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Tuomas Toivonen

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A first-third-life crisis? No way, skateboarding rules!

I think midlife crisis is outdated. If one is to live, say, ninety years, what's so special in being in your forties or fifties? Would seem that a partitioning life into three thirty year segments would be more appropriate. First thirty you learn, next thirty you apply and do your contribution to society, last thirty you relax; I mean, the mid-thirty were tough enough so you've got the right to chill out a bit before the end.

So I've been thirty for close to half a year already. Have I hit the crisis yet, have I readjusted, have I started to take things seriously, have begun to contribute? Not really. Instead I've regressed. In a desperate attempt to shake off some fifteen of the accumulated thirty I've taken to skateboarding with some gusto.

Sometime circa mid-nineties I saw an ad in Wired. A fellow was bombing down a hill with a Sector 9 longboard. Not that I'd ever seen a longboard before, but I wanted one. Sure I'd had a skateboard back in the eighties. Still, at the advanced age of twenty-three I felt too embarrassed to be buying a skateboard. At the surf/skate shop in Santa Cruz, California I lied to be purchasing the board for one of my brothers. When I picked up the board later (after my first ever session of surfing, yeah, I had try all these things Californian) the people at the shop reminded me not to try it out, it was for my brother, after all. Trying to cover my bluff I retorted lamely, oh no, I wouldn't dare, I can wipe out on snow or water, but asphalt is not for me.

Being on my eighth season with longboards I've mostly used them for downhill and as an alternative mode of transport: almost as fast as a bicycle and you can grab the board and hitch a ride with public transport no problem.

Last week though I passed by a small, wide and, crucially, empty vertical ramp. Next morning, Friday, on my way to the office I went to try it out. Feeling seriously goofy I tried the simplest thing possible: pumping for speed. Surprisingly, it worked and I was able to ride up and down the curving sides of the ramp. Amazing how heavy it can be on your feet. After an hour or so I had to call it a day as my legs turned to spaghetti didn't seem to support me anymore in an accident free zone.

Had to purchase new wheels and bearings that day. On my way from the ramp to the office the bearings in one wheel had got stuck. I rode in anyway, but shouldn't have. Visiting a skate shop to buy new bearings I found out that the wheel with faulty bearings had actually melted. Never seen that happen before. Sad. Those where the wheels I'd bought from the shop in Santa Cruz and they were still my favourite set.

Last Monday brought in new advances in my newly found passion for skating the ramp. I managed to make clean turns (one-eighty degrees) both back and front side. As well I could connect those turns and keep up momentum in the ramp. Three sessions in total that day, two at Lauttasaari and one in Leppävaara. I like the ramp in Lauttasaari a lot better, being rather wide I don't need to fear dropping of the sides.

Late afternoon now. What've I done today? Slept late, gone skating. Bad for work. Met a fellow from the longboard crowd at the ramp. He had a rather interesting shortboard, a bit longer and wider than the norm. More manouverable than my longboard, yet still with quit a bit more stability than regular shortboards, those I can't handle at all. Too bad you can get those only direct from the vendor, Conspiracy Skateboards. They're in Denver, Colorado of all places. With $75 for board and overseas shipment it's not too bad though.

Sorry for such a stoked tirade, but I had to. ;-)

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