After a mellow day of work I went out to Douglass on a humid day after some rain. I started on the side of the school. First warm up line was pivot on a curb, nollie front 180 the micro hip, fakie flip on flat, switch noseslide the ledge, switch 180 out of the bump. Was trying the next line when a father/son joined the session. Seen them at dog park a few times. It was kind of weird because I was trying my next line and couldn’t tell if they were going or not. I was trying kickflip the micro hip, front 50 the ledge, treflip out of the bump. Never got the treflip. Got a couple smith stalls that were fun. Other flip tricks were not working. I was on my 8.5/14.25/thunder setup and it felt entirely too big. I went out to the front of the school. Tried to line out ollie up the curb, flipper, ledge trick. But I couldn’t get a treflip or heelflip and my knee pain became too much. I had done some fun noseslides and a first try crook that made me happy. But man those ledges felt incredibly tall, front 50 didn’t even seem remotely possible.

(setup null 20 year 8.5/14.25, null grip, thunder 149 hollow lights royal bushings, spitfire f4 99a 52mm classic yellow, new balance numeric 440v2 black/gum size 11.5 half insole plus currex run pro insoles)
(setup 3/10)

Didn’t really feel like skating most of the day but was in the office and the clouds were out on the way home so I went to dog park. Only a couple of people there. One of which was the super slow guy that kind of makes me laugh. Didn’t think it was possible to skate slower than me, but sometimes I can’t even tell if he is moving. Anyway, somehow I felt better than expected. Maybe it was because I was trying my Thunder setup. I had a line of front 50 the lurb, crooks the bench, back 50 the curb. 3 basics, but it was fun. I also got up on the bench with front 50s a few times. All of which were slow, but I managed a shove out once that I haven’t done in forever. Also got a crooks on the upper deck. Came really close to kick back 50 on the lurb, even got into 5-0 a couple times. Couldn’t get a treflip. Decent session even if it ended on a frustrating note not getting a treflip or kick back 50.

(setup 6/10 8.25 pmg, jessup ultragrip, thunder 148 team hollow royal bushings, 51mm bones stf v1 pj, new balance numeric 440v2 black/gum size 11.5 with half insoles and currex runpro insoles)
(pain level 5/10)

After working from home with Nate we went to campus and started out at the curb cut meetup spot. We were having fun trying tricks out, manuals, etc. Dave joined after a while and then Jack and Joe showed up when their bowling game was cancelled due to a private event. Nate and Dave had done the nollies into the first one then back 180s out of the next one when Jack and Joe showed. Jack rolled on his cruiser board and did a second try treflip out of the kicker and several no comply flips and then no comply double flips just messing around. Joe had a hardflip or two. All on Jack’s cruiser board. Nate kept losing his wheel on treflip attempts. Dave got the kickflip out pretty quick. Nate got the treflip. I took forever to get the b/s flip and followed it up with two equally ugly and tic tac riddled flippers. Dave had a bunch of back 360 manuals, I had some front 3 ones. Dave almost did switch tre! We went into campus for a bit, ended up at the business building. Dave had some good kickflips, front boards and nollie lips on the curb. Nate’s little window ride were so cool. We both got noseslides to fakie on the ledge which is way taller than it appears. Dave got the wallie and drop in thing which resulted in a good laugh all around and perfect ender for the session. Then some yummy Pete’s after that!

(setup 4/10 8.5/14.25 null 20 year, jessup null ultragrip, 8.5 slace, 52mm spitfire f4 99a tablet shape, new balance numeric 440v2 black/gum size 11.5 pinnacle prostep insoles)
(pain level 5/10)

Earlier in the day I met up wtih Jack, Dan, Joe and Scotty P at research wood ledge spot. They were mostly done skating, I did a couple boardslides/noseslides that was about it.

After dinner I picked up Dave then Nate and we went to an almost deserted Frederick park. We all kind of cruised around a while, warming up our different ways. Nate had never been to the park before. I had a nollie front big over the hump first try that was fun. We settled in on the manny pad/euro pad area for most of the session. Nate and Dave had already manualled and nose manualed the pad. I was 2/10 on ollies up the taller pad. 0/1 on kickflips off. Dave and Nate also did the quick on to the lower pod then 50 the upper one. Both did it so well. I got ollie up, ollie up which was new for me I think. Those dudes were both trying front board shove transfers and getting close so I set my phone up. Nate would actually get 3 of them, the 3rd of which was so good. I took a while to get anything and was really struggling. Starting to huck slow flatground in between tries helped me feel better even if I only did a couple basics. The nose manual took me forever. Dave was so close to the front board shove transfer. Crazy the lights shut off and we were still trying. Those dudes rip, watching the footage man I skate way too slow. It was a fun session though.

