My new friend Noah, who I met at StupidFest this year, sent me this video clip of me doing that same end-over to frontside fakie 360 at Zombie Baby ditch. Always fun to have stuff like this just materialize. I like this view – it shows the ditch really well.
10/6/2026 will be the 20th anniversary of the first posting on this blog. That is crazy. Is it turning out that this blog is actually my life’s work?
I’ve had this Cockfight Skateboards deck for a few months. With the death of Frank Gardner I for some reason found myself compelled to set it up. Thanks, Frank. Seriously. I will seek to honor you with every ride on this beast.
Setup – can’t remember what they call this shape. Indy 169s, 1 thin riser, 54mm 95a OJ Nomads.
This will be a damned good board.
Found out yesterday that longtime Texas skateboarder, crafter of custom Texican skateboards, and wonderful son Frank Gardner has died.
Frank is one of the many people I knew online but have not met in-person. We chatted a lot, especially when our moms were both going through dementia. Of all Frank’s accomplishments – the skating, the creativity, etc. – I will alway remember him as a son who loved his mother and was devoted to her. Frank did the really heavy lifting during those days. That kind of situation is no easy ride, and Frank handled it with love and grace. That alone made me very happy to call him friend.
After Frank’s mom died he began a new lifestyle. During the horrible Texas summer’s he’d pack up the Texicamper van and head to the cooler Pacific Northwest, where he loved skating the many excellent skateparks up there. Then he’d return home and create fantastic skateboard decks for people. He pressed his own laminate, shaped the boards, and finished them. His decks were sought-after. Fine and solid craftsmanship was inherent and obvious when you touched one. Bullet-proof.
It saddens me that our paths will not cross in the future, in some awesome and perfect drainage ditch with all our friends sessioning alongside us.
My next ride will be in memory of Frank.
Frank at the Surfer ditch in Austin, flowing the way God intended us to. This is how it should look. Photo by the great Howard Dvorsky.
Today I am 60 years old.
Right now I feel good. I feel as strong and agile as when I was 50. I know that the journey from 60 to 70 can be more…severe. I just want to travel and go to shows with my wife, walk the dog, enjoy the cat, skate, do aikido, game, and see my friends.