 88a barrel bottom one, yellow 92a small top one), no washers inside each axle, spitfire f4 99a classic 52mm green/yellow swirl wheels, adidas busenitz vulc b/w size 12 with stock insoles)
(pain level 4/10 started okay, but by the end I was really hurting)

Joe, Chad, Ollie and I met Kevin after a nice drive at the Evergreen park. It was looking like rain, but it had held off for now. As if being sore from several days of skating wasn’t enough of an excuse I added a new complete to the mix. Indys again. Yup. The reasoning. First, the Ray Barbee graphic seriously spoke to me. Second, I’ve been enjoying the bigger boards lately, but wanted to try Indys because of the smaller wheelbase than Ventures. This comes the day after I called Indy’s useless. Ha ha I suck. It felt stiff and made for some awkwardness throughout the day, but it wasn’t too bad and I liked it. As soon as we got to the park Chad threw some lofty cabs that looked so darn good. Kevin had beaten us there, but was still battling the warm up kickflip which he got. He might have even gone on to do it switch. We skated for quite awhile with just one other dude. My highlight was a kickflip onto the hip from the red kicker, front disaster on the qp, kickflip over the hip. Also a b/s flip that took way too many tries. Ollie was having fun and staying in the mix. Fakie shoves, regular shoves, f/s halfcab the hard way over the hip. Kevin killed the little ledge too. Switch nosegrind front 180, kick back tail. Him, Joe and Chad were getting at the taller ledges off the stair. Joe with the front 50 to front board, Kevin crooks, Chad feeble. Some other dudes showed up right before Fuzz, Rob, Neil. They weren’t shrimpin’ like the rest of us. Fuzz did a few ollies then fully committed to shrimpin. Rob went for it though. Starting with the bean plants, kickflips, manuals on the curb, boardslides, back smith the curb. Neils of Fire had them one foots, nose manuals, front 50s, lots of tricks going. Joe and I battled halfcab flips and both got them eventually. I saw Joe do back 50 front 180 out on the sharp ledge. I had some crooks on it, switch front noses.

I wrote the section above a few days ago and didn’t finish. Now I have no recollection of how it ended. I know I was sitting for awhile. I guess most of us where and Bobby was going for the fence ollie. Joe was still going. Front 50 to manual. Chad was trying bigspin tailgrabs over the hip. Chad had also nosegrinded up the ledge. Kevin nosegrinded down it at some point. I know I am missing a whole lot. It was a fun session. I was still feeling pretty sick and after the drive home went to sleep for a couple hours. It was tough being sick and skate guide at the same time.

(setup 8.38 null perception deck, indy 149 ray barbee trucks, oj 52mm ez edge insane-a-thane wheels, venom 94a bushings, es accel slim all black size 11.5, footprint gamechanger low profile insole)

Woke up a little ealier, handled a call for work and decided to go skate quick because I wasn’t sure when I’d be called next. I went to Southern Hills. I tried to start with 10 flip tricks on the smooth patch. Other than struggling with fakie varial flips again I got to nollie varial flip which would have been #7 pretty quickly. But I never got one. I tried for a really long time, landed on a few of them, but ended up giving up and started skating the ledges. But then the principal or something showed up to clean the courtyard a little. So that was weird. I pretended to not skate the benches, kind of helped her and mostly felt weirded out. Luckily she eventually left and I felt free to try whatever. I had grand ideas of lines I would try, but I didn’t get there. I basically tried a line of switch crooks to fakie on the curb, crooks the far bench, 360 flip on flat, turn around then front 50 the far bench. Never got the 360 flip. I was hyped on several switch crooks, but they were just pivots to forward basically. I would like to learn to grind it. I never got the front 50 either, but I did get into it a few times which is better than last time. I started to get super hungry and tired and wishing I had a new board. My trucks were the old ones worn to the axle and I lose motivation to try grinds. It’s like once you get to the axle you win. I’m lame like that. Oh yeah, kind of cool I blew out my switch lace before the regular one! (from trying so many nollie varial flips)

Then I went to Meta to get some trucks Sam had ordered me a long time ago. I also got the new Traffic DVD and watched it while setting up a new board. Then I went to the research ledge with the main purpose of starting the crooks groove in the new trucks. After some noseslides I started trying, but of course all of a sudden I forgot how to crook. Ugh, it was driving me nuts looking at the ugly little jib marks in weird places on the front truck. I was trying switch front shoves on the way back up the ledge, got a couple bad ones, but closer to doing it right. Then I started getting a few crooks and life felt better. Then I started skating it more like I normally do. Flip tricks, lines, etc. I was super hyped on getting back and front 50s somewhat quick. It felt great. Also a first try halfcab noseslide. Then I randomly started trying switch front nose 270. As you can see I kind of did it. I also may have kind of done a switch crook which really excited me. My flip trick game didn’t go so well, but I still had a really fun time. Digging the setup. Super hyped on my legs feeling better.

