Right after a busy day of work I went to dog park. Bernie and JJ were there. It was super nice out save for some strong wind that didn’t last long and it wasn’t crowded. Warm up boardslides and slappies went well. Bernie had some nice 5-0s going. JJ was shredding lines. I tried a simple ollie over the pvc and ghost popped and fell. It bummed me out. After a bit I started trying fakie 50 b/s halfcab out on the slow and low. Bernie joined me and was trying fakie 5-0. He probably won, but I got a sketchy one. Then I tried front nosegrind. I was somewhat happy and having fun. Flatground tricks were kind of working in between tries. Halfcab flip, heelflip, b/s flip, but no treflip or f/s halfcab heel. Bernie did fakie 5-0 shove and was trying fakie flip out when Kevin showed. I tried to race Kevin by getting a nosegrind before he did a switch flip. Well, he won and I would never actually get the nosegrind. That’s when the depression started setting in. Kevin almost got nollie nosegrind shove. JJ was doing front board up the barrier to fakie into the launch ramp then halfcab manual back 180 the wedge. It was incredible. Then he joined the slow & low session and got a back 180 fakie 5-0. We all did our thing for awhile. I took a bit to overcome the fear of just a front 50 on the cinderblock ledge (more depression). Then Kevin, Bernie and I played a game of SKATE. I stupidly suggested we do it over the little parking block and was out in about 6 tricks. I should have gone in totally sideways and cheated a little. Then we played a regular game and other than heelflip it was a maddening game for me. I was out quickly, had gotten close to treflip on my one try, but could not get it after. My nollie flip try was close at least. But I left feeling absolutely terrible about my skating even though Kevin and Bernie were fun to skate with and it was super nice out.

(setup 8.25 null spanbauer deck, jessup ultragrip, venture 5.2 v-hollows, venom 91a bushings with roadside washer, 52mm bones stf 103a v1, 3 washers inside each axle, new balance numeric 440 white size 11.5, thin xero insoles)
(pain level 4/10)

On a super nice day I went out to Mike’s Camera area to meet Dave. I was on call for work so couldn’t go far. I was there first and cruised around the area to check it out. A Jeep was parked and took off when they saw me driving right over a median. It was weird. Ha. I tried to start with a warm up line starting in the narrow walkway, down the 2 then over to the ledge. I had slammed really hard on a nollie shove where I hit a rock. I had moved on to kickflip and then heelflip before getting to the ledge. So the line was heelflip, front 180 the two, turn around, boardslide pop out the ledge then I bailed a front heel. It was a fun feeling line. Dave had shown around then and was warming up with nollie/fakie/switch/regular shoves, nollie 180s, etc. He would go on to get a rad line. Kickflip, nollie back 180, switch ollie off the two stair, turn around, ride on grind, then front noseslide. I then tried another line for a while. Halfcab flip, front shove off the 2 stair, crooks the ledge. I got the line twice, the first time the front shove was great, but the crooks was the tiniest little jib. The second time the front shove was sketchy, but the crooks was good. I was happy to get several halfcab flips though, that trick used to be automatic for me. Then rather then just hitting the ledge I became obsessed with another line. 360 flip, kickflip off the 2 stair, noseslide or something the ledge. It took me awhile to get a 360 flip. The first one was bad and I missed the kickflip. Got the next one and landed on the kickflip, but stepped off. Then a security guy came and told us to leave. Doh, I really wanted to get that line. We had fun on the ledge though. We did a lot of ride on grinds and didn’t skate the tall part so much. Dave did ride on back 50 to nollie shove out followed by back 50 down the end. Ride on back 50 180 out then fakie nosegrind down the end. Switch slappy crook, slappy crook, crooks, front noseslide so many more I’m forgetting now. I had noseslide, noseslide fakie, halfcab noseslide, crooks, front 50 on the low part, switch ride on back 50 and I tried a bunch of switch ride on back 50 to fakie bigspin out. I got pretty close, had a couple fakie shoves that I pivoted to bigspin. But I hit my ankle a couple times and it really hurt.

