On a nice day off work Jake and I rolled to Denver, chilled at Emage and 303 a bit then we were off to Dayton park. There was only one other dude when we started. He sucked. Ha. I mean he was decent at skating, but he was just not pleasant to share a park with. Oh well. I had put smaller axles on in hopes of tricks feeling better. I also had new shoes, NB 379s. Basically a slimmer Foy like I just enjoyed. Except the cold weather apparently brought out my arthritis and I was in quite a bit of pain and the vulcs did not help that. Okay that’s a lot of words with nothing about actual skating yet so here we go. We all skated it different which I think is always neat to see. Jake had crooks, noseslides, 50s, fakie back tail, front tails on the ledges. Back blunts, front tails over the hip and his banger trick was blunt fakie. Cass had new shoes like me, except they looked more comfy (eS Swifts) but that didn’t stop him from ripping flatground with treflips, hardflips, backside flips. Front 5-0s, front tails on the ledge almost with 270 shove out. I had a couple lines on the ledges, halfcab noseslide then crooks, noseslide to fakie then switch front nose. I couldn’t get noseslide 270 shove or hardly 50 a ledge. Something about the 8.3 setup is off. I blamed the big wheels. I was happy to get backside 50 on the qp over the ledge first try and finish with a front 50 that went way past the ledge as my ender.

Then we ended up at a new city park with tons of new ledges and lots of families with kids running around. We did a few boardslides, ollied off a little drop then cruised to look at what else the park offered. To our surprise we found a skatepark! Ha, so random. We had heard about the park, but to find it randomly was funny. Cass had some great front tails, almost ollie up kickflip to fakie on the mj ledge. Jake lined out the rock gap, pivot fakies, front tails, crooks. I thought I was totally sucking, but had a couple things I liked. Fakie 50, some okay crooks, halfcab noseslides. Had fun ollieing the 3 stair, kickflip on flat, heel bruising landing over the little rock gap. Then a bunch of dudes showed up and we lost the motivation so we played a game of SKATE in the basketball court. Except I missed a kickflip, did double or nothing, missed that one too, then triple or nothing missed it too, focused my board and threw it. I seriously think I had landed 20 kickflips in a row throughout the day before that. At least my board was very cracked so it wasn’t as terrible of feeling as normal. I tried not to cry while I watched Jake and Cass battle. I think Cass ended up winning on treflip or hardflip. Mostly a fun day, I was not happy with my level of skating.

(setup 8.38 null plant life deck, jessup ultragrip, venture 5.6 custom hollow baseplate v-hollow axles, stock bushings, 54mm spitfire f4 99a radials red/yellow swirl, new balance numeric 379 grey size 11.5, thin 533 insoles)
(pain level 5/10)

After work the snow had dried up (yes I said “snow” and yes it was 90 the last time I skated and it was only 37 out). Jake and I met over on the side of the school with the good concrete and after a brief warm up went right into the first game. We started with a lot of 180s, shoves, no complies, etc. I was 0-3 on kickflips and Jake beat me to it. I barely held on to mine. He would get a fakie flip before me too and I double or nothing’d it and got two letters. I was bumming. The big wheels were feeling like big pop sponges. I would get a letter on halfcab flip too. But, I got a first try heelflip and you know what, Jake got a letter! Ha ha. This goes back to Sep 4 when he said I wouldn’t get another letter on him with heelflip. Ha ha. I forget what I went out on, maybe frontside flip. So we played another game with no repeats. We would take a while to land our tricks. I think I got him with switch shove revert, f/s halfcab flip, fakie bigflip and something else to SKAT. He had me on a few, I matched varial flip, but he got me with fakie 3 shove even though I was close and a couple other tricks. I had SKA, but since he was at SKAT the treflip battle was on. We went at it for a long time. I would get a few that were worthy of redo, but not of setting the trick. Even two in a row at one point. So on a personal level I was kind of happy. Jake would land on a bunch of them bolts, but just wasn’t positioned right to stay on. I ended up getting one and Jake didn’t get it. I had taken Cass’s advice of staying more centered rather than being behind it and it really helped. It made for some different bails for me though as I wasn’t used to it. I cracked my board real good on one attempt too. But man it was fun battling for treflips. I so much wish Jake would have landed one too, back to back would have ruled. Get those heelflips too Jake!

