Sometimes, the best wheels are stolen ones.
No, I’m not suggesting Grand Theft Auto as a lifestyle. Instead, I took a leaf out of my ten year old self’s playbook, stole my son’s penny board, and split. Skateboarding in place of driving can be yet another tool in your bag of healthy goodies for achieving an improved lifestyle.
A 38 year old man on a skateboard is generally viewed as one of two things – totally pathetic or totally fuckin’ rad. I’m assuming you can figure out my take. It took me a few minutes to get comfortable with the balance, but by day’s end I was chasing down Christian Hosoi.
So what’s a penny board, and who is Christian Hosoi? Funny you should ask.
When I was a boy of about 10, my brother (not sure where the money came from) gave me the world’s most thoughtful gift, a skateboard. Not just any board, this was a
mini Hosoi Hammerhead, white with clear grip tape and Independent trucks. Not a skater? Don’t stress it. We’re moving on.
Christian Hosoi was a famous skater, extraordinary high-flyer and the brand on my childhood board. Think Blake Griffin on four wheels.
This post isn’t about skating in the 80s and it’s not about boards in 2014, but for the sake of context and clarity, lets talk about penny boards momentarily. These are all the rage with the prepubescent set these days. They’re fun mini cruiser boards, made of plastic and now appreciated by Dane’s quirky dad.
“Dane,” I said with my 12 year old’s board in my hand, “I’m going to borrow your skateboard. Do you have a problem with that?”
“As long as you don’t break it.”
“If I break it, I’ll replace it,” I uttered confidently or smugly, depending on who bore witness.
My plan was to hit the gym about a mile away, then hit the grocery store for another mile, and then head back home. As I walked out the door, board in hand, I begin to have my doubts. This board is small and made of plastic, what if it wasn’t capable of supporting my weight?
Within the first few pushes, I was able to put that thought to rest. I felt her sturdiness as I set out in the Malibu sun, grocery bags in hand. I was getting in a great workout, but even better, I was spending the time outside that would otherwise be spent trapped in a car. (I hate cars for so many reasons. I’ll likely muse more on this in an upcoming post.)
In any event, if I wasn’t on my way to a workout and this alone was my exercise for the day, I’d be satisfied. The calculation websites out there estimate that I burned roughly 465 calories during my trip to the gym, grocery store, and back home.
I left the grocery store with 4 full bags of groceries. Lesson learned – yams aren’t light and skateboarding on a penny board with said groceries isn’t comfortable or easy. I’ll be leaving the larger shopping trips for days I want to drive, but if I’m headed out for just a few items, I’ll leave the tires at home and hop on the plastic.
Back home, I returned Dane’s board. As I did, I realized that I didn’t want this to be a one-time thing, and I asked him if he wanted to skate with me post lunch (I brought home chicken legs).
If we were going to skate together, I needed a board. Dane and I set out to my local skate shop where I figured I’d pick up an inexpensive generic board to beat up with 
my man. Imagine my surprise when a crazy illumination of the universe’s power (or a random coincidence) stepped in. The shop had but a single special edition “nickel board,” a slightly larger version of the penny. It was a Hosoi with clear grip tape. Mind, blown.
Deuce-Deuce (22, Dane’s nickname) and I shredded together for the next few hours. The time he and I spent as a unit was more than worth the shekels I spent on the board. From here on out, my nickel-board is cash in my lifestyle bank.
This summer, I encourage you to get outside sans your vehicle for a portion of your daily activities. Perhaps you don’t have a grocery store nearby, but what other errands can you knock out on a skateboard, bike, scooter or just your own two feet? Do you really need a car to drop off that extra large envelope at the post office? Going to eat with your family on a group of self-powered vehicles accomplishes both health and togetherness. As an added bonus, it’s hard to text and ride. Trust me, I tried it.
Skate or die,
Kap
My story. Used to have a Shogo Kubo dog town skate board. Years ago. (https://www.facebook.com/shogo.kubo.9/about) he was an originator from back in the day. I bought a new one about four years ago. And you are right, what a workout for a 225 lb man pushing and puffin it could be. Funny you write this because I jumped on it last Friday for about hour with my son and his penny board. Exhausted is a understatement. Kap you missed out by about 10 years not to far from your house…check this link up. http://www.concretedisciples.com/index.php/skatepark/246-closed-skateparks/25683-skatercross-reseda. This is where all the skaters went.
FYI. Your Fathers day write up was great. Lap
Sick, Lap. Thanks for stopping by and chiming in. Always a pleasure.
I wish I could run any errands without a car. Or even get to the park or local running trails. Too far and a dangerous road with no sidewalks. Sometimes I hate the suburbs.
Where do you live, Terri? Warning: I’m about to pick apart your reasoning. Reply only if you care to playfully engage.
Terri, ya’ll need to move to an area like ours! Plenty of places to run, bike, skateboard (yes, Cody still goes everywhere on his longboard!) ride horses, whatever exercise you want. And the added bonus of having the Bulls close enough to take the Harley or the dune buggy to games. And I agree, those roads by you are nuts! Just my two cents. Loving life on the farm in NC!
If I recall didn’t you bike to Fenway everyday?
Motorcycle. So, technically, I rode my bike.
Well… I’d love to rollerblade on errands, but I’d probably end up getting killed (I wear safety gear, but the road I’d take to the post office is a four-laner, and the road to the grocery store is winding and narrow, and people drive on both like maniacs). I do, however, rollerblade around my neighborhood for a good 45 minutes a day, whenever I can. I hope that counts for something.
Totally counts, Charlotte. Good stuff.
i’m rollin’ a 42″ sector 9 with big and littles, always in the car in case of traffic madness. just replaced the trucks & bearings, new life!
oh yeah, i’m 53. try not to trip young’un
Ha, thanks, Devo.
Let me know when you are ready for my Rodney Mullen.
Ready. What’s the story?
Same vintage as Hosoi. Original owner 7-8/10. Sits under the bed. Collectible. Rodney was top free styler in the day. Nickname, The Mutt. It lays at rest with a Billy Ruff Goblet board. G&S skate team.
Kap, this is the greatest post ever. I’m 35, own 4 skateboards (1 Sector 9, 2 Baker boards and 1 vintage Hosoi hammerhead)…..I skate all the time. Skate to the gym, skate down the street to visit my kids at their mother’s house and skate down to the beach for a surf, skate as much as possible all the time.
As a Southern California kid growing up, board sports were instilled in us as much as eating our veggies. I always enjoyed my team sports, but there was such an amazing feeling of individualism and natural high that being on a board made you feel.
I’m happy to say I will skate for the rest of my life. Skating with my kids is even better. I will use your deposit in the bank of life analogy from now on.
Skate and enjoy, my friend.
Ryan
It was a nice story to read. I wish my father had given me one when i was child. It is emotional to work with things from childhood. Skating is a better way of being active physically and it is very fun to ride. Although it is hard to learn at first but once it is learned properly it is fun.