Carleigh and I headed to Lafayette after a day where I had watched Jason for a long time. It was beautiful out. I’m not sure if I remember an autumn this full of great weather in CO. We arrived to a park full of scooter kids. Ugh. We kind of each did our thing for a bit. My favorite thing about Lafayette is there are some easy grinds that feel great. Front 50s on the little granite pad are incredibly fun. Garrett and Nolan showed pretty much right after we got there. After awhile we had a stair session. Well, everyone else did. Garrett and Nolan kickflipped the 3. Carleigh got the line of ollie the 3 then noseslide the hubba. That’s what I wanted to do as well, but I couldn’t get the 3 stair ollie. Ugh. It took me getting pissed about all of the scooter kids and venting about how much I hate skateparks before I could do it, but when I landed the line it felt really fun. I also took awhile to get the fun line of back 180 into the first bank, switch 180 into the second then kickflip to fakie on the bank. Also fun. Those three tried pop shoves down the 3 stair for a bit, I don’t think anyone got one, but Nolan was doing them poppy everywhere else. Carleigh also got one into the bank. Oh yeah, I forgot how bad I slammed at one point. I rolled down the bank with speed for the bump to ledge and hit a rock and went down hard. Ugh, that definitely took me out for awhile. Felt good to get outside and skate with homies.

(setup 8.125 null message deck, venture 5.2 low custom hollow trucks with 3 washers inside each axle, 1/16″ riser, stock thunder bushings, 52mm spitfire f4 classic 101a wheels, bronson bearings, new balance numeric pj stratford 533 navy shoes 12)

After work on a beautiful Friday I met up with Rob at the dog park. Well, I was first. I had attempted to start the warm up process, but man I was feeling like crap. I got somewhat into my normal list of warm up tricks. Rob and I played a game of SKATE that went pretty long with a lot tricks landed on both sides that could normally be letters. It eventually got to SKAT-SKAT. I don’t remember the winning trick, but I squeeked it out. Fun game. Rob left shortly after that. Dave laid into the switch tre attempts and got his closest yet. He landed with both feet on one of them. So close! I had a couple nollie heels that seemed close, but weren’t and one clean 360 flip to make it feel worthwhile. Couldn’t get a nollie tre though.

(setup 8.125 null message deck, venture 5.2 low custom hollow trucks with 3 washers inside each axle, 1/16″ riser, stock thunder bushings, 52mm spitfire f4 classic 101a wheels, bronson bearings, new balance numeric pj stratford 533 navy shoes 12)

Feeling very sore and lacking energy I went to the Louisville park pretty much right after work to meet up with Nullers. The park was crowded with scooter kids. I was not stoked. Riley was slaying the ledge. Jack seemed a little bummed until a game of ledge SKATE with Nolan. I’m not sure who won. Garrett was doing what he do. I had nothing in me. It took like 10 minutes to crack an ollie high enough to 50-50 the low ledge. I was struggling to say the least. Nolan is really fun to be around though, he laughs a lot and it’s contagious. The ledge was the only thing skated for awhile. The Nullers are really good. Riley did switch back 5-0. Jack nollie heel noseslide and almost crook. Garret halfcab noseslide 270 shove. Nolan back 50. Ha ha. Nah he did some good stuff too. Well, back 50s are good for me and I managed to get a tiny and slow one. We hit the hip area for a bit. I did some filming and a kickflip, then a lot more filming. Clips will be posted when I can. It was great being around the dudes again, although I wish I could have skated better.

(setup 8.125 null message deck, venture 5.2 low custom hollow trucks with 3 washers inside each axle, 1/16″ riser, stock thunder bushings, 52mm spitfire f4 classic 101a wheels, bronson bearings, new balance numeric pj stratford 533 navy shoes 12)

Met Dave at Blue Skies right after work still not feeling great. Dave showed up at the same time. The skatepark was overrun with scooter kids and parents so we just hit the hockey rink. We both started out so slowly. We talked about how impossible skating feels when we first start. But we stuck with it as we always do and had a fun session. Dave did a few of the basics then mostly spent the rest of the time trying switch treflips. He got really close a few times. He was doing runs with a kickflip, front shove and nollie 180 to set him up for it. I was not very consistent, but got most of my normal bag including a 360 flip that I finally didn’t touch my hands on at all. I failed at halfcab heels, came remotely close to nollie heel, landed on a fakie tre. Tried a line of fakie flip, fakie heelflip, fakie treflip, but never got the fakie heelflip. Tried to do backside flips like I do my back 180s with pivot. But I don’t seem to have that much control.