Then we went to a nearby bank to curb. Well, we pulled the curb up. The rebar was still there and scary. It took me awhile to land anything. I never even got front rock or pivot and went in on hurricane. The clip above is basically in order of tricks we did. Dave did alleyoop pivot first try, then did it to disaster and even a revert out. I had sat for awhile and was super sore and thought I might not skate anymore. So I just started trying the rock to feeble and ended up getting some. That might be a new one. Dave’s nollie back neil was cool. The no comply to tail took me too long. It’s such a small bank so it made it hard. Dave had the front hurricane, but the asphalt was chipping away and he couldn’t get it. I tried kick back axle for a bit and Dave was filming it, but had to leave. He said ‘5 more tries’. About 20 tries later I landed it. Ha ha. It was a fun session. There was a weird tweaker dude that came in and asked for a pen. He disappeared behind some bushes for awhile then came out having drawn all over his face looking like a black eye. It was weird. He almost forgot ‘his bike’ when he left too. Some weird stuff going on back there.

(setup 8.25 null spanbauer deck, jessup ultragrip, venture 5.2 v-hollows, venom 91a bushings with roadside washer, 52mm bones stf 103a v1, 3 washers inside each axle, new balance numeric 440 white size 11.5, thin xero insoles)
(pain level 4/10)

Feeling not so motivated I met up with Kevin, Rob and Dave L at Avalon. I hadn’t been there before. There was a dance class in one end of the parking lot so we were kind of in one corner that didn’t offer a whole lot. After peeping some nearby spots that were almost amazing we played a couple game of SKATE. Well, Rob, Kevin and I. Kevin won the first one with nollie flip taking Dave and I out at the same time. I was happy that I committed and it felt pretty close. I don’t remember the other tricks. We played another game with no repeats. I was the first one out on a freakin’ halfcab flip. That’s my trick! Ha I took like 3 more tries to get one. Any more tries and I might have lost it. I didn’t land much in the game other than a first try fakie bigflip that felt really good. Dave matched a switch flip and got treflip. I think Kevin won that one with a Janoski flip. We messed around for awhile. Kevin tried front blunts on a brick on top of a curb. Dave did a couple amazing manuals to no comply 180 out. I tried kick back tail stalls for awhile and got into a few, but never landed one and it depressed me. Then we went over to the weird area that Dave wanted to skate. I bailed manuals down the pad, couldn’t ollie into the narrow path, bailed kickflips and could barely frontside ollie onto the bank. I was super bummed. Dave was ripping. He did the ollie in and the kickflip. Maybe not up to his standards, but he did them and they were sick. Kevin did manual, nose manual, switch manual and had no problem ollieing into the narrow pad. Kevin slammed super hard on the steep bank. We were done after that. I drove around lurking for more spots, but had nothing and ended up going home.

(setup 8.25 null spanbauer deck, jessup ultragrip, venture 5.2 v-hollows, 88a doh dohs big bushing ace little bushing with bones little washer, 52mm bones stf 103a v1, 3 washers inside each axle, new balance numeric 440 white size 11.5, no insoles)
(pain level 4/10)

Up a little later I got to dark park on a nice smokey morning a little after 8. There was a family of bikers there moving a wedge right in front of a ledge and I moved it and they got the hint and left. Ha. I had some urgency when I started. Had some fun fast pushing and boardslides. I would go on to skate pretty well for myself. I had thought of nollie back tail to fakie and shove out. I got it to fakie on the slow & low right away then was going for shove and my board shot up and nailed me in the neck. I’m glad it didn’t take out a tooth or two. Jake & Nick showed. I was kind of all over as usual. Struggled with flip tricks because I had removed the top washer to loosen up trucks a little. But overall it felt better. I had a good ollie over wallys world, another fakie 50 b/s halfcab out, tried fakie 50 back bigspin out but wasn’t close, came pretty close to a legit halfcab noseslide 270 out, several back 50s on low ledges, a bunch of kickflips over the little parking block, nowhere near front 5-0 back shove on a low one, front 50 shove the cinder block and some accidental 5-0s, almost close to committing to front nosegrind 180 on the standard fit black ledge. Cody had showed. I was struggling with treflips. I ended on a line of wallie, slappy front crook then a sketchy treflip. I left happy.

