Skatecation Pt. 3: Oxford, MS

While Kanis was my favorite place to skate, the day I skated Oxford MS with Wrex Cook, Kim Cook, Mike Lasiter, Lindsey Rowland, Chris Johnson and Coltraine "Destroya" was my favorite day.

Screw the Oxford Skatepark: Ditches

I love this ditch: Thanks Wrex and Kim!

 And hills were where it was at.

Getting some use out of my slide gloves

What an amazing weekend spent with great people hitting some of the areas best spots.  It felt good to get out of Tobey Park in Memphis for a while, and hit some other spots.  In fact, I kept thinking of Al Town and how much I missed it as I skated other places this weekend.

Last (but by far the silliest) thing I'll leave you with from skatecation was the idea someone had for Wrex and I to catamaran down one of the hills.  As we turned into the first corner and realized just how fast we were going, Wrex asked, "What do you want to do now?" and my only reply was, "Bail!"

"What should we do?" is never a good question at 30 mph

So, we bailed and I got a lovely road rash souvenir from Oxford, MS. What a great weekend.

Skatecation Pt 2: Kanis

I hadn't been to skate Kanis Park in Little Rock, Arkansas for several years.  In fact, I hadn't ever skated any of the d.i.y. elements the guys in Little Rock have been building.  Well, I am both impressed and stoked.  Kanis was my favorite spot of the trip (although Oxford wins for most fun all around day, but that is another post altogether).

Lucha mask transfer on a Rufus deck

Don't forget the luchaskate shirts are on sale to benefit the Kanis D.I.Y. project.

And:  If you're in Little Rock stop by Dedicated Art Space to check out the paintings.  Proceeds from the paintings on auction there go to buy more concrete for Kanis.

Skatecation Pt 1: Priorities

Wednesday: Bowl and beer session. Fun times.

Thursday: Mini ramp session.

Front rock mini ramp session photo by L.R.

Friday:  Well, Friday didn't go as planned.  Friday morning was supposed to be the push ride for Greenskate.org, but I didn't make it.

Here is why:

I'm a dad.  I'm a weekend and one night a week dad (my son doesn't live with me full time), but I'm a dad.  My four year old son got sick in the middle of the night Thursday night, and he stayed home with daddy Friday so he could start feeling better.  So...no push ride on Friday.  And, yeah, I'm sorry I missed the ride, but I'm so thankful for the day I spent taking care of my son.  That is why this blog post is called priorities.  Skateboarding, blogging, my art, and writing are all things that I love, but they are things that merely fill my time as I wait to spend time with my son.

Luchashirts

Lindsey (see "My Favorite Photographer" blog post) has worked up a luchador t-shirt.  I loved it and immediately wanted one (I have two now).  I thought about it, talked to her (well sent her some texts) and she has agreed to print more so I will be selling these for 15 bucks local 20 bucks shipped.  Profits (we're guessing 5 bucks per shirt) will go to the Kanis D.I.Y. project.

Why Kanis?

Four reasons:

1.  It was the first park I ever skated (back when it was just the bowl).
2.  The original painting of this was in the Kanis art auction.
3.  I'm skating Kanis this week so it is on my mind.
4.  I'm from Arkansas!

More info up soon.

Greenskate Push Ride (+ Kanis Trip)

Greenskate.org is an organization/website that promotes skateboarding (longboarding in particular) as an alternative means of transportation.  There are over 40 different push ride type events this year for greenskate.  The idea is to get out and ride to celebrate.

Here in Memphis, the optimum place to celebrate alternative transportation is the greenline.  The 6.7 mile inner city paved trail is ideal for distance skating.  It is smooth, flat and it has limited cross streets.  It is also home to all of the Down South Longboarding push rides.  So, that is where the push will begin...the usual DSL starting point.  We'll ride, turn around and head back.  It won't be formal.  There is no route.  There is no organization.  You are on your own.  But...get out and ride to celebrate.

The next morning? Kanis-baby!  Little Rock! Rufus Skates Trip! So stoked!

This also includes stopping by the gallery our paintings is hanging in from the Kanis art show.  I'm very excited and anxious to see my work hanging in a gallery.  I haven't shown one of my paintings publicly since the high school art contest (I won two of three categories in it btw). The thing is, I quit painting.  For years.  I started painting and writing again after I got divorced a few years ago. Now, I have a painting hanging somewhere and I'm working on recording a new spoken work cd.

