60 degrees in Feb! Oh, but of course the wind was howling. I have been super focused on flatground lately and decided to go into the garage with a 10×10 list and do some hucking. My list and results were:
Fakie flip – got it easy
Heelflip – got a bad one around 8th try
Bs flip – barely landed this one
Fs flip – total stretch to say I defensively landed this one
Sw flip – man I was close
Nollie front heel – not close at all
Halfcab heel – somewhat close
Treflip – landed on it, but not close which bummed me out
Switch varial flip – committed, but never got both feet on it
Switch front feel – not even remotely close
After the list I decided I needed to land a treflip. It took about 50 tries to get a super bad one and I was very bummed about that. My temper was raging.

(setup 8.25 null curby deck, venture 5.6 v-hollow trucks, 52mm easy street v5 bones wheels, 3 washers outside each axle, bones medium bushings, jessup ultra grip, adidas city cup shoes size 12 burgundy, stock insoles)
(pain level 4/10)

Later in the afternoon I woke up from a long nap and the wind had died down. I quickly rushed to Douglass for the remaining minutes of daylight and I brought my 8″ setup with me (now with high trucks). It felt good initially. I was hucking flip tricks like crazy although not landing much of anything. I was having a good time for awhile. Hucked a ton of tricks, but then the soreness really kicked in. Ugh. I tried to skate a little more, but ended up giving up and getting home in time for date night.

(setup 8 null dream machine deck deck, venture 5.2 v-hollow hanger and cast baseplate, old 53mm bones pj v1 wheels, bones medium bushings, mob grip, adidas city cup shoes size 12 burgundy, stock insoles)
(pain level 7/10)

On a nice day I went to Blue Skies rink for a quick lunch skate. Nate had given me a 10×10 list:
Kickflip
Fakie flip
Heelflip
Switch Heelflip
Fakie Varial Flip
Nollie Varial Flip
Halfcab Flip
F/s Halfcab flip
Varial Heel
Fakie Varial Heel
After some shoves and 180s I started in on it. I expected kickflip and fakie flip, the heelflip came quicker than I thought although I couldn’t get a cleaner one with my remaining tries. I didn’t get close to switch heel at all. Fakie varial flip came pretty quick and I tried to get a faster one with my remaining tries, but didn’t. I got close to a few nollie varial flips, but the make was 10th try and I was soooooo happy about that. I got 3 halfcab flips, the 10th try one being my fav. The f/s halfcab flip came quick too, but I couldn’t get a faster one. I was kinda bummed on not getting closer to varial heel. The guy screaming in the background after the varial heel was so annoying. he was screaming like that every 20 seconds or so. I was tempted to go focus his board for him and put him out of his misery. I wish I had gotten a little closer on fakie varial heel too. I haven’t landed that trick since the 7.5 days. In the end I tried to do a treflip, but couldn’t commit. Partly because my knee started hurting, partly because these darn Adidas have no grip whatsoever and they just slide off the board without flicking it. Oh well, I was pretty happy to get 7/10.

(setup 8.25 null curby deck, venture 5.6 v-hollow trucks, 52mm easy street v5 bones wheels, 3 washers outside each axle, bones medium bushings, jessup ultra grip, adidas city cup shoes size 12 burgundy, stock insoles)
(pain level 6/10)

Went out to the garage on a cool night feeling a little run down. Messed around for a bit then started posing switch heels. And wow they were close. There was one in particular that was so incredibly close. If it would have just flipped a little faster I was over it and ready. After awhile I gave up on switch heel then did a couple bs flips then took quite awhile to get a couple cruddy treflips.

(setup 8.25 null curby deck, venture 5.6 v-hollow trucks, 52mm easy street v5 bones wheels, 3 washers outside each axle, bones medium bushings, jessup ultra grip, adidas city cup shoes size 12 burgundy, stock insoles)
(pain level 5/10 i think cupsoles helped, but i was still in pain)

Another cool morning, but the clouds gave a fun east coast vibe. I had new shoes ( Adidas City Cups, basically the thinnest cupsole I could find with a wide toe box ) and finally setup a new 8.25 deck. . I rolled around for awhile without much aim or direction, but was trying stuff. I tapped into my inner Eric and tried to front 180 the wallie barrier. I kind of got it, but never clean. I was trying it in a line. Crooks, 180, fakie nosegrind. After awhile I gave up because I’m trying to not spend a whole session on one thing. I tried front tails on the half cinder block ledge, switch front crooks on it. Tried kick back 5-0 on the regular one, never committed, got close to halfcab crook. Ended trying fakie front noseslides on the cinder block bench and got close, but had to leave for work. I had done a few flippers. Halfcab flips both ways, fakie flip, b/s flip.

