I’ve had several depressing session in a row. So what does any sane skater do in this situation? Blame their setup! Ha. I switched my hanger to a wide hanger. It was family day and since everyone else sleeps in I had to get my skating in early. I went to the research center around 10. It would also mark the windiest point of the day. I was going to go to red curbs for the nollie noseslide, but since it was sunny I figured the research center would be warmer. To my dismay the back area of the research center was totally shaded, dark, and cold. I tried a few nollie noseslides and got close so I setup the phone. But then every couple of tries the wind would blow my phone over. UGH. It was a constant battle for awhile until I finally just put my phone at the base of the light pole. I went on to be incredibly frustrated. Almost to the point of focusing my board. I probably tried the trick for about an hour. It was really depressing. I couldn’t really do flip tricks in between tries do to the wind. I did two of the worst ones you can imagine. I have two more days to try that trick for the game. Not sure if I will try it again.

Then I went to campus and started at this little manual pad. After doing so many manual in my garage on a sheet of wood I hoped that I would benefit from it. I think I did. I got manual, nose manual, manual front 180 out, front 180 nose manual (took a long time) and a 3rd try switch 180 manual. I came close to manual back 180 out (never done it at a real spot) and tried some halfcab nose manuals which weren’t close.

Then I went to the nearby ledge. I wanted 10 tricks and I got 10 tricks. Noseslide, noseslide fakie, front 50, crooks, front 50 shove, front 5-0, back 50, switch noseslide, switch front noseslide, halfcab noseslide. It took awhile. I hucked some flippers which felt ok. For once I wasn’t completely depressed about my skating. I still struggled with front 50s, but they felt a little better with the wider/higher trucks. Same with crooks. I didn’t like how the trucks seemed wider then the board though.

(setup 8.25 null venture wides bones medium bushings axle washers on the outside 50mm bones stf v1 nb# pj stratford 533 black/white)

Had a busy day scheduled of bringing boards to MRKT and then Crisis before getting to the 98% premiere at Meta ( #3shopsoneday ). I saw on a webcam that Fort Collins didn’t get any snow, but I wasn’t really sure and it was still cold so I just headed out without making plans with anyone. I got to Fossil around noon and one other skater was there. Warming up wasn’t horrible and I felt like it might be an alright session. I moved up to the top area and started trying nollie front noseslides on the curb. Never got one. Started getting bummed. Kind of did one, but it wouldn’t have counted for the game anyway because I hadn’t started filming it. Was also trying a line of ollie up the 3 stair, ride off the drop, kickflip up the curb, front 50 the ledge that goes off the curb. I got one ollie up the 3 stair out of about 20 tries. I managed to get the whole line that time, but the front 50 was beyond horrible. Then a few people showed up including Alfred who challenged me to a game of SKATE. He pink slipped me. More depression. Not because he beat me, but because I didn’t land anything. Then I just skated the ledge for awhile. I struggled with front 50s. Got a crooks to fakie then spent a very long time trying crooks shove and eventually landed one that felt pretty neat. That was the one saving grace of the session. I failed at a bunch of front smiths. Alfred was ripping. Then I headed off to MRKT.

(setup 8.25 null venture lows 1/16 riser bones medium bushings 4 washers inside each axle 50mm v1 bones stfs nb# pj stratford 533 black/white)