ISSA - International Slalom Skateboarding Association

This past Sunday, bright and early I set my cones on a quiet N. Phoenix street with my son Cory. Unlike any other Sunday with the two of us skatin' alone, this week we had a total of 14. Most were new to Slalom but with some loaner boards and some coaching, they were doing Great.
50 cones were set on a gentle hill in a Hybrid/tight fashion. George Gould
came down from Winslow and set the fastest time of the day.22.22 sec.
Steve Michael was on his heels at 22.41 sec. I held my own at 22.50 sec.
but my son Cory is threatining to unseat dad with a 22.60

A big thanks to Greg Morris for dragging George out at 5:00 A.M. to make it
on time.
To all my new Slalom friends Rob,Fay, Bryce ,Trina, Rex, Jeff and son Justin,
Way to go , keep pumping.
'Til next Sunday, same time, same place, Different coarse.
See ya' on the hill.
Tom

Tom,

Can you post the specifics?

If I would have known you guys where practicing, I would have been there to add three more to your count, Jacob, Elijah and myself.

Thanks for visiting.

adam

George now can drop the name "loneskater". Congrats on those times George.
I love to hear of new groups forming. It's what we need more of. Way to go Tom!

I've also got the pics up on my yahoopix and at home. The lady at the bottom of the hill (I forgot her name, please forgive me) tried to get the hang of the the dig.cam, and a few pix turned out pretty good.

The pic below shows just how far we need to go to get into shape. I thought that sitting next to George would make me look thinner, but no go to that...whatta gut.




It would be great to put the best times up somewhere, too. Something to shoot for next time we get together. BTW...when is that going to be?

Next time, we'll have Adam and his crew and hopefully Rick Lebhart.

-=S=-

ps...I'm goin' to G4, hell or high water. Anyone else representin' ASS?

If you're planning to attend G4, you should keep an eye on this thread:

viewtopic.php?t=1663

Q

Once again this Sunday 3/21/04 I will be setting cones at 6:45 a.m. in N Phoenix.
16th st. and Union Hills on the N. side of the school on the back street.
I don't expect the big turn-out of last week ( Cory is out of town, Rob is working, George is up in Winslow) but the cones will be there anyway.
All are welcome to come out and have some fun.
E-mail me if you need more info.
Tom[/b]

This week Slalom practice will be on Saturday 3/27/04.
Same place, 16th and Union Hills.
I'll be set up at 6:30 am Come one, come all, and bring a friend.
Any questions, E-Mail me.

Tom

Cool.

I should be able to make this one Tom. Last one was not enough notice.

It's supposed to be windy this Saturday, some sort of front is moving in and I'm staying in the valley instead of going to Mexico to kitesurf. Hopefully it won't be "too" windy.

Anyway, it will be just myself on this one. Glad to see those pictures up.

Tom, I'm familiar with the area, but could you give further details to me in a Private Message? I don't want to miss you guys.

See you Saturday.

adam

Steve Michael wrote:

Hey, now there's a welcome!

A picture of me already posted! (I'm the ugly one in the back with my wife!)

I guess I should say hello, so HELLO!

Been strolling through the site a little, pretty cool...

Planning on meeting up with "ASS" tomorrow morning and looking forward to it! Sitting here now thinking about hitting the bowls at PV... hmmm... Friday night... that's usually a good show...

Hey Adam,
Did you pull yourself away from kiteboarding long enough to go run cones with the Phoenix crew?

Well its Tuesday night and I've so busy I forgot to update this for everybody following the Phoeinx slalom crew.
Last Saturday once again cones were set. Bryce , Trina , Rob , Adam and
myself skated for about 3 hours. After being off a board for a few months, Adam got right back into the swing of things.
Rob is learning to pump stronger every day.
Bryce and Trina have carried their new found slalom style over to the local skatepark and are carving some great lines.
This Saturday will be slalom practice on the hill,
Then Sunday, the P.V. skatepark.
'Til then.
skate safe,
Tom

Hello Glenn and Tom,

Glenn: That's the way it's been my whole life. I've been through Hang Gliding and then quit and skateboard slalom is still there. I'm not sure about kiting though as it is so damn fun and quite safe in my book. I'll probably continue to kite for a really long time and I'm an old geezer at 43.

