Longboarding in De Moines

**MrFuji** · 10-08-2009 08:00 PM

I know there are some longboarders in Des Moines. Where and when do you ride? At one of the skate shops, they thought there were some longboarders riding at Saylorvill Park. Anyone ride the soap box derby course? I am just getting started in longboarding.

Proud OMA Member

**0liver** · 10-14-2009 01:35 PM

Originally Posted by MrFuji

I know there are some longboarders in Des Moines. Where and when do you ride? At one of the skate shops, they thought there were some longboarders riding at Saylorvill Park. Anyone ride the soap box derby course? I am just getting started in longboarding.

Proud OMA Member

I was at a skate shop on Tues. and was told the same thing. Have you found out any info yet. Wanting to get into long boarding but need to know more about the boards & where people ride around here.

**MrFuji** · 10-17-2009 04:06 PM

Oliver, good to hear from a longboarder in Des Moines. Man, I'm beating the bushes trying to tap in to longboarding in the area. I met a guy at at Ankeny skatepark, who does some lonboarding. However, that was my first week back into skating, after a 20+ year absence and did not get any details. I hope to get some details from him the next time I see him.

Another skater told me that there are some kids from Drake that ride on the bike trail at Saylorville. Sharing the bike trail with walkers, joggers, cyclists, in-line skaters, and dog walkers sounds a little sketchy. I think I'd rather take my chances with the cars.

I am going to keep poking around.

Cheers,
Fuji

**MrFuji** · 10-21-2009 07:40 AM

I checked out the Soapbox Derby Hill in Ewing Park yesterday. It is not as steep as I imagined. It is relatively smooth, with a few seams. The first 100 meters the course has the most grade. The next section has less grade, then the course flattens at the finish line, then goes uphill. I think it would be perfect for slalom, or for some carving, without having to worry about traffic.

**Juicebox** · 10-23-2009 08:26 PM

Hey bro glad to hear you out rippin it... Ewings probably my favourite place so far in des moines its a pretty great spot. Other places i hit up every now and then are McRae Park beside Lincoln high school, the pathway around Gray's lake can be cool if its not crowded, Harwood Drive between polk blvd and 56th has just been freshly paved and its pretty much residential with low traffic and has a solid hill to it, if your ever bored just cruise around downtown on the weekend its empty and smooth with little spots all over including the ice rink and foot pools. There are smooth hills and empty streets all over just explore the neighborhoods and see what you can find. The only thing i have yet to do but my friend tell me its worth the trek is to hit up one of the thousands of parking garages in the city there everywhere and im stoked to tear them up. Hope some of that helps, good luck bro.

**TwinTown Skater** · 10-24-2009 06:11 AM

Hey Oliver!

Welcome, and come on in, the water's fine. Although I'm 4 hours or so north of you, I see that you are thinking about picking up a board and starting the journey, so I wanted to offer up a couple of pointers. I got back into skating 4 years ago at your age, after finding the 'fish and hooking up with some locals to ride with.

You are at the right spot to learn all sorts of good info. Like any enthusiast community, we've got our share of residents who are knowledgeable, cranky, fun and dangerously uninformed. Fashions sweep through this place faster than Milan. But if you spend some time here and read up a bunch, you'll quickly be able to sort the wheat from the chaff. Search is your friend. (and I'm gonna unload some info on you that may have you scratching your head, so if you don't get it , search)

Since Des Moines is mostly vertically challenged, I'd get a first board that is designed to carve. Get some reverse kingpin trucks, I'm a fan of Randall, but Paris, Tracker and yes even Gullwings are good economical choices. Wheels: 70+ mm (Size) and 76 - 80 duro (relative hardness) will be soft enough to give you a plush ride. Bushings are a bit dicey, they really affect your trucks performance, and tastes are personal. You can't go wrong with buying a half dozen sets in different duros to play with. For carving and a reverse king pin truck I'd suggest double conicals.

Board: A bit tougher as there are so many choices. If you are going to be skating relatively unpopulated surfaces (streets in the neighborhood for example), think longer wheelbase, say 25-28 inches. You will find it easier to push with a lower board, so a drop or drop thru might be up your alley. Flex: Personal tast, some love it for carving, others prefer the precision of a stiff board.

