Feeling tired after my first day of work in awhile I went across the street after dinner and after the rain dried up. I had my 8.3 setup, but with the same wheels. It took me like 7 tries to get a kickflip. I just couldn’t land anything. I had a little fun incorporating the mini bank into some lines. Like doing cab kickturn or ollie to fakie. I got one halfcab flip and couldn’t get a heelflip. So I posed a lot. Trying a bunch of nollie or switch flips. I would commit to both, but never got feet on them. Overall an absolutely terrible session and I officially hit the wall on large wheels again.

(setup 8.3 null jack night skate, jessup ultragrip, venture 5.8 cast baseplate titanium hanger, venom 88a big 91a small bushings, 53 mm orange/yellow swirl spitfire 99a f4 classic shape, es swift 1.5 b/w size 11.5 no insoles)
(pain level 3/10)

After work and a couple errands I arrived to doh park. It was cloudy with rain threatening and there was a grip of kids there. I had changed my setup again- 8.5.  It felt amazing.   I mean flip tricks didn’t, but I skated the ledges better than I have in months.   I started some lines along the lower ledges.   50s and 5-0s were coming so easy.  Almost got nose manual.  Then along the regular section wallie, front 50.  Crooks then front 50 180.  Noseslide fakie then halfcab noseslide.  Switch front nose to forward then nollie front tail.  The rain had started and the lake was super slippery so I didn’t really try many flippers.  I skated hard, had fun. Would have liked to skate more but the rain settled in. 

(setup 8.5 null smoke valley, jessup pj ultragrip, venture 5.8 cast baseplate titanium hanger, venom 88a big 91a small bushings, 53 mm orange/yellow swirl spitfire 99a f4 classic shape, es swift 1.5 b/w size 11.5 no insoles)
(pain level 2/10 just slight hip flexor pain)

Feeling out of it and kinda sick after a bad night of sleep where I woke up at 4:30am for some reason I went to Boulder park.  I had changed my setup.  Basically just put my 5.6 trucks on a 8.3 deck and put some new bearings in some old orange 53mm spits.  It felt odd initially, but I recognized it and stayed patient.  Other than an axle nut that kept coming off it went alright.  I did a few backside ledge tricks and struggled a bit with crooks.  Then took way too long to get halfcab noseslide.  I couldn’t get a good front 50 on the bank to ledge after.  Had some okay front 50s from the top part of the ledge trying to go into the bank, but never quite made it.  Did a few ollies onto the various ledges.  There were a few people there.  One dude was wearing a facemask, but asked me if I wanted to share a joint with him.  A couple other dudes were there that made sure not to make eye contact of any sort or even just a quick nod hello.  I tried several switch flips on the tiny bank, none were close.  At one point I was totally over the larger wheels, but I did eventually notice they made ledge feel less tall.  I had some fun nollies and switch ollies over the little tiny hump.  Overall a pretty blah session, but for how sick I felt it went alright.

(setup 8.3 null jack night skate, jessup ultragrip, venture 5.6 cast baseplate hollow axle riptides, 53mm orange/yellow spitfire classic shape f4 99a, es swift 1.5 b/w size 11.5 no insoles)
(pain level 2/10 !!! just a little hip flexor pain)

On a nice cool day with rain threatening I met Kevin at dog park.  There were several puddles around, but mostly things were skateable.  I had setup a new 8.3 deck since I didn’t like the old 8.25 I had temporarily setup the day before.  I liked it.  We armed up on a bank to curb we built out of the two wedges and it was fun.  I should have gotten a clip for understanding but it was the steeper grey wedge to parking block that was about 2″ taller than the bank.  We both did some pivots/axle stalls/front tails.  Kevin added in back tail, switch pivot and switch front tail.  We had a few boardslides on Wally World and flippers too.  We skated around for a bit before settling in on the little guy.  The smaller wedge was right behind it and it was fun to do a trick, turn around on the wedge then do another trick.  Kevin totally destroyed it.  Switch flip 50?  Yeah.  He almost did fakie front 50 f/s halfcab out too.  I had some fun mirror line attempts like nollie 50 then fakie 50, front 50 back 180 out then back 180 front 180 out.  Then I spent way too long working on the little kid trick  – front 50 kickflip out.  Never got a clean landing, but it was fun trying.   Garrett showed right at the end and we did some halfcab heel noseslide hucking before the rain came in.  We ended up at a spot later and I filmed Garrett get a solid little line.  