Tom: Great group you have gathered. I'm excited about practicing again with you guys this weekend. Hope it becomes a regular thing, I would be into that. See you Saturday with my kids in tow. I'll bring a kite and my park boards for afterward.

adam

Its Saturday the 3rd and I just got home from the slalom hill. It was a small turn-out, Adam & his boys , Trina, Cory and myself.
The heavy rain last night really seemed to help the road conditions, the wheels held the road well.This week we set a tight coarse that really kept us on our toes. No official times were kept, but on one run I clocked Adam
at 21.17 sec. for the 50 cone run. He was useing a deck that Vlad sent
him with a old siesmic set-up. That board rocked on the tight coarse.
'til next week,
skate safe,
Tom

Hello Tom, Trina, Corey, (Steve M, George G. etc)

Lot's of fun today. I'm still sniffling with a cold but I'm glad I made it. Vlad sent an E telling me that the Seismics are better for a flexy deck and Indys or Trackers are better for a "no response" plank. Vlad's good, I'm taking his advice and putting the Seismics on a Roe and I'll get the Plankk-R in shape as suggested.

I really really want to move forward with the idea of a dual tight on that hill. George and Steve, we need some help. We want to run a TS race, 50 cone side by side with a timing system. I'm going to put up a call for a timing system, see if I can get us in shape. We will want to delegate who is going to do what to spread the load around.

Timing system
Record keeping
Course setting
Flyers and distribution

We can do this, let's organize. George and Steve, are you up to helping us do this?

Time frame, four weeks or so...

Easter weekend is out, but I shbe OK for other Saturday or Sunday mornings...I got plenty of those GRS cones for course #2, but I'm a little concerned about the road surface and the width available (with traffic).

Keep me posted with meet times (the sooner the better), and I'll do my best to be there.

Gotta get Rob to bring his brother Rick. See if he can hand-stand the entire course.

OH...and if we can get a dual course set-up on the curbside of the street (which is shadier and safer to walk up the course), the timing system is important, but it can wait if we're running head-to-head.

LASTLY: Wifey and I were driving out to E.Mesa a few weekends ago, and spotted a SCHWEEEEET stretch of pavement in Fountain Hills. It remains to be seen if it's ripe to skate (traffic, surface, run-out, slope, etc...), so we'll check it out more as soon as we can get out there.

-=S=-

Hey, are we practicing this weekend?

Saturday, April 10th @ 7a

Tom, if it is just you and I, a TS is fine with me, if the other cats are going to make it, can we set a hybrid?

See you there if it's on.

Wifey and I are planning on checking out that fresh hill in FH this weekend sometime.

If there's a plan on runnin' cones at NCHS on either Sat or Sun, I may be up for that...just gotta sneak outta the house real quiet like...

-=S=-

Hey, I'm always ready to skate. Saturday is great, I'll be there 6:45ish.
I'm gonna wait and see who shows before I set the cones.
Steve , I know Fountain Hills pretty good, where about are you scouting?

see ya' on the hill,
Tom

I'll be there Saturday AM...I'm shootin' for 7, but 7:30 is more my speed.

As you drive into FH on Shea from the west, you come over what USED to be the senic overlook...and then the new developments on the right (or South) side of the road come into view. My wife and I saw this one stretch of road with a very attractive looking slope and what seemed to be a safe run-out at the bottom. At first glance, it also looked as if it was a through-street that didn't end in a Stop Sign.

We've got family stuuuuff on Sunday (duh), so if someone else wants to give it a look-see, that would be cool, too. I'd rather Skate on Saturday then spend the morning driving around Ftn.Hills.

Oh, and any course...TS or whatever...will be cool.

...I'm with you, 7:30a+ is more my speed. As the summer progresses, I'll get up earlier but the temps are still pleasant this time of year at that time of day.

