“I’ve gotten so much from skating over the years. As an outlet for creativity, a way of creating opportunities unknown to most people outside of our little world, or just the pure joy at the absurdity of a practically bald primate riding on a wheeled plank.

All I ever wanted to do in skating was to contribute in some way. Not so much to leave a mark or have some kind of legacy but more to feel like part of the bigger picture of the progression of this thing. Now, I’ve probably overthought that set of circumstances too many times to count and definitely thought of more trick variations than I ever had the skill or patience to actualize.

The thing is (and it’s the very essence of skateboarding), we all contribute, just by doing it. It doesn’t matter what skill level you’re currently at as long as you’re smiling or feeling fulfilled. Whoever is the ‘best’ is subjective and therefore irrelevant outside of marketing meetings…

Often our favorite skaters are the ones we personally relate to or are inspired by, rather than the ones that are held on a universal pedestal.

Skateboarding is like life itself: there is no ‘proper’ way to do it. You can be technically able through some innate ability or practice. You can be creative by desire or chance. You can surrender your entire identity to it or just roll around once in a while, depending on the priorities you make for yourself. It’s completely open to interpretation.

I look at skateboarding these days and find it heartening that it’s become so diverse in approach and participation. From a point of past privilege, I’m glad I’ve been able to see this all with more continually educated eyes. It’s becoming open for us all to contribute in any way we wish; something I, and skateboarding in general, always thought it was. It genuinely feeling like it’s getting there…

Go get weird and keep on truckin’ "

-Chris Pulman

The temperature was 15 degrees tonight, with a “real feel” of -2. I always make it a point to go skating on 12/24 and 12/25, even if it’s just briefly. I also always make it a point to go skating on the coldest day of the year. Today happened to be both 12/24, and the coldest day we’ve had so far. I was definitely going skating.

This evening I took my 74-year-old mom out for a drive—we went around and looked at Christmas lights. Afterwards I went skating for a bit a little DIY spot an old friend made in a parking garage. I had a ton of layers on, and within 10 min I was sweating like crazy. Sweating, in 15-degree weather. When people tell me it’s too cold to skate, it means either one of three things. First, they don’t know how to dress. Second, they don’t want it bad enough. Or last, they live in one of those places where the temps go down to like -30 Fahrenheit. I had fun on my skateboard tonight. That’s the Christmas gift that keeps on giving.

This is the fifth, and last, post in “My Essential Skate Gear” series (posts made in the order of importance). The final items are indeed not “essential,” but they are certainly nice to have and/or make (skate) life a lot better. See comments for details. No pictues for this one.

• 80HDs
• Grip Tape Cleaner
• Leaf Blower
• Phone/Tripod
• Back-Up Equipment
• Blue Tooth Speaker

Comments:
80HDs: These are soft Spitfire wheels. They unlock some seriously crusty spots. These are actually the most per se essential compared to the other items in today’s post.

Grip Tape Cleaner: This is basically a brick of semi-sticky rubber. You scrape/rub it on your grip tape, and it clears out the caked in dirt/dust. I skate some pretty dusty DIYs and parking garages, and having one these can be a real life-saver.

Leaf Blower: I have a collapsible battery powered Craftsman leaf blower (same rechargeable battery as cordless drill, saw, etc.) that lives in my car (along with the push broom). This thing can clear out a spot of dirt, dust, leaves, small rocks, acorns, etc. in seconds. Huge time saver compared to broom (which is still sometimes necessary).

Back-Ups: I always have my next deck and wheels on hand (not to mention random spare parts). Why? Well, if equipment breaks, or I decide it’s toast, and the shop is closed, or I can’t get to the shop for a few days, or they don’t have what I want, then that means I’m not skating for a bit. However, if I have a deck, etc. on-hand, then this problem entirely goes away.

Phone/Tripod: Self-explanatory. Certainly not essential, but good to have.

Blue Tooth Speaker: Skating to music is just…better.

And that finishes off the “essentials.” I may write a follow-up post sometime covering the mere “incidentals” (ex. a spray-bottle, clear non-diet soda, and water. Yup, those there things combine to create something very useful in skateboarding).