(setup 8.3 null spanbauer night deck, jessup ultragrip, thunder hollow 148, bones stf v1 52mm 103a, new balance numeric 212 cream size 12, nike sb zoom air insoles)
(pain level 4/10 probably sore because of too many ciders lately)

On a rainy night we had a friend gathering at Square House. After some good veggies and drinks Gordo said “lets go take a run in the park.” With no idea it would turn into a full session we did some runs. At first it was just Gordon, Rob and I, but after awhile Brian joined in and Jack did a little too. Initially we cruised around, but all settled into some stuff. Gordo wrecked the tight window sill qp. Back rock, front rock, front pivot and close to some more. Rob had some lofty beanplants over the hip, front board pop outs on the bank to ledge, one foots on the banks and more steez. I had some axle stalls, noseslides, crooks and posed some flippers. Brian mostly went at the window sill too. He got some frontside tough guys and grind. After awhile Brian went in on the nollie tres which turned into all of us skating flat. Jack was the first one to land one and would also get a switch tre on a zip zinger. I got close to a first try treflip on a mini board but went on to not land a nollie treflip on my regular board in like 100 tries. I was so close to several at least. Gordon landed his first one ever and of course it was so good. Brian got close, pretty sure he will get one by his 50th. Rob had some kickflips, some other tricks and some wallride nollies the bank to wall. Heck of a good time with good people. And thanks Jack for putting an end to my cracked deck

(setup 8.38 null jack night skate, jessup ultragrip, venture 5.6 cast plate v-hollow hanger, venom 88a big 91a small bushings, 52mm bones stf v1 103a, new balance numeric 212 cream size 12 with nike sb zoom air insoles)
(pain level 4/10)

• 

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)

Will, Kevin and I met Rob on campus.  First spot was the little two stair with the light bank to it.  Great warm up spot.  I had put my venture 5.8s back on along with some little 50mm spits so I had some issues getting used to a new setup (like always).  I had a back 180 nosepick 180 that felt pretty neat.  I’m writing this too late to remember what others did, but we all had a few moves and seemed like a good warm up.  Next we went to Baker.  I think Rob was the first to get a nose manny and also the first to heckle some kids that couldn’t even say hello to us.  Kevin and Will front 50’d pretty easily.  I had a good slam on a front 50 when I popped way past where I needed to.  I guess that seemed to prove to me that Ventures have way more pop than Thunders.  I got a slow one after a halfcab flip.  Couldn’t get the noseslide to crook though even though I got up in one or two better than before.  Kevin and will had done a few basics then sat down while Rob and I kept skating.  Rob had halfcab boardslide quick, hc nose, front nose 270 and more.  Kevin did manual to 5-0 and nose manual to 50.  Next we went to the new business area.  Rob shredded as evidenced in the footage.  Will had a sick nose manual to firecracker and then some lengthy 50s and 5-0 on the long lower ledge.  Kevin’s line was pretty insane with the pivot to fakie and the halfcab down the 4.  I was unable to skate and got so frustrated I threw my board into the grass.  After a friendly kick out we ended up at the ol’ bank to curb.  Will battled no comply.  Kevin battled back tail then rattled off some Suciu-like combos.  Rob had pivots, pivots to tail, front tails.  I battled a few basics then tried no comply tail shove.  Never quite got one.  I’m definitely not old enough to count whatever it is I did.  I ended forcing myself to get at least one really bad treflip then we bounced for some glutenous food at Petes.

(setup 8.25 nullosaur, jessup pj ultragrip, venture 5.8 cast plate titanium hanger, bones medium bushings, spitfire 50mm f4 99a classic shape, new balance numeric 212 salmon size 12 with nike sb zoom air insoles)
(pain level 3/10)

• 

• 

Went to campus after a nice walk with Liz then dinner.  Missed the old guy session at the curbs, but I wasn’t really feeling like skating curbs again anyway.  It was a nice cool temp.  I had setup an 8.25 with Thunder 148s and put some old Bones wheels on.  Cruising into campus it felt great, lower to the ground and the hard wheels felt great.  I ended up at a spot I haven’t really skated before.  It’s a ledge that looks perfect, but got knobbed right away.  Anyway one of the knobs is missing making for a 4 foot section.  I did some lines to warm up.  Ollie a manhole cover (my first ollie was surprisingly painful), noseslide the ledge, no comply 180.  Then the other way switch noseslide, nollie tail a short downhill section, front 180 the manhole.  Switch 180 the manhole, kickflip on flat, noseslide to fakie, fakie flip.  The kickflip took awhile.  Argh, I could feel the board was lighter, but I still struggled.  I couldn’t crook the ledge, the truck difference was messing with me.  I did have some fun slappy crooks on the uphill section. Too bad it’s knobbed because it would be fun to go all the way up.  I managed a couple incredibly slow front 50s.  For how bad I was feeling that made me a little happy.  Until I tried to line them out with halfcab flip.  That’s when things got depressing.  It took forever to get an incredibly slow one.  Not much went on after that, I tried some treflips, but didn’t land one or even commit.

