Woke up kind of early. Had some time before meeting Garrett and Joe so I went to dog park. And I would end up having a couple of hours as they were running late. There was a crew of older dudes I didn’t know. I was very sore, the size 11 Last resorts were killing me. I had done some slow lurb basics including a back 50 before I went and switched into some Halfcabs that were in my car. My feet were mostly too sore to do flip tricks. A dude named Mike introduced himself and gave me some kind words and it cheered me up a lot. Paul showed. I had done some front 50s on the green box and managed a shove out. Then we left for Fort Collins.

We skated campus. I started filming Joe. Then got a no comply on the dumb bank to ledge nearby. Some more filming at a little manny pad. Then Paul and I skated a C ledge for a bit. He got front 50, I got some noseslides. Then we ended up at the long hubba. I was so sore it was insane. But I tried some noseslides and I got up on it a few times, but never got past halfway. Bo was the first to land anything – a front 50. Jason would get some front 50s later. Hayden some noseslides. Other than that no one landed anything although some tricks were close. Then it was dinner time.

(setup 8/10 null 8.3 keyhole, jessup ultra, thunder team hollows 149, old spitfire f4 99a green radial slim, last resort cm002 size 11, vans halfcab, cm002 size 11.5s all with gamechangers)
(pain level 7/10)

Went by dog park after work. Valmont was overrun with toddlers. Will and Ted were at dog park. Things started off alright actually. I would get a fun line of boardslide through the crack the cement things, no comply to tail the bank to curb, a weird f/s grind up the edge of the barrier. Had an okay slow line of nollie front tail the lurb, crook jib to fakie the bench, fakie nosegrind the curb. Other than that though, things really fell apart when I slammed trying to front 50 the curb. I would go on to make it much worse by trying to front 50 the bench again and never getting it. I somehow stayed positive on the outside, but on the inside I was dying. Will had some casual bangers and tried to switch manual the pad. Oh yeah, there was some rollerskating girls there that kept getting in the way. Like they would never look where anyone else was and would just post up in the worst spots. That didn’t help me. Will and Ted seemed to survive fine though.

(setups 0/10 tried 8.5/14.25 thunder and 8.25/indy and disliked both, last resort cm002 black size 12 currex runpro insoles)
(pain level 4/10)

Stopped by dog park after work on a nice evening. My legs felt like garbage. I think the only thing I did were some slappy crooks. Paul and Ted did slappy crook shoves. I tried to shove too, got close, but did not land it. Will had some sick back smiths on the green box. Dave showed and casually killed as he does. I left early. I had probably done more than I said, but I was pretty down about my skating.

(setup 4/10 null keyhole 2 8.3, jessup ultragrip, indy forged hollow knox 149 royal bushings, 51mm spitfire f4 99a classic, last resort cm002 size 12 grey half 574 insoles and currex runpro insoles)
(pain level 8/10)

Went to Blue Skies on a lunch break from work. I had thought maybe I could skate through pain. I guess I kind of did, but it was an embarrassing struggle fest. Add in having to wear glasses, new shoes and a setup change it was ripe for struggles. I had some boardslides on the flatbar, one good feeling flatground bs flip, a few noseslides. As much of a struggle as it was, it was a nice break from work.

(setup 7/10 null 8.3 sean, jessup ultragrip, venture v8 5.8 with titanium hanger and bones medium bushings, spitfire 51mm f4 99a classic shape, converse fastbreak grey size 12 half 272 insole and currex runpro insole)
(pain level 8/10)

On the way to work I stopped by dog park for about 20 minutes on a different setup and new shoes. Oh and it was incredibly windy, unskateable. I really just wanted to do a noseslide and crooks. I had 8.3 with forged redrilled v8 ventures and it seemed okay. Well, it noseslid really well and crooked even better. But when it came to front 50, not so good.