(setup 8.25 null curby deck, venture 5.6 v-hollow trucks, 52mm easy street v5 bones wheels, 3 washers outside each axle, bones medium bushings, adidas city cup shoes size 12 burgundy, stock insoles)
(pain level 4/10)

My OCD got to me and I just had to try the dog park on lows. In my head and past experience I thought I had more pop on lows. I put lows on the 8″ board thinking it was a good idea last night. But this morning I knew it was a dumb idea and was really hoping I would dislike it. And oh man did I ever dislike them. I basically didn’t do much of anything until I just started posing tricks. Kick back tail on the lower step and kick crooks on the cinder block bench. I got remotely close to kick back tail, but not kickflip crooks.

(setup 8″ null dream machine deck, venture 5.2 awake low trucks, bones medium bushings, old 53mm bones v1 pj stf, mob grip, new balance numeric 306 foy white/gum size 12, rubbery lakai insoles)
(Pain level 6/10)

Working late this week and I love going to the dog park before work. I was too lazy to grip a new board so I just grabbed one out of my garage. It was an 8″ that was barely used. It felt small, but at the same time felt normal since I skated 8″ for a long time several years ago. I was extra sore from playing basketball with Ollie the day before. Initially I still felt super depressed and had no motivation, but it started coming together after a fun crooks. The other cinder block bench had half the blocks missing underneath so it was even lower. I had some fun faster front 50s and 5-0s on it. Managed to get close to a manual on it. My board was feeling pretty small and I was too sore to do flip tricks so I can’t say if I am going to change it yet. I ollied the half cinder block bench, but still tapped it on the way down. I never got back 50 on the step or over the top of the half cinder block ledge, but I did at least get close to manualling it. It’s so narrow, it freaks me out. On the way to the dog park I thought about trying to do tricks up/down the lower black ledge. After some 180s off I went for front shove which took a bit. I also tried front noses for a bit and kinda got the one in the vid. There was another dude who had come and was working on boardslides on the flatbar. So a pretty mediocre session for me. I’m glad I at least tried the new stuff at end. I haven’t don the front nose there before.

(setup 8″ null dream machine deck, venture 5.2 cast baseplate/v-hollow axles, stock bushings, old 53mm bones v1 pj stf, mob grip, new balance numeric 306 foy white/gum size 12, rubbery lakai insoles)
(Pain level 6/10)

I woke up in a good mood, did things I normally do to get hyped to skate. Maybe it was the hundreds of texts, but I started to feel so much pressure and I wanted to just go skate. I ended up driving to this spot in Broomfield that I’ve only seen. The school right by Fuzz’s house. I thought the micro hip would feel like a hip, but it turns out it really just feels like flatground. My first kickflips did not come easy and it was depressing. Then I couldn’t even do a backside flip over the “hip” in 10 tries. I started trying f/s flip too. A few tries into that I don’t even know what happened. It’s crazy, didn’t even see it coming, but on a f/s flip attempt the board hit me in the face so hard. It was sketchy, I didn’t see it coming at all and it hit me right between the eyes. I chilled for a moment, let the bleeding stop (got a bloody nose, but it wasn’t bad). I tried another b/s flip and got a double shinner, focused the board and left. It was weird. I wasn’t even mad. I felt like I was void of all emotion. I went home and laid on my bed not thinking about anything. Just sitting there motionless. So depressed about skating I couldn’t even cry about it. Ugh. Getting old is not easy.

