Organizing
around the rigors of family and career, I've leaned toward taking
part in events that fit into a single weekend. The STP and RSVP
are highly organized and insured rides in the state of Washington,
intended primarily for bicycles. My skateboarding in these since
2006 is a way of not only having one hell of a great time over the
short span of a couple days, but also demonstrating use of skateboards
as a legitimate form of interstate travel.
For
the vast majority of us who don't have the money or luxury of taking
months off from work at a time, travelling entire continents on
a skateboard is a dream. But it's awesome to see and support those
that get out and do it -- some of those rides are listed here as
well.
In
May of 2007, I created the first 24-hour "Ultraskate",
a cross between Ultramarathoning and Skateboarding, which fits the
Weekend Warrior profile perfectly. It's an event that requires very
little organization, assuming you can find a suitable location that
allows you to skate long and safely for an uninterrupted 24-hour
period. All it requires beyond that is simply months of preparation
both physical and mental, depending on your goals of course.
I'll
keep listing other distance longboarding races I hear about on this
page, mainly in the Northwest, but I'll post your submissions as
well.
Brady Lane, 17 year
old from Victoria, Australia traveled to Peru in late April of 2010
to assist with a humanitarian outreach to build houses for a marginalized
community in Ventanilla.
Through skateboarding,
Brady was raising awareness and funds for the NGO that he traveled
under, Voices4Peru and TICM. He skated Melbourne, Australia for
24 hours on February 12, 2011.
Starts promptly at 8 a.m. (be there by 7:45 a.m.)
at the "G" stadium / small boats / golf course southwest
corner of Greenlake.
This event is not sponsored, sanctioned, supported,
nor organized. Bring your own everything, especially fluids and
food, and make sure you bring enough!
The weekend was abuzz
with tons of shared distance stoke, people pushing themselves for
their personal bests, and reports are still trickling in from Seattle,
San Diego, Houston, the UK, and New Zealand riders!
"Skate the Lake is a longboard skateboard
relay with skaters of all ability levels getting together and shredding
the bike path to increase breast cancer awareness. Mainly longboards
are the standard, but shorties, or any and all participation (you
can ride, walk, help or simply cheer us on) is encouraged. The cause
includes skating, music, and education during the event."
It is a 20 km endurance race which runs through the scenic Seymour
Demonstration Forest. It runs up and down hill with racers reaching
speeds up to 55+km/h in the downhill parts.
When: 9-22-07
Where: Meet at lower parking lot Bush park
Time: 9pm for sign in Race at 9:30pm
The route is 6 miles of night riding with 4 downhill sections a
couple parking lots to go thru and one long uphill section. This
is an outlaw race so there are cars to watch out for, some smooth
pavement, some not so smooth. This is a pretty mellow run and if
you can foot brake you can handle it. The finish line is the finish
line on the Soap Box Derby track in Bush park.
The course was marked with glow sticks so you can find your way
and don't have to memorize the map.
This is an outlaw race and HELMETS ARE REQUIRED and if there is
a bike lane we need to stay in it. Also if you have light use them.
The more everyone obeys traffic lays the more likely we will be
able to complete the race with out police intervention and be able
to continue to have races.
Everyone will get a ticket and the prizes will be raffled off at
the end.
So no matter how you do as long as you complete the course you could
win a prize.
September 22, 2007
MARYHILL FESTIVAL OF SPEED 2007
It might not considered "distance" boarding, but 3+ minute
runs down the butter smooth, hairpin turns of Maryhill near Goldendale
WA means some burning quads!!
I was able to attend only the last day, but got to witness some
of the fastest DH racers worldwide, and met a number of people I'd
previously known only in the online world. K-Rimes in particular
is one of the most chill dudes especially for a guy that's used
to travelling speeds of 60mph++. If Bricin's band "Loose Tooth"
is a mainstay, I'll go just to see that again.
Traditionally a bike ride but longboards / inlines
welcomed.
"Your leg power can help end the devastating
effects of multiple sclerosis. With your participation, we will
raise over $1 million dollars to find a cure for MS and to provide
support to more than 50,000 people in Western and Central Washington
affected by MS everyday. Join us on this incredible journey to fight
MS!