(setup 8.25 nullosaur, jessup pj ultragrip, thunder hollow 148s, bones stf v1 52mm 103a, adidas puig b/w size 12 stock insoles)
(pain level 4/10 not really that much pain, but I just had no energy or ability to jump)

• 

I got to Broomfield park around 11. The crew was already there in the heat of the battle. Kevin was trying nollie noseslides. Rob lining out to no comply boardslides. Dave L casual nose mannies. Eric was charging back 50s. I had a new setup that I pretty much disliked out of the gate. Of course. I think it was the new wheels/bearings combo which is tough at a skatepark. It was so smooth it felt like I was gliding on ice. Anyway, I started slow and never really got going. I had a goal of noseslide back 270 out which I tried, but did not get close to. I also did a PJ inspired crooks to fakie then fakie bigflip on flat (jessup had just posed him do a crooks to fakie then quick fakie crooks bigflip out and I figured I’d do at least 2/3 of the line (which has since been taken down so I couldn’t link to it)). Kevin also got nollie crooks. Rob put in a journeyman effort on pop shove llipslides. Man he was close. He also pounded out tricks like front tail, back 50 back 180 and many more. Eric heelflipped the parking block, crushed lipslides, back 50s. Dave L almost got nose manny nollie back 180 on the brown pad. I’m missing a ton. I tend to do that when I skate bad.

After lunch and some basketball with Ollie I went and skated flatground at the school.  I was feeling sore so started with nollie shoves, fakie shoves.  Then kickflip, no comply 180, fakie flip took way too long.  Started trying the thing where the end of one 2 trick line is the start of the next 2 trick line.  So next was fakie flip then halfcab flip.  Halfcab flip then b/s flip.  B/s flip then fakie bigflip.  Fakie bigflip then varial flip.  Varial flip then heelflip.  At this point I was so dead from skating earlier and then basketball with Ollie.  But I went for heelflip then treflip.  I got so tired on heelflips that I would only even try like 1/5 of them and I missed the few treflips I tried.  I gave up, but was happy I skated.  I’ve come to realize that a lot of my sucking lately is because I’m too embarrassed to skate around people.  I wont try basics that I’m not good at and therefore I can’t expand upon them.  Argh.  I guess I need to just deal with it. 

(setup 8.38 null smoke valley, jessup ultragrip, 5.6 ventures hollow axle 3 washers on the inside of each axle, spitfire 51mm green slag radial 99a f4, new balance numeric 212 size 12 nike sb zoom air insoles)
(pain 5/10)

On a very nice morning I arrived to an empty NorthGLENn park. Then Dave and a bus full of Square State kids arrived. It was fun though. Simon and Jake would show too. Then Brian with another bus of kids! I had a new setup:

• 

8.75 Null Jack Night Skate deck, big Ventures and big colorful 53mm conical fulls (yikes!). Why a change after so long on 8.25? Because I haven’t been landing anything on 8.25 anyway so might as well ride a board that actually fits me and enjoy the ride more. It was funny how mad Dave got at the crowds. But it really wasn’t bad and getting to skate with Brian was awesome. My warm ups went decent considering my huge setup change. I did the kickflip on the bank and then noseslide pretty quickly, had some fun 50s both ways on the noping bank, enjoyed some hip ollies. Everyone seemed to be up in the handrail area so I joined. Jake did some solid no comply 180s into the first bank, front rock and pivot on the barrier. Simon boardslid the rail, to manual, to fakie, noseslide too. I think he did stuff on the barrier as well. Dave boardslid it then front boarded it, boardslide and feeble transferred into the bank and probably did tricks on the barrier too. Jake got going with bluntslide and noseblunt. I got stuck filming for awhile. Brian almost got some ride on bluntslides then the crazy dropin. Simon and Dave did all kinds of tricks on the noping bank. Daves crook fakie and Simon’s bluntslide rock fakie were so good. Dave also got switch front crook fakie (I think). Earlier on Dave had done one of the best lines I’ve ever seen him do. Feeble transfer into the bank, ollie the kicker gap, lipslide the top qp, back 180 up the euro, switch crook the bank. I tried a bunch of front feebles and only got one which didn’t really grind. Near the end I wanted to relive the blunt to back d on the little noping qp. Much to my delight I followed it up with a fakie hurricane. Dave did the 180 switch crooks and we bounced to Ambulance ditch where Dave did a quick hammer for Stubborns 2. I hucked nollie tres. Some of which felt totally doable. But Dave had to leave so we left after about 15 min.

I stopped by Broomfield park on the way home, but it was super windy and crowded. I went to the nearby Safeway ledge and it was somewhat protected from the wind so I skated. I thought I would be too tired, but I kept going and skated for a good hour. I made myself do 10 back 50s which took awhile considering how bad I’ve gotten at that trick. I also did front 50, front 5-0 (accidental of course), front 50 180, front smith stall, front tail stall, got into a few switch crooks, took too long to do nollie back tail and couldn’t get very close to kick back 50 with the big board. Long, fun day of skating.

(setup 8.75 null spanbauer night deck, jessup ultragrip, venture 6.1 with stock bushings no big washer, spitfire 53mm conical full f4 99a red/blue, new balance numeric 212 cake size 12, footprint elite mid insoles)
(pain level 3/10)