skate journal: neil last day 8: dorm ledges on campus (july 19, 2025)
Yeah, another hot day on our 8th day of skating in a row. Thankfully we were skating street so my motivation was a little higher. Rob, Neil, Dave, Cass, Mike, Jack and I. We had messed around a little at UniHill elem. Neil rode through some grass. I had some of the new Thunder T-II trucks. They felt incredibly loose, but I did have a first try f/s halfcab flip that felt amazing. They basically seem like Aces, but with a lighter hanger that flips better. The pop felt the same as Aces. At Baker ledge everyone seemed to go in. Jack fakie shove switch manual several times. Mike did some ride on grinds and barrier rides. Rob was ripping. Manuals, noseslides, halfcab noseslides, barrier rides, I think nose manuals, no comply manual. Cass manuals and then went in on back 180 nosegrinds which he got cleaner this time. I had a pretty mid session, but some okay stuff like manuals, kickflips up the curb, noseslides felt good, some flip tricks worked. Barely managed the slowest and lamest of front 50s. Neil was charging, great front 50s, noseslides, manuals to grinds. His front 50s were seriously inspiring. As was Dave with his front 50s too, halfcab manual, switch ride on crooks, manual to front tail, fakie nosegrinds onto the pad, ripping so hard.
Jack left, we went over to the ride on ledge spot. Most were too tired to skate. Mike liked the nose bonk and ride on grind. Rob killed it with halfcab noseslide then back 50 down. Cass had some ride on 50s to tail. I took too long to do an ultra lame nollie back tail jib. That was it, we survived 8 days of skating! Wow friends! Good times, if I missed any tricks please let me know as I just wrote 8 journal entries in a row so I’m sure I missed a lot. Miss you already Neil and Jack, Joe as well. Can’t wait for next year.
(setup 5/10 null 8.3, jessup ultra, thunder T2 149, 52mm spitfire f4 orange/black 99a classic, new balance numeric 430 b/w size 12 currex runpro insoles)
(pain level 4/10)