Started a new job today, very stressful and complex. Had a fire in the building an hour in. 23 flights of stairs later and noticed the calves aching a bit. By the end of the day and I was buggered mentally but after a few beers; 10.30 pm felt like a skate. Time to go to the shop for some supplies.
Grabbed the Flat Pig with Trackers, 70s Flashbacks and snuck out of the house. Everyone else in bed. Calves didn’t feel too bad in fact by the time I got to the end of the street felt real good so it was time to pick it up a bit. Whoosh, across the collapsed road section where the underground drain had ruptured and left a big mangled dip of protrusions but I scarcely noticed (it was dark). Keep those legs loose, bend the knees but keep the pump going. Across the scattered debris of the willow tree making sure to keep a straight line with short jabs maintaining speed. Look out here’s the cobblestones in the ditch filled in with gravel, SHIT! Whew, done it in daylight but no need to close the eyes this time.
Couple of pushes got me to the car park under lights dodging the broken glass with a triple pump and slash to avoid the clunk on the old folks home driveway. Plenty of speed up around the library into the sunken manhole mini bowl, whoosh again and on to tanbark, sticks, stones and other general uneven crap from the kiddy playground. Not much vision but the limited light shone off the bigger obstacles.
Feeling charged I pumped the back harder and accelerated towards the op-shop, smooth blacktop and taxi rank (unfortunately we don’t have “Black Tops” anymore) where rain had left the gutters full, another slash pump got me back on line for the Pokie pedestrian crossing. Progress looked to be stalled by saddened gamblers however a wide swooping line gave me the line through to the “spanner underpass” over smooth wooden cobbles and a blind carve over rough tarmac.
A few pushes later and concentrating on more willow crap I noticed two cop wagons with tailgates open parked at the train station. No cops? Flashed past the bus stop grazing my shoulder, dodging stones under the street lights, another manhole nearly took me out but powering around the lip seemed to work. No time to question it, pump for more speed across lumpy driveways and more willow tree action, this time roots and cracks and more gravel.
At last clear lighting and a couple of easy grates into the 7/11. The usual odd looks from the local hoon car boys and a chat with the international student dude at the register who likes to practice his English on the patrons. As I leave I throw the board out and jump on and get WTF looks from some older guys in an XY Falcon. Jealous I’m sure but no time to think about it as the lumpy bit over the petrol tank nearly chucks me for six. Duh.
Luckily I’m warmed up and it’s up to speed back past the cop cars and OH SHIT here they all come with their big fuggin Alsations. We’ve been having a few issues with violence and drugs at the train station and no doubt they’ve been doing searches. I usually get off when there’s dogs around as they often misbehave but too late to change my line on the narrow footpath. Fortunately they make way and pull the dogs aside, well done coppers! Whew!
Back through the tunnel preparing for cross traffic at the end and I hear a V8 roar, time to take evasive action and cut around over the gutter and slice across the pub driveway back into the wino park. No winos tonight, too many cops.
Getting tired but a second wind kicks in thanks to the fact that I recognise what fun it is to skate this area at night. I’ve skated it so many times in the day but the darkness brings out an unexpected buzz and energy. Keep the legs loose, focus, be prepared and go for it!
I skate bowls and park a fair bit these days and reckon we’re so lucky to have that but I’ve just had a bloody good reminder of my first love of skateboarding.
My best skate ever!!!