TS sounds good. Tom has set TS courses, good ones the last couple of weekends. It is nice to vary the courses, especially for the initiates. We can run a TS but I'm itchin for a little more open course for some double pump and open turns.

See you tomorrow.

7:30 it is! Vince (the neighborhood 14-yr-old kid) will be in tow. He seemed to do pretty well with the past "hybrid" course, and at the end of the morning was zippin the chaulk marks pretty cleanly.

I'll post on the "other" list as well, apprx. place & time.

-=S=-

Steve, the hill you are scouting is in a gated community.
Its a great hill but you can't get in .
Rob L. called me and is in for Sat. am slalom.
See ya' on the hill,
Tom

Yep, I'm shooting for 7am. Was really sick the week before and am only now getting truly over this crud!

Hey guys, bring your pool boards and we'll hit the bowls after...

...it was a blast cone skating with you guys today, thanks. Tom, you are going to have to purchase a kite surf kite for those kids of yours, looks like big grins from all of you from flying Jacob's kite. Sorry about cutting it short, those were old hang gliding of mine, we had to catch up.

See you next week guys.

Steve, can you post here or send to me the contact for that 50grit grip tape? I really want some.

I also think it would be time for some burly GS in Fountain Hills. I've got a hill in mind back in a neighborhood...

Stay tuned.

Missed you guys & the hill last weekend. Sounds like you all had a blast! B & I went to San Diego. Didn't bomb any hills but skated the boardwalk and Robb Field Skate Park. PV still my fave. Talked it up with Deb Saili of Sk8supply (Larry Gordon's daughter)...stopped by her shop for a peek and stories. We are heading for Laughlin this weekend, but I am itching to practice, esp since I got my very own board!!! Though I think I've become attached to the board I've been borrowing from Tom. Are you guys setting up cones on Saturday? Depending on time I'm trying like hell to make it to the hill. I'm having a blast out there with you guys. Thanks to Tom & Adam for the constant support and instruction. I'm getting there.

Thanks. I've got some great shots of you that I will put up soon. If you decide that you want to race, I would LOVE to coach you...

Far as I know, we are going to set up on Saturday morning. I'll have the boys in tow. I'll bring the kite surfng kites too. I taught Tom and kids to fly and from their smiles, I'm sort of hoping I have them hooked. Maybe you into it sista?

www.barbkat.com

also check out eBay seller "barbkat". 50 Grit sheets, $1 each plus shipping. Buy a bunch & save. This stuff is like old pizza "skin-eater" grip, like what I have on my Roe:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 77774&rd=1

Here is the auction for the more standard grit; still pretty sticky:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 77669&rd=1

Cool, thank you.

Are we on for tomorrow?

Tom?

Hi Everybody,
Cones will be set Saturday 7:00ish We will start with a tight set and then
later we'll open it to a more Hybrid/GS set.
I've been a little under the weather for the past few days, and I'm moving kind of slow.If I'm not there before you, relax I'll be there.
skate safe,
Tom

Sorry about not making it guys.

It's best for me if I know it is a definate thing. Although I do enjoy a "last minute sesh."

This coming weekend I am in Mexico, you guys have a great practice. I'll be back the following weekend and then the one after that I am off again for a family commitment.

Please let me know what is up here, I don't have your cell #'s and if you PM them to me, then that's even better.

Have fun.

Hey, Tom...is this next Saturday (tomorrow) still on? I'm not sure it would be anyone else but you, your kids and me...

...well, maybe not me. I've got WAY too much to do for both work and getting ready for G4. Count me out this Saturday.

Count me IN for the weekend of May 8 & 9! I'll be itchin' to run then.

I'll be there and have cones set.
I've been setting cones there every weekend for a long time.
With or without other skaters I still skate.
All are welcome, I'll be there about 7 a.m.

skate safe,
Tom

Tried calling Tom, but your phone was busy.

I'm planning on showing at 7am Saturday (ok, probably more like 7:15). Looking forward to it!