(setup 8.125 null message deck, venture 5.2 low custom hollow trucks with 3 washers inside each axle, 1/16″ riser, stock thunder bushings, 52mm spitfire f4 classic 101a wheels, bronson bearings, new balance numeric pj stratford 533 navy shoes 12)

Went into the garage feeling very sore and exhausted. I threw the putter around a little, but didn’t get close to anything. That board is tiny, it only feels fun to huck incredibly impossible tricks like fakie lazer and stuff.

Went to this spot after work feeling pretty tired. Started with basic lines beginning at the top and worked my way up into slightly less basic lines. First was ‘slappy’ noseslide then rock ‘n roll the bank. Then ‘slappy’ noseslide to fakie and cab rock the bank. Slappy crooks then no comply bigspin the hip. Slow and little back 50 then kickflip to fakie over the hip. Eventually got slappy crook, noseslide the tall part of the ledge then a tiny back 50 up the lower escalator ledge. Got hyped on that. Came close to some nollie heels on flat. Got one front 5-0 down the escalator part, kind of one front tail on the top of the main ledge. Ended trying a line of slappy crook or back 50 ( I was alternating) then a 360 flip over the hip. Got close a couple of times, but got tired and needed to be home for dinner. Happy to be making more of an effort to skate ledges again rather then just skating flatground all of the time.

(setup 8.125 null message deck, venture 5.2 low custom hollow trucks with 3 washers inside each axle, 1/16″ riser, stock thunder bushings, 52mm spitfire f4 classic 101a wheels, bronson bearings, new balance numeric pj stratford 533 navy shoes 12)

All of a sudden I’m all about his ledge again. I wasn’t feeling too good earlier in the day and only had about an hour to skate before watching Jason. I thought I would skate terribly, but I ended up feeling alright. Perhaps it was the ibuprofen I took for my headache. I had an ok first run down the hill that had some 180s , up the curb and a noseslide. Also got a crooks first try and a terrible back 50 second try, a terrible front noseslide. Didn’t do too many flippers. Nollie heels seem so possible, but it just doesn’t happen. I got a back 180 of the manhole that felt really easy which I’ve never done before. Skateboarding is weird sometimes. I got another somewhat better back 50, got into a bunch of front 50s, but never grinded enough to land it. It felt good to at least get into it rather then like yesterday at Southern Hills. The research ledge has never been good grinding up it. I was trying a line of front 180 up the curb, fakie flip then halfcab noseslide when a cop came and parked nearby. Doh. I had thrown a couple of flippers before the line too and thought I’d get it, but I got weirded out and used it as an excuse to leave on time.

(setup 8.125 null message deck, venture 5.2 low custom hollow trucks with 3 washers inside each axle, 1/16″ riser, stock thunder bushings, 52mm spitfire f4 classic 101a wheels, bronson bearings, new balance numeric pj stratford 533 navy shoes 12)

Up early on a Saturday thinking I felt mentally up to skate. I had done yoga, gone for a run and played soccer with Ollie. I went to the research ledge for about half an hour as a warm up for the day before watching Jason. I don’t remember much what I did, maybe just a crooks or two and a terrible back 50. The hill seemed fast to me.

Skating vert with @iamnotacreepyjake @gnarlycarleigh

A photo posted by glen gillinghammer (@corpoglenny) on Oct 29, 2016 at 1:58pm PDT

After watching Jason for a short time and a nice sandwich thanks to Brian and Denise I met up with Rob, Carleigh and Jake at this new spot. Rob wanted to skate it, but just skated a curb and wallride instead. Which was totally cool, but it kind of cracked me up. He had some good wallie nollies. Carleigh was skating mostly where Rob was too. I had done a couple of lines like switch front 180 up the curb then front feeble on the banked curb. And I got a crook shove then front shove off the curb. Jake did blunts and a crazy no handed nosepick. Carleigh got a good pivot and some kickflips too I think. Motivation was tough as there was still so much going on with Jason’s stuff.