If you can find a local shop that has some choices, that may be your best bet, the staff *may* be enthusiasts and be able to help. Be forewarned however, many are completely clueless. MileHigh Skates is a great online retailer as is Sk8kings (a bit slalom centric however). Others will have their own suggestions with whom they have had personal success.

Spread the stoke!

**MrFuji** · 10-24-2009 07:25 PM

JuiceBox, thanks for the beta on skate sites!!! Please spread the word about this thread and we may be able use it for sessions. I heard that there are occasionally long boarders in Ledges state park. As for parking garages, I've been thinking of that also. I wonder if there is a best garage, one that doesn't have security cameras or that is patrolled by security guards? NationWide has armed security guards, which is kind of scary. I would much rather deal with the Downtown Partnership security.

Oliver, what skateshop did you visit? I saw a couple of longboards at Next Generation, but nothing I liked. I did not see any at Subsect.

**MrFuji** · 10-30-2009 08:30 AM

The rain is supposed to be gone by this evening. Assuming it does dry out, I plan to go to the soap box derby hill at Ewing Park to do some riding Saturday and/or Sunday. If anyone else is interested, let me know.

**eggsoverez** · 11-07-2009 05:54 PM

What's up fellow Des Moines cruisers. I just moved back to Polk City 6 months ago after living in the Twin Cities. A buddy of mine builds custom boards that are really sick

HiFiCustoms

Any how, I've been looking for some places to cruise. There are some good hills here in town, nothing huge but good for beginners. Big Creek is a terrible place to push so avoid it unless you want to eat it. Does any body know of places outside of Des Moines that are good? I like the openess of longboarding opposed to the constant look out of residentail/trail pushing/bombing.

.::Ez::.

**MrFuji** · 11-10-2009 09:13 AM

Welcome eggsoverez!!
I've only been doing the lonboarding thing for a couple of weeks. So far I have only ridden the very, very mellow hills around my house and the Soap Box Derby hill at Ewing park. I am not even close to bombing either one. I just carve back and forth, while going down hill. Maybe, after gaining some experience and confidence in my foot braking and sliding, I'll go a little faster.

Like you, I am not into dodging traffic. I've had my share of close encounters with cars, dogs, strollers, and ear bud wearing pedestrians while cycling around Des Moines. I try to ride my local bunny hill as often as I can, generally, between 6:00 and 6:30 AM or after 9:00 PM. While it is a low traffic neighborhood and the speed limit is 25 MPH, there is still a lot of 40+ traffic in the mornings and evenings. That's the great thing about the Soap Box Derby hill, no traffic.

**MrFuji** · 11-13-2009 05:09 PM

Anyone skating this weekend?

**RanRye** · 11-14-2009 01:31 AM

Originally Posted by MrFuji

Anyone skating this weekend?

You all need to hook up with OMAHA check out our threads!!!

**MrFuji** · 11-14-2009 01:07 PM

Her are a couple of good spots, mild hills with low traffic.
1. 50th and Grand Ridge Drive in West Des Moines. Nice mellow hill with little traffic, espeially on the weekends.

2. 50th place and Oakwood. This is residental and is steeper than the first listing.

**QUA1L** · 11-20-2009 07:32 AM

Originally Posted by MrFuji

I know there are some longboarders in Des Moines. Where and when do you ride? At one of the skate shops, they thought there were some longboarders riding at Saylorvill Park. Anyone ride the soap box derby course? I am just getting started in longboarding.

Proud OMA Member

I am downtown Des Moines and try to ride the parking garages, but the security guards are really not having it. I even tried to pay them $20 and sign something stating they weren't liable if I hurt myself, but they still said no. I have been to the soap box derby course, it was fun, definitely great for getting me used to some decent speed. Never been to Saylorville though. I generally go boarding during the evening/night time. Less traffic to contend with. I had a lot of close calls early on this year, so I have tried to stay off the streets/sidewalks during rush hour. Living downtown, its virtually a ghost town during the weeknights.

Mr Fuji, me and my roommate are always looking for people to board with. If you want to board sometime, let me know. It's getting a little brisk out, but still dry, so that is always good. My roommate and I aren't very good though, so dont judge us. Hahaha.

