Five evenings at the ramp under the bridge
An old board, knee pads and the quiet hour before the lights come on. Rolling up the worn ramp and back down without stepping off took all five evenings.
- Takes
- Five evenings
- Needs
- An old board, pads, the quiet hour before the lights
- Result
- Up and back down without stepping off. Kickturns: not yet.
There is a worn ramp under the road bridge near the river, and on weekday evenings it is often empty. I have a board from years ago and very little idea what to do with it on anything steeper than a pavement.
Checkpoint 1: Just stand on it at the bottom
The first evening was mostly rolling back and forth on the flat, getting used to how much the board moves under each foot.
Checkpoint 2: Go up a little way and come back
Pushing toward the ramp, riding up a short distance and letting gravity bring me back. Leaning back is the instinct and the mistake; weight over the front foot keeps the board under you.
Checkpoint 3: Wear the pads, every time
Evening four, I skipped them because it was only going to be ten minutes. It was not only ten minutes. They go on first now.