View this post on Instagram

A post shared by glen gillinghammer (@corpoglenny)

On a super nice night I met up with Rob and Kevin at Broomfield park. I was feeling slightly better and would able to do some ollies, but the knee pain did kick in and kind of ruin everything again for me. Kevin tried to skate switch the whole time and had some good slams in the warm up process. Rob got it going pretty quick. Halfcab boardslides, crooks, front 50s. There were a few other friends there too. Justin, Kyler, Chase. The park was not busy, it was pretty great. I didn’t do much of anything, but did try several noseslide back 270s out. Didn’t get close, but did have a couple that felt possible. Kevin got a full pull. Switch nosegrind 180, nollie back neil on the brick qp, nollie nosegrind, nollie tre out of the bank. Dang! Rob had some good flippers going. Justin was locking into 6′ long front crooks on the happy ledge. Rob had to take off. Kevin and I played on the quartapotty. He learned switch feebles, I didn’t. Then he learned switch front pivot while I learned front axle to rock fakie. I tried to do more, but the knee pain became way too much. I must say I really did enjoy the hard and responsive Bones wheels again.

(setup 8.38″ null lazer deck, venture ftc 5.8s, doh dohs bushings (blue 88a barrel boardside one, yellow 92a roadside), bones stf v2 51mm wheels, new balance numeric 379 b/w size 12, custom orthotic insoles)
(pain level 7/10 knees still bad)

Simon is one of the best skater’s I have ever seen. He hardly even filmed for this video. He’s one of those dudes that when he skates he charges super hard.

With my knee feeling slightly better I snuck out in between thunderstorms to huck a new trick. I knew I couldn’t really do ollies so I figured I’d just huck no comply flip body varial until I landed it. I went back to vulcanized shoes and put in the crazy stiff custom orthotics I have. They are terrible for board feel, but seemed to help reduce some pain. I started at a spot off Valmont. It didn’t seem perfect, but I landed the first no comply flip I tried so I figured it should work. 1 hour later I kinda landed it. I tried some more, but couldn’t get it. I drove around lazily looking for a perfect parking block and found one nearby. Got the first no comply flip on that one too and then landed with the body varial a few tries later. I was hyped! Then I did some spot lurking as the rain settled in again.

Later on before dinner I thought my legs might be up for skating more so I went in front of the house. I had no confidence even though my knee pain wasn’t as severe. I got through kickflip, fakie flip, b/s flip, halfcab flip before giving up on treflip and going inside. Oh yeah, I had put some old Bones STF v2s on since I was feeling the slow and sluggish Spitfires. Now there is a responsive wheel.

(setup 8.38″ null lazer deck, venture ftc 5.8s, doh dohs bushings (blue 88a barrel boardside one, yellow 92a roadside), bones stf v2 51mm wheels, new balance numeric 379 b/w size 12, custom insoles)
(pain level 5/10 knees still bad)

Skipped out of work on a nice Friday at lunch and met up with Aki, Rob, Dave and Dave L. Aki was already snapping over the parking block and doing kickflips. My knees were killing me and not even cupsoles with orthotics could help. I would try a few no comply flips, but never get one with the flip, some switch spracks, one halfcab flip, kinda close to some fakie tres and posed some switch tricks since they hurt less. Rob had gotten some lines going to kickflip over the parking block, halfcab flips, no comply shove over the parking block. Dave L had some cool manual bonks on the cinder blocks, steezy ollies, nollie over the parking block. Dave had a few no comply variations over the parking block, lots of shoves, varial flip, kickflips, maybe fakie varial flip? Aki did back 180 over the parking block to switch flip, he also had a nice treflip and nollie flip. I’m sure I’m missing a lot of tricks from people. When I’m in a lot of pain or sucking I kind of go into my shell and ignore everything.