(setup 8.38 null plant life deck, jessup ultragrip, venture 5.8 92 custom hollow baseplate, stock bushings, 54mm spitfire f4 99a radials red/yellow swirl, new balance numeric 306 foy b/w size 12, thin 533 insoles)
(pain level 3/10)

A little after 9am on a smokey morning I met Rob, Kevin, Dave, Eric. Jake and Nick were there. A couple others too. It was cool. I thought I would feel good as I had a good morning work out, but pretty quickly into the session I got really upset at a failed front 50 on the cinder block shuffle. I threw my board and yelled. Then sat down and realized I need to accept how tired I am and roll with it. I was fine after that and avoided jumping up stuff. Luckily a kicker and launch ramp session ensued after awhile. But before that, Kevin rattled off a million ledge tricks. Eric got a first try heelflip back 50. Rob snapped over wally world, slappy crooks. Dave boardslide 270 full metal jacket, slappy feeble transfer. I got a wallie then front shove off Lil’ Wedgy. Kevin did switch wallie then switch back 180 off lil’ wedgy. I got his back with wallie then kickflip. I was hyped the kickflip took under 5 tries. Kevin went on to do so many more tricks. Switch flip, nollie flip, halfcab, nollie 180, nollie bigspin. Rob had a steezy bean plant or two. The tiny little mountain ramp served up some fun too and was put in front of Wally World. I got an early grab over it. Kevin halfcab, nollie 180. Dave did a crazy tail scrape and then an even crazier gap to 50 transfer. I posed treflips for awhile then came close to b/s flip off the wedge before giving up. I’m sure I missed a lot, I was kind of in my own zone of exhaustion. Then I met Nullers at Brromfield and didn’t even get my board out I was so tired. A bunch of good manuals went down right after my phone overheated. Then we went to the brick hubba. Bo, Jack and Hayden did neat stuff. Then to Central Park in Stapleton. I took forever to get a cruddy noseslide on the dry concrete ledge thinking of the many awesome ones that Jason did. Sean ollied the bench. Then we ended up at the gap to wood bench spot and Hayden slayed it. After that I drove home so incredibly exhausted. I’m not sure why I was that tired. Oh well, it happens. Goodbye 90 degree weather and hello snow.

(setup 8.38 null plant life deck, jessup ultragrip, venture 5.8 92 custom hollow baseplate, stock bushings, 54mm spitfire f4 99a radials red/yellow swirl, new balance numeric 306 foy b/w size 12, thin 533 insoles)
(pain level 4/10)

Trying to avoid the heat I rolled up to Breck with Saul. The park wasn’t too crowded. Warming up was a battle though. I putzed around for a bit, Saul hit the bowl right away. I met up with him after a bit and had some fun lines trying to do 50s with a bit of speed. Saul was slashing the pool coping. After a bit Cass showed. I was bailing a 50 on the granite ledge when Ed showed and was right behind me and yelled “Oh come on you pussy!” Made me laugh so hard. I had gotten a couple super slow crooks and front 50s on it. The height at the end scares me and hurts to land. I really hate the setup for it having to go up the kicker. Oh well. Cass 50’d it good to start. I landed kickflip then fakie flip and thought flatground might be good, but quickly didn’t land anything else. Cass had some nice treflips. He had a really good one on the flyout then we filmed each other for a bit. He got the hardflip in like 5 tries. I got the terrible 3 flip in like 20 tries. Ed and Saul were mostly in the bowl, but I did see Ed snap some clean ollies. I tried to egg Ed on to get a rock ‘n roll in the deep end, but understood when he didn’t want to. We all hit the tiny qp for a bit. Ed had some nice boardslides then back disaster. Cass front board fakie then some fakie trick. I had a boardslide then front disaster. But I spent most of my time trying front smith to front rock. It was a battle, but it was really fun to land one again. Cass had done the blunt to fakie then did it again first try. The annoying yelling in the background was some annoying skate coach dad yelling for their kid that finally landed a backside air in the big bowl.