(setup 6/10 null flaherty 8.3, jessup ultra, venture 5.8 titanium redrilled to v8 with bones bushings, 52mm spitfire f4 99a classic orange/black, new balance numeric 440v2 wide navy size 12, half 574 vulc insole and currex runpro insole)
(pain level 3/10)

It was so incredibly nice out so I took an early lunch on a Friday and went to Boulder park. I have completely ruined my new years goal of no setup changes. I had an 8.25 with hollow Thunder 147s and hated it. Mostly, the squeek in the pivot cups was insane, to the point that I think the only other person at the park left. I skated about an hour still. Did a few normal basics there. Kickflips didn’t seem any easier really and so there was no doubt this setup would not last. Did have b/s flip on flat, but halfcab flip still took a few tries. Got one front 50 on the bench. Then tried to do a line of front disaster on the little qp then front 50 shove. Never got another 50. Went in a bit on front 50 back 180 out on the hump to ledge and would eventually get it. Felt pretty cool. Then it was back to work. Oh yeah, I had new 574s. I had no chance to break them in ahead of time, but they still skated alright.

(setup 1/10 null 8.25 keyhole, null grip, thunder hollow 147 bones medium bushings, 52mm spitfire f4 99a classic shape orange/black, new balance numeric 574 vulc grey/orange size 11.5 half insole and currex runpro insole)
(pain level 4/10)

Before sunset went over to the school not wanting to pop much. Was able to get quite a few backside slappies which I haven’t been able to do lately so that was nice. Slappy crooks both ways, some tiny switch crook jibs. May have hucked a little, but nothing really. Oh yeah, I had new brown 440s.

(setup 5/10 null keyhole2 8.3, jessup ultragrip, slappy 8.5 low profile, spitfire f4 99a orange/black swirl classic shape, new balance numeric 440v2 wide brown size 12, half 574 vulc insole and currex runpro)
(pain level 7/10)

Went out in the garage after a week of feeling sick. Did some warm ups and about 5 kickflips that weren’t easy. Had some new 440v2s.

First day I woke up in a couple of weeks and didn’t feel pain in my left achilles on my first steps. I lounged around, did some exercises. Around 1pm I went to dog park for an hour. Spencer was there so that was cool. Valmont was completely overrun with striders and mountain bikers, which is what I guess Evergreen built the park for. I started really slow and was happy that I didn’t feel much achilles pain. I did a few kickflips, front 50s on the curb, crooks on the bench, boardslides, noseslides, switch front noseslides. After a while it started to hurt a little and I didn’t want to push it. Did a couple ultra basics on the tiny part of the barrier and called it a sesh.

(setup 4/10 8.25 null abstract, jessup ultragrip, ace af1 44, spitfire f4 99a classic yellow 52mm, new balance numeric 440v2 wide high black size 12 half 574 insole and currex runpro insole)
(pain level 3/10)

After work met up with the dudes on another hot September day. Warming up seemed okay for us all. I had new 440v2s and they felt much better than the 1010s. We all seemed to get close to tricks, but not get them. Paul almost had nose manual shove and he was quite obsessed with sticking to it. Rob was popping lofty ollies off the grate to start a line, manual around the lurb then try nosegrind the curb. He had a slam, many close ones, but never quite got it. I had a couple of kickflips up the lurb, one nose manual, some crooks. But I couldn’t get nose manual shove, kickflip 50, nollie varial flip, treflip, so close to rick flip. After Rob left Paul and I played a game of SKATE that he won again on a treflip. Argh I hate getting letters on treflips these days! At least I did have a string of 4 tricks in a row that felt pretty good: Backside flip, halfcab flip, fakie bigflip, heelflip. Probably shouldn’t have done so many flippers, my achilles is hurt.

(setup 6/10 null beatles 8.25 deck, null grip, slappy low profile 8.25 trucks, 51mm bones stf pj 103a wheels, new balance numeric 440v2 black size 11.5 with half 574 and currex runpro insoles)
(pain level 7/10 left knee and achilles no bueno)