I'm planning on hitting PV (hopefully) since I can't ride Sunday AM (got to work!), but we'll see how the legs hold up...

Missed you last week at Peoria Park. Man, the little pool there is wild. Three conected bowls, tight, with real coping, and Real Stairs!!!

Couple of dudes were doing over the stairs grinders, something to see for sure.

Anyway, later!

Hey guys! Are we practicing on Saturday or Sunday? Going back to Sundays would be great.

Skate safe.

Aloha,
Trina

Hi All,
Sorry so late posting here, I will be at P.V. skatepark saturday, and will be setting cones on sunday morning 6:45 a.m. there is less traffic on the hill on sundays.

skate safe,
Tom

Ok Phoenix group, I am going to be busy for the next few weekends. This weekend is a boys camp out at Lockett Meadow, next two weekends are in Key West, the following couple of weekends are for hang gliding (I am returning to the sport) and well, it's going to get purty hot by that time.

Tom, what about Weds before dark? Would you be willing to set cones on that day? It will still be like three weeks before I can start that but I definately would like to try that, or a Thurs sesh?

Life gets in the way for me, I still LOVE the sport and will do it for a long time but damn, I'm sort of busy for the next few weekends...

Lemme know.

On any account, you guys and girls are in my thoughts...

adam

Hi everybody,
I will not be able to make our regular slalom meeting this sunday the 16th. The kids and I will be out of town with an unforseen matter.
skate hard, skate safe,
Tom

Well, no one was available this weekend...and it's probably just as well, as I've been pinned at home with everything from pool cleaning to three or four repairs. Vince (the kid I bring to the sessions) is quickly out-growing his Comet Street Slalom, so he stopped by to see what's next in the way of equipment.

We'll try again next week fellas.

-=S=-

I'm hoping to make this sunday if at all possible. May have gotten a couple other old guys interested when I was at Peoria last Sunday. We shall see!

Hope everyone can make this coming week. It's looking like it might not even be that hot on Sunday either (here's hoping!!!).

Till then...

Hey Rob,
I'll be there at 6:30 a.m. I'm gonna set a measured 6 ft. course to start.
Then we'll open it up to a big G/S course.
See ya' there
Tom

Sunday?

Argh, I'll try to make it, no promises though.

Good to see that you guys are keeping it lit.

adam

Hi guys!

Bryce & I will be there on Sunday. See you on the hill. We are also planning to hit PV early morning on Saturday for a couple hours. See ya this weekend.

Aloha,
Trina

PV Saturday you say?

Well, I say I unexpectedly have it off, so PV it is!

It's a Skate-O-Roma weekend! Wowho!

My brother Rick is planning on making Sunday with his son also.

May be a decent crowd this week...

Rob, that's sweet. It's been 12 years since I've seen or even heard from Rick. It'll be great to see him again...and even better to skate with him! Can you remember the last time we went to High Roller together?

I'll have a few kids with me as well...Vince and his younger brother Brandon will be there, and I may have Michael, the son of my wife's friend there as well. We'll show up just a tad after 7AM.

I'll bring some of my other rides so everyone will have something to run.

-=S=-

I'll be out of town this memorial day weekend.
Rob and Fay are going out of town too.
Be safe and we'll see ya'll next week.
Tom

This Saturday I'll be at P.V. park early for some bowl carving.
And Sunday at 6:30 a.m. I;ll be setting cones Behind North Canyon.
I hope to see you all there.
Tom

Puttin' an engine back into a Volvo before it gets to 146 F out there.

Told Vince & Brandon about it, so their folks may bring them this time. Maybe.

Vince's dad built him a shark-shaped longboard out of a sheet of billet aluminum. Hehe...we'll see how that works.

-=S=-

Hi Everybody,
I will not be setting cones this Sunday,(13th)
I am heading to WLAC to slalom in some cooler weather.
Skate safe and I'll see ya' next weekend

Tom

Hey everybody,
How about some Slalom this Sunday. I'll be set up by 6:00 a.m.
Long,loose & fast,
short & tight.
Lets Skate!!!!!
Tom