(setup 8.38″ null lazer deck, venture ftc 5.8s, doh dohs bushings (blue 88a barrel boardside one, yellow 92a roadside), spitfire f4 classics 52mm green/yellow swirl wheels, adidas 3st.003 navy size 12, footprint gamechanger low profile insoles)
(pain level 8/10 mostly the right knee)

After a tough day at work I met up with Rob, Dave, Dave L and eventually Saul at Glenn Close. It was a super nice day. My first slappy attempt was a pretty violent fail. Wearing cupsoles and orthotics again is so tough, especially at the start of a session. Dave L was already doing long manuals and digging the new spot for him. Dave was trying to slappy crook the entire school. Rob was stacking back 50 variations quickly. Back 180 out, shove out, no comply out. My knee pain was still pretty severe, but finally showing some signs of letting up enough to let me skate. I still mostly avoided flip tricks though. I really didn’t do anything out of the ordinary. Oh, yeah, I had put an old 8.38 deck on. It felt alright. Dave L has super good slappies both ways and makes ollies up a curb look so easy. Rob did an amazing line. Back 180 into the curb cut, front shove out of the next kicker to street, front tailside then b/s flip. Definitely line of the day. He also had fakie nosegrinds and I tried to get one at the end of the session and kinda got one. Dave got a couple f/s halfcab flips, lots of kickflips, varial flip too I think? He is becoming a tech wizard. Saul can slappy so far. I think he did a full two sections. He also did layback slappy, hands on the hips, front slappies, front 50, alley oop slappy. OH yeah, I kind of got a slappy hurricane. Fun times. I hope my knee allows me to skate harder again soon.

(setup 8.38″ null lazer deck, venture ftc 5.8s, doh dohs bushings (blue 88a barrel boardside one, yellow 92a roadside), spitfire f4 classics 52mm green/yellow swirl wheels with 3 washers on the inside, adidas 3st.003 navy size 12, footprint gamechanger low profile insoles)
(pain level 7/10 mostly the right knee)

Feeling slightly better I reluctantly went over to the curbs wearing some cupsoles with orthotic insoles. I haven’t worn orthotic insoles in a long time. It felt incredibly weird at first, but ended up okay. I did some slappys, slappy crooks, slappy front crooks, front 50s, back 50. Tries a new nollie front tail front shove which seemed super hard. Then I went to skate flat for a bit in front of my house. I did the 3x thing that Sean started. I started with fakie flip. Then halfcab flip which took a bit. Tried a few f/s halfcab flips, but my right knee started hurting too much and I was totally over the huge board too.

(setup 8.75″ null event horizon deck, venture ftc 5.8s, doh dohs bushings (blue 88a barrel boardside one, yellow 92a roadside), spitfire f4 classics 52mm green/yellow swirl wheels with 3 washers on the inside, adidas 3st.003 navy size 12, footprint gamechanger low profile insoles)
(pain level 7/10 mostly the right knee)

This is one of those perfect parts. The skating, the music, filming, editing, even the Venture trucks and shirts. Ha ha. Seriously though, love this part a lot. Pavement Ist Rad.

Kevin, Damon, Dan, Joe, Eric, Matt, Ollie and I got to a very crowded Frisco park around 11:30. The park was very overwhelming at first. The moonscape bowl section was even more ridiculous than I had imagined. Saul and Ed were there too. They were mostly in the moonscape section, the rest of us mostly kept it to the street section. At least the street section is nice and open. It was even harder than normal to notice what other people were doing since it’s such a large park. Jack and Carleigh showed shortly after us. It felt like ollies might work for me, but after going 1/20 on front 50s on the main ledge I was ready to quit skateboarding. At least Joe and I had a fun doubles line with kickflip (me)/front shove (Joe) off the kicker and boardslide down the tiny rail. This was right after Jack had bailed a boardslide down it. It was kind of funny. Jack went on to back nosegrind it and maybe even back nosegrind shove it. Dan did a front 50 to manual to casper flip out. Wow! Joe did a lip to 50 to shove out. Eric was in the moonscape getting his pump on. Ollie was just kinda cruising the street section not trying much. He was hyped to hang with Ella. I think Carleigh was in the moonscape for awhile too. She may have done a noseslide shove on the ledge or try to manual the pier 7 ledge. Kevin was doing tricks up it. Then a few of us skated the A frame kicker for awhile. Jack kickflipped over the rail, then kickflip manual bonked the rail. So nuts. Ed had done some poppy ollies over it. Matt did a nollie lazer! I couldn’t even backside flip it. I was in so much pain at this point. Every ollie, every flipper, everything. I even tried the Westgates for a bit. Jack had nollie heel and impossible over it too. Kevin might have nollie flipped off it. I followed Saul through the moonscape a couple times. It’s weird, it’s just pumping and hoping you don’t collide with anyone. At the end I had a line of beanplant to tail over the hip, boardslide the flat bar and at least left on a somewhat good note.

