About time I got the Splay Rev skate shoes. I was tired after work and it was really windy, but I wanted to try these shoes out. Since they are so wide I had skated a wider board, 8.3. I put Royals on it which wasn’t the best choice. I started at the little circle thing, did a couple back 50 stalls, nollie tails. Then a weird run of pop shove a micro bump, ollie down a 3, noseslide a flagstone bench. Then a line of kickflip the bump, front 180 the 3, switch 180 a manhole, noseslide flop the bench. I went to the main area but the wind got insane and I felt like heading home. Really liked the shoes, but man they made my board feel sooooo small.

(setup 4/10 8.3 pmg, jessup ultragrip, royal ultralights 149, spitfire 52mm 99a f4 classic, splay rev b/w size 12 with remind cush insoles)
(pain level 3/10)

Had about 30 minutes to skate dog park on the way into the office. I was unhappy with my pop and inability to land treflips the day before so I went aces. Didn’t really like them at all. I didn’t skate well at all. Had some front and back 50s on the lurb. Some crooks on things. Maybe some kickflips.

(setup 2/10 8.25 null flaherty, jessup ultra pj grip, ace spanky af1 44 hollow, spitfire 52mm 99a f4 classic orange/black swirl, last resort cm002 grey size 12 and currex runpro insole)
(pain level 4/10)

After work I met up with Rob and Paul at dog park on a warm afternoon. I tried to start in my Xero shoes, but after a failed nose manual in which my foot slipped off the board I went back to the 574s. Rob had some casual fast back 50s and brought some front 50s into the mix, manuals, nose manuals, front noseslides. Paul killed the green box doing like every trick except front nosegrind. I started pretty good, but stalled out when my pop stopped working. Managed a line I was hyped on though. Crappy accidental front 5-0 the green box, long boardslide the tiny bar, kickflip a parking block. Tried a bunch of treflips, could not get one. Still had fun though.

(setup 4/10 8.25 null flaherty, jessup ultra pj grip, thunder hollow lite 148, spitfire 52mm 99a f4 classic orange/black swirl, new balance numeric 574 vulc orange/grey size 11.5 half insole and currex runpro insole)
(pain level 5/10)

Had some time in the morning on Mother’s Day so I went to Broomfield. It was quite sunny and warm. Amanda was there with a crew, but they left quickly. I had the park mostly to myself except one dude that showed up and only hit the blue pad. Warming up was less than average. Did a few front 50s on the blue lurb to get going and got a back 50 after one. Got a line I was hyped on. Crooks the black ledge, noseslide to fakie the bank to ledge, fakie bigflip on flat, fakie 50 the blue lurb. Had some halfcab noseslides, struggled with front 50s, came remotely close to noseslide 270 shove, got a terrible treflip flyout, one really slow front 50 on the ledge into the bank. Pretty mid session.

(setup 4/10 8.25 null flaherty, jessup ultra pj grip, thunder hollow lite 148, spitfire 52mm 99a f4 classic orange/black swirl, new balance numeric 574 vulc orange/grey size 11.5 half insole and currex runpro insole)
(pain level 6/10)

After a day full of driving (and seeing a moose at RMNP!) I needed to get out skating. I was exhausted and had no desire to drive. Luckily students are gone so I cruised the bike ride down to Willville. And it was fun. I posted up at the main area mostly. Tried to flip the board a bunch, but didn’t land much. Tried switch 180 manual into the bank, but never held it. Got a line of manual into the bank, then come back and ollie onto the bank then front shove accidental revert. Managed a terrible treflip. Tried to manual the bottom of the pad which was scary, never quite got it. Ollied onto the skate stopped lower level several times, never very well though. Had some noseslides on the upper ledge. When I left I dropped in on the bank down the six stair and it was terrifying for some reason. I survived though.

(setup 6/10 8.25 null flaherty, jessup ultra pj grip, thunder hollow lite 148, spitfire 52mm 99a f4 classic orange/black swirl, new balance numeric 574 vulc orange/grey size 11.5 half insole and currex runpro insole)
(pain level 5/10)

Had some free time during the festivities so I escaped to dog park. I was tired and hadn’t gotten to do my normal exercises. Much to my surprise and enjoyment both Aki and Dan were there. I hadn’t seen Aki actually skate in a long time so that was cool. He still rips, got some front/back 50s, front tailslide, super dipped nose manuals, manuals. I was kind of rusty and lacked pop. Dan can’t slappy crook and it’s funny. But he can crook the tallest rails/ledges in the park. I had a quick nose manual that felt good, but couldn’t get shove out. Dan was close to a few nose manual variations. Oh he did get no comply out of one that was super sick. I almost got a first try b/s flip over a parking block, but instead it turned into a mini battle. Dan joined but going switch. I would eventually land something vaguely resembling a b/s flip. Dan got my back with a good switch one. Then I had to bounce. Fun session.

