Feeling tired after work again I went to dog park to meet Hayden and then go filming. I felt like mixing up my shoes and setup so I was on my old 8.5″ setup and 212 shoes. Board felt good, shoes felt good, insoles felt super thick. I started off terribly, but after a few switch front noses on the step things started to feel better. Then all the high school kids showed up and it was a huck fest over the barrier clogging the main area. Hayden showed up and we skated for a bit. Man he’s good. Ollie onto the step to quick 5-0, pop shove and 360 flip over the barrier, crooks and front tail the top step first try, front 180 fakie manual 180 out the black manny pad, fakie 5-0 halfcab out the ledge, back smith the top step. Wow. I had ended up getting a few of the normal things. Couldn’t quite get the fakie nosegrind this time. Almost got a flatground 360 flip after Hayden did his over the barrier. Had a lot of halfcab noseslides and switch front noses. Took a bit to get front 50 on the benches, but almost got shove and accidental 5-0 shove. Glad I got to skate some. I like 8.5 more than 8.3. Filming went well. Jack and Hayden got sick clips.

(setup 8.5 Null Lazer deck, venture trucks 5.8 cast baseplate titanium hanger , stock purple bushings, sml 53mm og wide wheels, 2 speed washers inside each axle, new balance numeric 212 gray size 12, spenco 3/4 orthotic under nike zoom air insoles)
(pain level 4/10)

Still feeling run down from camping and right after work I went to dog park to meet Rob. There was cloud cover so it wasn’t too hot and there was hardly anyone there. I got there first and proceeded to feel like I had never skateboarded before. I almost died trying to ollie onto the black manny pad. I couldn’t back 50 the tiny square pad. I couldn’t do anything it felt like. Rob showed up and quickly complained about the square manny pad then slammed on it. It was quite amusing. I really did enjoy having it there to get some sort of confidence on over the top backside grinds. I was able to get a back 5-0, but couldn’t muster the courage to try back nosegrind like I did the first day I went there. Argh. I did start getting into a line that I liked though. Hippy jump the janky flatbar, wallie the barrier, front nosegrind the tiny narrow ledge. Never got the nosegrind. Rob was ripping. He is definitely progressing there. Front tail on a bench, almost front nosegrind the step, ollie the barrier easily, front board the tall metal bench, back 50 shove the step first try I think, really solid backside flips. After awhile we put the wedge after the bench to get all east coast and do tricks like it was into a cellar door. Rob got back 50 into it pretty quick. He was smart and used the Neils Of Fire school of stoke and lined it out. Manual, fakie big, back 50 into the bank. So sick. I tried flip tricks to motivate me. Had to give up on halfcab flip. Got a couple heelflips, but still couldn’t find the courage to commit to front 50. Argh. Then I tried treflip for awhile and couldn’t do it either. I gave up and just tried front 50 on it’s own and eventually started committing to slow 50s and finally tic tac’d my way into the bank. Oh yeah, Rob had tried to front 50 the top step. So gnarly. But he slammed hard and it took him out. Doh. I left feeling incredibly depressed. I partly blame the lingering effects of camping, but I also know that I’m not liking the smaller setup/trucks. Argh.

(setup 8.38 null event horizon deck, venture 5.6 trucks, venom 91a bushings, 50mm bones stf v1 wheels, 3 bearings inside each axle, mob grip, new balance numeric 533v2 pj grey size 13, currex run pro insoles)

After a weekend of camping and whiskey I attempted to skate a little in the late afternoon. I went to Southern Hills in hopes of some quiet. I got it. I have been wanting to skate flatground more so I did a lot of that. I would start on the smooth section with a flipper then go to the step or ledge. The first couple warm up lines were fun. But then f/s halfcab flip took a long time, although when I landed it it felt pretty incredible. I couldn’t get the front 50 after, only tried and it wasn’t even close. I spent way too long trying backside flip and got a terrible one. Had a lot of wheelbite. I hate big wheels. Got heelflip quick. Was trying switch flips on the handicap ramp in between tries. Got remotely close. I tried a couple treflips, but gave up tired.