The Group Health MS Bike Tour takes you on an
unforgettable, two-day journey through Skagit, Whatcom and Island
counties. More than 2,000 riders will cruise along scenic figure-eight
courses ranging from 50 to 175 miles, and will enjoy six full meals,
generous amenities, stunning landscapes, stocked rest stops every
10 to 12 miles at spectacular sites, and spirited festivities that
include music and a beer garden."
September 8th / 9th
"The Portland Pusher began in 2003 to showcase
skateboarding as a way of transportation, and as a test of skill
and endurance. Since then, it has evolved into a series that includes
2 races per year- 1 in the winter and 1 in the summer. Each race
has a unique course. The route will be posted on August 12th."
Portland Pusher
#8
1st Annual ROGUE LDP Race
Alberta, Canada!!!
The prairies are home to the flatlanders, but who
has the best flatland legs out there? Twenty kilometers of Edmonton's
scenic bike paths, a real test of endurance, will decide. Saturday,
August 18th, we'll all push for the fastest time.
Up for grabs? TONS of gear, and bragging rights!
Sponsored by big-name brands and by Edmonton community shops, the
top riders are leaving with sore legs and hands full of swag. Draws
and side contests too! As the first fully sanctioned skateboard
race in Edmonton we're pulling all the stops to make future events
possible.
This is a charity event with all of the proceeds
going to a charity chosen by the winner. Come out and have a good
time, good karma and to win some gear!
WHAT: 24-hours longboarding
as far as the human body allows, from sunrise to sunrise, this 184-mile
ride launched my fundraising effort for the Lance Armstrong LIVESTRONG
foundation. It was also a preparation test ride for longboarding
this summer's Seattle to Portland event in July.
WHERE: Seattle's 2.8-mile Green Lake loop. "Home
Base" at the park is the stadium / southwest corner. This is
the only place I stopped for breaks during the ride. While on the
pathway, the focus was to keep moving and maintaining a consistent
pace.
WHEN: May 11th, starting at 8 a.m., a Friday morning, as
weekends get crowded at the lake.
WHY: Because I love skateboarding! It's been a part of my
life off and on since the late 70's down in Redondo Beach, CA.
And ultimately, because of the
attention this kind of event can create, it only makes sense to
contribute what we can to a cause that needs us all to take a small
part. Cancer has struck a very personal chord among my family members,
but I've been lucky enough with a healthy life so far, and count
my blessings every time I get out and ride, as I know first-hand
that cancer does not discriminate.
I dedicate this ride to the memory
of my mother, whom I lost at a very early age, and to my niece,
who passed away last year.
Your donations help others who
are diagnosed with cancers to live long and productive lives. Research
is the key to finding a way to help them.
WHO: A crew riding in Seattle, including Gareth Roe, Patrick
Alldred, John Stryker, Brad Jackman, Corey Moy, Calin Schepler,
and other CSA riders and longboarders. Originally planning to synch
up remotely for a morning kickoff was Trevor "Deciduous Tea"
Gibson, the California marvel who longboarded up the coast from
Mexico to Canada last year! He had a bit of an untimely injury so
will hopefully join us on the next one!
HOW can you help? A donation in any amount is greatly appreciated,
as well as your time! If you're interested in joining any part of
the ride, please contact: pavedwave@comcast.net.
Thanks,
james
"...no one ever achieves
great things alone."
-Lynne Cox, Swimming to Antarctica
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HUGE THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear James, Good luck to you on your new
longboard endeavor to raise money for cancer research and
education. What an unselfish untaking! Good for you , I wish
you the very best. Sincerely, VP
I enjoyed your website.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> How cool... using this
passion/interest in
> this way! As a survivor, I appreciate so much his
> efforts in raising money for cancer research and just
> support of all those who have been impacted by this
> disease. Best to all of you!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
James, i donated $50 to the
cause. right on man, i will for sure join you. i'm thinking
the wee hours, say 1am 'till sun-up, i'll try anyway.. maybe
earlier as well, we'll see.
