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| Soulriding (2099 Posts)
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Soulspeak |
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On 5/20/2004
North Carolina Longboarder
wrote in from
(63.167.nnn.nnn)
Thanks MissouriMatt! It is awesome. Rode last night from 11 pm to past 1 am. Its a relatively small town we live in outside of Charlotte and no one is out that time of night. It was quiet, the weather was perfect, and I had full use of every inch of the road, parking lots, sidewalks. It was all mine! In the time I rode I only saw three people, one being an extremely perplexed young police officer who was obviously confused by the fact that I was a big "old dude" (I'm a very fit 6' 210 lbs but not your typical skater).
Cruise on my brothers and sisters, Cruise ON!
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On 5/19/2004 scott
wrote in from
(24.195.nnn.nnn)
MissouriMatt,
I hear that, its nice to leave the wife/kids and hit smooth pavement at night when all is quiet, nice to see that feeling doesnt fade with age! I could buy a corvette and be sick of it in a week, but I still got my longboard quiver going strong! RIDE ON...
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On 5/19/2004 MissouriMatt
wrote in from
(128.206.nnn.nnn)
NC Longboard,
Just turned 40 in April and was glad to be on a board that day. Recovery from complete ACL and partial MCL tear aint easy for old skaters. I've still got a way to go to get all the way back to form.
I relate to having a limited peer group that knows the stoke of skating. Oh well. I skate on.
My story is like this: skating from age 20 to 23(parking garage and ditches mostly. Gave it up with a move to the Virgin Islands and several years of sailing and bodyboard/bodysurf. Back to Missouri for mountain bike in the late 20's, then picked up skating again due to a friend's longboard late one night in the rain at age 32. What keeps me going is speed and flow, weightless transitions at the park and the phuk it all pheeling of phreedom you get during a good skate. Adrenaline rush. Back to the flow. Even without adrenaline, the flow is magic. I dreamed MANY times as a kid about flying just above the ground and controlling my direction by moving my feet and leaning. I didn't make the connection between skating and those flying dreams in my early 20's, but realized it one day on the longboard, as I was on the same street of my dream, living it. Riding is in my soul. I skate to scratch the itch and feel the flow. Big soft wheels, torsion trucks and flat decks with lot's of wheel base leave me carving and sliding, bombing and flying.
It's a simple joy that I relate to. An escape from what becomes a busy and complicated life. My three kids love that I skate and all join in the fun when I keep it close to home or take them to the park. I laugh at all the skate ego that I see on this site. I couldn't subject my soul to a path of cones or measure my pleasure by how I compair to others (I do relate to the good vibe of hanging with other sk8rs - it often pulls me off the hills and to the park). Skating for me is like monogomous sex - not many people need to know how good it is for you. But it is good. I won't stop till my body won't let me go anymore. See you on the buttboard in the parking lot of the old folks home!
ride on
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On 5/18/2004
North Carolina Longboarder
wrote in from
(63.167.nnn.nnn)
(Cross Post from Longboarding Forum....dude, I am so much into soul skating that if skating were music I would be freakin signed with MOTOWN!)
On 5/17/2004 North Carolina Longboarder wrote in from 63.167.xxx.xxx:
I am a product of the 70's skating revolution with my influences all coming from the likes of Peralta, Alva, Dogtown, Tom Sims, Bruce and Brad Logan, etc. via the pages of Skateboarder Magazine. Growing up right outside of Charlotte, NC the skating scene was hot back then with parks in Charlotte (Concrete Connection & Polar Palace) and Myrtle Beach (Ocean Drive) and countless streets, parks, ditches, and killer hills. We skated every style, every type of skating, and every type of terrain we could find. Over the years I have continue to skate off and on but two years ago I purchased a longboard (38 inch) and it totally revitalized my interest in this awesome sport. Now at age 41 I am riding 3 times a week (usually very late at night after I have completed all of my "adult responsiblities), and have purchased a 46 inch Dregs and a 32 inch Powell. Longboarding, cruising and carving hills, ditches, banks, sidewalks, and even mountain roads (yes, we have run Highway 421 out of Boone going toward North Wilkesboro, a 4 lane wide, no median, 4.5 mile carver's dream at sunrise!) is now my entire skating focus. It so awesome to put together long runs through the city streets, parking lots, sidewalks, and ridable spaces. Many of my neighbors and "friends" think I am insane, too old, silly, etc. but the truth is I am just so freakin stoked everytime I ride it is an awesome feeling.
