Skate Diary 4

This was written about a week ago. I am even more awesome now. 😛 -David

It’s been several weeks since the last time I posted a skate diary, but I haven’t given up on skating yet. I’ve been going to parks at least once a week, and I did have to deal with some very rainy days. I’ve even attempted some street skating, but I’m not quite ready for that. Overall my abilities are improving, but I still have a long way to go.

The Lowell and Pelham skate parks have proven to be the best parks to ride. Nashua is fun, but it’s very cliquish.  People skate or bike in crews there, and while they may be friendly, it is difficult to feel like I fit in there. Not mention that the park’s layout doesn’t mesh with my style.

My board is on its last legs, so I went browsing at Eastern Boarder to see what a new complete would cost me. I had a fun chat with the clerk, but it was depressing at the same time. He recommended a bigger board since I am “a bigger dude,” a deck with deeper concave (which would result in better control, but less flip), and bigger wheels for speed. I used to ride 7.25” wide Black Label decks with 51 mm wheels, and he’s recommending an 8” local brand with 55 mm wheels. That’s like going from a motorcycle to a monster truck.

I do agree with the bigger wheels though. Speed has been my big weakness since I started skating again. My wife noticed I am faster than I was a few weeks ago, so that’s nice. Big wheels will be a huge improvement, although it will make the deck heavier. Grinding ledges could be a problem there too, and that’s something I’ve gotten a lot better at.

It sucks that I can’t kickflip for beans now, but my ollies have been getting impressively high. While most of my skills are nowhere near where they used to be, I don’t think I’ve ever pulled my knees as close to my chest as I do now. Ollieing up is turning out pretty sweet, but going down is another problem entirely.

At the building across from my office, there is a sweet stair set off of a loading dock that I’ve always wanted to hit after work. I counted the steps, and four didn’t seem so bad. I’ve thrown myself off bigger in the past. The set was clearly once a favorite of skaters because you could see where a rail had been removed. The stairs were still in place though, so I left my car on, pointed the headlights at the steps (yet poised for a getaway), and got in position. As I rode towards the stairs I panicked and jumped off. I clearly wasn’t ready for this yet. It’s back to the curb for me. Literally. I need to ollie some curbs before I’m ready for stairs.

I’ve recently found some other stair sets in the area, and they seem a lot milder. They are also in areas that seem more unsafe for skating. Rent-a-cop danger, not physical danger. I’ll let you know how it goes next time.

I’ve been listening to a lot of NPR lately, so I don’t have any song picks. But try the Descendants. Keep that in mind — if I don’t recommend a song you should just listen to the Descendants.