Mind Over Matter: SUAS* is an ongoing column that aims to document skateboarders from all walks of life who are still riding their plank after 30+ years of age. My principal intent is to offer the viewer both an insight to why grown men/women choose to continue to ride despite being what many consider “too old” and to encourage the masses to get out and get theirs - whatever that might be.
*SUAS is an acronym commonly used in skateboard rhetoric, it simply means Shut Up And Skate! Click the image to view it super-sized. Enjoy.
*SUAS is an acronym commonly used in skateboard rhetoric, it simply means Shut Up And Skate! Click the image to view it super-sized. Enjoy.
The Brotherhood: Alex and I go way back. It wasn’t until the other day that I realized we’ve been skating together since we were somewhere around 12 or 13-years-old. We’ve shared a lot of history and thankfully he’s still around. About four years ago I reconnected with Alex. We hadn’t talked for some 20 years.
He moved to Richmond during high school and even though we wrote letters keeping each other in check about what new tricks we learned, eventually we lost touch with each other. Later, I vanished, traveling around the US and eventually moved abroad. Just before heading to the Middle East I called Alex out of the blue. I had heard from a friend that he was running a restaurant that he co-owned. We caught up briefly in our conversation but life pressed on and we never did have a chance to kick it.
About four years later I returned and made it a point to get ahold of him again. He hadn’t been skating for years and I made it my duty to get his ass on board again.
When he came out to the first session, with the D30 crew, it was like he had never stopped. His style and tricks were right where he had left them. A few days ago I saw him cruisin’ down the street and he popped an ollie, it took me back to our wonder years, nothing had changed. It was so surreal to find that a simple trick could trigger so many memories. Its hard to explain, but it did.
I should mention, I owe Alex some money or something, I think I burned his clutch out on his Datsun B210. That was many many moons ago, but how else was I supposed to learn how to drive a five speed? Homies for life.
He moved to Richmond during high school and even though we wrote letters keeping each other in check about what new tricks we learned, eventually we lost touch with each other. Later, I vanished, traveling around the US and eventually moved abroad. Just before heading to the Middle East I called Alex out of the blue. I had heard from a friend that he was running a restaurant that he co-owned. We caught up briefly in our conversation but life pressed on and we never did have a chance to kick it.
About four years later I returned and made it a point to get ahold of him again. He hadn’t been skating for years and I made it my duty to get his ass on board again.
When he came out to the first session, with the D30 crew, it was like he had never stopped. His style and tricks were right where he had left them. A few days ago I saw him cruisin’ down the street and he popped an ollie, it took me back to our wonder years, nothing had changed. It was so surreal to find that a simple trick could trigger so many memories. Its hard to explain, but it did.
I should mention, I owe Alex some money or something, I think I burned his clutch out on his Datsun B210. That was many many moons ago, but how else was I supposed to learn how to drive a five speed? Homies for life.
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