After work on a very nice afternoon I forced myself to go skate even though I was doubting myself and pretty sore. I arrived to an almost empty and cloudy dog park and slowly worked into actually ollieing. It felt amazing, I was able to actually try tricks. I would get a few crooks that felt soooo good. Some of the best ones I’ve done in a while and I would normally line them out with slappy crooks for good measure. i didn’t have a lot of confidence yet, but I did do some tricks I haven’t tried in a while. Like even just a slow front 5-0 on the lower ledge and some back 50s on the lower manny pad. I had some struggles with flip tricks and I think the heft of the Ace highs were a bit much. But I got halfcab flip and fakie bigflip. After a while it got really crowded so I went over to the skatepark. It was crowded too, but not as crowded. Although the kid on an electric motorbike sure was annoying. I did a kickflip on the flat bank, ollied the euro a couple times and manualed the volcano before my knee started to hurt and I called it a session. Stoked to feel alive again even if most of my confidence appears to be gone.

(setup 8.3 null vhs, jessup ultragrip, ace af1 55, 51mm spitfire f4 99a classic shape, new balance numeric 440 size 12 white/red half insoles)
(pain level 5/10 it’s funny that pain level 5 feels good now)

After a fun morning doing a boxing photoshoot with Cass and Shad I went to Triple Nipple where I met Nick, Sean and Kevin. My body was hurting and I had two setups that I rotated between but mostly stuck with the 8.3. I really didn’t skate well and it hurt too bad to ollie. I would get a few switch front noses, crooks and close to nollie tres. Kevin was ripping and killed the ledge. Switch crooks, fakie 5-0 halfcab out, back smith, kick back tail. Nick had front nosegrind and nose manual no problem along with some seriously popped fakie flips. Sean was looking really good. Manual to 180 nose manual. Nose manual to tailslide, back nosegrind 180. Shad had shown up and it was so rad to see him shredding. He had some good front 5-0s on the steep bank, tailslides, fast grinds. Chelsy and Jenny ripped it too. Carves over the love seat, front tail the steep bank, some good stuff. I ended really trying to ollie up the ledge, but couldn’t make my knees work. I was so bummed.

(setup 8.3 null vhs, jessup ultragrip, ace af1 low 55, 51mm spitfire f4 99a classic shape, new balance numeric 440 size 12 white/red half insoles)
(pain level 7/10 and today marks the day I give up alcohol)

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Nice morning, went to dog park after working out too hard which made me pretty sore and tired for skating. But I wasn’t in a ton of pain initially at least. Jack and Salty were there, Nick showed after a while. I did not skate well and still wasn’t really able to ollie comfortably. But slappies were still fun as was the Natas spin. I think I got one fakie bigflip as far as flippers go. Jack’s boardslide to feeble variations on the parking block were so sick. Salty was charging, that dude shreds. Nick’s boardslides are so cool. His board rules too. 9.75 with 215s and 39mm wheels. I was able to kickflip it and tried to treflip it. It was crazy how good the larger board felt. I blame it for planting a seed to me wanting a larger board.

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After a while Bo and Noè showed up. Bo brings the energy and was popping things right away. I’m always amazed at how quickly he can pop onto stuff. Noè did like 20 tricks on Nick’s 9.75 then let me pick the first couple tricks for his mega line above. I seriously love his flip tricks.

We went to Arapahoe Ridge where I didn’t really skate, Noè did manual kickflip out then manual treflip out super quick. Then Kevin joined and we went behind the school where Bo tried to nollie shove the big 3 over the ledge. Noè manualled for a mile. I attempted some axle stalls without success on a curb.

Then to Douglass where we met Jack and he went right to work which didn’t go so well and looked incredibly painful. Kevin was shredding and also slammed hard on a wallie. He had a super good switch front noseslide. Bo filmed Noè get a sick line involving heelflips, but it didn’t come easy. Then Kevin, Jack and I hung at Picas until the rain started. Even though I couldn’t really skate, I still had fun.

