It's funny. I was never a bowl or ramp skater, strictly street. These days I'm just curbing. There is a tiny park near by that I skate on rare occasion, never really liked street parks. Too generic, or something. I always liked the diy aspect of street, so parks never did it for me.
But lately I have been really wanting to carve a bowl or ride a mini ramp. Do something I never did, since I'm not going to get back on hand rails or anything sick and just skating curbs is making me feel like just an old guy wishing I could do what I did 20 years ago. But the only park with a bowl is always jammed. Packed with kids, nobody appears to be over 18. The last thing I want to do is be the old guy in the way. I think that would kill the fun. Hell, I've been thinking of building a mini ramp on my property. I have the room, just not sure how the wife would feel about me dropping coin on something like that. I wish the park was open during school hours.
Yeah man. I take my kid to the skate park and it's like 20% skateboards, 20% bikes, 60% scooters. My kid now rides his scooter more then his board because of all his friends.
I also feel like the old guy getting in the way, but some of the kids really like my old school deck, and have respect. I just can't do much at the park anymore. Old, out of practice, and out of shape.
Pumping and carving a bowl is so much fun, but it takes timing and lots of practice...it's all leg muscle. The cool thing about pumping and carving is that no two bowls are alike so it's always a challenge.
I totally dig this thread, as we all can relate(except for Biebs). I was worried recently about getting too old, but this shit just tells that voice in me to "Shut the fuck up!"
I was at the skate park yesterday, in the humidity, and I was pushing myself trying a Gelfand style Ollie from a quarter off the side, onto a wedge style ramp butted up next to it. I was trying to leave the quarter higher and higher, closer to the coping and felt so cool when I landed a couple. Funny, I would not have had the cajones to try that as a 15 year old. Onto flat horizontal, yeah maybe. Onto incline, noope!
I learned how to carve bowls when I was rehabbing my blown up ACL / Dual meniscus tear. I had never skated a concrete bowl before I was 42. Anyone can learn. It is fun as hell.
My city does not have any parks with bowls, but we are getting a new, huge park this year with several bowls and a snake run. I have never skated bowls before but have been wanting too and I definitely intend on doing it as soon as it's built.
Dudes who have skated continuously for 30+ years are lame. Sittin' all high and mighty in their 7 ply towers like they're better than everyone else, actin' like they personally know Animal Chin. Just a bunch of middle aged skate elitists.
He should've taken two years off and returned when shaped decks were hitting the shelves. Skating flat pigs all the time would turn a lot of people off skating...unless they were kicknosed pigs!
Weren't shaped decks already pretty big in '84, though? I know Powell and some other brands still made pigs and didn't really catch on to better decks until 1985 but it seems most brands started making shapes after '83 judging by the Thrashers and deck years.
1985 would be a great year to get back into it, though. Coming back and now Gonz is a pro and Blockhead has the Streetstyle boards... The year of function! Not to mention Future Primitive.
its an old thread..but so am i so wtf
started skating around 1974 when urethane came out..i had previously bombed hills on my friends brothers 1960s clay wheel boards and had the scars to prove it...got a hangten w open bearings then upgraded to road riders when they came out in 75...smooth as butter...then got a bahne...all dead flat..bombing hills and doing carves and 360s was it. lost interest around 82..but i have pics of me still skating in venice and bombing santa monica down to the beach in86..street style and jump ramps lost me and i felt too old for the teens back in 87....a few months ago i sold one of my original santa cruz pro boards for 5 figures...bought 2 80s reissues and a popsicle....set them up and skate street park and bowls everyday...turns out it was easy and just waiting for me...no big airs..helmet on bowl and ramp...i was shy at first..everyone waz cool ..no idea how old i really am..i get and give respect and it is the best....go early and enjoy the space..i wonder why it took 30yrs and i feel 15 again.
Comments
But lately I have been really wanting to carve a bowl or ride a mini ramp. Do something I never did, since I'm not going to get back on hand rails or anything sick and just skating curbs is making me feel like just an old guy wishing I could do what I did 20 years ago. But the only park with a bowl is always jammed. Packed with kids, nobody appears to be over 18. The last thing I want to do is be the old guy in the way. I think that would kill the fun. Hell, I've been thinking of building a mini ramp on my property. I have the room, just not sure how the wife would feel about me dropping coin on something like that. I wish the park was open during school hours.
I also feel like the old guy getting in the way, but some of the kids really like my old school deck, and have respect. I just can't do much at the park anymore. Old, out of practice, and out of shape.
I was at the skate park yesterday, in the humidity, and I was pushing myself trying a Gelfand style Ollie from a quarter off the side, onto a wedge style ramp butted up next to it. I was trying to leave the quarter higher and higher, closer to the coping and felt so cool when I landed a couple. Funny, I would not have had the cajones to try that as a 15 year old. Onto flat horizontal, yeah maybe. Onto incline, noope!
Next mission...try and grind off it!
A lot of shit was dying off then Macca...parks closing, etc
Seriously, this dude missed out on great years like '85 through '89. That's sad.
1985 would be a great year to get back into it, though. Coming back and now Gonz is a pro and Blockhead has the Streetstyle boards... The year of function! Not to mention Future Primitive.
Cool video. What deck are you shredding?
started skating around 1974 when urethane came out..i had previously bombed hills on my friends brothers 1960s clay wheel boards and had the scars to prove it...got a hangten w open bearings then upgraded to road riders when they came out in 75...smooth as butter...then got a bahne...all dead flat..bombing hills and doing carves and 360s was it. lost interest around 82..but i have pics of me still skating in venice and bombing santa monica down to the beach in86..street style and jump ramps lost me and i felt too old for the teens back in 87....a few months ago i sold one of my original santa cruz pro boards for 5 figures...bought 2 80s reissues and a popsicle....set them up and skate street park and bowls everyday...turns out it was easy and just waiting for me...no big airs..helmet on bowl and ramp...i was shy at first..everyone waz cool ..no idea how old i really am..i get and give respect and it is the best....go early and enjoy the space..i wonder why it took 30yrs and i feel 15 again.