It was like Boba Fett nodding at Leia-in-disguise (what was that character’s name? Oh right, Boushh. Thanks, nerds.) when she brought out a thermal detonator and got Jabba to raise his price for Chewbacca. Boba Fett is all, “Bad ass.” And Leia’s like, “You know.” No, but really it was like that at the skatepark today. I did a 360 flip up the step-up (nothing new) and this guy that is way better than me gave me that exact same nod.

My skating adventure today was super awesome. I shall recount it here so I can read about it later and remind myself how awesome it was.

Started off pretty slow, park is moderately busy, I land an easy ollie up the step and try some kickflips over it and some pressure flips on the hip. For about half an hour I’m unsuccessful. Some guy brought his camera and is filming random people. Some young girl skaters are there, so he’s filming them. Not to say he’s just filming them because they’re girls, but also because they’re good. Inspired by the good skating, I try double kickflips up the step. Still nothing doing. The filmers go over to the spine.

I start trying pressure flips up the step. Why not? I land that after a couple tries. Then I try 360 flips. Land the second one (receive the Boba Fett nod from the guy). I hit a double kickflip on the hip, pressure flip the hip, switch front side 180 up the step, and generally start landing stuff. Something about landing that first trick set up all the rest.

I’ve been skating about 90 minutes at this point, but I just can’t stop. I feel awesome, no knee pain, my foot bone that I messed up last Sunday isn’t that bad unless I try to power through backside 180s. But screw it, I’ll try backside kickflip 180s. I don’t land that, but on the way back over the hip I try a 360 pressure flip on a whim and land it first try. YES! It looks awesome as I’m watching the board twist around all weird in that 360 pressure flip way. And then I put my feet down and land that sucker.

Later on, a guy offers to sell me a beer for a dollar. Too bad I don’t drink, or I could have made a friend.

What a great afternoon. Skateboarding is awesome. Don’t believe me? Watch Rodney Mullen do it. He was amazing 19 years ago, when I was only 12. That is all.