Here's my roommate out at Ewing Soap Box hill....

**MrFuji** · 11-21-2009 08:07 AM

I plan on being at the Soapbox Derby hill around 1:30 today, if anyone wants to join me. I am pretty new at longboarding and am not very good, but it does put a mile on my face.

**QUA1L** · 11-22-2009 01:44 PM

Originally Posted by MrFuji

I plan on being at the Soapbox Derby hill around 1:30 today, if anyone wants to join me. I am pretty new at longboarding and am not very good, but it does put a mile on my face.

Man, I wished I had check SF yesterday, I definitely would have came out and boarded a little bit. Sorry I missed out.

**MrFuji** · 11-22-2009 03:32 PM

Quail, hopefully we can hook up sometime. It would be cool to skate with a few others. Your story about offering the security guard $20 to let you skate the parking ramp made me laugh. I work downtown, and was scoping out the ramp at 13th and Mulberry. During my reconnaissance, I saw an armed Nation Wide security guard patrolling on a mountain bike. Anyway, that particular ramp had some, in my opinion, very big joints with metal and rubber. So I am not sure it would have been the best choice. I would love to try a parking garage, but I'm too old to be running from security and/or the cops.

Like you, I also skate some at night. I live on a very mellow hill and usually do some skating around 9:00 PM in the evening. Almost no traffic at that time. Also, there is an office park nearby that is located on a hill. It is very good to skate on the weekends. There is a church, so there is some traffic when church finishes on Sunday.

What kind of skating do you do, dancing, free riding, sliding, carving?

**QUA1L** · 11-22-2009 04:14 PM

Where do you work downtown? I actually work for Nationwide Agribusiness. The Nationwide security guards are the most over-aggressive of all the security guards, and they dont joke around at all. When its nice, I longboard to work. They used to give me such dirty looks when I would walk in with my longboard. I guess when you have a "grown up" job you are not supposed to not have fun anymore. At first, people at work asked, "Aren't you too old to play with toys?" My answer was, "What's the age cut-off for having fun?" I drive a Tundra, so gas milage isn't the best, and I only live a little over a mile from work. So why not save gas, excercise, and have fun on my commute? I just feel bad for the people that dont allow themselves to live outside of their cubicle walls.

I actually park my truck in that very ramp you are talking about. I have cruised down it and the joists aren't too bad, some are more noticable than others. I have only done it once, because like you said, Im too old to be running from security guards (especially ones at the company I work for). I offered them $20 thinking maybe that would help my cause, but no luck. Every parking ramp downtown is enforced by security guards, and sadly, all of them are pretty quick about noticing us in the ramp. Most are really decent about it though, and some even say they would let us ride if it was up to them personally.

Sorry, I get wordy sometimes. I am definitely anxious to board with anybody that wants to board with me, so whenever you want, lets meet up and we can just cruise. If you want, pm me, and I will give you my phone # as I dont check here everyday. I dont really have a "type" of boarding that I do. I am definitely not good by any means, I just like to cruise around and try to improve. I do like carving a lot though. Overall I would like to get good enough to do some downhill stuff w/out worrying about my stopping abilities.

How did the soap box hill go yesterday? It was a gorgeous day out, that is for sure.

**MrFuji** · 11-23-2009 02:01 PM

I had a good time riding the Soap Box Derby hill on Saturday, though I believe the weather on Friday was a little nicer. That hill does not seem quite as fast as it did when I started riding it about a month ago. However, I still do not have the skills to ride it straight down from the top.

Yesterday, I worked on standing heel side slides at the office park hill by my house. It worked out perfectly. It was drizzling a little bit when I started, making it possible for me to slide 180 degrees

. Then it stopped drizzling and began to gradually dry up. This offered progressive resistance to the slide. I just hope I can do one the next time I go out in dry conditions, which will hopefully be tonight. Like you mentioned, I too need to work on my slides and foot breaking.

I work in the same neighborhood, at ING. I'll PM you with my email address.

**QUA1L** · 11-25-2009 06:25 PM

Congrats on the slides! I still have no clue how to slide, and I've eaten it every time I tried. Always scared to try in the rain for fear I would screw up my bearings.