Weather: Skated outside last week but there’s still plenty of snowy days in the foreseeable future.
If you missed it on CAN TV here is this year’s Farecard.
A few things to enjoy:
– Stephen has a tumblr
– Matt Soria has a podcast about making marks
– The Yeah Video is coming soon\
I’ve also updated the store with a few things.
I planned on doing a year end round up or a bunch of top ten lists but time got away from me and now we’re already a month into 2015. 2014 has been one of the worst years I can remember and I don’t want to focus on that so instead here are a few good memories and things I liked.
One of the more amazing things of the past year is that Such Luck is still going. Sure I don’t post as much as I used to but I like to believe the quality has continually improved. Not sure how long it’ll keep going but this February marks it’s 9th year. Thanks for stopping by, clicking the links, checking out the pictures and reading the nonsense.
I know there are a ton of complaints and everyone knows best but the new Grant Park skatepark is a going to change Chicago skateboarding. Burnham was great when it opened but you had to drive there. Wilson opened and early sessions started up and eventually there was locals and I’ve had a lot of great nights and mornings and long days there. Teams coming through stopped by there. Demos were there. BBQs and contests. The new park is bigger and more centrally located and from now on it’ll be where all that stuff happens and a new group of people will grow up there and there’ll be a new group of locs and crews and memories. Wilson will always be home but I’m guessing a lot more mornings will start there.
Friday nights will start at the new park too. It’s been going on for a few years now but the weekly Friday night szechuans aka farecard Fridays never get old. A buncha dudes meet up, warm up, push around, get kicked out of spots, laugh, fall, maybe land something, the best time ever. Can’t wait for the weather to warm up so we can start doing them again.
There were also more trips in 2014 and I’m hoping that continues. They don’t have to be long and they don’t have to cost a lot but getting out of the city and heading to another city or another park helps break up the monotony of the same Saturdays skating the same parks with the same crew. Those days are great but adventuring is adventuring!
The videos I watched the most this year were the local crew videos and some online parts. The Bronze edits, the new Static, This Time Tomorrow are still in rotation. The Polar/Converse New York days was one of the best things out there. The giant mega-productions came and went and they were astounding but they didn’t make me want to get out and push fast and ollie.
As much as I love independent videos and small companies this year reminded me that nothing is too big to disappear. With Alien Workshop and Habitat momentarily going under it made me think about how much I love both of those companies and when was the last time I rode one of their boards. I’m glad they are still around in some form but that goes for restaurants and stores and artists I love. Without supports some of them won’t make it. I guess what it comes down to is thinking about who you’re giving money to and who you’d like to give that vote of support.
This year has been about making more things at home. Brewing beer, roasting nuts and of course the best thing, slow cooking. Every house should have a good slow cooker. Coming home to some chili or pulled chicken is the best thing on a cold day. If you don’t have one make the investment.
Finally, after Ryan left the exodus continues and we’ve lost a few more to the weather. Kevin headed to the south a few weeks back and this morning Jackson headed out west. The good part of it is there’s more couches to crash on and spots that have already been found. The bad is we won’t be skating as often. Not sure when G’s Neighborhood Watch video is coming out but I’m positive Jackson’s part will be a mind blower. Safe travels! Come back soon.
A bunch of the best dudes ever took a trip down to Texas to get outside in the sun for a few days. You can watch Tyler’s edit here. I’ll have a ton more photos from there in the next couple weeks.
There’s new snow monkeys at the Lincoln Park Zoo. I love it when they get in the hot tub.