I lost a step-brother to cancer some time ago, a lengthy process,
with slow deterioration and much emotion. i'd be truly honored
to skate for you as well as the cause.
hats' off to ya mate!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
JP
Let me be part of your support
team. I'm good for
about 6 hours of co-riding in the middle of the
night. Just let me know where and when.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>> That's great James,
you are awsome individual !! I know that us Seattle
>> guys
>> will be there to support you as much as possible
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> I would love to ride along
side you for part of this trip, but I fear in
> your tired state I would only be a burden. I don't particular
like anything
> with wheels strapped onto my feet. I doubt i could even
stand on a board if
> it was still!
>
> I am glad to make a donation. Will do so now!
>
> Keep me posted on this event.
>
> XOXOXXOXOX
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi James,
I checked out your web site. It's really
inspiring. Long boarding looks like it has a very different
mindset than the other types of skateboarding.
SKATE
FOR MS 2006
It was FLAT and FAST -- we weren't
planning to race it hard, then these new guys Rob and Tony showed
up pushing like madmen from the start, and we were off! Tony and
Blake made the pilgrimage from clear across the state of WA, and
Matt Stickle came up from south of Salem OR for his 2nd year in
a row.
Seth and Aaron rode the 13 miler
and sprinted to a PHOTO finish, just hundreths of a second from
each other!
The week after, everyone was
discovering muscles they didn't know existed. It was a great day
for it, capping off one of the last distance races in the Seattle
area for 2006.
$11,000 was raised to support Multiple Sclerosis of King County
Association. There are a lot of costs for the event which is organized
and supported primarily by the inline skate community, with cash
donations by a number of companies totalling $5500.
"These crazy dudes ride their extra-long
skateboards for miles and miles at a time, without ever putting
their foot on the ground, arms flailing about their squirming fat-free
torsos like a Rock ‘em Sock ‘em Robot on speed."
"Though it may sound like a good reason
to keep your kids off the Internet, Long Distance Pumping , or LDP,
is actually a new Seattle-bred sport—skating without the pushing.
By minimizing motion and pumping up and down on long, flexible skateboards,
LDP'ers can skate for miles without ever touching their feet to
the ground"
"Nothing spectacular, minus the guy who
was on a carve skateboard.... The skateboard guy was phenomenal…he
wasn’t pushing w/his foot, but instead was carving the board
to progress it. The guys calves were the size of kegs! .... I think
I end up going to bed at roughly 9pm, just as the carve board guy
gets in…140 miles on a skateboard? I gotta give the guy props
for that. Ahh….a good night sleep!"
"James Peters enjoys a form of exercise
that is growing rapidly in the Northwest--“longboard”
skateboarding. While he commutes between 13 to 26 miles most days
of the week, and has been endurance training for several years,
he recently decided to tackle a longer challenge...MUCH longer.
The Cascade Bicycle Club's Seattle To Portland ride was his goal,
and his experience is chronicled here in his report."
The 27th Annual Seattle to Portland "Longboard" Classic
Started with a Rough Draft
204-miles in 2-days, on a longboard. Even I wasn't sure of my chances
of making it. I'd been thinking about this Seattle to Portland trek
for a couple years, and contacted the Group Health / Cascade Bicycle
group (cascade.org) just to be sure that longboarding it would be
cool. It was accepted, and am I ever grateful, because this was
the most epic, physical challenge I've taken on my entire life!
This was the 27th year the STP was held, and its increasing popularity
drew cyclists from all around the globe.
My plan for the ride was done in broad brushstrokes:
get most of the mileage done the first day by going to Castle Rock,
using all the daylight possible, then just see if the body moves
on Sunday morning for another day of riding. Given the 100+ miles
I commute each week, a.k.a., my "training regimen", I
was fairly confident in my own physical ability, but how I'd be
able to repeat the performance, 2 days in a row, was a huge unknown.
The thing that concerned me most was whether a
longboarder would co-exist smoothly alongside 8,999 cyclists. After
all, they typically ride in fast-drafting pacelines and I had concerns
they would worry too much about my side-to-side pumps and boogying
down, even though I don't tend to get too wild (until Michael Jackson
pops up on the mp3…) Well, I was astounded and thankful to
all the cyclists for their camaraderie and steady stream of encouraging
words on the ride, which honestly helped keep my mind and body moving
forward. Many of the passing comments would make the average guy
blush! All I could manage in response between breaths was a nod
or a 'thanks.'