(setup null 8.25 vhs, pj jessup ultragrip, thunder 148s hollow lite venom 88a bushings, 52mm bones stf v1 103a, new balance numeric 440 black size 11.5 half insole)
(pain level 6/10)

Up pretty early went to dog park and attempted to relearn skateboarding. I had changed trucks to ace lows for some ridiculous reason. They felt amazing for about 5 minutes. Then, not very amazing. After some putzing around my first warm up line was front 50 the curb, 1mph kickflip, nollie back tail the little ledge. Next line was ollie onto the c ledge, front 180 off, terrible halfcab noseslide jib, back 50 the curb, b/s 90 flip on flat. I tried to ollie the little cone thing, but couldn’t commit to it. That was the start of me losing motivation to skate. Partly my body and lack of confidence, partly the setup. But I did a few more things, nothing really of note. The only good part was that my body didn’t hurt a ton after skating. Hopefully I’ll be able to really try again soon.

(setup null 8.25 vhs, jessup pj ultragrip, ace 44 af1 lows, 52mm bones v1 stf 103a, new balance numeric 440 black 11.5 half insoles)
(pain level 4/10)

On a hot afternoon still not feeling very agile I biked around looking for something fun to skate. I found nothing, literally nothing. Their asphalt is super rough. There was tennis courts everywhere, but I didn’t feel like dealing with that. So I ended up at a little space of concrete that wasn’t terrible although it was quite small. I felt so awkward and old when I stepped on my board. Like it would be impossible to do any tricks. I did one slappy axle stall on a curb that was kind of fun. Then some really slow 180s, fakie ollies, etc. I had put 5.2 high trucks on. I took a bit to get a kickflip, but it felt good when I got one. I would go on to do a few tricks. All incredibly slow. Shoves, fakie flip, b/s flip, halfcab flip, varial flip, fakie bigflip. The b/s flip, halfcab flip and fakie bigflip all felt super cool even if I was barely moving. This was all the skating I did while in NC for a week. I worked my legs good for a week. Swimming, running, exercises, walking on sand so I hope my knee starts working again.

(setup null 8.25 vhs, jessup pj ultragrip, venture 5.2 high cast plate v-hollow hanger royal bushings flat top washer, 52mm spitfire f4 99a classic, new balance numeric 440 black 11.5 half insoles)
(pain level 4/10)

On a Friday after work I was feeling sore and sorry for myself. Liz kind of made me go at least try to skate. So I went to dog park which was totally dead when I got there and pretty wet. I had another setup change – 8.25 again and Thunders again. It felt great. I didn’t do a whole lot at dog park. Some slappies, crooks on the bench, front 50 the lower ledge and front 50 180 out, manual the little pad. Dave showed and the scooter kids had left the park so we went over there and it was pretty chill for a while. That park has so many options and we both seem to skate it differently every time. I had two new lines that were super fun. Ollie the euro, ollie to fakie the steeper mound, fakie flip on the bank (never got a clean one). Ollie the euro, manual the volcano, little grind the high to low qp. The manual was super fun. Dave had manualled it too. He was doing runs starting with flyouts and did a nollie shove on the steep mound. Tailslides over the hip, kickflip on the flat bank and got 5-0 over the rainbow which was so sick. Roth came as I was basically too sore to keep skating and speed lined it around the park. It was a fun session, although I could go without getting so sore.