And I'm skating Kanis.

Life is grand.

Spray paint on wood fence posts...really

Barney Life

old picture from my life in WA so this post won't seem so empty

I have at least one bruise on my body at all times.

At 38 years old I have to wear an ankle brace on each ankle every single time I ride.

I have duct taped my ankles up so I could skate.

I have stood up dates so I could have a skate session at the same old spot I always skate.

The thing is, I am not alone, and I am constantly reminded of that by some of the most genuine people I have ever met.  This morning I was greeted at the skate park by two local legends of the Memphis skate scene.  Two guys who, like me, have given a large chunk of their lives to skateboarding, and have asked nothing in return.  Their bodies have been beaten and bruised, but they continue through their 30's and 40's.  If they can walk, they can skate.

We are Barneys. We are Lifers. We are not alone.  Guys like Duane Peters, Wrex Cook, and Salba are still killing it all these years later.

40 is the new 20.

We're just getting started.

Mission Accomplished!

Alright, I've been talking about doing a marathon push ride on April 20th for a few weeks now, and I've been training for it by doing a long ride every Monday since completing the half marathon. Well, I turned on the gps and opened the endomondo app this morning still unsure how far I would ride. To be honest, I felt like crap. I hurt my knee (not skating related) on Saturday and the swelling had just disappeared from my leg the night before. I wasn't sure if I'd skate for 5 miles or 15 miles today. I just knew it was Monday and on Monday I skate for distance.

So, I started skating. Still felt like crap. I turned around at the 6.5 mile mark (which is a particular bench at Shelby Farms) and started back to Highland Street (where I start). I got back to Highland and started off again. Still felt, yep, like crap at 13 miles, but something clicked at mile 14. I suddenly felt great. At that point I decided to make today my marathon ride.

26.2 would be mine. I felt great until mile 24 when I was ready for it to be over. I didn't bring any water and was getting so thirsty, and I was definitely getting tired. I hadn't even eaten breakfast. Like I said, I had felt like crap. It took me a little longer than I had hoped but it is done! This time would put me just in the top 90 marathon times on paved wave (were it an official course, of course). Yes, this means the 26.2 is off for the 20th. Now, I think it will just be a little push ride on the greenline with friends to celebrate Earth Day.

Long Short debate, set-ups & Hitting 20.

Things are changing.

I'm not just riding longboards anymore.

I stepped on a short board (a fickle board), and gave it a shot.  Here is the weird thing.  I've dropped in on other short boards and it always has felt so awkward like my feet are way too close together.  For some reason, this time it didn't seem too bad.

I thought maybe it was just this Fickle deck.  They make some seriously good boards in their Cincinnati, Ohio workspace.  Seriously good wood.

But, that wasn't it.  I picked up a Rufus deck shaped by my bro Chris from rufusskates.com and gave it a shot.  His boards have a nice old school shape with a solid concave, a 15 inch wheelbase and very square tail.  Paige in Little Rock presses the wood so you know it is good quality maple.  Okay, it feels a little weird.  It is so quick and responsive and my feet are way too close together.  BUT! I liked it.  It has been years since I stepped on a board that was under a 16 inch wheelbase.  I've taken the "longboarding" off of the top of this website.  Let's get rid of labels.  Longboard or shortboard who cares.  Let's skate.

That said, NO WAY am I switching to a shortboard for the 26.2.  Longboard is the only call for that ride.  On Monday, I did my longest ride to date, and crossed the 20 mile marker.   Unfortunately, I decided to try out a trail I've never ridden before and it really slowed me down as I hit gravel and got behind some old folks with canes...finally, I just turned around.  In fact, I feel like Shelby Farms is slowing me down as a whole.  Once you get to the visitor's center and Patriot Lake there are too many stops and too many people to navigate around so I will probably cut Patriot Lake out of my daily ride.  I do enjoy the section leading to the visitor's center so I'll keep that.

20 miles in 1 hour 45 minutes.

I think the biggest improvement in my skating for distance has been changing from Paris 180 trucks (sorry Paris) to Indy 139 trucks with hard bushings.  The 139s are still stable (with bones hard hardcore bushings) and the super wide Phat Deanz wheels that I'm riding.

I first tried the set up with a straight up 1/4 inch riser, but today I tried out wedges.  I may try de-wedging the back truck...not sure.  I'd love to hear some input on that.  I'm not pumping much, but I did do a little pumping today (may 2% of the ride).