I would like to hear from other 40 year old and plus riders who are still out there doing their thing! What challenges have you run up against? What has kept you bombing hills, skating banks, riding ramps, freestyling, or whatever?
Let's hear it from the "old guys". I plan on doing it until I can't stand on a board any longer...then hell, I will take up street luge!
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On 5/14/2004 John Gilmour
wrote in from
(207.172.nnn.nnn)
feels great to post again after 1720 posts have gone by. I posted on the first page....once. see you in ....golly...1720 more posts!
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On 5/14/2004 John Gilmour
wrote in from
(207.172.nnn.nnn)
I was going to post this in the "sidewalksurfing forum" as I was riding on the sidewalk, surfer style, in the beginning of my ride- but I was listening to "Pure Funk" by Polygram so I suppose this belongs in Soulriding forum. Nothing made me happier than listening to "SuperFly" in the 1970's on my radio headphones while riding a 13 inch cut down hang ten board- made to look like a mini squashed Henry Hester fibreflex to school (skateboards were banned from my school- so I made a mini board to fit in my locker) I had to ride it like a fly with soul. The board was small so I had to ride it like a fly, and because of the skill required it just sounded great to listen to "Superfly" while riding so soulfully on my soulride- just wanted to share my "soulspeak".
Unfortunately this is a true story.
I had to try really hard to make a story for this forum- I was looking for a forum on riding full swimming pools on my skateboard, something I used to do in my pool pretending I was riding an empty pool between skatepark sessions- but I couldn't find a forum on it...yet.
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On 5/10/2004
luke
wrote in from
(165.123.nnn.nnn)
lifted my soul takin a day off from work last week. found a new location in philly near my house...so nice to have a clean stretch of pavement to work with...now theres just the small problem of wheelbite when i overturn, but landed on my shoulder and minimal body damage, was back on the board with a smile the whole way home...
soul goes higher as confidence in learnin to ride does the same, or is it the other way around? either way, can't wait for our move to the new house next month, plenty of clean suburban QUIET streets...
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On 4/21/2004 psYch0Lloyd
wrote in from
(216.80.nnn.nnn)
hmmmm... seems to me like Tyson was juicing the turns carving at speed, slappin' da curb w/the best of 'em. Goin' switch or mongo I dunno...
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On 4/21/2004 Sandragon
wrote in from
(161.149.nnn.nnn)
--->I’m curious Sandragon, how did you know I was gonna do nothing else today?
I'd like to claim prescience, but I'll tell the truth. I was just lucky.
What I'd like to ask Tyson's instructor is why he didn't loosen the skateboard's trucks so the dog could turn better. Seems to me that a set of Seismics with the light springs would help him a lot. There's poor Tyson, putting all his weight on the rail, and still making very long-radius turns.
--Larry
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On 4/20/2004 stelwheel Bob
wrote in from
(4.62.nnn.nnn)
Actually that clip is not that great compared to what was shown of this dogs abilities on TV last year. My guess is that this clip is an out take or was the proposal or demo footage.
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On 4/17/2004
SJ Ryan
wrote in from
(12.76.nnn.nnn)
Tyson is the MAN! That is probably the greatest video clip of all time! I want an autographed (err..pawprinted) picture
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On 4/17/2004 robc
wrote in from
(69.158.nnn.nnn)
I turned 40 this morning. I got up up at dawn and carved some perfect lines down four lanes of asphalt. Then I went home and made pancakes.
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On 4/16/2004 MissouriSara
wrote in from
(128.206.nnn.nnn)
It's MissouriSara, MissouriMatt's dog. I haven't posted in years. I’m 12 now, that’s… yea, you do the math, that’s dog old. Arthritis has kept me out of the skate scene. I used to pull MissouriMatt all the time. On and off-road. Or just chill jogging behind him as he carved a big hill. We had some fun. But I look at this Bulldog and I’ve gotta say, if you’re a dog reading this, go the way of the Bulldog. Get on the board. Don’t just pull it. I'd like to head down to KONA with Tyson and catch him on the "J", then head for the beach to eat strange stuff that washed ashore and get in some sniff and lick time as the sun sets. Hey, how about some baby asprin and peanut butter!
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On 4/16/2004 MissouriMatt
wrote in from
(128.206.nnn.nnn)
I’m curious Sandragon, how did you know I was gonna do nothing else today?