(setup null 8.25 vhs, jessup pj ultragrip, thunder 148 hollow lights venom 88a bushings, 52mm bones stf 103a v1, new balance numeric 425 black/gum size 11.5 half 440 insole)
(pain level 6/10)

After work and a quick dinner I picked up Dave and we went to the small Stephen Day park. After a brush with fame (ha ha) we got to skating. It’s been a few days, but I think we started off alright without too long of a warm up period. Dave waxed the hip and tailslides were quick on the agenda as were manuals on the decks. Turned into a pretty fun session when we weren’t too interrupted by kids playing scooters. I did a lot of noseslides and kickflips. I thought I was close to the ollie over bar at one point, but then got sore and lost it. The line of noseslide the rounded ledge, kickflip fakie on the bank then switch front nose was fun even if it’s the same tricks I always do. Had a fun halfcab noseslide and crook on the straight part of the C ledge. Had a fun line of noseslide the bigger bump to ledge then b/s flip flyout. As the lightning settled I was trying a line of front 180 fly out, switch nose jib into the bank, front 50 the C. But I could never get the front 50 and I got so mad. Hard to leave on such a bad note after a really fun session. Dave killed it. He had done the halfcab blunt to back tail earlier on too. He had lots of good ollies and nollies over the hip, bluntslides, 50 the bump to ledge, hippy jump the down bar, front noseslides. The halfcab bluntslide to back tail was the hammer of the day for sure.

(setup null vhs 8.3, jessup ultragrip, royal 149 ultralights, 52mm bones 103a stf v1, new balance numeric 288sport green/gum 11.5 with half 440 insoles)
(pain level 5/10 been so sore lately and no idea why)

On much cooler day with rain in the forecast I went to campus. Setup was 8.25 with ace 55s. I disliked it. I tried to skate through it at a weird little ledge spot that is rarely vacant enough to skate. I had a fun warm up line of dropin on the little hubba near the 4 stair, some 180s, switch nose jib. Tried to start a line with an ollie off a tall ledge, but got scared. Did kickflip, noseslide to fakie, fakie flip. Then the frustration really set in when I tried halfcab flip then front 50. I barely got a couple halfcab flips and rather than get frustrating I went home and put the 8.3 deck on.

Back to campus I ended up at the ledge near the rec center. Had a really fun line of chinese ollie, back 180 a 2 stair, switch 180, noseslide, kickflip. Then another run that started the same then went noseslide to fakie then fakie flip.

Rain started so I went to the covered hallway at the UMC. I was pretty motivated and started okay getting tricks two times before moving on. Kickflip, fakie flip, b/s flip, halfcab flip, fakie bigflip, but could not get a heelflip. Resorted to a line to try and motivate me to treflip. Pop shove, kickflip, treflip. Never committed to the treflip and decided to stop forcing it and walked through the rain to my car and called it a day.

Done with Aces. At least until they have a lighter version.

(setup 8.25 then 8.3 vhs null, jessup ultragrip, ace af1 55, bones 52mm v1 103a washers outside, new balance numeric 288sport green/gum size 11.5 half 440 insole)
(pain level 3/10 that’s the best it’s been a while. I credit working out more again and wearing cupsoles even if I mostly hate them)

Ha ha, a big “old” crew as in lots of us are pretty old for skateboarding. Dave L was in town and had organized a session pretty early on a hot Saturday morning. I was dealing with the setup madness and had two setups both with Ace trucks. 8.3 with af1 55s and 8.25 with af1 low 44s. I rotated between the two the whole time without really liking or disliking either. I guess overall I liked the 8.3 a lot more, my feet just don’t like trying to maneuver the little 8.25 anymore. I didn’t do anything really of note. Dave L did a manual first try, he had nose manuals too, back 5-0s, 50s, casual kickflips. Man I really miss his casual style and ripping. Kevin was on one again, totally shredding and got the nollie front crooks. Ohio Nick had some manuals and 50s. Dave F did noseslide to tailslide on some parking blocks that were next to each other then went over to the skatepark. Cass always with the good front noseslides, was doing back 180 fakie 50 on the curb, front tails. Jack B on the barrier rides and noseslide/tailside parking blocks before retreating to the shade. Boulder Nick had the long boardslides almost every time and if he didn’t he was mad. Ha. Eric had a Christmas complete and went in on crooks the top tier. Can’t wait for him to get it. He was charging it as always. There were others there too, I’m probably missing someone. Sorry.