(setup 8.25 null abstract 6 deck, venture 5.2 cast baseplate/v-hollow axles, stock bushings, old 53mm bones v1 pj stf, jessup ultragrip, new balance numeric 306 foy white/gum size 12, rubbery lakai insoles)
(Pain level 3/10)

On a nice day I went to dog park for lunch. Eric had been there a minute. I felt much more sore than I was hoping for when I started. Eric had some long lines. Busted front 180s over the bench, butter bench, heelflips, crooks, front 5-0s, front tails, back 50s on the lower black ledge. I had some alright fakie flips, halfcab flips, got a heelflip. Tried a line of wallie, ollie the kinked rail then nosegrind, but never got the nosegrind. Almost got switch noseslide 270 shove. Failed at treflips, halfcab crook, back 50s and struggled with front 50s at the end. Ugh. Did a super slow one with front 180 out. Was hating the Westgates and was getting that cupsole support knee pain that always send me back to vulcs.

(setup 8.25 null abstract 6 deck, venture 5.2 cast baseplate/v-hollow axles, stock bushings, old 53mm bones v1 pj stf, jessup ultragrip, new balance numeric 913 westgate black/yellow size 12, stock insoles)
(Pain level 6/10)

It wasn’t all that cold out, but cold enough I felt like staying in the garage. I watched the PJ remix then got to it. Things started out great and I got through a few tricks real quick, doing 2 or more of each. Kickflip, fakie flip, halfcab flip, varial flip, b/s flip. But when I got to treflip it took like 20 minutes. I think the stiff Westgates were making it hard. I would eventually get one and left it at just one. Then I got one of the better f/s flips I’ve done, f/s halfcab flip. Then to my surprise 2nd and 4th try heelflips. I came incredibly close to switch flip, kinda close to nollie tre. Ended with a sloppy fakie heel. That’s the first time I’ve done 10 flip tricks in a long time. Hooray for smaller trucks and cupsole confidence.

(setup 8.25 null abstract 6 deck, venture 5.2 cast baseplate/v-hollow axles, stock bushings, old 53mm bones v1 pj stf, jessup ultragrip, new balance numeric 913 westgate black/yellow size 12, stock insoles)
(Pain level 3/10)

On a breezy day I went to dog park a little earlier than normal. Dave L was there, but not for long. Gonna have to start calling him Switch Dave though. His leg was hurting so he only skated switch, but man, he can skate switch good! Ollies over barrier, little metal ledge, switch manual, switch ollie onto the lower black step. All in one run. Then some high school kids showed up that were super gung ho, but pretty annoying never paying attention. I was sore, skating okay, not great. I had some front 50s quicker than I have in awhile, finally got over the crack near the north bench. Eric showed up after a minute and quickly did 50s, front tails. I was taking a few tries to get a fakie nosegrind. I tried a run for awhile of wallie the barrier, ollie the little kinked flatbar, nosegrind the lower step. Got kinda close. Had some funny ollies over the flat bar that were basically manuals somehow. Struggled with halfcab flips, back 50s. Posed some nollie bigflips and came somewhat close. I ended trying the Joe Hamilton on a cinder block bench. Never done it there before, but I got one and it felt pretty cool. Then it was back to work.

(setup 8.25 null abstract 6 deck, venture 5.6 cast baseplate/v-hollow axles, stock bushings, old 53mm bones v1 pj stf, jessup ultragrip, new balance numeric 306 foy white/gum size 12, nike sb zoom air insoles)
(Pain level 5/10)

After work I was feeling alright and then I noticed this new PJ remix. I pretty much flipped out and went right across the street to skate some flat. I attempted to warm up with some slappies. I was more sore than I wanted to be. But I had kind of a fun slappy line. Cali 5-0 down the curb, ollie off the curb cut, backside slappy. Going the other way I had a few front slappies and posed some nollie cabs off the curb cut. Then I went behind the school line out some flippers. But the pain was too much. I realized I’ve hit that vulc wall where my body hurts too much to commit to tricks. So I rolled home and put on some Westgates I had and went back to the flatground. They felt way less grippy, but the pain level was way down. Tried a line of fakie flip then fakie tre, never got close to fakie tre. Tried a bunch of switch heels and flips. Never committed to the heel, but it felt close. Definitely committed to switch flip and was thinking I’d get one. Nope. I hucked a few other tricks, but mostly went in on heelflips as it’s been so long since I’ve landed one. It took forever, but I got one and pushed right on home and put smaller trucks (8″ high) to make it easier on me next time I try flippers.