Distance Update

We've had record breaking temperatures in Tennessee for a while.  Yesterday was 109 degrees in Nashville.  It is simply too hot and too dangerous to go on 10+ mile rides in this weather.  So, I'm sticking with bowl riding and a little cruise/dance rides until the temperatures drop a little bit.  I just wanted to let my distance skate readers know why there is no training happening now.

For now, the bowl is my home.

New board shaped

I got a fresh delivery yesterday.  One 10.5" wide uncut blank skate deck (with 15.5" wheelbase).  In just 30 minutes I had the deck traced and cut.  Later last night, I sat down with some rough grit sandpaper and smoothed the edges, and painted the new deck.  Grip is on, trucks are loaded, and I'm ready to ride.

uncut blank is traced and ready to cut

finished board 10x33 with 15.5" wheelbase

Luchaskate The Magazine

Yep, this is happening.  The first issue will be out in late August.  It will be a bi-monthly (6 issues each year), and will be available to read online only (no print).  Let me say that I appreciate all the skate magazines out there.  I've been lucky enough to do a little something with Michael Brooke at Concrete Wave, and Juice is always fun to spend some time with.  However, I want to see something easily accessible to the masses that focuses on what I ride and like to see. To steal this quote from Wrex Cook, "Blue Collar Skate World."  Blue Collar Skate World will be the tag line for the magazine. Props, Wrex.

Submissions will be accepted until July 21st.  The primary focus of issue one will be d.i.y. That includes board making (think fickle, rufus, five points etc...), skate spots and more.

Here is a little FAQ on the mag:

1.  Bros and pros.  Rippers deserve credit, but so does the barney who is skating everyday for the pure love of skating.  That doesn't mean I won't accept an interview or piece on Alva, D.P., Hackett, Olsen or any other skater who has pushed the envelope of skateboarding.  That just means that the dude who has been working on 50/50 grinds in the shallow for 10 years gets credit for staying true to his passion too.

2.  I don't care if you wear pads.  Some of the big time mags shun pad wearing and park skating.  I don't care what you're wearing or where you're skating.  Ripping is ripping.

3.  There will be a "wrongboarding" section dedicated to longboarding.

4.  Handrails and stairsets are rad, but there are already magazines full of that.

5. It will be accessible to all ages.  What does this mean? Yeah, it means no t&a etc... That doesn't mean it won't have gnarly skating, and it won't be a 'clean cut' magazine.

6.  Will it have ads? Yes.  In fact, it will probably have some of the best advertising rates in skateboarding. Why?  Because I want to advertise the skater run/skater owned operations that are working with limited funding.  However, the ads won't be free.  I want to eventually have an online soft goods shop and the ads will help that become a reality.  You want to place an ad? Email blackcoffeedonuts@yahoo.com

7.  Why call it Luchaskate?  Because this blog gets hundreds of hits each week, and is established in both the skateboard and longboard communities.  It will remain my blog and will detail the making of the magazine, give hints of content, and continue to be my day to day outlet for my own skatelife.

Tunnel Rocks?

Yeah, they rock.  I don't think I've ever done a wheel review on this blog before, but there is a first for everything.

I've been riding Mini Cubic reissues for a while.  I've always known they're sluggish and slow.  They say they're 95a, but they ride more like a 90 and the lack of a hard core makes them slow.  I needed a new, wide, faster wheel, but getting new Bulldog Skates Dubcons is out of the question. They're not being made anymore and buying them off someone is like investing in gold.

I wasn't sold on the look of Tunnel Rock wheels in pictures.  They look similar to the BDS Dragon wheels which I've never been impressed with.  But, on the advice I'd found on facebook I went ahead and bought a set.

I just got back from my first session on the 95a Tunnel Rocks and let me tell ya, they do rock.  They're so much faster than the Mini Cubics.  I'd say, because of the updated core, they ride closer to 99 than 95 and are perfect in the skatepark.  In fact, they're so much faster than the Powell wheels that I was a little scared my first couple of runs.  However, after getting used to them, I realized just how much the old wheels were holding me back.  I was finding new lines in the snake run that I didn't know I could find.  I was hitting back to back airs with speed and confidence.  I was able to transfer the whole park without a care or worry.  I am impressed!

New wheels of choice.

Mini Shred

Here is a video of Doran, our local mini shredder having a blast at Tobey Skate Park.  The video was shot by Aaron Shafer (proud dad), and Doran's older brother Grant did the editing.  The family that skates together...

 

By the way, in my own skate family news:  I recently wrote an article about how skateboarding has influenced my life and the lessons that we learn from skateboarding.  I wrote it for my son, and it is currently published in Memphis Parent Magazine which is a free publication that can be picked up throughout the city (including the main branch library).  Pick up a copy if you're around.

Lucha Needs Contacts!

A few pics from this weekend.  Everything is fine when I'm skating a very familiar run, but without the specs new lines don't happen.