The Ride Data:
Seattle Husky Stadium Start line 4:30 a.m., arrived Saturday in
Castle Rock 8:45 p.m. (16+ hours, 137 miles)
Sunday started 6:15 a.m., Finish line in Portland at 2:30 p.m. (8+
hours, 67 miles)
The adventure started at 3:45 a.m. when my buddy
Shu picked me up in north Seattle. We put my bag on the Castle Rock
truck, providing a major incentive to push myself to reach the oasis
of my sleeping bag and pillow by end of day. Shu gave me a "gambatte"
for good luck and headed off. I was groggily chewing on a sandwich
at the start line, chatting with a seasoned STP cyclist, when the
line just started moving! I think we launched a little earlier than
I expected, about 4:30. Quickly, I turned on my GPS device, which
finally synched-up around the University Bridge/Red Robin area.
So, I rode the first mile or so with a sandwich in hand and drink
in the other-- a great way to start any race!
I wore two "man purses". One contained
a skate wrench, extra bearings, bushings, kingpin, and a spare truck
hangar. The other hip pouch held food packets, maps, first aid and
other survival stuff. I clipped a red blinker on my helmet for dawn
and dusk. The STP jacket was all I really had for warmth and, fortunately
for this excellent trip, it was only needed in the mornings.
On the Road
The first stop, after two hours, was in Kent I think (I ended up
never consulting the map at all, once the ride started). There,
a couple mentioned they'd heard me on the KOMO radio spot Friday,
and also met one of my riding buddy friends, who offered a cell
number in case of any mishaps. I stayed fueled the whole time on
bananas, oranges, bread, Odwallas, & Clif-everything. I kept
my breaks to around 10-20 minutes total, even though Centralia looked
like a great party and I wanted to hang out! The Cascade organizers
did the most amazing job in supporting all the mini-stops with plentiful
snacks and/or coordinating with enough volunteers who also provided
food at a reasonable $1-$2. Considering all the police at intersections,
all the trail markings, evening accommodations and these numerous
pit stops, the amount of professional coordination is simply mind
boggling.
I brought the mp3 player, and never even used it.
This ride was more cooperative and social than any of my training
sessions - awareness of other riders at all times, and keying on
road hazards and using common sense were crucial, given the road
shoulders we were riding most of the time. I just tuned into my
inner bongos and kept a good cadence when the crowds decreased and
the terrain opened up. Internal rhythm was key to pressing on.
As for ride technique, I was able to pump the deck
about 70% and push with the legs 30% of the time. Pumping was, by
far, the most energy-efficient way to propel forward. I had no idea
how much pebbly asphalt or pea-gravel road surface there would be,
but that's where I had to get my mental game on and push right through
the tough stuff. Even with the large, soft-urethane, Avila wheels,
momentum was hard to maintain on the rough surfaces and small road
imperfections were channeling through the board to my feet. I always
remembered to thank the Asphalt Gods whenever fresh blacktop returned!
I would seriously take a butter-smooth, steep uphill over those
moon-cratered flat or even slightly downhill surfaces! There were
a few steep inclines or extremely rough spots where hiking simply
made the most sense: Puyallup, Napavine, and going up the Longview
bridge.
The smoothest, longest non-stop pump rides were
most of the 507 highway, the 13-mile Tenino trail detour, and the
rolling hills through Napavine, which offered the additional euphoria
of traveling through scenic farmland on perfect, FAST asphalt descents
while the sun was setting Saturday evening. The cows, sheep, and
horses were duly impressed with my downhill carving techniques,
as evidenced by their long, lingering stares. My deck was set up
more for moderate speed pumping with soft front bushings, but I
was still able to hit 30-35mph comfortably without speed wobs. I
didn't anticipate so many smooth downhill runs, and there are places
I'm tempted to go back to, just to bomb again!
