Carleigh and I headed out around 4 and skated the weird bank spot near Crisis while we waited for Fuzz to close up shop. It was pretty fun and I was surprised my legs were feeling good after 3 days straight of street skating already. Carleigh had some good kickflips and some good slams over a little metal grate, good ollies down the two into the bank and ollies up the two. I had some tiny ollies into the bank, kickflip to fakie, no comply bigspin, no comply 270 to tail and at the end finally wallied up the two.

Then we went to this spot. Wow it looks epic eh? It is. But rougher and harder to skate than it looks. We got out of the car and I could tell immediately that my arthritis was gonna act up and limit my skateboarding. Doh. Fuzz was carving around and hit his stomach on a pole. It was hilarious. So he drank a beer. Carleigh swept the runway for the upper waxed part. I rolled around and took several tries to do rock ‘n rolls. Fuzz started pounding out a line of front 180 over the curb (aka FLYOUT) then switch board transfer. Man he did it good and Carleigh filmed it. Is this the start of Off The Couch 2 With a Vengeance? Who knows. I had dreamed of doing kick back tail shove at this spot, but of course kick back tails weren’t even happening. I blame my arthritis. It’s a great excuse that I hope to not have the luxury of using much longer. I filmed Carleigh do a tailslide all steezey. John showed up and killed it immediately. I went down to where it was mellow and tried to ollie the curb into the bank. The worst part is I knew mentally I would be unable to do it as soon as I tried the first one. But being the stubborn moron I am I kept trying it and bumming myself out more. I finally gave up, laughed at my griptape and walked back to my friends that were having fun. They were laughing because apparently John was rolling backwards and ran into a metal grate and slammed. Fuzz destroyed some nose stalls on a pillar, John did his patented front shove front nose to fakie and I did a boardslide. Glad I had a little fun at the end. Go old guys (and girl).

Had a long Saturday. Woke up at 5AM for some reason. Worked on Four for a long time. Waited in line to buy The Electronic Anthology Project Of Dinosaur Jr on purple vinyl (well worth the wait). Ran boards to Community. Brought Ollie to flag football practice (he couldn’t do anything though because of his stitches). Then took a nap and set up a new board while watching the new Transworld video. Busenitz part is bonkers! My new griptape (above) is inspired by one of the funniest things I’ve seen on the internet:

Yes, I am easily entertained.

I also setup some new wheels. Although I kept my old ceramics much to Fuzz’s disapproval. Around the time it got dark Fuzz, Carleigh and I rolled to campus. We parked by the 14 to get warmed up on the little ledge/curb thing in the parking lot. Ha. It ended up being a rad spot to warm up. Carleigh started ollieing off it and put down an ollie over the manhole at one point. Still can’t believe Fuzz did this years ago. Fuzz and I mostly dorked around doing stalls on the top trying to drop to stalls on the lower part. He did blunt dropped down to pivot on the curb. It was amazing. I got a nosestall down to crooks to fakie. That felt good too. I did some wallies up. So fun. Want to do it to manny sometime. Carleigh got ollies up and followed it up with front 180 down. Fuzz started doing chinese nollies off the crack and got me to do it after I bailed it a bunch of times. Being in the air seems to be the thing I’ve lost more than anything. Carleigh went on to do ollie up and steezy kickflip off. I tried to get her back with a kickflip up, but didn’t get close. Next up we went around a corner and found this new spot.

We did some silly stuff for a bit. Fuzz did a boneless thing over the rail and I tried to learn it with no luck. Carleigh bolted a heelflip which hyped up Fuzz to front board the rail, but he bailed it. We just had to tell him he had to buy beers if he missed it to encourage him to miss it again. Ha, he did get it though. Breaking his tail and rolling away with a grin on his face. So sick. I tried a couple, but didn’t do much more that scrape the rail with my board as I flung it toward the rail. Fuzz was done, but we went around the corner to see the other new spot.

