I'm new here, but not new to skating...[INTRO]

[Camel]

I am happy to share my story, so you guys can get to know me.
I needed to write it down for another friend as well as a historical
record for my wife's genealogy file. So on with the story...

When I was 10 years old (not sure of the age, I may have been
7 or 8 ), living in southern Ontario, Canada, someone gave me an old
skateboard. To the best of my recollection, it was afriend who was
disinterested in the toy. My best memory of it tells me that it was a
longboard for a boy of that age. It stood at my waist when upright and
had clear, dull "orangish" red wheels that I learned later in life were
called OJ's. It was a solid wooden board that that had no apparent detail
work. No concave and no frills at all. See below link:



I would ride this board on the tennis courts in my neighborhood during
the warm months (of which there were few). That board was lost to
bicycles, and other pursuits as my life progressed.

Fast forward a few years and move the setting to Atlanta after my
parents divorced and my mom moved us back to her place of birth.

I met many new friends in Atlanta in my first year of middle school
(8th grade). Some of these friends had skateboards. But they were
radically different than the boards that I knew as a young boy. These
boards were wide and mass produced with all sorts of graphics and
colors. Most of them were Nash boards with the large plastic bubble on
the tail to grind down instead of the board. I immediately wanted one
because all of my friends had one.

My mom was now a single parent struggling to survive. We did not have
a lot of money, we were living in my grandfather's basement apartment.
As a family, we did not have money to waste on toys and passing
fancies. Not that we weren't taken care of, just that some of the
luxuries of the rich folks living around us were not ours to have.

Fast forward again, to Christmas of that year. Santa was kind and
brought me a brand new Nash skateboard just like all my friends had.
(Truthfully, not sure if it was a birthday or Christmas but you get[/img]
the idea. I had to wait.) From there, it became an obsession for me
through the end of high school. Skating some of the best constructed
and worst constructed ramps of all time. I never was all that good,
but I had fun. Some of the highlights included some local spots such
as TK's ramp ranch (his backyard halfpipe), Wes' halfpipe, Benji's
halfpipe, Lindbergh pool, and the Retardation Center "snake run" ditch
that we kept getting run off from constantly by the police. TK went on
to design the infamous "Animal Chin" ramp used in the Powell videos.
The best I ever did was "rock n' rolls", coping grinds, and three
wheels out on a couple of feet of vert.

After high school, I soon realized that I wasn't going to make it
through college. No money, no drive, led to me getting a job and
starting my work life. I always held onto the last deck that I had in
high school, a Vision "Mark Groholski" pool deck with thunder trucks
and rat bones wheels. I still have it to this day.

Skateboarding took a back seat to real life and I got older and bigger
around the waist as I aged. About 8 years ago (really, this could have
been 10 years ago but I don't want to admit it), I was somewhat of an
skate mentor to a friend's nephew that needed someone to drive him
around to ramps and such. He talked me into getting a new setup to
skate with him a bit. I must have been about 23 at the time. I enjoyed
it for a couple of months, but soon realized that I didn't have the
time to ride around to skate parks when I had a job and a wife. The
A-Team Rodney Mullen board went into the garage only to see light on
occasion as I reminisced about days past.

In the time since I bought that deck, I have bought 2 houses, married,
and had 2 wonderful kids. I realized that I was getting too big around
the middle and needed some exercise and a good diet. Smoking, eating,
and drinking definitely take their toll on a 35 year old. So I worked
out a diet and bought what I thought would be pretty fun, a Flowboard.
Flowlab Home of the Flowboard
Somewhat of a longboard, but more of a toy IMHO. Man, this thing is
cool though. But, and that is BUT in big letters, it is really for
downhill only. You can't push or pump it at all. But it is great fun
and similar to a longboard. Mainly I use to for soul-carving down some
of the gnarliest hills around here. But the walk back up is the
exercise I need. I started at 242 lbs on 11/4/07, and
with diet and exercise, I should hit my goal of 200 lbs by April 1st,
2008. 221 lbs this morning. 19 off in 6 weeks.

So I was looking for a solution to the "toy" I had. It looks like
the answer was going to be a "Loaded Vanguard" from
Welcome to Stoked Skateboards.
The guy has great deals on everything I need and seems to be genuinely
"into it". He has gone back an forth on email with me and helped like a
brother would. Another guy that has helped, is that famous longboard clown
(meant as a compliment), Adam Colton. We have gone back and forth over
email and he has helped me with info as well.

Overall the one thing that is showing about the longboarding community
is a family attitude and a general willingness to help anyone get into
the sport as well as excel in the sport. Adam has been a hoot. He
wants to use my weight loss plan/story in the Loaded newsletter to
inspire other folks. (I will probably send him a copy of this email.)
He wants before and after pictures. God, won't that be disgusting.
Old fat guy vs. skinny old guy. Dave at Stoked took his time writing
2 pages on Seismic vs. Randall so I would be able to make a good
decision on my own.

I have come to one unshakable fact. The day I stepped on that
skateboard back in the 70's changed the path of my life. The people I
have met and become friends with have lasted a lifetime and will leave
me with memories that will be hard to forget. I have a feeling that
longboarding will not be much different, especially with the online
community that is readily apparent.

In the last couple of days, I cut a Pintail 44" out of some finished ply
I had in the garage and slapped some old Thunder Trucks on it with
some crappy wheels. It is long enough for me and one of my kids at
the same time. They love it. I can't wait to get them into skateboarding.

I hope you guys enjoyed the story. I am sure some of you have many
of the same.
_________________
It is ALL about having fun, not looking good.

[lexx]

i saw a picture of a skateboard, i didn't look at the rest. cool.

[TwinTown Skater]

Great story. Congratulations and welcome.

[toxictrix]

Really great and interesting story. Glad to have you back into the sport. Im sure you will meet many new people and enjoy every minute on your board with your kids and by yourself.

[mksuen]

Welcome the 'fish =)

[Camel]

Thanks for the welcomes. I definitely already feel welcome here. I just wanted to share an old timer's story with some of the younger folk on the board. I am sure some of the old codgers here can relate.

[Crappysurfer2]

Friendly Tip: develop thick skin quickly

[DK525]

If I was old and fat, you're story whould change my life. But for right now it's just a high five and a few sessions. haha.
Good job, and have fun with you're board(s).

[kbsm52]

Awesome story!

[enemy combatant]

If you were 23 eight years ago how did you get to be 35 today?

[Camel]

Originally Posted by enemy combatant

If you were 23 eight years ago how did you get to be 35 today?

I didn't say I was a mathematician, I will edit it later. Your memory goes as you get older. Or maybe it was longer ago than I would like to admit...

[mrpauliepants]

Originally Posted by lexx

i saw a picture of a skateboard, i didn't look at the rest. cool.

Wow, classy. Man bears heart and soul and tells inspiring life story about skateboarding... Child says: cool picture, whatever story...

Originally Posted by enemy combatant

If you were 23 eight years ago how did you get to be 35 today?

Because there were 4 years of drinking and partying that most folks generally forget happened by the time they reach 30.


So, he wasn't really 23 when that happened, he was 27. He just thinks he's 23 due to memory loss of the previous 4 years of binge drinking. Add 8, and there you have it... 35.

[smallhillrider]

Cool story! I can't welcome you since you've already been here for a year, but I could give you some rep... =).

Cheers =)