After lunch we hit Breck. It was almost empty so that was cool. We played a game of SKATE to try and get warmed up. I was happy to get a first try heelflip. Kevin went on to win although he was given a good run by casperholic Dan. Then we messed around between flyouts and ledge tricks. I didn’t get the treflip out and I was 1/20 on front 50s on the granite ledge. It felt good to get one, but so depressing to not be able to do it every time. Joe had some nice front 50s to front board. Kevin did a bunch of tricks as did Matt. Matt had never done a nollie backside flip flyout, but he got one. Before Kevin even. Then I think I pretty much sat out the rest of it in pain. Ollie had done a few basic fakie shoves and manuals. Kevin showed off with a back smith on the crazy steep qp. Damon was actually tired, didn’t see him skate a whole lot. Then we went to the continental divide and hung out for a bit. It was cold up there, but pretty awesome to see. Still so much snow.

(setup 8.75″ null event horizon deck, venture ftc 5.8s, doh dohs bushings (blue 88a barrel boardside one, yellow 92a roadside), spitfire f4 classics 52mm green/yellow swirl wheels with 3 washers on the inside, new balance numeric 379 b/w size 12, nike zoom air insoles)
(pain level 9/10 in the knees)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by glen gillinghammer (@corpoglenny)

On a nice, but breezy morning we went to the 136 & Holly park in Thornton.  We all did our warm ups before a skateboard was set down.  The crew was Eric, Joe, Matt, Dan, Kevin and me.  Warming up was different for everyone except Kevin who was going in on hard tricks right away.  There were a few different sessions going on.  I joined Matt and Dan on the manual pad/wallride thing for a bit.  I got a lucky wallride to manual first try.  Matt did manuals to 180 both ways.  Dan did a 50 to wallride fakie to switch 50.  Then there was a few people doing lines to bump to bar.  I tried to follow Joe and Matt with ollie up the euro, trick on the qp, bump to boardslide.  Matt had done front board, front board fakie, maybe front board shove too.  Eric and I skated the qp for awhile and took forever to get a front d.  In fact Eric had done like 5 tricks he hasn’t done and he was on a busted knee.  Kevin did back d and pivot fakie on the extension.  I did a line of back scratch grind, kickflip on the bank. front d.  Matt and Joe had joined.  Kevin and I started trying lines with b/s flips over hips.  His line was nollie flip, pivot fakie, halfcab, b/s flip.  Mine was kickflip, back 50, b/s flip.  It took both of us awhile, but we got them.  Joe was in with us for a bit with front shove and nollie big.  Those dudes all did 50s to ride down the stairs.  Matt added a manual to it. The dudes were on the ledges for a bit.  I had started to get pretty sore.  

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by glen gillinghammer (@corpoglenny)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Null Skateboards (@null_skateboards)

After some lunch we ended up at the other Thornton park where it was even breezier. Jack and Carleigh were there and we were all treated with Jack back nosegrinding the ledge perfectly then following it up a shove out. My soreness had taken over and I can’t think of anything I did worth noting. Ugh. Eric was pretty beat up too. Kevin was of course ripping with front nosegrind across the top box. Joe and Matt were lining the flat bar and ledges. It’s hard to remember tricks. After awhile most congregated at the bowl as Dan was going for a backside heelflip. Oh yeah, Garrett had joined us and was on the knee recovery tip. He still looks great on a board, but definitely had some rust he was trying to shake off. Damon had joined us too and was lining ledges and flat bars. Anyway, Dan was hyping everyone getting so close the heelflip over and over. Eric was filming. Jack stepped in and handled some business. Killing it. Carleigh was back disastering easily. Dan got his trick and we bounced to NorthGLENn.