This is the fourth post in “My Essential Skate Gear” series (posts made in the order of importance). Most of this batch focuses on one thing: Having a physical space to skate in the winter. I live in Boston. It snows here during the dark months. There are few parking garages around, but they can be a bust. The best option to skate when it snows? Shovel out a (metal) mini ramp. The ratio of effort-it-takes vs. benefit-gained is far greater clearing out any ramp than any street/curb/etc. area (e.g. you need a lot more space to be cleared for street). Why metal? They dry very, very, very fast once cleared. So, here is (mostly) the winter gear/equipment list. No picture for this one. See comments for more details.

• Snow Shovel
• Straight Garden Hoe / Ice Chopper
• Bernzomatic Blowtorch
• Towel
• Disposable Deck(s) / Bearings
• Bones Bearing Cleaning Kit

Comments:
Snow Shovel: Obvious use.

Straight Garden Hoe / Ice Chopper: This thing is a god-send for clearing ramps. I use it to slice the snow into small square “section.” After that, you can use the transition to just “slide” the “snow-sections” off the side of the ramp (I should really make a video about this technique sometime…work smarter, not harder). This tool is also helpful to sheer ice of the ramp when it gets frozen on.

Bernzomatic Blowtorch: When the Ice Chopper won’t get the ice off, the blow torch will. And quite quickly. I’ve also use the torch to “de-wax” ramp coping that scooter-kids/rollerbladers have overly lubricated—it melts the wax right off. And man, those kids get freaked out/learn quickly when they see you brandishing a blow torch. [Insert evil laugh here]

Towel: When you skateboard, you bail tricks. When you do this on a ramp in the winter, your board often ends up in the snow you just shoveled out. As a result, your board gets wet. Hence, you need a towel to quickly dry it off.

Disposable Deck(s) / Bearings: As mentioned above, bailing on shoveled-out ramp means your board is going to get wet. We all know what happens to decks that get exposed to a lot of water (not to mention bearings). So, come late Autumn, I always start keeping a few old decks around (e.g. I decommission them a bit early, and don’t toss them out). These become my “snow decks,” that I don’t care about getting sogged-out. I also have a cheaper set of bearings I set-up during these times, as to not ruin my Super Swiss 6 Bones bearings (cause those things rock / are not cheap).

Bones Bearing Cleaning Kit: This is not a per se winter item, but it just falls within Tier 4 of “essential” items, which is why it’s grouped here. I run Bones Super Swiss 6 bearings. They are great, but like all bearings, they need to be cleaned sometimes. I could ignore this, and just buy new ones when they get clogged-up, but what a waste that is. Hence, I consider the cleaning kit an essential item.

This is the third post in “My Essential Skate Gear” series (posts made in the order of importance). First, we needed the actual board, board tools, and shoes. Second, we needed stuff to (a) fend off winter climate, and (b) do some minor spot maintenance. Now, we need to fend off injury and/or provide for some mental confidence. Thus, we have entered into the lands of pads/safety gear.

I mentioned in the last post that I won’t even do stall tricks on a curb anymore without a forward elbow pad. Truth of the matter is, once I start moving tricks (e.g. any grind/slide, anything on a ramp, etc.), I really don’t like skating, at all, without pads these days. I could go on-and-on about why pads are awesome, but I’ll save that for a future post(s). In any event, below is the gear list/photo. I (usually) don’t wear all of this stuff at the same time. See comments for details.

• Knee Pads (187 Pro)
• Elbow Pads (Pro-Designed/Rector)
• Helmet (certified)
• Knee Gaskets (Old Bones Therapy)
• Shin Guards (G-Form)
• Hip/Tailbone Pads (rHip clHips or Tortoise)
• Wrist Guards (Pro-Designed)
• Tall Socks
• BDU Shorts

Comments:
Knee and Elbow Pads: These are the most vital/often used.

Gaskets: Used any time knee pads are used (as are shorts/long socks). The all-black gasket has a spring in it, which helps with my bad knee (which has been thankfully getting better).

Helmet: Goes on once ramps get involved, or often when skating alone (should prolly just wear it all the time).