The Longview bridge was, hands-down, the most technical
challenge of the entire ride. I soon realized it was going to require
a hike up. There were 4-inch gaps between the bridge sections that
would simply swallow my wheels, and large chunks of logging debris
that fall off the trucks every day. Bicycle wheels might roll over
some of these, but, to a skateboard wheel, they're like a doorstop.
Once I crested the bridge, these same obstacles took on new meaning.
The down-pitch of the bridge was steep enough to pick up speed,
fast. I'd ride a section of bridge, compress the board just before
a gap, then bounce over it, immediately foot-braking to decrease
speed, and sometimes make a short, fast slalom-like turn around
a chunk of wood. I repeated this about ten times while the bikes
were screaming by on the left, probably hitting 40-50mph! One woman
later mentioned she saw some smoke coming off my right shoe! After
getting through the sectioned portion of the bridge, there was a
welcoming, fresh asphalt, steep that would please any hardcore downhiller.
It was followed by a huge right-turning bowl / onramp that transitioned
into Highway 30 on the way to Portland.
Body as Machine
Even from the start line, I had doubts how my body would hold out,
given that I have right heel spur from an injury last summer. It
often flares up when I push past training distances of 60 miles.
I was using orthotics, which I'd just purchased and broken in earlier
that week, to make sure there was ample sole to burn for all the
foot-braking ahead. The 65-mile mark was my previous physical milestone
- past 90 miles, I felt less discomfort in the feet, as all the
gyration and pumping through Highway 507 and Tenino felt like doing
endless crunches and sit-ups. Out there on the road I discovered
midsection muscles I previously didn't know existed! But, while
I was feeling new levels of exhaustion, the riders continued to
flow by, cracking me up at times with their comments and keeping
me focused on the finish. And many friendly offers were made for
a push or tow! I politely declined, in principle to stay self-powered
for the duration. That was not always easy, especially at the end
of day on both days, where the surfaces were rough and I felt a
newly-heightened awareness of exactly how my pinky toes fit into
the corners of my shoes. But, thankfully, I didn't go through any
muscle cramping, staying hydrated and fueled by potassium. The credo
was "drink before thirst, eat before hunger" and it really
paid off.
Recovery
Rolling into Castle Rock at twilight was exactly the welcome I needed
- it was quiet, peaceful, as tents were pitched across the school
grounds and I could already hear a few snores and sleepy mumbling
emanating from them. A small welcoming committee took me in and
I had the extreme luck that a carbo-load spaghetti dinner for the
late-comers was still available. My accommodations were "indoor
camping" in the High School gym where just under a hundred
of us slept on padded mats on the basketball court. After fueling
up, taking one of the best showers of my life, and spreading out
on the gym floor in the dark around 10:30 p.m., I drifted off to
an orchestra of snores played in several octaves.
Test number one was awakening and standing up,
to see if the limbs still worked. Test two was walking a few steps.
Both passed, and within 30 minutes of my eyes opening I was back
on board, knowing physical movement was more important at this point
than contemplation. The early bird bikers starting flowing by again,
and these are just a few of the things I heard over the 2 days,
many which were so far over the top, but believe me: the ego massage
was much needed on that hot, grueling second day making it over
Highway 30! I'm grateful for the encouragement:
"Are you for real? Are you serious?"
"I'll buy you a beer at the finish line!"
"Okay...that explains the calves"
"You've got guts"
"You've got balls of steel"
"You Da Man!"
"You're an animal"
"You're my hero!"
"You're my idol!"
"You're a stud!"
"Rock Star!"
"The Boardman!"
"Bet you've got moves on the dance floor"
"Mind if we draft you?"
"Where's your hula hoop?"
"You're sick! And I mean that in a good way!"
In the last 50 miles, ibuprofen played its part.
My foot woes were now matched by upper legs and torso soreness,
so at least the aches were reaching an equilibrium throughout the
body. With the sun toasting us as noon approached, I was becoming
increasingly reminded of the relative amounts of effort the bicyclists
expended on their geared machines, versus the simple mechanics of
my longboard. I shifted and varied stance a lot more now, standing
in the flexy area of the board and milking the maximum momentum
from each pump or push, before exerting another ounce of energy.
