I was in SF with my wife a few weeks ago and I saw two guys flying down Point Lobos Ave by Lands End. With all the traffic in and out of the parking lots there I figured they were on borrowed time, but they just weaved through and kept going.:eek1 One of them was filming it. No lion-tamer chairs, though...
Me on my ramp I built as a kid I'm guessing around 1989. I was good at building ramps skated a lot ramp skating died all my freinds wanted to street skate but I still loved ramps it I would be out their by my self I could eat anything and I was a twig. Was 10' half pipe then I cut it down to 6' high. Got 2nd in a vans amateur half pipe contest only one I ever entered. Started skating a few years ago broke my wrist! Rode a mini ramp after that for a little was so hard to do the easiest tricks that I had down before timing and balance was all off.
I haven't been able to see the vultures through my wife's smirking. I think it all started when I "impressed" the whole family last summer with my impromptu over the bars dismount of my mountain bike during a rolling stoppie demo when we were out for a family ride. 6 year old daughter - "Da-aaaad! what were you doing?!" Wife - mocking laughter followed by "Yeah, nice one dad."
Out of a vintage water ski and rode the crap out of it until it developed a pretty ugly split. Good times! <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/69bkqxC66BY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Still have one of my boards, couple of times a year I take a small spin around the block, then start calculating down time due to a get off, and the board starts gathering dust again. Amazing how when you are young, a broken bone is an "inconvenience." Heck, get the damn cast on and get back on the board.
Thursday night grocery shopping and some young(er) fella is geting around with a long board. Looks SO DAMN COOL, want, but it just doesnt happen... buying a new pushie in stead. Checked his basket, looked like he was setting up for an evening of entertaining a lady........
walked into the skateshop to grab the kid a new deck, and came out with one for me too vertical laminated bamboo with fiberglass shell. super light and strong. Now I have to find a nice grip tape pattern to stick on it.
I have been down graded to carving or very small tricks. I don't seem to bounce upon landing anymore, more like a thud front side grinds still hold a huge smile factor though. kids new board is all setup, he had fun putting a bunch of stickers on and getting the wheels and grip tape set up. I have been googling templates, some really cool designs out there for this huge board I got.
Try again, just the link: http://contour.com/stories/old-priest-grade-dh It takes big balls to ride a skateboard down Old Priest Grade road... :eek1
I just picked up a longboard. Sector 9 Bamboo series Pin Used off Craigslist. Great googly-moogly what fun this thing is! I'm addicted to carving already. looking to pick up a shorter drop thru to carve tighter. Cruising is still a blast though.
old priest grade is like 1300 feet vertical in 1.8 miles. Many cars have serious problems overheating on the way up, and brake fading on the way down. its been bypassed by 'new priest grade' which is 4.6 miles to go the same elevation change.
We don't have anything near that kind of grade here, looks like fun. Does his braking technique flat spot those wheels? <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/aHrn3-Cb3iM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
I get nervous driving either grade. I'd probably cry like a little girl if I peered over the side of old priest grade on a board. Tho don't most old priests make boys cry?......
They're both fun, but (when riding the GS) I do prefer gliding through the turns on the newer grade... so many more curves, and less work on my brakes. Also easier to pass the slowpokes from Indiana in their CruiseAmerica RVs.
Tom Sims passes away, I have no idea he was only 62, my first "Real" skateboard was a SIMS that I love very much..