Old School part III

[4-EZTT]

I went for another session at lunch today. Most of the water was gone. I pulled of my first frontside grinds in 25 years on the quarter pipes! Its funny how when you were a kid your fear was, "man is it gonna hurt if i beef." Now in addition to "will it hurt" is...How long am i going to be laid up, will i still be able to work and the ultimate...my wife will kill me if i roll my ankle again!

The transitions at this park are a lot shorter than what i used to skate. I nice gradual tranny allows you to take your time adjusting your body position to it. I was just carving it at first getting a feel for it. The one thing that Skateboarder mag couldn't show us where the lines these guys took to set up the turns. I have been watching a lot of "Dogtown" footage and unlocked the secret to my frontsides and why they sucked so bad in the day. Its all in how you line it up...it’s in the preparation.. its the line.

Once i lined things up and got used to the transitions i started pulling frontsides until i was too tired to pull them off...a lot of them!. One thing...i kept getting to far back on my board and almost shooting off backwards eeek! sick, sick feeling. I think it’s because i was getting caught waiting for the grind and not concentrating on the turn.

My legs are getting used to the new work out, but my quads are over strong (from years of bike riding) and my hamstrings are weaker, tight and sore. I hit another piece of cement and did a superman and rolled out, but when i got up this time my right hamstring was pulled a tad. The definition of old is when you use the 5 set to climb out of the pit.

I spent the rest of the time carving up the transitions and getting used to turning without relying on the tick tack turns. Back in the day i could carve a decent line in the snake runs and the bowls they emptied into. ONE QUESTION: How loose can your trucks safely be....i mean the nut is backed off so far on mine that i can see threads :D

Anyway I think i am having more fun than i did when i was a kid!! Like Cole Trickle says in Days of Thunder (crappy movie) “you can learn a lot from ESPN.” The video footage of vert skating helps a ton..something we didn't have in the day!


Pics of the lines and quarters.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v438/4-EZTT/grindlineIII.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v438/4-EZTT/grindlineII.jpg

[skaterat]

Way to go on your grinds. As far as your trucks go, you don't want to back the nut off to the point where the plastic lock ring in the nut is not hitting the threads. The nut will fall off if it's too far off. If you like loose trucks (like I do) loosen the nut till it's even with your kingpin. If your trucks aren't loose enough you can buy softer bushings. You can also boil your present bushings and that will soften them up.

[4-EZTT]

Way to go on your grinds. As far as your trucks go, you don't want to back the nut off to the point where the plastic lock ring in the nut is not hitting the threads. The nut will fall off if it's too far off. If you like loose trucks (like I do) loosen the nut till it's even with your kingpin. If your trucks aren't loose enough you can buy softer bushings. You can also boil your present bushings and that will soften them up.

Thanks, I figured that...I backed them off until they were comfortable then looked at them after a few grinds and noticed the lock or plastic portion was not in contact with the threads. They are flush now. Maybe it was the cold maybe the bushings are still new...will boil if needed, thanks for the tip

[DomitianX]

Cold bushing will be stiff at first. I usually spend a minute or so rocking back and forth here when its winter time t loosen them up.

Boiling works, but its usually not a permanent solution and depending on the urethane it can cause them to break down quicker. Try a softer busing like a Bones HardCore soft or some of the softer Khiro busings.

[Ramp]