Boarding in the rain

Longboarding is so much fun as long as the sun shines or at least the floor is dry because rain is the natural enemy of every longboarder. Your griptape gets wet and dirty, your legs get sprinkled and your trucks and bearings don't like the water either.

Although you might actually stay on otherwise perfect skating-ground it is the equivalent to a bike or a car on wet grass and mud. Your wheels are a lot harder to turn and you have to be careful where to ride and step in case you want to use your shoes before the next day as the water gets whirled up onto your shoes and takes every little chunk of sand with it. Also you should be aware that you'll probably need a dry place outside for the board not to drop the water onto the floor inside (mostly a problem when living with your parents). You will need to clean up your board your shoes and your legs after the wheels spread the mud in little drops.
On the photo it luckily was only a short ride to the bus stop so it wasn't all that bad but only because I had luck with the bus arriving just then.

Hamburg Bike spots / Hamburg Longboard spots - Introduction

Today I'm introducing two new series featuring Hamburg's best spots for longboarding and biking on and off road. I will start right where I live and spread out over Hamburg by the time that I covered everything close by. Each post will include a set of photos -- maybe a video -- and a map that the spot is marked on.
The posts on longboard spots will be released every other week starting on the second of August. The posts on bike spots will fill up the weeks in between.

While it is great to blog about what's just happening at the moment I need a way to bring a regular pattern of topics to the blog. This gets me the feeling of a blog that is to be taken serious and helps me keeping myself motivated.

I'm looking forward to this new project and would like to hear if you're with me. Come back next Saturday to see the first beautiful cruising track starring trains, horses and a prison. 'Till then, ride safe and protect your spots.

Morning Bike Rides

Do you know these mornings when you come home at five in the morning and the sun is up already but the world is still sleeping? I love that! Who needs a bus or a cab? Just walk home and enjoy the nature.

Everyone else on the way home was like "Finally getting some sleep, yay!" but I just thought that you'd loose a whole day because you just sleep 'till dinner. Well, you could get ready for the next party already. But no! Bad boy! Stop it!

But also you'd miss one of the best times of the day to do your workout or just drive around and be happy about yourself, the nice people that are already up and the weather. Especially when you get out of the city, the people you meet are totally different. They don't get up so early and suffer getting ready for the day. Those are the people who live for their work, learned everything about it from their parents and spent their whole life there.

So the next time you're coming home too late to go to bed, just take yourself a moment and try to get yourself motivated for a ride into the nature.

Also this post features my first edited video. Captured with my Galaxy S2. Awesome.

Enjoy Life and Live the Adventure

Enjoy life!
That's very important. If you can't enjoy your life change something. Even if it's just a simple thing like feeling uncomfortable in your clothes. But most importantly, it doesn't have to be the thing that annoys you that has to to change. Anything else can have just the same effect on you and how you feel.

Live the adventure!
As I recently found out this is a awesome little advice that changes a lot. Whenever you ask yourself whether to stay at home or go out with friends, just get ready for the adventure. Are you wondering if  it will be fun although you only know one person at the event: It will.

How do I know that for sure, you ask? Look at Louis Cole, he taught me that lesson. He lives this slogan and has awesome experiences everyday just because he takes his opportunities whenever possible. I tried it and it works. Evenings outside with friends are a lot more fun that sitting on your bed all night. Also you'll get to know many new people that again give you new opportunities to take. And this is one of the things that may be hard at first but will make you happier than ever before as soon as you get into it.

Visual Vibes - Ben Brown Shoutout

Huge shoutout to Mr Ben Brown who did a awesome job on this video. In only one day of filming time he managed to capture this awesome adventure.



I've now been following Ben Brown for about a month now and it is amazing how inspiring he is. His daily Vlogs are like caffeine for me because he shows me that your day will be great - no matter what - if you just take your opportunities and live the adventure. A follow-up on this post will be out on Saturday, stay tuned.

Why Longboarding Together? (3/3)

Longboarding is great. Longboarding with friends is awesome! For me, the community is one of the best things about Longboarding. You don't even need your friends as many cities have their own community that is organized via social networks and open for any new members just like you maybe.

You can get good advise and also be sure that there's another pair of eyes that watches out for dangers and you would get fast help if something went wrong. Also it is at least double the fun to ride together in formations and talk with each other or even listen to some music.

Longboarding influencing lifestyle and personality

Originally inspired by a German youtuber, I got into longboarding and also snowboarding. Flowing across the ground, no matter if snow or concrete, that's what I wanted to do. And then I just did it and experienced some awesome rides, hard crashes and wonderful moments with wonderful people (gonna review that point on monday). And though I started snowboarding half a year earlier this feeling actually came alive with my first longboard, a 120 bucks masterpiece that I am now scared of when I stand on it again as it is indeed quite shaky. But it got me into the hobby. I started off trying mongo pushes, breaking while pushing (not the best idea..) and not daring to get one inch of a wheel onto the grass.

As I made progress and got faster and more confident on the board the whole feeling of the longboarding got mixed up with my personality and made me also more confident in every-day life. This got me in to trouble sometimes because the people weren't used to me opposing them but I am happy about this change. Also I'm pushing it to the limit more often in all kinds of situations.

It's fascinating how you can spend hours to read articles about the behavior of boards with different parts and shapes. You learn how to counteract problems that other people have on their boards and you also get the ability to advise them on what board or what new parts they should by.

Tell me how your personality got influenced by longboarding or any other hobby, I'd like to hear your stories.

Why Longboarding? (2/3)

Hope Monday's post helped you :)

So now that you remember what your longboard is, how it's shaped and how it behaves under your weight (no offense) you should try to catch the spirit of longboarding. The feeling of the street melting under your feet, catching you up in waves to throw you forth and back ever so gently.

Never forget: It's no race, no contest. It's about the feeling you get standing on the board. Do you feel save or are you afraid to tip over? Do you want more or is it just enough? Tell me what you think while you're riding your very own waves!

Why Longboard? (1/3)

Longboarding.

Downhill, cruising, carving, freeride, dancing.

So many possibilities all made from simply a piece of wood and wheels. Of course, nowadays longboards are more than that. Bamboo, Canadian maple, glass fiber. Trucks, bearings, wheels. Many options to play with that piece of wood.

But you should watch out not to get lost. Longboading isn't all 'bout racing or having better parts than the guy or girl right next to you. If you're stuck in that loop of "bigger, better, faster" just take your board outside to a place you two have never been before and lay down on it and feel the edges and bends, the flex and the ground below your wheels.