Back in the 80’s when I skated there were no skate parks. We made shitty little ramps, skated curbs, bombed down hills and the ollie hadn’t even been invented yet. There was one kid that was a friend of a friend of a friend who had a half-pipe in his backyard that I got to skate once. One time. It was one of the best days ever. I remember getting kicked out of the Calhoun Square parking ramp one time for rolling down the smooth concrete that just begged for a ride and when the Bones Brigade demo tour rolled through town around ’84 we were there, front and center.
Then after high school, all my skater friends moved away and I pretty much resigned myself to pushing around on a longboard which was fine for many years. It’s leisurely, fun, whatever. Recently since my boy showed interest in skating I got into the park at 3rd Lair and thought “Damn! I want to ride that ramp. I want to learn how to drop into that bowl, it looks so nice and perfect.” Since then I have learned how to drop into that bowl, started designing and printing my own line of skateboards, something I’d wanted to do since the 80s and even sponsor a small team of groms. It’s pretty fun. One thing I have no desire to learn how to do however is grinding a rail. I admire those who can as it looks amazing but the slams I see them take getting to that skill level, oof!! No thanks. I’m old, already ugly and I need my body to function on a daily basis.
This guy Nyjah Huston though, holy shit! There are so many skaters out there now that I don’t really bother trying to keep track of them all so maybe he’s not the GOAT at rail grinding but this video is pretty damn impressive.