Vertical Rollerskating

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Message 2107 (25. Dec. 2006 22:55) (All next previous)

Robert (videos by Robert) (pictures by Robert)
rchase40@gmail.com
Merry Christmas to all Vertical Rollerskaters
Thanks Bernhard,

Because I am such an internet surfer, I came across this site. I think that I have been wanting to get back into skating for a long time, but you all helped fuel the fire. Irene, thank you for all of your advice. It has been extremely helpful. Also, thank you to RollerDave. It amazes me how much you know about the equipment. I could always skate pretty well, but never knew anything about skates or the equipment. I still don't, but I plan on learning. I am sure we all have stories about the old days. When I was in sixth grade, I skated a skatepark in Los Angeles called Skatercross. I was on the team and skated with a few rolleskaters, but there were only four of us. My mentor was Paul Votava. He was a very aggressive skater and I just watched him and did my best to learn his tricks. The other two rollerskaters were my good friends that moved to Texas. I would say I spent ten years being the only rollerskater with the boarders. I think this is where I got my marketing and sales skills. I would hear about a backyard ramp and I would show up to a strange house with skateboarders and just watch for an hour. I would talk to them for a long time and then ask, if I could skate. They would always say yes, but never knew I rolleskated. I would put on my equipment really fast while getting dirty looks. I would drop in and bust a flip on my first run because I had to. After that, they were totally cool to me and I had a new place to skate. You hear about old school skaters like Dogtown and I would say I was there for rollerskaters. I am sure most of you remember the days being the only quad skater. I never knew quad skaters and I grew up skating with only skateboarders. Back then, you had to earn their respect and hope you could keep skating. I always did. I can remember about four backyard ramps that I would skate where I had to prove myself. I never got mainstream and am proud that I skated with some of the best skateboarders around. I watch some of the videos of skaters that I never heard of and they blow my mind. I think I was one of the old school guys that nobody every heard about and it makes me happy. I was ripping in 1982 in the days of Alan Losi, Christian Hosoi, Eric Grisham, Lance Mountain, and Bert Lamar. Those were the good old days, but I left that world to work and try to make money. I did well for about six years and now I am just working in software sales. I look back and should have stayed, but you can't look back. Now I just work and skate. I will never be that good, but soon I hope to hold my own, if, my back can handle it. So, I am hoping to get to the point to do plate stalls and flips, but I won't do it unless I skate with other quad skaters. I feel that I left something behind and now I am too old to find it. If anyone wants to skate in California, then let's do it. If you live far, then I would love to come visit or you can come here. Let's bring our sport back.

Robert

: I want to wish you all a very warm and cheerful Christmas. By contributing to this forum, you have made this a nice and cozy place for roller skaters all over the world. I wouldn't have thought this to be possible when I started this forum five years ago but it has turned out to be a very great thing. Thank you all for this!
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  • Bernhard: Merry Christmas to all Vertical Rollerskaters (24. Dec. 2006 12:04)
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