I headed over to Autumn Bowl after work and grabbed a 24 ounce Corona. I just have to be mellow and let the tricks come as they come. My back and feet hurt quite a bit but I am sticking with it. I carved around the bowl a bunch and my speed is good but the frontside grind is not there yet. I was able to do some really nice Frontside Grinds on the mini ramp. They are feeling more comfortable and more natural. I am starting to work on Tail Stalls and Rock to Fakies by lifting my front wheels on the way up and clicking my tail on the way backwards. I am trying to skate at least 2 times a week. My 50-50s are still not happening but I feel them coming back. I can roll out over the ramp which is how I got them last time. I am also not placing my board in position but sliding it onto the coping with my foot. This really looks much cooler than bending down like an old man and positioning you board.

A very frustrating day. It's a holiday and I am at the Autumn Bowl and I feel tired. My 50-50s feel lost and I have very low energy. My body weight is really holding me back I feel. Come to think of it. I haven't seen many fat ripper skaters or any with a beer gut as big as mine....

I got to the Autumn Bowl today and it's true. The bowl is totally unharmed. It's unbelievable - it does not even smell like smoke and the $400 worth of gear in my locker at the bowl was not stolen or burned. That's it for the good news - the bad news is I totally lost the progress I made with 50-50 grinds on the mini ramp. I have not skated the bowl since April 4th because I went on a 2 week trip to the Middle East and didn't return until April 23rd. I was going to skate that coming Sunday (April 30th) but on April 28th the bowl was broken into. Then the fire started on May 2nd and burned for many days. So today I made my re-entry but my skills have drastically slipped. I don't want to say I had 50-50's nailed but I was on my way. Now it feels like I am starting over again. Bummer...

Proof that I can do a 50-50 grind (4.2.6) - now lost in my absence from the Autumn Bowl,,,

Great news!The Autumn Bowl was spared from the evil fires of hell! It was a very close call, but basically the building right next to the warehouse that contains the bowl burned totally to the ground. Walls collapsed and piles of polyester clothes fueled the suspicious fire. After all was said and done the bowl was literally unscathed. It was some kind of skate miracle if you believe in that sort of thing. It's good thing too because it's the only indoor bowl in the NYC area that is reachable by train. Just before the fire the bowl was broken into so as soon as new locks get put on we will have access to this most precious spot.

The day after the Greenpoint Fire

There is still no access to the Autumn Bowl yet so I had to skate somewhere. I decided to hit Riverside Park because it is relatively close to my house. This is the place where I got my horrible shoulder injury when I first started back.

I took it real easy. I didn't have my main Superlite Factory13 deck because it is in my locker at the Autumn Bowl, so I had to use my 8 ply Factory13 street set up. The deck is really heavy and the wheels are so soft that I had trouble getting a good pump up the ramp. This is probably a good thing though because I have not skated in about 2 weeks and the additional speed would have probably ended up in another crack up!

It was a good day, not too hot, not too cold and I met two older skaters Mike and Jason. There were a lot of kids there having a great time. Many of them were in awe of my odd looking old school board. I let them all ride it.

With things settling down at work, I feel like I am finally getting my stoke back. I am reading Built to Grind, which is the history of Independent Trucks and the skaters that ride them. It is a very inspiring book. This summer should be a great time...

Just a few kickturns on the 6 foot ramp to knock the rust off my skating - video by Jason...

My injury from the vert ramp in June of '04 at Riverside - ouch!

CRUD!!! It looks like because of a police investigation we will not be allowed near the Autumn Bowl for about a month! I did order a new set of Smith Scabs knee and elbow pads, Pro Designed wrist guards, and a Pro Tec Helmet so that I can pad up and skate some other places.

I can hit some other spots like Riverside, Hudson River Park, (now relocated to right near the Helicopter Port on the Westside), Chelsea Piers (which now has a small bowl, and Owl's Head, which is a long way away but really nice concrete.

The new bowl at Chelsea Piers.

Wow, really bad news. I thought the break-in was bad. I woke up this morning only to see on the news that a huge fire is raging out of control in Greenpoint. I immediately though of the Autumn Bowl, my main skate oasis. This fire is right across the alley from the bowl and is the biggest fire in NYC in 10 years (excluding 9-11 of course). I am still waitng to hear more information. I have a few posts up on the BDS message board and the S and B message boards.

The huge fire right next to the Autumn Bowl...