GLASGOW, SPRING ‘07: AN EMBRYONIC AFFAIR
After a few years of knowing nods between anonymous longboarders, and occasionally acting like a Merekat upon hearing the distinctive sound of chopping board on black top things in Glasgow have finally started to kick off: We have a new forum based website www.longboardglasgow.com which exists only to spread the stoke, we are having regular session (which will probably result in us getting banned for the local park!), and frequently folks are hooking up and skating together.
THE RIDES:
Most of the skating has been taking place in Kelvingrove park: A West end park which has varying degrees of runs and winding paths: most of which are acquiring names: Technique-hill, The glide, The bullet, Beginners black run… (a piste map may follow)
There are also plans afoot for Car park and city centre dawn raids
REGULAR SESSIONS:
Thursday evenings have become a regular session, with folks encouraged to turn up and skate, regardless on knowing anyone! It’s been going for about 6 weeks. In that time we’ve had a Landyachtz Evo, Tulas, Sambas, Kisiwas, Comets, Gravity’s and a load of Fibreflex pintails. We had an age gap of 48 years with 8 to 56 year old riders, and we’ve even had nights where there are more girls out than boys!!!
Below is a summary of our first run together.
The First Descent: The word had been spread on the Lush forum about Thursday evening and a few people had promised to come out, I got there late…there was no one about! Felling disappointed I was about to have a run down through the park when I saw three boarders walking back up, and behind them another three!
Brilliant, there would be 7 of us out…We all did our introductions: Adrian, Angus, Blair, Fraser, Gillian, Michael & me: Will. The excitement of skating with others who knew the joy of carving and bombs was palpable!
We set off on our first run, all keen to prove something!...we carved down the perfectly tarmac-ed sweeping Glide, in a winding line we picked up speed, and one after the other tucked for the hairpin at the bottom. First person: hand down and drifts round beautifully, second: misjudges it…cutting across the grass, wobbles and tumbles bursting in to screams of laughter. The next takes wide: trimming the grass on the other side, wobbling manages to hold it. The rest make it round. The drop is steep onto a single width plateau of questionable surface!
The group is now bunched as we pass the Lion statue and take the second drop: the speed builds and bunching catch us out as unfamiliarity allows no telepathy: people are heading across the grass, others opt for safety and bail running it out…the whoops, shouts and giggles can be heard around the park. Those remaining bomb on towards the rink, the large flat area of perfectly smooth tar changes the noise of the wheels to a slick low hiss; more hands down for the hardest carve. Those remaining upright carve gently down the last 100m of the tree lined serpentine path to the newly constructed street skate park….as we arrive a few kids look on quizzically wondering how you Ollie a Landy evo!
The smiles are cut in to the faces of tail enders, cheeks glowing with both excitement and anticipation…the chatter of stoke takes over “I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU MADE THAT…”, “YOU WERE ALL OVER THE PLACE…”, “DID YOU SEE ME ON THE GRASS, I THOUGHT I WAS A F**KED???”
We pick up our boards and start the walk back to the top...
The Injury List: (Who, on what, why, result)
Micheal: on a Tula: Trying to avoid pedestrians: Road rash on Hip and arm
Micheal (seven days later!): on a Tula: Trying to avoid pedestrians: Ripped the skin on his hand (lots of blood!)
Will: Fiberflex, Max soft Seismics: Bombing an unknown path when I was ambushed by insurgent steps!: Grade two AC Joint separation (ripper Ligaments on Collarbones). Check the picture!
THE FUTURE:
More skating: Bombing Kelvingrove park, Bellahouston park, the city centre, Sliding West George St. on Sunday mornings and finding more great hills about the area.
If you in Glasgow and fancying joining us check out www.longboardglasgow.com
Cheers to all who have made/are making skating this summer in Glasgow one to remember! ...Will