Then Jake and I met Dave at Southern Hills. We started with a game of SKATE that pissed me off so much. I got letters on tricks like front shove, frontside cab, switch back 180. I skated off almost leaving to my car before deciding to hit the ledges. Luckily after some noseslides and stuff I got a few crooks and it cheered me up. Jake and Dave kept at the game for awhile. I think Dave ended up winning it. I slammed harder then needed on a little kickflip into the handicap wedge. I probably should have left at that point, but no. Jake got halfcab noseslide. Dave had his patented amazing boardslides to fakie and even did it frontside. He also had some solid front 50s and a front 50 180 out. I couldn’t get in front 50 to save my life. It made me really mad. Then a bailed 360 flip and I lost it, focused my board and almost threw it on the roof. I guess this Jason situation has me more stressed then I thought. Luckily after that we all went to Jason’s and celebrated Halloween with him. It was such a great time.

Last night we partied with Jason and it was awesome! Photo @gnarlycarleigh / @chrissessions. This is where I have been living the last two weeks.

A photo posted by glen gillinghammer (@corpoglenny) on Oct 30, 2016 at 8:05pm PDT

(setup 8.125 null message deck, venture 5.2 low custom hollow trucks with 3 washers inside each axle, 1/16″ riser, stock thunder bushings, 52mm spitfire f4 classic 101a wheels, bronson bearings, new balance numeric pj stratford 533 navy shoes 12)

@boredzinejp and I have such an epic game of OLDFART going on that I forgot I did the front 50 no comply shove out already. So here's the next challenge Josh, front 50 kickflip out. I refuse to believe you will struggle with this one! #littlekidtrick #theglenandjosholdfartlongdistanceinstagramtricksuperchallenge And a bonus @fullertrron clip with a new trick for him!

A video posted by glen gillinghammer (@corpoglenny) on Oct 29, 2016 at 6:02am PDT

Finally, some time to go skate! Dave picked me up and we went to Westminster park. Totally random huh? We had the park all to ourselves and it ruled. I like parks with some flat ground. I felt pretty rusty at first. Maybe Dave too. After awhile I almost got a line of halfcab flip on flat, boardslide the flat bar, kickflip, backside flip on the bank. My basic flippers were popping better then normal. I couldn’t get nollie tres though. Dave and I did doubles across the whole flat bar. My board was quite cracked so each time was a little scary for me. We both struggled with front 50s over the little ledge of death. Aka the same size ledge as above, but over the deep hole you can see behind us. Dave was first. He has more setup, so I’ll use the crappy runway from my side as an excuse. I got a couple very slow ones over it. My confidence started to go away after awhile. I ollied the flat gap in two tries which made me happy though. Dave would also get it. Actually, Dave was doing some crazy lines. Ollie the gap, turn around and 50 it, turn around and boardslide it. Something like that. He was shredding! Dave had some moves over the hip. Switch back 180 and backside bigspin. I still need to load them off of Hosercam. He had some nice kickflips up the euro too. I came really close to backside flip. Then we just started skating the ledge. Dave was trying Bennet grinds and getting close. I started rattling off tricks and ended up having some luck. I got crooks shove in a few tries. Front 50 front shove quick. Then even front 50 kickflip came right away. I was super hyped. I tried some other tricks without as much luck. Dave got 50s both ways with nollie shoves out. I tried to film the front 50 kickflip out again with a better angle, but never got another one. I really struggled with front 50s at that point. Doh. Glad to have a decent day, it’s been awhile.

(setup 8.125 null message deck, venture 5.2 low custom hollow trucks with 3 washers inside each axle, 1/16″ riser, stock thunder bushings, 52mm spitfire f4 classic 101a wheels, bronson bearings, new balance numeric pj stratford 533 navy shoes 12)

While Jason was sleeping I went out for a quick cruise. After a couple of curb ollies I found this awesome little bank curb thing. It didn’t grind, but I got a few stalls. Crook, crook fakie, pivots, crook shove and even backside pivot shove. I ended with a kickflip off the curb and raced back then check on Jason.

(setup 8.125 null message deck, venture 5.2 low custom hollow trucks with 3 washers inside each axle, 1/16″ riser, stock thunder bushings, 52mm spitfire f4 classic 101a wheels, bronson bearings, new balance numeric pj stratford 533 navy shoes 12)