I blew off the dog clip first time around. Glad you posted. That dog does have a skaters soul and some decent skills. I'd like to see him with a little more incline. That dog is ready to shred.
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On 4/15/2004 Sandragon
wrote in from
(161.149.nnn.nnn)
About that skating bulldog: If you haven't taken a look at that video, (link is a couple of messages below) do so. If you do nothing else today, do this. I don't know how that dog learned, but he's riding and he's happy. He skates better than some people I've seen, and is having more fun.
--Larry
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On 4/15/2004 Sandragon
wrote in from
(161.149.nnn.nnn)
--->That first sound ta-tic-ta-tic-ta-tic of our steel wheel boards on concrete...
That's what got my attention. Sometime in 1961 or '62. Salina, Kansas. I kept hearing this odd noise from over on Iron Avenue, which has a long hill down from the posh houses of the "Hill" district down to the flood-control channel and the houses of the hoi polloi.
So, I ambled over there, all 10 years old or so, to see what made that noise every afternoon. Kids riding down the hills on, what? Boards with steel-wheel skates underneath. No carving, but it wasn't needed because the wheels and bearings were so bad that no speed could be gained.
Of course I built one. We had old skates around the house, and I found a 2X4. I also found some oil, and that made my board the fastest on the sidewalk. Until the front wheels fell off.
Equipment is a lot better now. I can skate for miles, push, push, roll, or spread my jacket and let the sea wind push me along.
--Larry
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On 4/15/2004
Kate
wrote in from
(128.138.nnn.nnn)
What's the best method of blowing off steam after a cranky-making day of work? Effing skate!
I had my first official ride of the season yesterday afternoon. It didn't last long, cause I tired out quickly, but it was still beautiful. I've moved since I last rode, so there are new streets and sidewalks to be explored. I rode a wonderful curvy stretch of bike path, steep enough to get my eyes teared up, but not enough to have me scared. So awesome!
Hooray for warm weather and daylight savings making yesterday possible. And many more to come. Hooray!
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On 4/13/2004
Mathew Schreiber
wrote in from
(65.174.nnn.nnn)
Now this guy has soul...
http://www.skateboardingbulldog.com/tysonskating.WMV
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On 4/12/2004
steelwheel Bob
wrote in from
(4.64.nnn.nnn)
Here is a preview of a story I submited to Blue Edge magazine.
I hope they like it.
A Tale of Skateboarding History on the Central Coast
By Bob Staton
Why is it that skateboarding emerged in the 1950's and not in the 1850's. The answer...surfing. Surfing created the fantasy environment for skateboarding to become what it is today. Before the movie Gidget came out in 1959 and helped to popularize surfing, skateboarding was a very small and localized activity in a few southern California beach communities. Pacific Beach is probably the place of origin for skateboarding. Unlike the mostly undeveloped beach terrain of the central coast, Southern California beach communities have had for decade’s miles long strips of concrete strand walk ways. The strands were perfect places where young people could hang around and watch what few surfers there were in the 40’ and 50’s at close range. Most likely some visionary grom in the mid 1950's was watching a few surfers at Crystal Pier from the strand overlooking the beach and was inspired to either take apart his skate scooter or scratch build the first skateboard and do a little side walk surfing.
A famous surfer back in the day named, Mike Doyle went to our high school in Inglewood and introduced skateboarding to our community. I remember at that time he and his friends telling us about an unusual event in San Diego in 1958. The story goes that after the showing of a surf movie there was a wild party at someone’s house near by where an imaginative young surfer had taken a skate scooter apart and was doing surfing tricks on the remaining wooden 2x4 with steel roller skate wheels. After the party, the traveling surfers who had come to see the surf movie, went back to there hometowns up and down the Pacific Coast with the vision of the skateboard fresh in their minds.
While this may be a myth it does explain why skateboarding seems to have been "invented" around 1958 or 1959 in almost every beach community on the west coast as far north as Portland, Oregon. Here in the central coast few genesis stories can be found. I do remember talking to one ol’ timer surfer years ago at a surf movie in the Cayucos about the early adventures of skateboarders in the area. He told of the thrills he and a few other hearty young men had speeding down through canyons for miles at places like Cypress Mountain Road up in the hills near Morro Bay. Those were the soul skating days of wooden plank boards with steel and clay wheels.