(setup 8.25 null spanbauer deck, jessup ultragrip, venture 5.2 v-hollows, 88a big bushing ace little bushing bones top washer, 52mm bones stf 103a v1, 3 washers inside each axle, new balance numeric 440 white size 11.5, no insoles)
(pain level 2/10)

Got a decent start and was at the dog park around 7:30 on a somewhat cool morning. The smoke made it seem cloudy, but it wasn’t. I had setup a new board. An 8.25 Jack board with 8″ high ventures. It actually felt great with the exception of the bushings I picked being too tight. Ollie had done some amazing artwork as you can see. Between the awesome artwork on the top and bottom of the board, my friend Jack’s name being on it, smaller trucks and wanting revenge for yesterday I skated much better. At least for the first hour or so. I had some decent lines. Nothing I hadn’t done before really, but lined out some things and didn’t struggled to 50 the cinder block ledges. One line was front 5-0 (accident) the cinder block boogie, kickflip to fakie on a little wedge, halfcab boardslide the curb lounge. Halfcab boardslide was one of the tricks I thought of for some reason which I hadn’t done before. Back 50 the low ledge, back 50 the lowest ledge over the corner, front 5-0 the end of Slow & Low, noseslide to fakie the two step then almost switch noseslide 270 shove the regular black ledge. I tried halfcab noseslide 270 and didn’t get close, got into halfcab crook but came out and rubbed my angle under the ledge, a switch crook jib, a front tail to fakie that was supposed to just be a tail stall but it slid so it counts ha ha. Hucked some flippers. Was happy to get a first try halfcab flip. Came close to switch b/s flip again. Couldn’t get treflip. Tried to get a kick back 50 on the low two step, but failed. Off to work.

(setup 8.25 null spanbauer deck, jessup ultragrip, venture 5.2 v-hollows, 88a big bushing ace little bushing top washer, 52mm bones stf 103a v1, 3 washers inside each axle, new balance numeric 440 white size 11.5, no insoles)
(pain level 3/10)

After a crumby night of sleep I went to dog park before work.  I had a new Team Sweat Stain shirt on and was determined to make a fun montage to show it off.  But I quickly gave up as when a warm up wallride on the jersey barrier took a few tries.  I struggled the rest of the session, but it wasn’t completely terrible.  I had a fun run of front 50 down the MJ ledge, slappy crook a parking block, back 50 the little pad, terrible rocket flip on flat, nollie back tail the weird black pad, almost front 50 shove out the new black ledge.  Got first try snaps over Wallys World.  But man I could not kickflip to save my life and it bummed me out.  I finished the session just hucking kick back tails on the weird pad and not getting very close.

(setup 8.38 null plant life deck, jessup ultragrip, venture 5.6 custom hollow baseplate v-hollow axles, stock bushings, 52mm bones stf 103a v1, new balance numeric 440 white size 11.5, no insoles)
(pain level 3/10)

On a warm morning I went to dog park feeling mentally and physically good for once.  I was in the early warm up stages when Max Garson walked up to say hi.  I was hyped.  We chatted for a bit then he told me to boardslide the flat bar on the new manny pad.  He didn’t think I’d get up there, but I got it 2nd try.  Then he tried to teach me switch heels.  There were a couple that were incredibly close.  I was hyped.  He took off.  I played around for a bit then focused on kick front boards / treflips for awhile.  I don’t know why I randomly thought of kick front boards on the way there, but I’m glad I did.  I got one terrible treflip as a setup trick.  The kick front board took probably 50 tries.  I was hyped.  Then I got bummed on my front 50s on the cinder block ledge again, got a fakie nosegrind, maybe some other stuff.

After work I went to the school kind of sore wanting to skate flatground.  PJ had brought the heat and inspiration (fakie inward heel switch crook) and I wanted to get some flippers.  I would get some.  Quite a few actually.  Kickflip, fakie flip, heelflip, halfcab flip, f/s halfcab flip, halfcab heel, f/s halfcab heel, varial flip, b/s flip, fakie bigflip.  A questionable first try treflip that I didn’t want to clean up.  Came close to nollie tre, switch b/s flip and back heel.  It was a good time.  Then I went inside and watched the Nuggets make history against the Clippers.  What a great day.

