12 October 2011

My New Life as a Surfer Who Skates

Here is another one I wrote for Josh's site.

If someone had told me, as recently as six months ago, that there would be a point in time when I’d be riding a skateboard as much as I ride my surfboard, I would have laughed and used some pointed words—words that Spongebob and Patrick humorously refer to as “sentence enhancers”.


But I digress.


My life as a surfer who skates, as opposed to a skater who surfs, began in earnest about a month or two ago. My son quietly let me know that he wanted to start riding a skateboard. Mind you, this boy couldn’t even stand on a board, let alone push to get it going or kick to make it turn. So, I hooked up with a couple of pros to teach him some basics. And while they were at it, I figured they could teach me a thing or two or 20 as well.


The last few months have seen me at the skatepark on a regular basis. Days that would normally involve me packing my car with a surfboard and surf gear became days that involved me packing my car with a child and skate gear. Instead of checking the surf forecasts all day every day, I now spend time looking for skateparks that would be suit me and my little skater.


Surfing will always be my first love. And I don’t aspire to drop into a 12 foot pool, crush the deathbox and then subsequently fly out over the coping with an audible roar. I’ll leave that to the younger skaters, the ones with the more malleable bones. What I do want from skating, specifically from my visits to skateparks, is to be able to flow . . . as one does on a wave. Mind you, I always thought skateparks were for ripping and shredding. But now that I skate at these places, I realize that a skatepark can present you with opportunities to feel like you’re riding a wave (albeit a concrete one).


I don’t know that I’ll ever be a full-fledged skater. I’m too old and too enamored of the ocean to put skating ahead of surfing. I do, nonetheless, feel a certain affinity for the glide of the skateboard even if it isn’t quite the same as that we find in the ocean. My new definition of a perfect day? It would have to be one where I surf in the morning and skate in the afternoon . . . without falling . . . on my (insert sentence enhancer here).

8 Comments:

At 10/12/11, 5:25 PM, Blogger Steve and Cher Pendo said...

'Really enjoyed your story Sis! it's wonderful that you and your little skater can share fun like this! Love and Aloha, Cher and Steve

 
At 10/14/11, 11:46 AM, Anonymous C-Dub said...

Good on you, seems you are have some priority changes too.

All good when tyou spend time with kid.

~C-Dub

 
At 10/14/11, 2:03 PM, Anonymous Mark Twain said...

Me me me!

 
At 10/16/11, 9:51 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I can find no better way to spend time with the kids then to just become one yourself again! We visited a skate park a few months ago that was professionally done both indoors and outdoors and I saw many moms sitting upstairs looking quietly through their magazines or texting madly away on their cell phones. I paused for a moment and thought this is all wrong! How can they sit there and wait for their children and not participate in life? Who knows maybe when they leave there they will dash off to an exciting spin class or aerobics, but where is the spice in their life? Don't get me wrong I am not suggesting that skateboarding or surfing is right for every mom, but having children to share the stoke with is unforgettable. I am so glad to hear that you are so actively involved in not only learning yourself, but sharing the stoke with your son. I for one am not going to miss out on life, not for one second!
I will end on this quote:"Life’s journey is not to arrive at the grave safely, in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting “Holy (insert sentance enhancer here), what a ride!”
~ Mavis Leyrer

Much love and peace to you Surf Sista in CA,
Michelle

 
At 10/16/11, 9:57 PM, Blogger Surfsister said...

I've always said that if I live life the way I planned, I will wear out my body and be ready to sit quietly by the time I'm old. But I'll be sitting quietly with a big smile on my face because of a life well-lived!

 
At 10/17/11, 6:01 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Surf sista I do not see either you or myself able to sit quietly when we are old! Way too much energy for that sort of thing! I say keep moving that is life!

 
At 11/4/11, 11:12 AM, Blogger KK said...

hey surf sista, i fell upon your blog from reading surfing grandma of the OC. i love this entry because i can relate to it. i just started to skate last year august in order to improve my surf. i too feel that those death drops into 12 foot pools are far beyond my advil intake for the day, and frankly should be reserved for the groms that truly seem to have no fear at all.

that being said, my perspective on a "perfect day" has changed significantly, surfing all morning, eating lunch, then skating in the afternoon until our knees are shaking from cranking out turns on the pavement.

which skateparks do you go to? i am still intimidated by skateparks. i hit up the old dog town schools like paul revere to get my fix.

cheers!

 
At 11/4/11, 11:17 AM, Blogger Surfsister said...

I don't go to a lot of parks. With that said, I can sometimes be found in Santa Monica as well as at a couple of parks in Orange County (which is where many in my skate crew, which is made up primarily of moms who skate, reside). I'm sitting here pissed right now because my ramp hasn't dried off after the rain. Now the clouds or back, so it looks like there will be no skating today.

 

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