Carleigh and I rolled in on this a few times. It’s just fun. I managed a manual between a couple cracks which was fun. Those two were pretty much done after that. We looked at my dream Jack spot and they thought he could do it (hint Jack hint). Then I kind of just skated around for awhile. Got a line of slowly ollieing onto a ledge and off, fastish cali grind, b/s flip. The funny part was pulling all the bark from the ground with me. That was the session. Super fun and maybe the first time I felt somewhat comfortable street skating the whole time. There was no point where I thought my body would give out. Awesome. We hung out after which was really fun too. Leslie and Liz joined. Lucy entertained. Electronic Dinosaur Jr is excellent. Good times.

Met up with Bernie after work at our favorite spot in Longmont. It’s been too long since I’ve seen him. He rules. We chatted and warmed up slowly. I was struggling pretty hard. My arthritis was not so good. Especially in the ankles. But no more complaining, this spot is rad. I did a few noseslides which were fun. Did a front board pop out. Bernie was being mellow, but it’s still rad to watch. The manual ollie to nose manny was my favorite. I started trying crooks and got a few quick ones. Skating the bricks on the bank was harder than I remembered. I only managed to manny them. Dropping in on them is still as fun as ever. Sam Pino joined us after awhile (shop closes at 7, but he was in Longmont by 7 what what?) and kinda skated around and made some funny jokes. I started skating the ledge a little better. Got some front 50s. Almost got front 5-0 and front 50 to front board pop out (old man’s sorry excuse for a combo trick). Came close to back 50, not close to kick back 50. Bernie landed his first front tail 180 to switch back tail. Can’t wait to see it down el toro. Then it got dark and we called it a night. Fun.

I don’t like going Four days without skating. During the day at work my legs were feeling some of the best they had in awhile. I had taken my bi-weekly humira shot in the morning. But by the end of the day I wasn’t feeling as well. Figures. I ate dinner after work then fell asleep on the couch. Rather than Neil it I decided to go skate and I was feeling a solo headphones session. I went to campus after watching the Busenitz/Real part in the new Transworld video where Busenitz completely KILLS it! I started by just cruising a little and ended up at the super mellow bank to tiny curb. I did a couple ultra basics then started trying back 180 stall thing, but then some CU truck with a bunch of gates parked and ruined it. They were setting up stuff to try and stop the 4/20 gathering. So I moved on. I went to ollie up a curb and had nothing. Ugh. So I picked up my board and walked up the 5″ curb in front of a huge pack of college kids. I rolled by the double downhill manny pads and manualed the first one a couple times before moving down under the Engineering building. I’ve been thinking about that spot since watching the opening Busenitz line with the tricks down the school. So sick. Anyways I wanted to hit the two downhill kinks. First pass through I did front 180 then switch front 180. Aight, good start. Then was an easy sw front 180 the first then ollie the second. Next I tried halfcab the first then back 180 the second. It took me a few tries and I even slammed hard once. Kickflips into the first one took way too long. But I got that then back 180 the second. The line I had been thinking about all week was no comply 180 into the first then f/s halfcab flip the second. Well, I’m not that good, so I settled for the non flip version and I curved around after and tried to ollie up the three stair. I haven’t ollied up a 3 in forever and I remember even in healthier times struggling with that set. I got close at least. Next line was front shove into the first, kickflip into the second then ollie up the three. Hyped! In between lines I would normally try a flipper or two. Nollie f/s flips or sw f/s flips. Neither were remotely close. The last line was a bad b/s flip into the first and a fakie ollie into the second. I moved on still groggy and without as much energy as I wanted. I ended up at a new area that used to have a brick courtyard with a couple ledges. Now it’s even better for skating. I dropped in on the long hubba thing a few times, ollied up into rock and yanked in and followed it with a boardslide on the ledge. Then I noticed they repaved the whole back of the building and investigated. I saw a gnarly stair to quick slappy grind that is screaming Jack’s name (prease prease prease Jack!) and this weird set of stairs down a little hill into a building. It’s hard to describe. Basically a few two stairs that run into a building with a slope next to them. There was also a flat gap nearby so I tried to line it out. I guess it’s not a flat gap, a curb over a sidewalk (close enough). I ollied that a bunch of times (sometimes lowering the bar on horrible ollies) then ollied up onto the sidewalk and rode off the two stair into the hill. It was such a dorky, weird and awesome spot. I did it again, but manualling the first bit of the two stair thing. Fun. I tried a few more lines in the area, but nothing really happened. I was hyped on a halfcab flip on flat and ollieing onto the ledge. Then I went home.

