One In The Chamber

At some point in the distant past, my deck broke. I don't remember the circumstance, but for whatever the reason was, I wasn't able to get another deck for almost two weeks. Since then I have always had "one in the chamber." By that, I mean I've always had a brand new deck at home, just waiting to be set up. If my board breaks, or I just decided it's "done," there is no waiting hit the local shop, etc. I always have that spare, just ready to go. Once the spare gets set up, I buy another deck to keep on-hand, and the process repeats. I've done this for close to 20 years at this point. As a teenager I couldn't really afford to do it. As an adult, not really an issue.

A new deck, especially one that you are stoked on, is always a magical object. Despite how many hundreds of decks I've gone through over the last 30 years, I'm still always spellbound when getting a new one. Having "one in the chamber" keeps that new-deck-magic alive on almost a daily basis. Last year when I had a bad ankle injury, and was off the board for 3 months, that crisp new deck sitting in my room always brought a smile (and hope). "I can't wait to ride that thing." I'd stand on it almost daily, in admiration of both it, and the future-fun it symbolized. Potential is one of the things that makes a new decks so special; you know there is much fun to soon be had.

Autumn in New England is best time of the year for skateboarding. Cool, crisp days, where you don't get too hot, or too cold. The leaves turn brilliant colors, and there is a stark, but beautiful quality to the sky, air, and landscape. There is nothing like it. The injury mentioned above, when I was out of commission for three months, that three-month period was mid-September through mid-December. I didn't get to skate, at all, last fall. It was a devastating blow. I greatly look forward to autumn 2016.

Boston Common, in its autumn brilliance. No filter.

Over the last year or so, I have had 3 of the Anti-Hero "larger" Classic Eagle decks (32"x8.25"x14.25"). It's one of the best dimensions/shapes/graphics decks I've ever ridden. I was horrified when I learn that Anti-Hero recently changed the dimensions of the "Classic Eagle" decks. My favorite board, maybe ever, is no longer being made. That said, I just managed to score one as my "one in the chamber" deck. It will probably the last one those specific decks that I ever ride, and it happens to have my favorite top stain color, too (black/gray). Plato's Theory of Forms has no greater perfection. I will probably be setting it up in mid-September, just in time for the full bloom of Autumn. The magic of skateboarding is not just in the act of skating, but also anticipation of it.

In the mean time, every time I look at that deck, I can't help but smile. Good times are on the horizon.

Currently in the chamber.