After a while Cass, Ohio Nick and I went to play a game of SKATE that Kevin weaseled into. Mainly because the ultimate insult happen when I set the first kickflip and Cass missed it. Then double or nothing missed it, all the way, tripled it and missed, then quad and missed and finally went for SKATE or broke and missed that too. I was impressed he didn’t focus his board because I darn near did when fakie flips were next and I had to quadruple or nothing it. I was really mad and throwing my board like a baby, but it was funny when I got the 4th one I just said “Hey I don’t have any letters”. We went on to have a pretty fun game. The highlight for me was when we all did heelflips in a row. Kevin won on switch tre. I had played that game on the 8.3, I played the next game with only Ohio Nick on the 8.25. I didn’t like it as much, but I did get a halfcab heel. Neither of us could get a treflip, but Nick got a fakie tre. I somehow ended up winning with f/s halfcab flip. Then we went to brunch.

(setups 8.3 / 8.25 nulls, ace af1 55 and 44 low, some smallish wheels, 288sport no insoles)
(pain level 4/10)

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On a hot morning Jack, Garrett and I rolled up to Laramie where we met up with Mike, Eric, Joe, Kevin, Rob and Neil at the skatepark. It had been 14 years since I skated there and there has been some new additions. They had painted some of it blue and the reflection was insane. I have no idea how others skated without sunglasses. Jack showed up and immediately went in on kickflip on the extension. Eric shot photos. Joe and I mostly played in the newest area figuring out the slappies. The others showed up. The newest area was pretty crowded at times as everything good was in one area. I got a line of nollie back tail a curb, crooks a bench, slappy the curved bank to curb, carve around kickflip to fakie. Kevin and I played off the little drop near the front for a bit. He switch flipped it. I kickflipped up it which hyped me up. Eric and I skated the bowl for a bit which was pretty weird and hard to skate and we didn’t carve the full pipe very well. Garrett got to 9 first try. Later on Jack would get to 10 on the top of it ha ha. The wallride was sick. Back in the newest area I witnessed boardslides from Eric (can’t believe he was able to skate after yesterdays slam), nollie front lips from Rob, boardslides on the bench lined out with fakie flips on the bank from Joe, Kevin had halfcab bluntslide transfer to back tail then back smith the qp, I managed to boardslide the bench and get a little crook jib on it as well as some front slappies on the bank to curb, Mike was front nose to fakie and a bunch of good slappies.

After some lunch we hit campus. Garrett, Jack and I hit an old area near some dorms I skated a very long time ago. I didn’t really do anything. Jack tried some front nose 270 shoves and some manuals down a 5 stair.

Then we met everyone at a really fun bank to curb where I proceeded to slam on my first axle stall, but then go on to have a lot of fun. Mike had great back 50s. Jack’s acid drops into the bank as setups were highlights on their own as was the grind to grind. Garrett smoothly did slashes, hurricanes, blunts, kickflip fakie, etc. Rob had steezy front tails and slappies. Neil with the fire beanplants, no complies. Joe kickflip rock ‘n roll. Kevin kickflip willies and kickflip axle stall. I got a couple front slashes, hurricane and a rock up to feeble to axle that was surprisingly fun.

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Then we went over to this crazy loading dock with wide round flatbars. Pretty epic spot. Epic stuff went down. Fun was had. Highlights were of course Jack’s epic grind to boardslide, but Kevin’s crooks was incredible too as was Garrett’s back 180 nosegrind. Joe got boardslide pop out and off the end. Neil’s knee didn’t let him land the noseslide even though he got into it perfectly. I had some little noseslide jibs and maybe something that resembles switch front nose. Jack also did some crazy hippy jumps and bluntslides. Garrett wallied up the darn loading dock too. What a great day.

(setup 8.25 null stumpy burnout, jessup pj ultragrip, venture 5.8 cast plate titanium hanger, bones 52mm stf 99a v3, new balance numeric 440h b/w size 12 half insole)
(pain level 4/10)