Came across a Bally reference while reading about skateboarding.

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Natas = Satan LOL! Remember everyone saying that back in the day.

OMG I totally forgot about that!

I had it as well, saved the stickers and then someone stole my stickers I had been hoarding for years.

Built this 2 foot quarter pipe last week and the kids in the street are skating it non-stop. It has wheels on the side so I can roll it back in the driveway at night.
I ordered orange cones for safety and I'm already thinking about the next module.
That my daughter and I.

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Hit Kona when I was in Jacksonville for business this week.

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This rules.

Nice!
My brother in-law lives in Jacksonville and I was planning to go last time with the kids but ended up going to the Jacksonville Beach skatepark twice instead which I thought was great as well.

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How did you like Kona?

Kona is a great spot in the old 70’s style. I love the snake run and the big bowls. I will try the Jacksonville Beach Park next time.

For some dumb reason, I decided a while ago to look for my first skateboard, A Variflex speed freak. I found this one on ebay and was watching the price go slowly down with no buyers. Yesterday, it hit a pretty reasonable price and I pulled the trigger. It's not in the best shape, but not in the worst either. I think I can restore the red finish and clean the parts up pretty well. I even have the original wheels from mine stored away somewhere. If nothing else, it'll be a fun project.

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Cool to see someone else who had a Variflex in the 80’s. The pro boards were completely out of my price range haha. I had a Variflex Voodoo II board with a witch doctor rocking the half pipe.

I think this board was past the variflex prime. It was a sears wishbook purchase when I was a kid, if that tells you anything. Still a decent deck though.

Got the variflex in the mail yesterday. Got it stripped down and cleaned and started with some touch ups. Who knew playfield restoration skills would come in handy here...

Before and after:

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Getting close to the finish line. I'm waiting on a Variflex rail that may or may not fit correctly and some grip tape to get here and she'll be done. So far, the board was re-stained, touched up and clear coated, trucks were repainted and rebuilt, plastics wet sanded and flame polished and I put on the wheels from my original board. Here's the more or less finished product with all the parts loosely in place. Lots of work for what was a mediocre deck in its day, but a fun project and nostalgia fuel.

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Not sure if anyone in here is around the Detroit area but this Saturday we are doing the grand opening of our skate shop. Godzilla and TWD will be set to freeplay. Raffles for gift cards and shop swag.

Redrunn skate shop
5831 W. 13 mile
Warren Mi.

Once we get our online store set up I’ll make sure to get all of our pinside shredders a permanent discount code.

Good luck!

Congrats, that’s awesome I hope it goes great

Wow this sounds awesome! If I was closer-would love to come check it out

Good luck and post some pics-would love to see them

Sweet and congrats!

I skated a bunch in my teens, and then took about 30 years off. Now in my late 40's, my kids and I started skating together a couple years ago. Now I can't believe I stopped for all that time! The list of activities that I find more smile-inducing than skating is pretty damn short! My kids' school is 5 blocks downhill from my house, so when it's nice out, we bomb that hill and hit the parking lot at well over the school zone speed limit rawr!

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The Loaded Fattail on the right I mostly take to the pump track. I used to ride it cruising around too, until I got the Comet Cruiser on the left, which is hands-down the FUNNEST deck I’ve ever skated. It's just always fun to ride, whether noodling along at a walking pace or downhilling at the edge of my speed tolerance.

You should check out hamboards, they have a unique truck system that make them act more like a surfboard. Really fun to ride.

I have been wanting to try a surf skate, for sure. I didn't want to buy one without trying first though, because it seems like it might be too specialized.

The comet has a tighter turn radius than anything else I've tried, but it's also weirdly stable at speed. I can go way faster on it than I can on the fattail - on hills anyway. The fattail is faster at the pump track - my best guess is the extra leverage from the longer wheelbase. Also the comet's squirrelyness never settles at the pump track the way it does on downhills.

I think I'm turning into a downhiller in my old age. Bombing Maryhill Loops Road is on my bucket list now!

used to find the biggest hill possible for these things. that was my experience as a 70s kid

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So, I had a spare set of trucks and wheels in the parts box. It would've been a shame to just have them sitting there with no deck to go with them. This thing looks like Zach Morris threw up on it. I love it.

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A rainbow Gator was my first real deck.

I think this was my dream deck (I only remember it was a Bart Simpson one but can't remember it exactly)
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But this is what I had

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Probably rode like crap but I didn't know any better and still wish I still had it.

Sears wishbook special?

Group shot

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Rainbow Gator was my first pro board. We bought it on a family trip to CA when I was kid. I was stoked beyond belief. I got Tracker trucks and Kryptonic wheels to boot.

Good times.

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Magnetic skate mech!

Uses the small balls from my Slap Shot.

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Every once in while I’ll pull this 1986 bad boy out and school the youngsters…

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