(setup 8.25″ null maze deck, venture 5.8 lights black, bones stf v5 52mm, 3 washers on the outside, venom 91a bushings, new balance numeric 212 green size 11, powerfeet pinnacle orthotic insole)

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)

I’ve been wanting 8.25″ trucks for a long time. I keep switching between 8 and 8.5 inch trucks. Found out it will be awhile longer before Venture releases 8.25s so I got some Thunders. I’m not a huge Thunder fan anymore, but they skate somewhat similar to Venture as compared to Indy. So I went to Saul’s with new trucks knowing it would be a struggle. Especially with the pain I was in. The first few runs were good though, the trucks turn tighter than Ventures. Carve grinds felt good. Eventually I would start to flail like someone should with new trucks and I started to get sore so I mostly slacked. Saul was ripping some carve grinds, back 50s in spots he didn’t use to stand up on, front slashes on the bricks, getting in to front 50s. Eric had some fire since it’s been a long time since he’s skated and was doing some really good back 50s and front slashes, but couldn’t quite get the back tail. Doh.

Then I went to research for a brief one. I was so sore. Did a few noseslides. Couldn’t switch front nose. Tried a line for awhile of ollie up the curb, little cali grind then crook. Got a couple crook bonks before getting a decent crook and went home. The Thunders felt really good ollieing up the curb so I’ll keep them for another day at least.

(setup 8.25 null jack spanbauer deck, thunder 148 raw trucks, stock bushings, spitfire 101a 51mm F4 wheels, nbnumeric PJ 533v2 black/white/gold 11.5, spenco 3/4 thinsoles with stock insoles)

Stopped off at Meta after work as my OCD for some vulcanized shoes needed to be satisfied. I ended up with some Lakai Manchesters. I had also setup some new AWAKE Venture lows I got at Emage over the weekend. I am pretty set on trying to keep this setup for awhile. Anyways, warming up went ok actually. The flick of a vulc is so fast compared to a cupsole. The board feel was great, and the cushion enough that I wasn’t scared to commit like I was in those god awful NB+ 212s. I got into the list a bit then when doing heelflips I decided to film some for the heck of it. It kind of motivates me. Plus I think it helps to see what I’m doing wrong. Anyways, most of the tricks came quickly, except for the dreaded treflip which took almost 30 minutes. Ugh. That kind of drained me so I didn’t get to try the switch front heel for long. Oh well.

(setup 8.25 null logo board, venture 5.25 AWAKE lows, 1/16″ riser, 3 washers inside each axle, Venom 90a bushings with no bottom washer, 50mm spitfire F4 99a classic wheels, bronson bearings, Lakai Manchesters black/white 11)

Colorful new gear for the new year. Been holding onto the @idrawmazes griptape for something special. These are my first colored wheels in a long time. I'm hoping they lower people's expectations of what I can do on a skateboard. Haha. 8.5" null ollie graphic Venture 5.8s 52mm Spits F4 conical Bronson bearings Venom 88a bushings #christmascomplete

A photo posted by glen gillinghammer (@corpoglenny) on Jan 1, 2017 at 6:38pm PST

@jackspanbauer 😍

A video posted by Null Skateboards (@null_skateboards) on Jan 2, 2017 at 7:34pm PST

After my first day off in 366 days I met up with Jack at the Engineering building on campus. Nolan, Dave and Mike would follow shortly. I was on all new stuff and it felt insanely awkward. Even new shoes. I never once felt good on my board and quickly realized that the 366 day burnout was still in effect. Luckily I was with some fun people. Jack was ripping right out of the gates doing a line with a trick up the first 3 stair then noseslide pop out up the second one. Dave filmed it. I did a couple of terrible back 50s off the ledge, that was about it. Jack went on to get all kinds of stuff. Tricks that we initially were filming for Stubborns, but is so good it’ll probably go towards Null. Nolan Had some cool no comply combos and basic ledge tricks. Dave had some good slappy noseslides. We ended up getting the boot so we moved on to the bank to curb. My setup felt good for a bit ollieing up the curb easy. Jack had to go to work. Dave, Nolan and Mike all got tricks for The Stubborns. I had a couple of fun street plant drops off the nearby ledge/rail.