Later on Saul and Dave were at the curbs so I went. I had put some old smaller wheels on. They felt good. Skateboarding was more fun again. Although regular slappies were much harder. Dave was being tech guy again starting most lines with kickflip or varial flip. Nice back 180 fakie 50, slappy crooks shove, slappy back 50 back 180 out, up the curb cut 50 to front tail, noseslides and a banger ender fakie shove fakie 50. I had some fun front slappys, almost a kickflip from curb cut to lot, a terrible treflip, tried crooks shove the hard way, had some fun little nollie shoves on the micro bank. Saul grinded more in one slappy then I did all night, had a bunch of front slappies too, may have gotten slappy crook. I was so tired at the end of this.

(setup 8.38 null event horizon deck, venture 5.6 trucks, venom 88a bushings, 53mm sml og wide wheels, 3 bearings inside each axle, mob grip, new balance numeric 533v2 pj grey size 13, currex run pro insoles)

Had the day off work. Was a little late meeting Dave L and Rob and when I arrived the park was totally soaked. Ugh. On top of that there was a new graffiti tag and trash everywhere. The hype level was very low as we knew the city would be bummed on that. We swept the puddles out for a good 30 minutes. Dave had to leave by then basically. Rob and I got somewhat warmed up around the time Raul showed up to check the graffiti as he had gotten emails from someone in the city. Doh. Fuzz showed up around then. He was able to figure out through his vast network who did the graffiti and had them scheduled to fix it. Power moves. Fuzz pretty quickly front 50’d the top step and then front 180’d out. Whoa. We did our things for a bit, I don’t remember much. Then Fuzz started a session on the black manny pad. Well, not mannys, but quick trick. He started it with ollie up then kickflip off. Then heelflip off. Then bigspin off. Rob and I started trying kickflips off. Fuzz did several more tricks. Front 180 up switch back 180 off. I think 180 up switch front shove off. Rob and I would eventually get kickflip off. Rob went on to get front shove off. Sick. Fun ending to a session that started pretty bleak.

(setup 8.38 null event horizon deck, venture 5.6 trucks, venom 88a bushings, 53mm sml og wide wheels, 3 bearings inside each axle, mob grip, new balance numeric 533v2 pj grey size 13, currex run pro insoles)

On a nice night I rolled across the street and met Rob, Jake, Saul.  My first couple random slappies worked out fine.  Front slappy, front crook, crook.  But then I couldn’t do a regular slappy.  Jake was already trying bluntslides.  Saul was already on the 20 foot slappy tip.  Jake would get the bluntslide, slappy crook shove, front slappy, front slappy 5-0.  Saul has the best lines.  Front slappy, long way around to a slappy, to another slappy on the rough part.  Rob was killing it.  First try slappy to no comply out, slappy crooks up to back 50, front slappy, front tail.  Also lines with the curb cuts like no comply shove, bean plant.  I was on the line tip too. I was happy to get first try kickflips off the curb cut both straight and to the parking lot.  Front slappies were working well, I love that trick now.  Managed to get a treflip straight off the curb cut after a front slappy.  I tried backside flip out of the curb cut to parking lot for awhile.  Kinda got a couple.  Couldn’t get fakie flip straight out.  Rob came close to back 50 no comply back 180 out.  He also went hard with kick back 50.  He got a sloppy one and came close to locking into several other ones.  Rob was charging.  We all seemed to be.  Super fun session.