(setup 8.38 null plant life deck, jessup ultragrip, venture 5.6 custom hollow baseplate v-hollow axles, stock bushings, 52mm bones stf 103a v1, new balance numeric 440 white size 11.5, no insoles)
(pain level 3/10)

I work the late shift this week and since I woke up early I was at the dog park shortly after 7 with a couple hours to skate. I had the park to myself almost the entire time until the end when a young kid with a Null board worked on front 50s. I struggled to wake up and get it going. For the most part it was another strugglefest. But there were a few highlights. I snapped several ollies over the wallys world. One of which was easily one of my best flatground ollies. I managed a fakie 50 on the cinder block shuffle. Had a few over the corner back 50s on the low obstacles. Manualled the weird black low pad. But I really struggled at frontside 50s again, the narrower trucks really seem to mess with that. Flatground wasn’t good either. I barely got a halfcab flip and took like 10 tries to get a heelflip, couldn’t get a treflip. The 440s felt like big stiff boots this time.

(setup 8.38 null plant life deck, jessup ultragrip, venture 5.6 custom hollow baseplate v-hollow axles, stock bushings, 52mm bones stf 103a v1, new balance numeric 440 white size 11.5, no insoles)
(pain level 4/10)

Got to dog park around 9:30. Eric was there, Rob would arrive shortly. We did some warming up then mostly stuck to the newer curb high ledge. Aka the only thing I can back 50. Ha ha. I was hyped to get a back 50 shove out and a very pivoted back 50 front 180 out. Rob got a back 50 body varial out, first try back 180 fakie 50 to fakie. Eric back 50 back 180 out, manuals, close to heelflip back 50, fakie back tail. I did quite a few flippers and was stuck on getting a trick I’ve wanted to do forever – fakie front 50 halfcab out. I was close right away, but the weird angle iron messed me up. I also tried a bunch of front nosegrinds and never quite got one (had a few with the back wheels touching on the pop out). It took me about an hour to get the halfcab out. Dave F would show up shortly after that and do it within 10 minutes. He wouldn’t let me film it for our challenge though. He’ll do something harder. Dave L and Kevin showed shortly before I needed to leave. I had taken too long to get a front 50 on the cinder block ledges and gotten a fakie nosegrind somewhat quick. That’s about all I can remember. I had worn my 440s and liked them this time, they had good heeflips.

(setup 8.38 null plant life deck, jessup ultragrip, venture 5.6 custom hollow baseplate v-hollow axles, stock bushings, 52mm bones stf 103a v1, new balance numeric 440 white size 11.5, no insoles)
(pain level 4/10)

Kevin and I rolled to Loveland hitting LOCO and Sk8 Ratz on the way before first hitting the awkard vectors of Loveland High. Kevin hadn’t been there before. I was wearing cupsoles to help the pain, old PJ 533s. They felt good until later on. Loveland high was kind of whatever. We tried some stuff, but nothing really stuck. I got remotely close to a frontside cab over the hip, slappy crooks from the driveway onto the pad, beanplant into the bank and the lucky first try 5-0 on the round bar we found. Kevin had some fast ollies up the curb to noseslide the curb, switch back 180 the hip, a bunch of ollies and then tried that line for a while with the pop shove. He got robbed.

We went to the nearby skatepark next. Kevin destroyed the ledges. Him and my skating were night and day different. I kept doing 5-0s instead of 50s. I had some okay crooks, the terrible front 5-0 shove, kickflip over the hip and close to b/s flip over the hip. I was quite unhappy with my ledge skating. Another skater showed and asked to play SKATE. I said yes and another dude joined and we played a couple fun games of SKATE that Kevin won. I was out quick in the first game on Kevin’s round of switch/nollie flips. The second game I did pretty well and matched a few tricks like heelflip, varial flip, halfcab flip and was only at SK with everyone at SKAT. I should have ended with fakie bigflip, but instead I took two turns trying 360 flip (landed on both at least) and by then it was over. I was hyped to do a front 360 even though it turned out I was supposed to do it switch. Those games were fun. Then we headed to Sean’s.

(setup 8.38 null plant life deck, jessup ultragrip, venture 5.6 custom hollow baseplate v-hollow axles, stock bushings, 52mm bones stf 103a v1, new balance numeric 533v2 PJ grey size 13, thin xero insoles)
(pain level 5/10)