Pure ecstasy. This is what it feels like to bomb a hill on a longboard. So what does that mean, and how does that connect to Avonworth?

About a year and a half ago I was searching for a boarding sport that I could do during the summer. Sakteboarding was not the answer. Skateboarding is designed for skate parks, and doing tricks downtown all the while getting yelled at by business people isn't that enjoyable. So I came across longboarding, which in its own way is completely independent from skateboarding. Riding on wheels that are much larger and softer than skateboard wheels, you now have the ability to ride smoothly and farther. Longboarding to school, or through downtown, is a special experience in itself.

Shorter boards, around 37 inches, are effective for weaving in and out of cars in a city environment, they are quite effective for navigating a college campuses’.  Longer boards also known as carving or commuter boards, are in the 42 to 45 inch range. These boards in particular are great for flat land commuting. However they have a hidden potential. Due to their increased length, and often-larger trucks, they provide added stability for bombing hills. Bombing a hill, the wheels rushing on the pavement, wind streaming through the holes of your helmet as you steadily approach freeriding speeds around 35 to 40 miles per hour - this is why I love Longboarding. 

Longboarding is such new sport, but also a pure sport loved by millions world wide. The everyday rider can create a new strategy, or style of boarding just by hitting the streets riding around for a few hours. In our area, there are plenty of good places to go and ride. Before hitting the streets getting used to the basics, longboarding requires lots of space, so head up to a local parking lot, preferably one that’s empty, and start riding. The best lot to start with, in my opinion, is the Christ Church at Grove Farm. The lot has some steady inclines, and turns, basic things to learn before shredding the streets. Boarding the streets of Pittsburgh is a great experience because of our hundreds of great hills. But what about traffic? Hills in Pittsburgh can be very dangerous because of their blind spots. Remember to stick with the flow of traffic and its okay to jump off and walk if you need to. If you get a chance the city is an experience in its own, that’s right, downtown Pittsburgh.

Inner city riding is often more safe than riding on roads with speeding cars. Most downtown traffic is of stop and go style. Going and riding through downtown, on a warm summer night, is like nothing else, weaving around cars and busses, watching the business people that once yelled at you as a skater now shouting “ohh” and “ahh” as you carve the streets and sidewalks. Tying this back to Avonworth is no easy task; finding a longboarder in these halls is far and few between. Nevertheless, we are generally nice people who want to teach others who want to learn the love of the sport. Stop by and talk to me, Zach Zimmerly, or even track down Zach Murray to find out more!