After some good tacos/burritos we were at Frisco park. I was very sore. I did some of those CARs exercises though and it helped. I did some pumping around the bowl with Saul and Ed. It was more fun than I remember, but still pretty scary at times and full of beginners and scooter kids. I failed at front nosegrinds on the little section again. Front 50s on the curved ledge went alright, but I still felt weird. Cass tried the front noseslide a bunch. He would get it when the camera was out. Ha ha. Ed had some rad early grab airs and close to front smiths. Saul was cruising the tall corners like it was nothing. We did the little transfer pops a couple times. Pretty fun. I enjoyed some crooks on the curved ledge. That was about it I think. Then we celebrated with a couple brews on a gorgeous summer evening.

(setup 8.38 null plant life deck, jessup ultragrip, venture 5.8 92 custom hollow baseplate, stock bushings, 54mm spitfire f4 99a radials red/yellow swirl, new balance numeric 306 foy b/w size 12, thin 533 insoles)
(pain level 3/10)

On a hot morning I met Cass and Kevin at Commerce City park. It’s been a few years since I’ve been there. Wade would show a little later. After some flailing around we settled in on treflips for a warm up after Cass did a couple in a row. Kevin was second to get one after some kickflips too. They moved on to other tricks while I kept trying treflips. I would eventually get one that would maybe count as defense if I was 60. Cass also got bigflip, b/s flip, hardflip, heelflip. Kevin switch flilp, nollie bs flip, janoski flip. I added fs halfcab flip. That’s it. Ha ha. Wade showed around now. We mainly just hit the two ledges in a row when we kids on bikes or laying down on skateboards weren’t in the way. I took awhile to get comfortable on the ledges. I kept doing front 5-0s instead of 50s. It was funny. I would get a few alright lines for me though. Switch front nose then fakie nosegrind. front 5-0 then nollie front tail. Crooks then back 50. Front 50 and front 5-0 shoves then switch noseslide 270 shove. Close to crooks then kick back 50 or 5-0. Wade has good style. He was doing 50s super solid, front blunts, back tails. Cass had some 3 flips out of the wedges, fakie nosegrinds, front tails, front noses. Kevin nollie nosegrind, switch crooks, kick back tail, back 50 and crooks the longer ledge with the drop, switch front 5-0 and probably much more. Kevin was the last to get his line and by then it was 97 so we sat in the shade for a bit then I went to 303 and Emage. Fun earlyish skate.

(setup 8.38 null plant life deck, jessup ultragrip, venture 5.8 92 custom hollow baseplate, stock bushings, 54mm spitfire f4 99a radials red/yellow swirl, new balance numeric 306 foy b/w size 12, thin 533 insoles)
(pain level 3/10)

This last week was insane for video parts. I didn’t think anything would top Austyn, JP Souza ripped too, then I thought nothing could top Griffin Gass, Deedz was up there, everyone loves Louie, but I’m sorry, nothing can touch this PJ clip. He is on fire, skating as well as ever. As a long time PJ fan I think this is one of his best clips EVER. Dude is skating hard and having fun.

After work I chilled a minute then rolled across the street for an old guy friday curbs session. I was the first one there. I did a few warm ups, some fun slappies, 180s, etc. Rob and Dave showed at the same time. Jake drove there ha ha. Saul a little later then Dave L. Rad crew. I skated pretty good for me. I did a lot of lines starting with front shove or kickflip off the curb. First one was front shove, slappy front crook, kickflip off the curb cut to parking lot. I couldn’t do it up the cut, but off worked. I tried kickflip off, nollie front tail or slappy front feeble then b/s flip off the curb cut, but never got the b/s flip. I couldn’t get a f/s halfcab heel. I got a really bad/slow fakie bigspin off the curb. Near the end I hucked a front heel, it felt close so I hucked another and landed it! Not sure if I’ve ever done that trick before, but it felt great even though I had some good heel touch. I got kind of close to switch slappy front crooks. Rob ripped. Slappy crooks, back 50s, back 5-0s, back 180s, bean plants, close to no comply to manual. Saul had some nice slappies on the raw curbs, slappies over the death box, feeble on the downhill two sides section, front slappies, ripping. Dave L mostly skated the upper section and was trying to piece together switch front shove, fakie bigspin then nollie lip the two sided section. Dave F gives Creager a run for the money on slappy crooks, definitely takes the cake with switch crooks. A really good sex change, switch ollies up the curb, cab off and some switch back 180 5-0s!!!! Wow. Jake lined out a kickflilp out of the curb cut with f/s halfcab into a curb cut, slappy crooks then the kickflip. Also slappy blunt, front slappies, slappy crooks and told me he would never get another letter on a heelflip. Mark his words, Sept 4 2020 “I will not get another letter on heelflips” ha ha.

