It is now September 2022. In the months since October 2021 I have skated probably less than I ever have in the last 20 years. As I have complained about before, the days get short in November and then the weather turns bad. Then the first few months of this year I was very busy with our home being remodeled, and just didn't have the time to skate. Not happy about that, but it was worth it to have the house fixed up. Didn't help that this was a very hot summer, even by Texas standards. I just don't want to to out when it is still 100 degrees F at 10pm.
But now Fall is here. Fall is my favorite time of year. I love the weather. When the sky is gray I love it. I love the temperature. I love wearing a hoody when I skate.
I got out to skate this last Sunday, then again last night (Wednesday). It felt good. Eventually. I was pretty rusty, but in each session after about 30 minutes I was feeling pretty good.
I've been riding my big boards. I did take my freestyle board out last night, but after what has now been almost three years of skating just bigger boards, I just have no interest in riding my freestyle setup. Even though I am basically doing freestyle. It just doesn't feel as good. It isn't as fun to ride. Sure, it is better for some tricks, but I think it strips what is best of my skating away. I kind of hate to say this, but I may just be done with the traditional freestyle board.
For almost the entirety of the pandemic, I've been riding two boards. The Mode 9 x 32.5 Pool model and the standard Mode 8.25" popsickle shape. Honestly, I live riding the pool board most. The small pops is good, but man, when I step on that 9" shaped board, it has such a nice pocket for my front foot. The Indy 159s fit it so perfectly. I run one thin riser under each truck, and use 54mm Bones STF wheels. The setup is perfect. The proportions are perfect. It feel solid, stable, and maneuverable under my feet. Sadly, I think after this one is used up, I have one more and that's it. No more of them.
The 8.25 pops, however, is a very good all-around board. It's big enough to ride in a lot of situations - ditches, banks, flat, parks, etc. And an 8.25" pops is easy to find. I run Indy 149s and 54mm Bones STF on it, and it is also perfectly proportioned. I usually run some risers to help reduce tail scraping during 360 spins, though right now I'm not using any.
Given the soon to be extinction of the pool board, I will likely just move to the 8.25 pops, and whatever size pops fits 159s. I am tired of thinking so much about what boards are available when I need them.