It was a way nicer day out then they had said however it was sprinkling a little when we rolled out so we went to Red Curbs. It’s Ollie’s favorite spot anyways. I was really sore and realized I had forgotten to take a bunch of ibuprofen. Doh. I mostly did slappy tailslides. Tried a line of slappy front 50 back 180 out then switch noseslide on the next one. Kind of did it. Ollie was killing it. Did a line of front 180 off the curb cut, boardslide to fakie then fakie pop shove. He rules. And he loves pushing mongo. Ha. He also did his first manual that he ollied into, tons of back 180s and maybe even a nollie shove. He doesn’t skate a whole lot these days, but when he does it’s so fun to watch. I managed a slow hurricane on the curb which hyped me up. My legs were sore though and I pretty much gave up on the session. Oh, I had some new shoes I was breaking in too:

Lakai – Carlo. Seems like it might be a rad shoe once it gets a little more broken in.

Took a vacation day. So hyped. Woke up early and met old guys at the Arvada park. I got there first and rolled around attempting to wake myself up. It wasn’t easy. John and Fuzz showed up after a bit. John started killing it out of the gates and a theme started where the three of us would try something, but really it was the two of them playing and me draining the life out of them so they would move to the other side of the park. It took me way too long to ollie onto/roll off the bigger marble ledge at the top. We ended up in the mini bowl for awhile where it was flyout transfers to the little tranny. Neil arrived. John and Fuzz killed it. John ended it with a marathon run with a transfer out, fakie pivot fakie, blunt fakie and probably 20 more tricks. My “transfers” were basically the worst thing you’ve ever seen and not into the tranny at all. I was happy to do kickflips to fakie on the little bank after though. Next we were kind of doing manuals and stuff. Dean showed up in a foul mood and left within minutes. I eventually went over and started trying boardslides on the long cement ledge. Pretty much the funnest thing there. After awhile John, Neil and Fuzz joined. We started trying them followed with a front 50 across the bank to C ledge. Fuzz kind of did it first coming off early then riding into the bank. Neil got in perfect several times, but never committed to landing it. John rips, but can’t do boardslides. Cracks me up. He got the 50 perfect though. So sick.

John and Fuzz left. I tried to ollie the cement ledge into the bank for a long time and eventually got it. Baby steps. It was really bad. Neil came close to tailsliding it, but couldn’t commit to it. Around now another old dude showed up. Eric from Greeley. I haven’t seen him in years. We kind of rolled around for a bit before settling into a nice old guy session on the mellow blue round bank. This ruled. Eric threw down some rad boneless and no comply variations that I don’t think have names. I got no comply bigspin, bigger spin some, no comply front shove fakie and some weird mutant no comply front shove body varial before we jumped into more modern times. Eric was getting close to heelflip sex change, bigflip. I think he got the heelflip sex change. I managed a very pivoted bigflip and started hucking 3 flips to fakie. That trick is about as rare as they come for me and I think I’ve probably only done 3 or 4 in my life. It took a bit, but I put one down bolts at a full 360 that may have been one of the best feeling tricks I’ve done in awhile. Riding high after that I put down fakie treflip (2nd try) and halfcab flips first tries. So hyped! Last was a trick I’ve never done on a bank before. Some weird no comply bigspin with a stalefish grab that Rob has on lock. It wasn’t great, but it gave me some ideas. After some sitting around and resting for a bit I joined Eric in the little bowl. He killed that thing. I didn’t. I did manage some back 50s in places other than the lowest spots and a few front disasters on the lowest spot. I left after awhile of that totally exhausted. My Fallen shoes were hurting my feet so bad on run outs. I’ve had them over a month and I still get blisters on the top of my toes. Ugh. Good thing they are pretty much toast.