(setup 8.38 null plant life deck, jessup ultragrip, venture 5.8 92 custom hollow baseplate, stock bushings, 54mm spitfire f4 99a radials red/yellow swirl, new balance numeric 306 foy b/w size 12, thin 533 insoles)
(pain level 4/10)

On another warm day I went to dog park right after work. There were a few people when I got there, but not anything like the day before. And it cleared out actually to the point where it was just me and one other person skating. Crazy. But for awhile it was popping a bit. Eric showed up after I had been there a bit. I skated alright, not great, but nothing to get upset about. I had a few flippers early. Heelflip, halfcab flip, fakie bigflip, backside flip, couldn’t get treflip though. Once again I couldn’t really focus on anything in particular and was enjoying the less crowded park doing lines. Got kind of close to crooks on the metal butter ledge followed by nosegrind on the little metal lurb. Eric showed around then. He was on some front tails, 5-0s, heelflips quick. He committed to heelflip back 50 on the little guy and got on it, but wasn’t locked in. Still sick. We did crooks on the tall side of the black ledge. I would also get crooks to fakie on it which was my one improvement of the day. Eric left. The park was almost empty at that point so I couldn’t get myself to leave. I tried no comply flips on the parking block until I got one. Then did a little hucking. Kick back tails on the little guy. Almost got into a couple. Got a slow switch front nose shove in a few tries, switch noseslide 270 shove first try. Super close to switch flips. It was fun ending the session hucking trying to learn stuff.

(setup 8.38 null plant life deck, jessup ultragrip, venture 5.8 92 custom hollow baseplate, stock bushings, 54mm spitfire f4 99a radials red/yellow swirl, new balance numeric 306 foy b/w size 12, thin 533 insoles)
(pain level 4/10)

After an insanely busy day at work I went to an old spot with a new complete on a really hot day. I put some wax on the ledge, but it just melted. So I kind of avoided the melted area and did stalls. I should have rub bricked it. But stalls were fun and I noticed the bigger wheels helping me get up on it. I had done some axle stalls and went in on some more. Front tails felt cool and since it was a stall why not shove out. Kickflip axle stalls didn’t really work, but still felt cool. Flip tricks went okay, nothing special though.

(setup 8.38 null plant life deck, jessup ultragrip, venture 5.8 92 custom hollow baseplate, stock bushings, 54mm spitfire f4 99a radials red/yellow swirl, new balance numeric 306 foy b/w size 12, thin 533 insoles)
(pain level 4/10)

After work headed to dog park on a warm afternoon. Eric was there. There was a ton of people skating. Eric was ripping. Tall tailslides, close to nosegrinds. I was kind of enjoying the middle of the park somehow not getting a lot of use. Had some crooks then crooks to fakie which I don’t normally do. Got a good fakie nosegrind for me. Dave showed briefly, slammed, then left. I skated a while, but don’t remember a whole lot. I got a sketchy treflip, front 50 shove, f/s halfcab flip. It was kind of a whatever session, but I guess I have to deal with the crowds and youth if I want to skate there after work.

(setup 8.3 null curby deck, jessup ultragrip, venture 5.8 custom titanium, stock bushings, 52mm spitfire f4 99a tablets, new balance numeric 306 b/w size 12, thin NB 533v2 insoles)
(pain level 4/10 maybe vulcs with thin insoles isn’t the best idea)