Hip/Tailbone Pads: These come out in three situations, (1) Tying something with high-chance of hard hit to hip/tailbone, (2) trying something I am really scared of, and need a little more mental confidence, (3) already have a hipper that I don’t want to get worse. The rHip Clips are just for hip protection (they clip into belt/waistband, take seconds to put on/take off). The Tortoise Pads cover hips and tailbone, but are way more bulky/involved to wear/use. Those only come out when shit is getting serious.

Shin Guards: I’ll be honest. At this point, I should not step on a skateboard without these, but I forgo them far more often than I should. I hit my shins a lot. Not only do shinners seem to hurt more, but they also get cut open much more now than when I was younger. The skin down there just does not have the youthful pliability it once did (this is also why I always wear tall socks…I absolutely refuse to skate with bare-exposed shins these days). Anyway, note to self: wear shin guard more often—you know what happens when you don’t.

Wrist Guards: Essential item, but I almost never wear them. Then why are they essential? Because if I do get a wrist sprain (very, very, very rare), they help it from getting worse.

Shorts: I hate wearing knee pads with pants, so shorts are a must. BDU/rip-stop are super durable, and easy to move in.

This is the second post in “My Essential Skate Gear” series (posts are made in the order of importance). Some of today’s stuff might seem a little more mundane, but it’s actually absolutely essential for me, esp. in the New England winter months.

• Forward elbow pad
• Windbreaker
• Work Gloves
• Hockey Tape
• Face Mask (light material)
• Baseball Hat
• Water Bottle
• Wax
• Backpack
• Not Pictured: Under Armor Cold Gear (e.g. base layer), Push Broom

Comments: At this point, I won’t even do stall tricks on a curb without a forward elbow pad. A good windbreaker, IMHO, is the most important piece of cold weather gear (the wind is what really makes you feel cold). The hockey tape is to tape-up the fingers on the work gloves (e.g. prevent them from getting shredded by grip tape). Face mask is to keep ears/cheeks/nose warm from the wind (e.g. windbreaker for your head). The baseball hat, or rather the brim, is to help with sun glare. The rest of the stuff should be obvious.

Well, I am off the board for a bit. Pulled groin muscle. I’m using some of my free time to declutter and/or get rid of stuff I don’t really need/use anymore. As a function of that, and the recent Madness Episodes, I’m now also stripping down my skate gear to only the stuff I actually need/use. To that end, I will be making a series of posts about “My Essential Skate Gear.” This is the first post in that series.

We start with the most baseline essentials:

(1) My actual skateboards
(2) Tools needed to maintain them
(3) Shoes

My two set-ups (as result of the Madness).

DLX 8.25/14.38 | 144 Forged Hollows | 53mm F4 Spit Classics | Bones Super Swiss 6 | Powell Rib Bones

DLX 8.75/14.62 | 159 Forged Hollows | 54mm F4 Spit Classics | Bones Super Swiss 6 | Powell Rib Bones

Shoes and Tools
Shoes: Vans SK8-HI (usually for transition skating), and Vans Old-Schools (street skating).

Tools: Skate Key, Razor blade, Scissors, and Scraper. The latter three are for putting on grip tape. The scraper (thin metal rod) is actually the screw that in was in my ankle back when I broke my leg (which was later removed).

In Jr. high school I had this friend named “Mike.” He was mostly a flatland BMX freestyler, but he also skated bit. He quit both a few years later.

He recently picked the board up again. One day this past summer, I went skating with him at a local mini ramp. He was just working on pumping the transition, and doing kick turns—it’s been about 25 years since he’s been a board.

Afterwards we got coffee and hung out for a bit. He said, “Back then I was never even a decent skater, but I had fun. I always had fun. I remember that as one of the best periods of my life.”

He didn’t notice it, but I had to fight back tears when he said that—because it laid bare, at least to me, the naked power that skateboarding has, and how deeply it touches even the “common man/skater,” and that is a deeply profound, and staggering thing…that can stay with someone their entire life. The magic is real.