(setup 7/10 8.25 null flaherty, jessup ultra pj grip, thunder hollow lite 148, spitfire 52mm 99a f4 classic orange/black swirl, new balance numeric 574 vulc orange/grey size 11.5 half insole and currex runpro insole)
(pain level 5/10)

Woke up early, went to Boulder park around 6:30am. The first half hour or so was comically bad, my body was not working. I tried a warm up line that moved around as I tried. Front d the good long low qp, nollie front 180 out of the bank, fakie flip on the little bank up top, nollie tail the triangle ledge, ollie onto the bench. I was really struggling to ollie. Had a couple 50s that ended up feeling good on the bench, one with a front 180 out. Took a while to get the quickest little crook on the hubba. Was scary, haven’t done a downhill one in forever. I think that was about it.

(setup 7/10 8.25 null flaherty, jessup ultra pj grip, thunder hollow lite 148, spitfire 52mm 99a f4 classic orange/black swirl, new balance numeric 574 vulc orange/grey size 11.5 half insole and currex runpro insole)
(pain level 5/10)

On a really nice day met up with a good crew at dog park. Kevin, Sean, Rob, Jack, Ted, Paul, Gordon. Kevin was having some foot pains so he didn’t get too far before it hurt and he couldn’t really skate. But he would smoke me in SKATE later. I was sore to start, but ended up feeling pretty good. I skated my smaller 8.25 and liked it. And its’ funny how much better pop I had. At one point I did a nose manual on the curb followed by kickflip onto the lurb. Had a couple front 50 shoves on the green ledge. Tried to ollie over stuff. Crooked the tall bench, some on the top rope. Saw some good Rob mannies around the corner and back 50s. Sean had some back 5-0 front 180s then halfcab manual around the corner. Jack had some good front noseslides on the green ledge. Paul, Gordon, Kevin, Sean and I played a game of SKATE. I was the first one out. And it was on a treflip. Argh. I was toast after that. I’m missing a ton, it was a fun session.

(setup 7/10 8.25 null flaherty, jessup ultra pj grip, thunder hollow lite 148, spitfire 52mm 99a f4 classic orange/black swirl, new balance numeric 574 vulc orange/grey size 11.5 half insole and currex runpro insole)
(pain level 3/10)

After a couple days of feeling sick Bratcher picked me up and we rolled to little Arvada aka Triple Nipple to meet several others. Salty, Gordon, Kevin, and some others were there. That park is awesome, but that ledge is taller than I remember. A lot went on. I’ll start with Salty. Got his grind revert on the top qp. Then put together an amazing line of grind revert then halfcab boardslide transfer the spine. Gordon next. Pop shove up the ledge, front tails the ledge, nose manuals, axle stall to rock transfer the spine, classic ripping. Bratcher had some rad no complys on the hump, spine transfers, long backside grinds, lots of tricks. Kevin was shredding. Big backside ollies over the hip. Switch transfer the spine. I filmed him get an amazing line of the Gish (switch nosegrind 180), front 5-0 the qp, front blunt the ledge, Janoski flip on flat, fakie flip. Switch crooks was hot too. I felt better than expected after being sick. Had some crooks, (poorly) got noseslide 270 shove, front 180 the euro, switch noseslides, some other stuff. Could not get a front 50 on the ledge and lost my mind, focused my board. Doh. Fun session other than that though.

(setup 5/10 null 8.3 keyhole, jessup ultra, thunder team hollows 149, old spitfire f4 99a green radial slim, new balance numeric 574 vulc grey/orange size 11.5 half insole currex runpro insole)
(pain level 2/10)

Had some time between meetings on my way to work so made a quick trip to dog park. I wore some NB vulcs. As soon as I put my board on the ground I felt good. I went on to have a great session for me. After a quick warmup of slappies and boardslides I tried to skate a little different than normal. Things I did that stood out. Crooks the tall bench and above the curb. Manual the curb followed by kickflip up the lurb. Went in on nosegrind 180 and think I got one. In between tries I did some flippers. Had a f/s halfcab flip that felt amazing. Also an alright heelflip. Didn’t get a treflip, but didn’t try too many. Had a run of a Joe Hamilton on the lurb followed by an over the top back 50 on the curb. Ollie onto the pad, first try front shove off. Had more than this. At the end I ollied one of the smaller flat bars, wallied the cone and then a slappy crook and I bounced. Really fun session, finally didn’t hate how my shoes felt so that was nice.

(setup 8/10 null 8.3 keyhole, jessup ultra, thunder team hollows 149, old spitfire f4 99a green radial slim, new balance numeric 574 vulc grey/orange size 11.5 half insole currex runpro insole)
(pain level 2/10)