Since it takes me pretty much forever to warm up these days I started skating the curb across the street a bit while I was waiting for Carleigh to arrive. I did a few basic stalls and slappy tails and stuff and started to feel warmed up enough to try kick back tails by the time she arrived. I was also trying front 5-0 to switch crooks kind of. Probably the closest I’ve ever come.

Broomfield was not as crowded as we thought when we arrived as it was just Josh Murphy there along with some scooter kids and mongo pushers. Murphy can get down on rails and he was trying to dial in back overcrooks down the double set. I started doing little kickflips on the bump next to the bowl and some basics on the ledges. Around now everyone started showing up for a pretty heated session. Josh Steele showed up on an old Jeff Kendall board that he was “just gonna cruise around on”. By that he means front 5-0s down the double set first try. Chadman was mellow, but still popping nollie front heels up the black ledge. Carleigh was skating the pool and doing lines from pole jam then kickflip the six. Davis was doing every trick down the double set. John was trying to learn front 5-0s until I slammed on one. Sean killed a back nosegrind 180 out down/up the smile ledge. Max front blunted the double set. Man I don’t even know anymmore. I got a front 5-0 shove out on the black ledge and a first ever noseslide 270 shove out. Hyped on that. At the end I was being dumb and tried to go real slow and feel out a front crooks on the black ledge. Bad idea as I slid out and slammed to my shoulder something fierce. My worst slam in awhile, but luckily nothing serious other than a stiff neck/shoulder. It’s dumb because I had told myself if I were to try that trick to go fast and commit 100%. I didn’t and I paid for it.

After that we went to the Think premiere at Crisis which was a blast. Then we stayed up super late drinking beers and talking about how awesome dolphin flips are.

Got home from work and had to do the Null 2011 taxes so Liz would finish up our taxes. That took awhile and halfway through I got a frantic call from 303 wanting more boards ASAP. I wasn’t really planning on skating, but a trip to Denver to sell boards and skate sounded fun. A quick call to Carleigh who is pretty much always down to skate anything and we were off. We met Chad at 303 then headed to the 12th Ave hill to start out. I blew it by not being at the starting line when the light when off and had to sit at the light like an idiot. Cool. I hate how timid I am at the start of sessions these days wondering if my knee is gonna act up. We got kicked out of the art center area before we even snapped our tails. Across the way to the library where we lasted a bit. I was just pushing along as was Carleigh and Chad is nosebonking benches. We did some slappy grinds, wallrides on the beams, etc. Then cruised around looking at some stuff before ending up at the grated manny pad where we lasted awhile. Carleigh was doing wallrides on a 90 sculpture as well as ollieing into/out of the grate. Chad and I were trying lines starting across the street. He would start with switch back 180 up the curb all steezy and then do some crazy good stuff after that I couldn’t really see. I got a line of front 180 up the curb, f/s halfcab flip on flat, ollie in ollie out then a kickflip on flat. I wanted to b/s flip into the street, but traffic prevented that. I got close to another line of front shove up the curb (which took me awhile), ollie in, front 180 out, but slammed and we got the boot. Around the corner we found a crazy banked red curb that Chad front tailed for about 10 feet. I couldn’t slide it even one foot. My arthritis was messing with me. It makes everything harder and makes me feel less coordinated than I already am. Carleigh might have done a couple little back tails on it. We ended up at ‘the only spot in denver‘ yet again. Some old man was there telling us he saw 20 skaters there the day before and “none of them could land shit.” Ha. I told him he was gonna be even more disappointed if he watched us. Chad did manage to kickflip a white pillar in front of him, but he still thinks we should magically be grinding the benches that are skate stopped. Funny stuff. I almost got my manual, powerslide, boardslide line in a couple tries. Carleigh upgraded her best tailslide at the spot. I wanted to ollie one of the white posts and started on the mission. Chad was trying to hype me up with a b/s flip (seriously though if Chad of all people can b/s flip it surely I could ollie it right? ha no) and it took him awhile. It’s ok because I could not commit to the ollie to save my life. So awkward. Chad got a perfect b/s flip and I didn’t get his back. He then rattled off switch heel (first try), nollie half cab (first try) and heelflip before I finally put down the worst ollie ever that somehow cleared the post and didn’t break the tail off in the landing. Whew. I was so sore. I haven’t jumped that much in months. Glad I got it though. Thanks for waiting Carleigh and Chad.