The rough, chipseal surface was heckling me, and I just had to dig
in and keep laughing back.
The Gear
One thing I did not have to contend with was any form of equipment
failure or even maintenance. Still, I carried enough spare parts
for the worst of events, knowing that all my comrades' and support
vehicles' survival tool kits on the trail looked nothing like mine.
I rode a 38" RoeRacing LDP, with front and back 107mm SplitFire
trucks, white Khiro barrel bushings in the front, and green Stims
in the rear. The front ball pivot height was set perfectly, because
the front bushings looked almost the same at the end of the adventure
as when I started. The performance trucks came in very handy on
a particular 30mph+ hill in Napavine, when right in the middle of
a smooth asphalt shoulder, there were a few wheel-eating divots
created by some caterpillar tractor, that required fast, snappy
turns (along with the sounds of sucking wind.) I mounted the softest
Avila wheels all around (72a) to tackle the gnarly surfaces. The
wide platform of the deck was perfect for powering pumps, for standing
solid and low on the fast downhills, and just for peace of mind
that there was always a little extra deck under the feet when my
mental acuity might have slipped into the "zone" on those
long, hot straightaways.
Success
The sight of the Finish Line was almost overwhelming. After crossing
Portland's downtown railroad tracks twice, then climbing over the
bridge, and up, up, up more hills in the heat, people were lining
the street cheering us on. I got many post-finish line beer offers,
but after crossing the finish and getting through the crowd, I was
literally hanging onto consciousness and a beer would have put me
out. My brother and niece bought me a hearty, meaty, lunch. After
all those Clif bars, Clif shots, and electrolyte drinks, I was ready
for something of true substance! I ate everything in sight, kept
my legs moving to avoid cramps, took a 'mobile' shower, and eventually
conked-out on the bus ride north.
This was one of the biggest things I've accomplished
in my life so far, a plan sketched roughly enough that I wasn't
exactly confident of its outcome, but felt increasingly strong and
hopeful as every mile clocked by. I did almost no hype of the plan
ahead of time, and have received many noogies from my Portland and
Seattle riding bros for that. Even with just a brief radio spot
the day before and a little newspaper coverage, it was even more
than I anticipated in terms of "recognition."
Growing the Sport
What I really wanted this year was to raise awareness of this long-distance
longboarding niche, and to get ready for next year's event -- to
longboard STP #2 for two of my most personal charitable causes,
autism treatment and awareness, and cancer research.
Since that's a full year away, there will be other
chances this year and the next, to longboard marathons, centuries,
and possibly some velodrome track events for other causes, demonstrations,
and just for fun. The Pavedwave NW longboarding crew is always exploring
new long distance event ideas and our hope is to see similar events
continue to grow around the globe.
Of all the support I received on this adventure,
I must thank, most of all, my family. They chewed through more than
a few fingernails and gave me the biggest hugs of my life at the
end.
"Old 07-21-2006 #13
mre_teacher
RoadBikeReview Member
This was my third year of riding the STP, and unlike a lot of you,
I took the two days. My brother-in-law and myself were guiding two
rookies (both under 18)doing their first centuries, so I was pretty
happy with my overall ride average of 14.75 mph. In leaving so early,
you truly miss the freaks that are out there. There was a
guy on a big unicycle (how does one downhill on one of these?),
a custom Big Wheel (yes, really), and one guy coming into Winlock
doing 30mph on a longboard skateboard. You can't help but smile
and shake your head at the reason why one would try it. "
:-D
2006 Seattle Solstice Skate
Written by MalakaiKingston
Thursday, 22 June 2006
The sky was blue, the pavement was smooth, and
carbon fiber was glistening everywhere. The official Seattle Solstice
Skate is a sanctioned, in-line skating event that had been highly
anticipated for a ride-along by the local longboard crews. But,
the organizers cancelled it without explanation just days prior
to the event. Not to be deterred from a chance to get together,
nine longboarders showed up early Sunday morning at Marymoor Park
in Redmond, Washington for a ride of their own and the SSS happened,
anyway! ...