(setup 3/10 8.5/14.25 null 20 year, jessup null ultragrip, royal 149 ultralights, 52mm spitfire f4 99a yellow classic shape, new balance numeric 440v2 black/gum size 11.5 pinnacle prostep insoles)
(pain level 5/10)

Rob and I met up on campus and rolled around a bit to find a spot. We ended up at a narrow little bank next to a 3 stair right on the main road. Rob had some crails and a tight narrow nollie bigspin. I did shove fakie and took a bit to get kickflip to fakie. Then we ended up at Baker ledge which surprisingly had no cars and the jersey barrier was gone. Awesome! The ledge wasn’t in the best shape, but we still had a good time. Rob got manny right away, maybe nose manual too, tried halfcab manual and was close. He had front noseslides, halfcab noseslides, front board pop outs. I couldn’t get a manual to save my life, don’t even think I got a clean nose manual. I did get close to a line of nose manual 180 then fakie 50 the ledge. Other tricks were noseslides, switch noseslides, kickflip up the curb.

After some food, a nap, and the weather clearing up I went across the street to the school for a bit. Did some slappies on the side to warm up then went in trying a line that’s on my list for a bit. Kickflip into one of the curb cuts then 360 flip out of the next one. Got quite a few kickflips and committed to a few treflips, but ran out of time.

(setup 4/10 8.5/14.25 null 20 year, jessup null ultragrip, royal 149 ultralights, 52mm spitfire f4 99a yellow classic shape, new balance numeric 547 vulc / 440v2 black/gum size 11.5 pinnacle prostep insoles)
(pain level 5/10)

On a hot and sunny afternoon I met up with Rob and then Dave right after work at a very bright dog park. The park was mostly empty, the shadows were intense. It took a while to get going, but we did. Rob had lots of back 50s on the curb to get going, manuals, almost manual over to boardslide, boardslides, back 180 fakie 50 180 on the curb, nollie lips. Dave got gnar quickly and after warming up on the sad ledge got some switch ollies up the lurb. Then he did f/s halfcabs off and nose manuals after and then lipslide full metal jacket. He also did an insanely proper front crook on the lurb. I tried to get his back with halfcab crook, but didn’t. I skated alright for me. Had a fun line of front 50 180 the lurb, switch front nose the bench, fakie 50 the curb. Kind of did a front smith on the lurb, but I guess I was in lipslide first. Either way my front wheels were on the ground. Got a second try nose manual the curb, almost kickflip up the lurb and ended by taking wayyyyyy too long to do a halfcab noseslide on the bench. My legs were toast, had some bad knee pain at the end. Argh.

(setup 8.5/14.25 null 20 year, jessup null ultragrip, royal 149 ultralights, 52mm spitfire f4 99a yellow classic shape, new balance numeric 440v2 black/gum size 11.5 currex runpro insoles)
(pain level 7/10)

Warm evening, went to the school still feeling worn out after skating so much during Neil’s visit. After sucking so bad on the ledge last session I wanted a more stable and wider board. I went Ventures. And initially I loved them. Would get a few slappies, feel pretty confident, some basic flippers. But went in on 360 flips and it took forever to get a terrible 270 flip. Argh. Went behind the school and did some rock stalls and tried to ollie onto the main rock unsuccessfully.

(setup 8.5/14.25 null 20 year, venture v-cast 5.8 royal bushings, spitfire 52mm yellow classic 99a, new balance numeric 440v2 black/gum size 11.5 currex run pro insoles)
(pain level 5/10)

On Neil’s last day we rolled to Golden park on warm day a little after noon.  It was Neil, Rob and I meeting Cass and then Dave.  We cruised around a bit then skated the little plaza area for a bit.  People did some basics.  It’s a fun area.  I was happy to get halfcab noseslide in a try or two rather than spending way too long.  Those guys left and I spent way too long to do a slow front 50 on one of the ledges.  Then I came out and managed to ollie onto the taller stand alone ledge.  Those dudes were sitting.  I did a few crooks and noeslides.  Cass may have ollied onto it too actually.  Dave arrived and ollied on right away.  Dave lined out a kickflip off a little bump, pivot on a tight qp, boardslide the long mellow hubba.  Cass boardsid it too, then me.

Off to the long ledge we went.  None of us had been there, and were happily greeted by a lowish ledge that slid and grinded well while being in the shade.  Neil and Cass were on 50s right away.  Noseslides were had.  People started feeling things out.  Rob would do halfcab noseslide then crooks.  Dave did front 50 nollie back 180 then switch crooks!  I got a few super slow front 50s that grinded at least an inch, several switch noseslide 270 shoves and a couple barely slappy crooks.  Cass had front noseslide shove and close to fakie back tail.  Neil’s knee was hurting but that didn’t stop him from getting his lines as soon as the camera came out.  Front 50s, halfcab noseslides, crooks shove, noseslide shove, front shoves.  Dave also got back 50 back 180 out.  Definitely want to go back to that spot, it was cool.  Then we had a nice dinner, chilled  a while and celebrated a week+ of shredding.  Miss you already Neil!

