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Veterans Skate Park January Sessions
Saturday 1/5 and Sunday 1/6
An unseasonably warm weekend (highs in the low 70's!) brought out lots of skaters. In fact, this weekend probably had more skaters out there than any other regular day at the skate park (over 30 each day)! Saturday was a bit overcast, but we had a great bowl session going. The highlight of the day was young local Jason finally dropping in. Jason has been struggling with nerves for at least the past 3-4 months. He could get in the bowl, start from pushing off in the shallow, and ride all around just fine...even doing backside grinds in the shallow! But dropping in just overwhelmed him with fear (hey, we've all been there). He would even endure our ridicule and badgering over dropping in! This particular Saturday, however, that all came to an end. With the support and coaching from Mark Eddings, John Waight, Tim Spinosi and others, something finally clicked for Jason. He tried the first time and slowly slid out. I think he realized then that it was not going to be near as hard as he had built it up. He tried a second time and came close, but slid out again from leaning back. As he predicted when he said "3rd time's a charm!", he got right back up, and on his third try, he dropped in and rode off without a problem. Of course all us old guys wouldn't let him celebrate so soon! haha We told him he had to get right back up and do it again to prove it wasn't a fluke. He did and it wasn't. A new bowl skater was born! From then on, he was grinning the rest of the day and dropping in over and over....a new world had opened before him! Sunday was another fun and busy day at the skate park. Of course, Jason was back out there and riding nothing but the bowl. He was dropping in over and over and even teaching some other kids how to do it! Also, Jason learned backside grinds on the deep end! I guess dropping in had motivated him a little bit. haha Keaten Earnst was out at the park for a little while. He was filming a few tricks for a video for Steadham (since Keaten is on their flow team now). Of the older guys, we had another good turn out. Tim and I were back for more from yesterday. Butch White showed up and was back to doing his backside airs at coping before session's end. Barry showed up near dark but managed to pull a few 50-50's and backside airs before the session was over....not bad for not skating the bowl in months! I had the "feeling" that I was going to land backside airs out finally. I kept coming soooo close! Butch, Barry and Tim's skating had really got me stoked. I was coming closer than ever. Over and over, I tried and tried, but it just didn't happen. Another night perhaps. As I told Butch, I wasn't gonna let that bum me....I was happy just to be skating!
Little local John Paul poppin ollie grabs over the hip
Little local John Paul poppin ollie grabs over the hip
Scotty riding some weird contraption in the bowl
Scotty riding some weird contraption in the bowl
Steven kickflips over the barrier
Steven kickflips over the barrier
You can't bone out a melon much more than this...Cameron tweaked
You can't bone out a melon much more than this...Cameron tweaked
Scotty heel flips the barrier
Scotty heel flips the barrier
Cameron pops a late shove-it over the barrier
Cameron pops a late shove-it over the barrier
Jason's first drop-in (3.89Mb WMV video file)
Jason's first drop-in (3.89Mb WMV video file)
Jason dropping in again
Jason dropping in again
Jason backside grinds in the shallow
Jason backside grinds in the shallow
A beautiful night at the skate park
A beautiful night at the skate park
Jason learns to backside grind in the deep
Jason learns to backside grind in the deep
Another backside grind by Jason
Another backside grind by Jason
Keaten smithing the whole C-Ledge
Keaten smithing the whole C-Ledge
Sunday 1/13
Kind of a chilly Sunday to be out skating, but better than sitting home. It was sunny but not very warm. However, the park was fairly crowded yet again. I got out there around 1:30pm, and found out we had some visitors to the bowl. Two guys from Cused Earth skateboards out of Texas were in town. They were working on the Apple store at the Summit and came out for some pre-work skating. Tim Spinosi showed up shortly after me, and he and I played host to our visitors. After talking to them both, turns out we actually had some friends in common, and I had skated a lot of their spots while I was in Texas working not long ago. Small world, eh? haha Well, the day was very laid back as far as the skating. I was really sore from yesterday's all day skating road trip....in fact, my calf kept cramping up while skating! The local rippers were having fun though. Steven and Scotty were pushing each other's street tricks. Scotty learned frontside 50-50s on the big hubba and had them wired, so I guess the 8-rail is next for him. Steven was trying feebles down the 8-rail and took a hard slam right on his knee. Our newest bowl rider, Jason, was having a good day. He was doing some more backside grinds in the deep, but most importantly, he started learning frontside carves and kickturns today. He's progressing pretty well. Betweem the weather growing colder and my aches and pains, I was spent. Around 4, I packed up, said good-byes and headed home for some much needed rest.
Johnny from Cursed Earth
Johnny from Cursed Earth
Double Trucker
Double Trucker
Steven pops a huge ollie over the cone
Steven pops a huge ollie over the cone
Scotty dials-in 50-50s on the big hubba...time to hit the rail!
Scotty dials-in 50-50s on the big hubba...time to hit the rail!
Johnny lends a hand to his grind
Johnny lends a hand to his grind
Little ripper poppin into a krook
Little ripper poppin into a krook
Solomon frontside rock-n-rollin
Solomon frontside rock-n-rollin
Jason backside grinding in the deep
Jason backside grinding in the deep