NorthGLENn was busy, but not too busy. I really tried to turn on something, but my knees weren’t having it. I did have a couple front 50s on the tiny noping qp that were fun at least. Lots of ripping was had here. Jack’s hardflip over the hip. Damon fakie back 50 halfcab out. Kevin back lip and back tail. Damon almost died trying a fast front 50 on the ledge. There was a dude there with 40mm wheels that was ripping so hard. Matt had a nice nollie shove front 50. Man I am not remembering much about this session. I did a lot of dorky runs. Garrett had a nice Peter Blunt on the noping, then pulled it in 270.

Lastly we went to Saul’s. I had a couple little runs then enjoyed the show and had a few drinks. Saul almost had some back 5-0s, but his quick carve grind lines are still the best. Joe landed a couple of his signature tricks. Matt turned it up and was rattling off tricks, slamming, ripping. Jack had some crazy grinds in. Carleigh had runs with back d and front d. Damon of course charged as hard as ever and did a sick fakie hurricane. Dan got one heck of a line too with a front pivot and staple gun. Eric couldn’t really skate much because of his knee. Heck of a day. I was exhausted. Then we went and watched Jack’s video which is amazing.

(setup 8.75″ null event horizon deck, venture ftc 5.8s, doh dohs bushings (blue 88a barrel boardside one, yellow 92a roadside), spitfire f4 classics 52mm green/yellow swirl wheels with 3 washers on the inside, new balance numeric 379 b/w size 12, nike zoom air insoles)
(pain level 8/10 in the knees)

The sun finally came out! And of course so did the wind. Argh. I met up with Rob, Aki and Dave at Blue Skies for an hour lunch break flatground session. I haven’t seen Aki in awhile so it was great to see him. Aki was doing kickflips quickly and got a treflip pretty quick. He had gotten there first and he’s only 30 something. Ha. Rob has his quick feet routine down. Fakie big, nollie shove, shove, front shove, kickflip and b/s flip this time I think? Rob and I had both gotten first try kickflips. I got a first try treflip too a little later on. Halfcab flips were okay. My board feeling huge. Dave arrived and did a lot of nollie 180s, halfcabs, fakie shoves to get going. The wind and the sun made it all feel like it went so quick. Aki had a bunch of heelflips and learned f/s halfcab flips and sex changes in a few tries. I got one at the end too. Dave had done a couple, varial flips, fakie sex change I think. Rob had gotten a couple halfcab flips and close to fakie bigflip. I couldn’t put down a heelflip. I had hucked a bit and it was fun. Then I had to head back for a meeting only to find out it had been moved. Then I was sent home early anyway.

After a long walk, dinner and a few drinks Liz and I were walking home only to see Saul and Dave skating the curb. Dave grabbed his phone and pointed it at me and said “30 second kickflip challenge!” Oh man. I quickly grabbed Sauls board, missed the first one, but got the second. Whew! Then I went home and grabbed my board to skate with them. I kept it pretty mellow with mostly slappies and almost no flippers. I saw Saul do the longest slappy yet. I think it was two full sections. Dave was getting tech doing lots of flippers and trying switch crook kickflip out. That would be so nuts. He had some really long slappy crooks too, back 5-0, back 180s out of the median the hard way, nollie front tail. Saul has frontside slappys now too. Also hands behind the back and layback slappys (or street plant or whatever you want to call it). He also did a couple front 50s where he ollied in. Even saw him get kinda close to kickflips. He had some nice slappies around the corner. That was really fun to see them and skate some more. Oh yeah, I had started some new b/w 379s.

(setup 8.75″ null event horizon deck, venture ftc 5.8s, doh dohs bushings (blue 88a barrel boardside one, yellow 92a roadside), spitfire f4 classics 52mm green/yellow swirl wheels with 3 washers on the inside, new balance numeric 379 brown and then b/w size 12, nike zoom air insoles)
(pain level 5/10 in the knees)