The poem below is by Charles Bukowski. Sometimes when I read his stuff, I am convinced he is an old, washed-up, skateboarder. But then I remember. He is just someone who understands pure, unadulterated, passion. And of course, you cannot be an old, washed-up skateboarder without that. He speaks our language. Or rather, those who “keep chopping” all speak the same tongue.

the creative act

for the broken egg on the floor
for the 5th of july
for the fish in the tank
for the old man in room 9
for the cat on the fence

for yourself

not for fame
not for money

you’ve got to keep chopping

as you get older
the glamour recedes

it’s easier when you are young

anybody can rise to the
heights now and then

the buzzword is
consistency

anything that keeps it
going

this life dancing in front of
Mrs. Death

Last night I saw a random guy fall down on the sidewalk. He fell backwards, with his ass taking the vast majority of the blow. But the back of his head also bounced off the concrete. He did not get up. We called an ambulance (he was sitting up by the time 911 got there).

The sound his head made on impact. I will never forget that sound. It was as if a cantaloupe or watermelon was being thrown to the ground. It made me feel sick. Almost nauseous.

Since I broke my leg in 2019, I’ve been much more mindful of injury/potential injury. I’ve also developed a growing fear of hitting my head. This has led to wearing a helmet a lot more than I ever imagined I would. That sound. That sound didn’t do much to allay any fears I had. Quite the opposite, actually.

I watched Future Primitive again last night.

I remember watching it as a kid, and more-or-less thinking, “Rodney is insane, but Tommy G., the NYC street skating, and the ditch scene are what really resonate.”

I watched the new Nyjah video again last night, too. As I watched it, I more-or-less thought, “Nyjah is insane, but Tommy G., the NYC street skating, and the ditch scene are what really resonate.”

I was sitting in the car, just watching. Captivated. Amazed. Inspired.

Whenever I arrive at a skate park, I never just immediately start skating, especially if other people are there, even if it’s just one other person. First, I always just watch a bit…to figure out what the vibe/energy of the session is. Sometimes it’s energy I want to jump-in on. Sometimes it’s energy I don’t want to be around. Most significant, and rare, is energy I don’t want to disturb. These are the really special moments…the ones where I just sit in the car watching. Today was one of those rare, and amazing, experiences.

When I arrived today, there was one, single, guy at the park. A guy I’ve never seen before. I had to do double-take when I first saw him. This guy physically looked, and dressed, like my friend Bob from Texas. Moreover, he sort of skated like Bob. It was clear this guy used to skate, and had prolly stopped for some time, and was picking it up again. But he understood style. Mixed through-out his attempts to re-learn some basic tricks were just some beautiful carves across a bank, flat-land 360s, and space walks. It was during these moments that I could see a bit of Bob in him, and it was awesome. Some people can just move in certain ways before, during, and after a trick that just makes everything look fluid, beautiful, and stylish. It’s a gift they have, whereas if (most) other people do it (myself included), it’s like, “Dude, what are you doing? Stop.” Tommy G. has that gift. Blender has it. Bob has it. This random guy at the park, he did to. It’s a rare thing to see, but always special when you do.

He was also doing some other really off-the-wall stuff. Things I’ve never seen before. Things I suspect he wouldn’t be doing if someone else was in the park with him, as he clearly seemed to be in a “skate-like-no-one-is-watching” mode.* And this, this, is why I didn’t want to get out of the car. What he was doing was so…pure, so genuine, and authentic, that I was afraid if I rolled into the park, he would alter the way he was skating, stop, or leave (often what happens when someone who is starting-up again is suddenly joined by more experienced skaters). Moreover, I was just so captivated and enamored by what I was seeing, that I didn’t want it to stop; it was energy I want to feed off, to learn from, and be inspired by.

Then it got even better.