The HAUL ASH was a great event, lot of
cool, supportive bikers, zero attitude!! Probably due to the fact
the trail is really wide and practically a closed course, not a
typical "street" race for bikes. Weather was perfectly
sunny, then just partly overcast in the afternoon at the finish
line.
The first half, 20.5 miles was like an extended
training session, and the mid-point was the 2nd Redhook Brewery,
so by that time I was ready for a beer (2 free drink tickets for
joining the race) and met a number of people that board as well.
The biker-types were just trippin' that I was pumping the whole
course, either just as a pure curiosity, and a few who were inquisitive
about the technique. Hopefully there's some converts in the near
future...a few said they had boards in the 70s or 80s and hadn't
picked them up since high school. There is always hope!
After about 15 minutes of break in Fremont, then
it was on the return, about the 35 mile point that I felt new exhaustion
levels to push past. Even thought I heard voices in my head at one
point, but it was just the crazy stuff on my mp3. To add to the
surrealism, around that time there was one gnarly crash I skated
slowly through, but things were under control.
The last part of the ride was a bit humorous, as
I checked the cel phone while pumping along, to note there were
about 6 messages waiting - a bit abnormal and alarming! Turns out
the slalom guys had some timer issues and were trying to reach me
for hours. So I called back and spent a number of miles pumping
and chatting the race away... I think that actually helped me to
the finish without really thinking about it. The headwind was stronger
on the return, but at a certain point I was finding new grooves,
ways to conserve and minimize motion and keep the flow going. Considering
how flat the course is, I made pretty good time -- and already looking
forward to this one next year.
Overall I was so stoked on the responsiveness of
Gareth's LDP board and really appreciated its snappy, pumping flex
even more, especially after entering some new realms of exhaustion.
The board just felt ALIVE, I could always move my feet around and
find a new sweet spot to crank small pumps, or wider longer pumps,
just keeping a consistent cadence all the way.
Shot straight from the race up to Mukilteo to catch
the last of the Park and Tight slalom and to see the bros including
many who had come up all the way from Portland and Salem, obviously
I was far too wasted to even consider running cones, but was a killer
way to wrap up "race" day.
HAULED
ASH for 41-miles!
2005 SEATTLE SOLSTICE, Homeless benefit
13 and 26 MILES - June 19th 2005 - Seattle Solstice
Skate, benefitting the Fremont Public Association's annual benefit
for the homeless and poverty-stricken.
Raced the 13- and 26-mile rides on the Burke --
Eric Westberg clocked 1hr 9min on the 13m, and Peters with 2hr 10+min
on the 26m.
Munson shot for a no-touch ride and almost pulled
it off!
Fremont Fair & Solstice events emphasize good
times, while raising awareness and understanding of the needs of
low-income people in our community through the Fremont Public Association
(FPA). Proceeds go directly to the almost 30 programs at the FPA
that provide shelter, food, advocacy and care for low-income families
and individuals throughout Seattle and King County.
2005 MS SKATE - 12
or 24.7 MILES - JULY 31
Results:
1st Place Finisher: 25m Peters / 12m Westberg
2nd Place Finisher: 25m Munson / 12m Dycus
3rd Place Finisher: 25m Stickle / 12m Brighton
Munson - undoubtedly a World Record! 25miles without
touching foot to ground! Escorted by two bicycle riders across traffic
signals and scouting before big hill approaches.
Stickle - STOKE award, convinced his family to
bring him on 7 hour drive for the event.
$1100 donation from AOL Seattle/pavedwave to MSA
The MSA is a very well respected local, non-profit
voluntary service organization which promotes the well-being of
people with Multiple Sclerosis and assists them to live as independently
as possible in their communities.
Sept.
19th, 2004 at Redhook Brewery, approx 6-8 miles longboarding for
'UW Medical Center Fund for Breast Cancer Research'. AOL Seattle/pavedwave
pitched in $1100 to this cause, including registration of 11 Seattle
employees.
August
8th, 2004 from Marymoor to Gasworks (24.7 miles) -- with a generous
donation and participation from AOL Seattle/pavedwave -- raised
$1025 for Multiple Sclerosis of King County in the "MS Skate
or Walk" event.
