In This Episode, Our Heroes Take a Skate Lesson From Tuma

Malba couldn't fit us in this week, so I arranged a lesson with Tuma. Folks had told me to get in touch with him for lessons, telling me he's great. They were right. And he's in L.A., which helps immensely.

As you can see from the first photo, it didn't take long for Soul Brother #2 to warm up to Tuma.


Soul Brother #2, if he stays with it, will skate well if only because he's got the right people telling him the right things to do. (God help us all if I were to try to teach him anything about skating!)


Much to our shared chagrin, Tuma made us get in the pool!!! I was not thrilled as I wasn't sure how to get in and was certain I'd never be able to climb out. I'm happy to report that I easily ran into the pool and was easily able—thanks to all of that surfing power—to pull myself up and out of the pool. News flash!! I didn't fall at all today. I always fall at skateparks, often while I'm innocently rolling slowly from one place to another. Today, the only part of me that touched the concrete was my feet.


Soul Brother #2 quietly screamed the entire time Tuma had him in the pool. This is only his second lesson, his second time at a skatepark and some dude has him pumping/doing fakies in the pool. Youngblood was not amused! I, however, laughed at my child and his ineffectual attempt to feign serious fear. Tuma would not let him escape.


Well, now I can say I've skated the Venice Skatepark. I swore I'd never skate that park. Ever. The place is completely frenetic and chaotic after a certain hour. Thankfully, the park was relatively quiet when we met Tuma there for our lesson.

I was happy to spend my Saturday on a skateboard rather than a surfboard. I still think this is a messy swell. I'm not going to spend too much time chasing it or letting it chase me. I'm going down south tomorrow for a mat meet. If the waves are like they were last year, I'll get in the water and take some punishment that will be well worth the waves I get. If the swell is bigger than last year, I'm staying on the shore and relaxing in the sun as I watch truly skilled mat riders throw themselves over the ledge.

I hear the swell is slowing down. That's fine with me. I'd like to see some civilized waves back in these parts!