(setup 8.38 null event horizon deck, venture 5.6 trucks, doh doh bushings (88a boardside, 92a roadside), 53mm sml og wide wheels, 3 bearings inside each axle, mob grip, new balance numeric 533v2 pj grey size 13, currex run pro insoles)

On a hot day Ollie and I ended up at Kremmling park.  We had gone to Steamboat’s park, but it was mobbed with little kids in a big lesson.  So we started heading home and hit Kremmling on the way.  I had been there once before several years ago with Trick Factory for an epic session. We had the park to ourselves with the exception of a kid who was there for a bit.  I got my first couple axle stall on the bank to curb to warm up and felt good.  Then we carved the bowls for a bit.  Then I went to work on the kick back axle.   It took awhile, but man it felt cool to get one.  Because at first it felt impossible and I knew I had done it so many years ago and really wanted to still be able to do it.  Sure there was a huge lunch break, but it still felt awesome.  Really awesome.  Ollie was hyped which added to the stoke.  He had been doing lots of frontside and backside ollies on the mellower bank, f/s half cabs, cab kickturns.  He also tried a few kickflips.  he was having fun for awhile.  The other tricks were kinda whatever.  I wanted to try and grind the little bowl, but we needed to leave.

(setup 8.38 null event horizon deck, venture 5.6 trucks, doh doh bushings (88a boardside, 92a roadside), 53mm sml og wide wheels, 3 bearings inside each axle, mob grip, new balance numeric 533v2 pj grey size 13, currex run pro insoles)

Up early on a warm morning I met rob at dog park. I was hyped to see Aki was there too!  He was already popping and doing tricks.  Warming up was hard for me.  Took awhile before I could ollie.  Aki had a nice two bench run. Front tail then front board. He also had kickflip onto the manual pad, manual, back 50 on a bench.  Rob had back 50 on the step right away.  We hit the benches. I struggled with front 50s.  Had a line of front 50 then Nollie back tail.  Halfcab noseslide then crooks.  Couldn’t get switch front nose then fakie nosegrind.  Rob and I got a couple of sick lines ‘over 40’ style back to back. I got front 50 180 then switch noseslide 270 shove.  He did halfcab noseslide to fakie then halfcab boardslide.  We were hyped.  Rob did a bunch more smooth halfcab boardslides and crooks. That was pretty much it.  

(setup 8.38 null event horizon deck, venture 5.6 trucks, doh doh bushings (88a boardside, 92a roadside), 53mm sml og wide wheels, 3 bearings inside each axle, mob grip, new balance numeric 533v2 pj grey size 13, currex run pro insoles)

Kevin and I showed up with Christmas completes and had someone take a photo of us.  We were thinking it would be funny to just leave after that. Ha. Kevin had some Venture lows instead of his normal thunders.  I sized down to 8.3 with the new venture 8.25 trucks.  I had huge new wheels. 53mm SML wheels.  I was super hyped to support that company, but should have gotten smaller wheels as I really struggled for awhile.  Kevin on the other hand was totally shredding rattling off ledge tricks.  Nosegrinds, back smith, 5-0s.  Carleigh showed up and pretty quickly joined Kevin on the bump to barrier.  He did different tricks until she landed the boardslide.  The nosegrind was sick. Carleigh did the boardslide pretty quick.  There was almost no one skating so we told Rob to come back.  He did. Rad. Of course the crowds had reformed unfortunately.  The only thing I did that I was hyped on was the line Kevin filmed.  I did it a couple times before filming.  Way better of course (Just joking, but since there is no footage in my head it was better). Ollie the flat bar (hyped that this seemed easier on the smaller setup), wallie the barrier, nollie back tail the small narrow ledge, crook the black ledge.  Carleigh and Rob jumped on similar lines. Rob with the ollie then front 180 over the barrier.  Rob gots pop.  But it’s funny because he can’t wallie it.  Carleigh did ollie, wallie, front 50. 