Speed has remained a hallmark of skateboarding in the central coast. Jack Smith, known locally as the "Oracle" for his historical skateboarding knowledge has long been a central figure of regional skateboarding activities that include among many other things producing the World Championship of professional slalom racing in Morro Bay every year. Jack reflects on the days of the early 70’s and 80’s where local skate spots like the Morro Bay ditch and the Los Osos 3rd street ramp were gathering places of the emerging central coast skateboarding culture. Much like the early days of surfing where places like Rincon, and Pismo Beach were enclaves of the emerging central coast surfing culture.
These early skateboarding spots are where world travelers and locals would exchange stories of adventure, where networking began to form a global community and where local activists got their inspiration. In that period between the demise of the commercial skate parks of the 70’s and the predominantly community developed skate parks of present day, the micro skateboarding sub cultures that formed around such places as the “cito” ramp in Montecito, the Camarillo ditch in Camarillo, and the 3rd Street Ramp in Los Osos spawned some of the worlds top skateboarding stars. They were places where skateboarding organization and industry leaders got their vision and motivation. Colorful, and creative people like skateboard and snowboard pioneers Chuck Barfoot, and Tom Sims, top skateboard historian Scott Starr, promoters and activists Mike Taylor, Jim Fitzpatrick, and Patty Segovia, skateboard manufacturing legend George Powell, and female skateboarding legend Ede Robertson, grew successful careers out of the ditches, school yard banks, and backyard ramps of the central coast.
For us aging men of that first generation of skateboarders on the central coast, we look back fondly to the pioneering days of skateboarding. That first sound ta-tic-ta-tic-ta-tic of our steel wheel boards on concrete will echo through our souls all the days of our lives.
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On 4/10/2004 robc
wrote in from
(69.158.nnn.nnn)
amen- yesterday was the first dry, sunny day in I can't remember how long. And it was a holiday, which meant my favorite bank would be free from the cars that park there any other day...grabbed a broom, and my board,and had a great sunny morning. Yay spring.
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On 4/9/2004 MissouriMatt
wrote in from
(208.141.nnn.nnn)
When you enter your soulspeak thought, it follows the heading "Info:"
there's no info in soulspeak, cuz it's all just confirmation. It's not about the sermon, just the amen.
AMEN! Amen, soulriders. OTL ride'n the wave and RH finding yen for NJ's yang. I know both those thoughts. for me tonight was a half dozen trips up the hill in front, riding down to find my knee is back after 9 months of knee rehab. It's one thing to remember those soulspeak thoughts and another to feel it again. Carve, tuck and carve, soularch and bomb.
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On 4/8/2004 OTL
wrote in from
(24.6.nnn.nnn)
So I am out surfing this beautiful,turquoise blue, left and right breaking wave, dropping in backside, flying down the face, huge mellow bottom turn, back up the face, off the lip. I realize that I am actually skating these forgotten banks behind some ghetto auto body shop, alone, happy, flying down the bank, nearly falling off my board, with this huge smile on my face.
I love skateboarding.
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On 4/8/2004 RH
wrote in from
(146.152.nnn.nnn)
I long for the early dusk morning sessions. Everyone else is still asleep in there beds. Its only you, your board, the road, and the birds just starting to wake up. Roads normally congested with traffic are now wide open and all yours to lay down huge carves across. It feels like your the only one left alive on earth. Its finally spring in NJ! :)
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On 4/5/2004 MissouriMatt
wrote in from
(128.206.nnn.nnn)
Ahhhh… spring. The cinders have been washed from the roads and beautiful clean pavement waits for me to tickle it, as I carve from the heart. Riding again after a 10 month layoff for knee reconstruction. It’s a great feeling. Like seeing a good friend after a long hiatus. When I skate I have no age. Just turned 40 and feel like I’m 17. It’s the Peter Pan pill. I love to drag a hand on the pavement as I set up a few carves at the top, then let it roll, staying low and looking for speed before making the turn at the bottom. I feel like I just popped up surrounded by white foam, warm blue water and sunshine. Next set is coming. I’m back up the hill for more.
Think I'll buy a 5X5 piece of 11-ply birch and get some fresh sandpaper. People gotta have a board to ride. It's spring, stretch out your wheelbase and go for a ride.
Ride on soulriders...
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On 4/5/2004 Abe
wrote in from
(216.20.nnn.nnn)
all the time man. I know what you mean
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