The park is next to somewhat busy two-way street. This guy eventually picked-up his board and walked out of the park. I thought he was leaving/done skating. I was wrong. He then did something that utterly surprised me, and stoked me out beyond belief. Since there is not a proper curb IN the park, this guy went out started skating the curb in the street, dodging traffic, and waiting for cars to go by—basically something only a kid would do. It was so…perfect, and reminded me of why I even started skting in the first place. He was doing simple stuff on the curb. Boneless to tail. Rock n rolls. Trying to do ollie to axle stalls. But it was all so…pure. I’ve been coming to this park for over five years now, and I’ve never seen anyone skate the curb out front—and here he was doing it. I was in awe. After a few minutes, he put his board in his car and left. I remained sitting in my car for a while, trying to process everything I had just seen. I had been texting with my friend Joe during all of this (and about it), and one of the texts I sent him read, “Ok. He left. Wow. That so awesome to watch. Literally the entire thing was the most stoke-inspiring thing I’ve seen in months.”

Why was all of this so…inspiring? All I can do is quote Dr. Strangelove. Purity of Essence. It’s amusing to think that this guy skated, and then left the park, with no idea that someone was watching him, that someone was utterly mesmerized by what he was doing, that someone was inspired enough by him to be blogging about his session…and of course, this reminds me of how much we can affect and impact other people, without ever knowing a thing about it. I hope I see this guy again someday. If I do, I will tell him (in some appropriate manner) how I watched him skate one day…and really appreciated his…energy.

*A few things I saw him do:

-Rolled up a wedge ramp onto the platform of a mini ramp platform…grabbed the level guardrail (along back of the mini ramp platform)…and then did a super slow 180 nose pivot (while holding on to rail with both hands)…and then rolled back down platform/ wedge ramp. And he made it look so awesome.

-Rolled up to a cement bench, took front foot off, placed it on bench, went into a deep knee bend (rear foot still on board), and then slowly pushed off bench with front foot, and rolled away fakie.

-Placed board into axle stall on bench, then jumped up onto it, and turned out (as is if coming out of f/s 50/50 grind).

-Ride on board, jump off, run alongside of it for a bit, then jump back on.

At the beginning of last week I did some damage to my shoulder. I didn’t skate for a few days because of it. Over the weekend I went camping. As soon as I got back, it started to rain, and has not stopped now for three days. As of now, I have not skated in over a week, and I am starting to get really, really, really antsy about it. I suppose the camping trip and rain were good, as they provided my shoulder some time heal-up (not 100% better yet). That said, my world starts to unravel if I am off the board for too long, and it’s been too long. I am not working tonight, so I intend to hit a parking garage after the bid’nesses close-up for the day. I can’t wait.

And of course, today’s photo for inspiration.

I’ve had on/off linguring shoulder pain for awhile. Yesterday’s slam (see previous post) made it much worse. I now have growing concern that I did something icky to my rotatar cuff. I’m going camping in western MA for the next few days. If it’s still bothing me when I get back, I think its time to go see the doctor people.

In the meantime, here is a photo for inspiration.

My friend built this DIY. With his own hands. Alone. It is located, in what is most likely a superfund site, on the outskirts of Boston’s city limits. The area contains dead vegetation, bare trees, rusted train tracks long fallen to disuse, piles of disintegrating bricks, rotting railroad ties, and scrap heaps of broken industrial machinery from a large factory that once stood here. They entire area smells of old decay, a musty dust, and acute potentiality.

The DIY he built site upon blacktop asphalt, that was tamped down many, many years ago. It has become deeply pitted, and razor sharp with age and weather. I fell skating here once. My shirt ripped in four places. The surface will shred flesh. Only ultra soft wheels will unlock these hidden possibilities, harder ones will cripple.

Less than two miles from this spot is a large popular, metropolitan million dollar skate park. Smooth surfaces. Perfect ledges. Popular cool kids. A nice bowl. Lighted at night. That park also comes without any chance of trespassing citations, exposure to questionable chemicals, or any real sense of grit, integrity, or spirit.

The friend who built this DIY recently had his hip replaced. He started skating again a few months ago, and it’s rough going right now. He is struggling with very basic things, but he is persistent. He keeps pushing. With time it will come back. Or it won’t. Either way, he will still be rolling. And always will be.

Large, polished, expensive diamonds always draw fawning masses. Google. Facebook. TikTok. Youthful athletic talent. Giant malls. Giant skateparks. Coal, on the other hand…that’s when shit gets real.