Later on we met up with Jack at his wood spot.  It was so hot.  That spot is so hard. Well, not for Jack and Kevin. They were ollieing up the weird corner like it was nothing.  Both doing manuals. I think jack ollied the big two out of manual. Kevin did manual drop down to quick back 180.  Kevin ollied the flat gap easily.  Jack did a bunch of tricks over it. One of the steeziest backside bigspins I’ve ever seen, backside flip, impossible some more I’m forgetting.  Carleigh and I were struggling to get up the corner ledge. It was frustrating. I was posing ollies over the flat gap.  I eventually got the ollie up the ledge. Did a boneless down a level, then somehow made it over the flat gap. I say ‘somehow’ because what I did was not technically an ollie.  It was some weird awkward momentum that got me over the gap. It stoked me out regardless.  It also showed Carleigh that if she actually ollied she could do the gap. She tried that while I tried another line to clean up the ollie.  I tried ollie up the ledge, kickflip on the narrow ledge, ollie the gap. I got it and ended it with a back 180 off. It felt awesome.  Carleigh got the ollie too. Jack did a rad quick foot line. Ollie up, gap ollie, half impossible.  Wow. It inspired Kevin to switch flip the gap.  Unfortunately an hour and a half later he gave up after landing on several. Doh.  Fun long day of skating though. I like my new setup so far. 

(setup 8.38 null event horizon deck, venture 5.6 trucks, doh doh bushings (88a boardside, 92a roadside), 53mm sml og wide wheels, 3 bearings inside each axle, mob grip, new balance numeric 533v2 pj grey size 13, currex run pro insoles)

Had one of those lovely days where I woke up early, went to work early, skipped the gym in hopes of getting out early, but ended up working 10 hours. Argh. I was super tired and wanted to go home, but I stopped at the dog park and there were only a few people there so I went for it. Took a bit to get in the groove of trying things. Finally got the switch front noseslide then fakie nosegrind line. Had some heelflips, halfcab flips, couldn’t get treflip. Board felt huge for flippers. Got an accidental front 5-0 on one of the new benches. Didn’t try nosegrind. Tried a line of crook then kick back 5-0. Felt doable, but struggled getting the big board up there. Did some other stuff for awhile, struggled to ollie the tiny flat bar. Ended trying a few halfcab noseslide 270 shoves out (dream trick), but got so tired and left. Still so hyped on this spot.

(setup 8.5 Null Lazer deck, venture trucks 5.8 cast baseplate titanium hanger , venom 91a bushings with no bottom washer, bones 52mm stf sidecuts wheels, new balance numeric PJ 533v2 grey size 13, currex run pro insole )
(pain level 3/10)

After work, nap, dinner I went across the street with an hour before family movie night. I was wearing the new PJ shoes, they felt good, but quite different than the 212s. I got into line mode pretty quickly. Took a few tries to get kickflip off the curb cut. Front slappys were still there, I don’t grind them very long, but man I’m hyped on them. Had a couple good feeling slappy front crooks. Tried a line of back slappy, slappy crook, kickflip on the tiny bank, 360 flip. Only got to the 360 flip twice. Going the other way I had been trying front 50 back 180 out then fakie flip out of the curb cut, but the sprinklers turned on and messed with that. Around then Ollie showed up. Whoa, two days of skating with Ollie in a row! He did lots of ollies up the curb and was trying his no comply 360 flip a bunch. I was really trying a line of front slappy, 360 flip on flat, ollie up curb, kickflip off the further kicker. Never got the 360 flip. New shoe blues. Well, and I haven’t been trying that trick much lately. Also the ground isn’t very good for flatground. See, I got excuses for days. Saul showed up too on a monster setup and went right into some long slappies both ways. Almost got slappy crook too. Ollie did some cool f/s halfcabs out of the tiny bank and dropped in on a wood pallet. I had gotten super tired. Then it was movie time.

(setup 8.5 Null Lazer deck, venture trucks 5.8 cast baseplate titanium hanger , venom 91a bushings with no bottom washer, bones 52mm stf sidecuts wheels, new balance numeric PJ 533v2 grey size 13, currex run pro insole )
(pain level 3/10)