Some days crews young and old converge to skate a crusty curb in the freezing cold. With @maxgarson @fullertrron @gnarlycarleigh @cookiegrinder13 @wwwwiillllllllll @jackspanbauer @nolancormier #skateboardingisfun

A video posted by Null Skateboards (@null_skateboards) on Jan 5, 2017 at 5:51am PST

Then we went up to this curb. It had started getting really cold. I did nothing on it. Mike had no comply 5-0s and the boardslide 270. Dave and Nolan did a million tricks. I somehow only got a couple of Daves. We had heard some skate noises up on the bank to fence that was nearby. Shortly after that Max and Will rolled by and joined us. It was rad. Both of them ripped it. Shortly after that Jack and Carleigh joined. Such a rad crew. I was frozen solid and not really skating. Everyone else was ripping. We moved down to a new ledge spot that Max, Will and Jack destroyed. Dave got in on it too. I was so cold it was ridiculous. All in all a weird day. I skated terribly and didn’t like my new setup, but being around a rad crew is always fun.

(setup 8.5 null ollie deck, venture wides 5.8, pink/purple spitfire 52mm 99a F4 conical wheels, venom 88a bushings, new balance numeric 598 black/white shoes)

So excited to set up a Riley deck that I went for a full new complete!

A photo posted by glen gillinghammer (@corpoglenny) on Jul 27, 2016 at 6:01pm PDT

It seems like every single post I start by saying how tired I am. Well after an 8 hour drive, a short bike ride and some food I went out on a totally new complete for a brief session. I felt better then I thought I would though. I hate having a brand new complete so wanted to skate it initially on a ledge and not show up at a park with a brand new complete. A few noseslides in a huge mob of people went by following Pokemon or something. It was weird. I got a couple of crooks, a couple bad back 50s, couldn’t halfcab noseslide or front crook. Did a few real basic flippers and hucked some nollie and switch flips that felt close. Did a line of front 180 up the curb, fake flip on flat, switch front nose. Got tired and left. Not bad considering how tired I was and everything was new, even my insoles.

(setup 8.1 Null Riley deck, venture low v-hollows, stock thunder bushings, 1/16″ riser, 3 washers inside each axle, 52mm Reed wheels, New Balance Numeric Quincy denim/gum)

After a lot of sleeping and lounging I headed out to the dog park to try and relearn flip tricks. I started slow, was going through some of the basics at a decent rate and then stalled out at 360 flip. It was so incredibly frustrating. I posed other tricks too, got close to switch flip and nollie front heel, but could never get the 360 flip. I wanted to focus my board, but luckily I landed on a treflip in the middle of snapped the board. I was hyped! Ha.

I miss the midnight Alaska sunsets. #cantbelieveitsdarkalready

A photo posted by glen gillinghammer (@corpoglenny) on Jun 12, 2016 at 8:24pm PDT

Later on I went out to the research ledge. I had a new deck and new trucks. I had been skating some old Thunders that had really bad axle slip and I remember why I gave up on them a long time ago. I had traded a pair of free Ventures for them. Oh, and I had new shoes I started earlier too. Ha, I’m a poser! My last Swifts were too small and they were killing my feet. I started off pretty bad missing noseslides and it almost sent me into a rage. But stubborn me stuck with it and I would have some kind of fun. I got a lot of the basics for me. Noseslide, noseslide fakie, boardslide, crooks, switch front nose, horrible back 50, horrible halfcab noseslide, noseslide shove. I could not get a front 50 though. I got into a bunch, but never landed one. It was dumb. I posed a lot of flippers too. Got a couple over 40 treflips (whew), close to switch flips and had a few more of the basics.

(setup 8.25 null awkward vectors deck, thunder 147 HL stock bushings, 3 washers on inside of axles, 50mm bones stf v1, Es Swifts grey/white)