After a fun day of hanging with the family, a couple naps and some cleaning I went out for a quick solo session around the golden hour. I pushed around the parking lot a few times for warmup (once switch), did a couple ollies up curbs. I’m still so hesitant to ollie initially in fear of knee pain. But the knee brace seems to be working so far. I was sucking really bad for awhile. Really really bad. It was depressing. But after awhile I started at least trying harder tricks. Sometimes that’s all I need. I had a line going I was trying. Back crooks the little part of the ledge, front smith stall kickflip out on the curb then tailslide. The crooks started out really bad, but after awhile I was doing them pretty good for me. I never got the smith kickflip out, but I did land on it a few times. I never got a tailslide on the ledge either. I did get one front noseslide to fakie which felt good even though I didn’t slide it much and pivoted the landing like champ. I posed some front smith grinds, landed on nollie varial flip and got a really bad treflip with all hands on the ground. My arthritis didn’t feel very good and flip tricks still hurt. Ugh. It seems to help if I dress warm and sweat it out. Kickflips feel different. It might be because the knee brace sets my kneecap a certain way. Kind of feels like I’m relearning them and mobbing them a little. Great. The only good that can come from that is if I somehow lose the annoying reverse superman I do when I kickflip. Oh well, I skated hard, tried some stuff I don’t normally do and that feels okay.

I love waking up early on Saturdays. I got some Four/Null things done. Played football with Ollie. Sanded the cupboards. Then met up with Carleigh in Crisis (or did I mean Carleigh and the Crisis team) at the same downhill ledge spot we keep meeting up at. Fine with me, I love that spot. I might have even said “Oh wait, there are other spots in Denver?”. Ha. That place is such a great spot to warm up. I did a few runs just riding down the stairs then into the street for some powerslides. I also slammed pretty good trying back 180 off the curb into the street. Carleigh worked on perfecting front tails and I tried a few slow boardslide pop outs. I got a couple ugly ones so I started trying out that dream line of mine again. Got the manual a few times, figured out the powerslide and setup for the boardslide, but never put the whole line together. Stoked to get close though. Blaine was skating too. Conor almost got a sick line. Then we went across the street where Jack did some silly stuff before skating a few blocks so Jack could do some serious stuff. One the way back Carleigh got buck, did here 4 long flat 4 ollies and did some wallrides over a security guard.

Next up was Stapleton so Jack once again could execute technical trickery on his skateboard. Which he did to perfection. Carleigh boardslid it like it was nothing then struggled with noseslides before slamming super hard. I skated too (if you can call it that). I was barely able to boardslide off the two height. I tried a line of switch front 180 down one block then boardslide off the two. It took forever. The only thing I was hyped on was ollieing up all three blocks (one at a time duh) mainly because I haven’t ollied up stuff in awhile. Oh I did pose a few kickflip 50s which I”m pretty sure I could do if my hair was feathered just right. Fun day. Feels good to street skate even if I’ve lost most of my confidence. We checked out an amazing looking bank to curb after that then ate some good pizza and then went to a fun party at the No Love warehouse.