(setup 5/10 8.25 null spanbauer dead spots, jessup ultragrip, slace 8.25, 52mm spitfire 99a tablets, new balance numeric 440v2 black/gum size 11.5 currex runpro insoles)
(pain level 5/10)

After a day off Rob and Neil showed up and we went up to Evergreen to meet Cass, Jake and Mike.  Solid crew!  The pre-skate warmups were real.  Neil probably had it popping the quickest, but it’s all a blur a few days later.  Actually now I remember Jake was doing qp tricks right away like it was nothing.  I know I started slow and was never overly happy with my skating which puts me in the mode of trying tricks over and over and not paying attention much.  I did get a ‘warm up’ line that took too long of ollie a parking block, kickflip to fakie the wedge, halfcab noseslide the ledge.   Neil joined for a bit and did some beautiful shoves over the parking block to start, no comply 180 on the bank then crooks the ledge.  Early on we were blessed with a bean plant over the hip by Rob.  Also some back 50s and he went in heavy on halfcab noseslide to manual which he never quite got.  Cass got multiple kickflips then a b/s flip over the hip.  I hurt my calf trying a line of noseslide to fakie, switch 180 off the curb, quick pushes to b/s flip the hip.  The quick pushes got me.  Doh.  It would be okay though, just had to lay off pushing hard.  I would get a b/s flip over the hip, a sloppy fakie bigflip over the hip, then a while to get a front heel which made me pretty happy.  I was able to get some slow f/s 50s on the ledges, but never a shove out.  I was happy with how poppy my board felt.  Jake did a cool line nollie 270 over the hip, pivot fakie, f/s cab.  Neil got some lines with cab the hip, kickflip the hip, front 50 shove and a lot more.  Mike had some good back 180s and cabs over the hips, front noseslides the curbs, ollies the hip.  That’s all I’m remembering right now, I’ll add a clip to this when we get it done.

(setup 5/10 8.25 null spanbauer dead spots, jessup ultragrip, slace 8.25, 52mm spitfire 99a tablets, new balance numeric 440v2 black/gum size 11.5 currex runpro insoles)
(pain level 7/10 calf)

After a really fun night having some drinks and bowling with the bros we met up with Dave somewhat early at Gypsum park.  Dave had the fresh leg / new park hype and was immediately tearing it up.  Impossible to remember all what he did, but luckily there are clips to help tell the story.  Kickflips over the hip, a million grinds on/into/over the bank to curb, pivot to rock the big qp, front board the bank to bar, grind over the rainbow, etc.  Neil got in on the grind over the rainbow bar too and lined it out with manuals.  Also got a couple flatground tricks and almost a wallie on the light pole.  I initially thought I wouldn’t be able to skate I was so sore,  but forced myself to keep trying.  Had a fun warm up of noseslide the bump to ledge, kickflip to fakie the mellow bank, switch nose jib, noseslide to fakie the low ledge.  Then I started hucking bs 270 flip over a mellow hip after f/s ollies the hip.  I kind of got one, it felt rad regardless.  Cass had more kickflips and back 50s on the pyramid.  I had a fun line of fakie flip the mellow bank, grind the side of the a-frame, kickflip to fakie the bank, switch front nose the ledge.  Then I tried kf to fakie with switch nose shove and couldn’t get the shove.  Thanks for filming that Neil.  Rob got going at some point and had some nice crooks, back 50s, front tails on the bank to curb.  Cass had some front tails and 50s on it too.  I took to long to do a halfcab flip on the mellow bank.  Man I know so much more went down, but it’s been a few days and I’m exhausted from so much skating and fun with friends.  

After some tacos we went to Edwards park.  I’m not sure the last time I was there, but it’s before I started my journal in 2008 so it’s a really long time!  My body was toast, I didn’t think anything would happen.  But Dave back 180’d up the euro right away and Rob was on the ledge and back 180’ing off right away.  Neil would get that too.  I couldn’t ollie onto the ledge with my sore legs.  Rob would go on to nose manual it!  Dave was 50’ing around the rounded part and did no comply shove out.  Rob got up the euro.  I got front 180 up the euro, switch front nose the ledge, fakie flip on flat.  The dudes chilled while I tried a line that took way too long.  Halfcab noseslide the concrete barrier ledge by the bowl up top then kickflip up the euro.  I was bummed on how badly I struggled with halfcab noseslides, but man the line felt good when I did finally get it.

(setup 6/10 8.25 null spanbauer dead spots, jessup ultragrip, slace 8.25, 52mm spitfire 99a tablets, new balance numeric 440v2 black/gum size 11.5 currex runpro insoles)
(pain level 7/10 so tough to get the body working)