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Do any of you think park skiing is just not your thing?

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Dddsz
Posts: 3042 - Karma: 7,326
I'm going to turn 18 in a few months and I've been trying in vain to get good at park. I've just been busting my ass and all I can muster up is a penciled out 3. I can barely slide a rail.

There's something about man-made jumps and rails that makes me uncomfortable. I ski in the Midwest, but my home hill is Granite Peak so I'm not limited to the park. I'm a really hard-charging all-mountain skier, I can straight air any sized jump, send it off of sketchy natural stuff with solid grabs, ski moguls... but I look like a fool in the park.

My will to get good at park is fading and I don't think it's coming back. It just sucks being this age and not really fitting in with the whole park vibe.

Any of you in a similar situation?
Feb 15 2016 9:26AM
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Denise_Reynolds
Posts: 56 - Karma: 112
yes
Feb 15 2016 9:43AM
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Ian_Fitz
Posts: 826 - Karma: 6,509
I love park. Not really but if I couldn't slide rails good after putting in a lot effort I might not like it.
Feb 15 2016 9:49AM
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.otto.
Posts: 3494 - Karma: 12,899
hows your balance? Just practice dude, nothing comes fast...
Feb 15 2016 10:04AM
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dyyylan
Posts: 186 - Karma: 500
There's more to skiing than the park, if you don't want to do it, then don't. Ski the whole rest of the mountain and have fun doing what you want to actually do.
Feb 15 2016 10:11AM
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Dddsz
Posts: 3042 - Karma: 7,326
.otto.hows your balance? Just practice dude, nothing comes fast...


I'd say it is pretty good. I think the amount of practice I've put in to progress very little isn't worth it anymore. It's not like i'm being a bitch about it, I really huck it and destroy myself a lot. I just suck at park lol.
Feb 15 2016 10:22AM
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Literature
Posts: 13673 - Karma: 3,085
dyyylanThere's more to skiing than the park, if you don't want to do it, then don't. Ski the whole rest of the mountain and have fun doing what you want to actually do.


This.

Do what's fun, and what you enjoy. If you don't want to shred the park, then don't, and don't feel bad for doing what you want to do on skis.

One thing that might help would be some coaching. I don't know if there's a freestyle team or person who could give a competent park lesson in the area, but from personal experience and as a coach myself, it can be really helpful to have another set of experienced eyes on what you're doing. Shit, upload a video and we can help you from the comfort of our home computers.
Feb 15 2016 10:29AM
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Mingg
Posts: 13992 - Karma: 49,651
Fuck park. If I could ride a real mountain all the time I wouldn't even bother, but given the shiftiness of our hills I spend a good amount of time in park so that I don't get bored. But yeah I suck at park and probably always will but that's okay. It's fun and it's always fun to lap with friends!

If you don't wanna ride park but still want to be involved with park maybe pick up filming/photography?
Feb 15 2016 10:46AM
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_Ryan_
Posts: 1538 - Karma: 3,192
Took me 5 years of constant practice to get semi good at park, i watched my friends learn corks and 2's on in one season and i could barely hop onto a flat rail. Don't get down on yourself, and if you actually have a mountain to ride then fucking use it. I live in ontairo, i ski park because i'd be wasting my time skiing groomers at my local hill... Park is really fun here but if i got to a real mountain you bet your ass i'd be skiing the backcountry the whole time.
Feb 15 2016 11:04AM
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.otto.
Posts: 3494 - Karma: 12,899
PringleI'd say it is pretty good. I think the amount of practice I've put in to progress very little isn't worth it anymore. It's not like i'm being a bitch about it, I really huck it and destroy myself a lot. I just suck at park lol.


Well i guess you just suck.. but jk.. are you strong? how old are you? Last year i was a 15 year old weakling and i started working out and its helped enormously
Feb 15 2016 11:52AM
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winniecash
Posts: 253 - Karma: 940
MinggFuck park. If I could ride a real mountain all the time I wouldn't even bother, but given the shiftiness of our hills I spend a good amount of time in park so that I don't get bored. But yeah I suck at park and probably always will but that's okay. It's fun and it's always fun to lap with friends!

If you don't wanna ride park but still want to be involved with park maybe pick up filming/photography?


I agree with mingg, if I lived out west I would hardly ever visit that park, but i don't, and I like park skiing but when I go on vacacion there is a reason I bring my powder skis not my park skis.
I was in the same boat as you a couple of years ago op, I sucked at park, I wanted to be good but i didnt want to keep hurting my self to become good, the commitment just wasn't. So i started to get into filming. Now I love filming, not just skiing, fimling everyhing. I film my friends in the park and surprsingly, I've actull gotten better at park skiing. Seeing my friends progress with their skiing gave me the motivation i was lacking before. Now i have become comfortable in the park and i am progressing too! I also have a great hobby/possibly carrer path with filming. Dont know if this help just wanted to give my two cents
Feb 15 2016 12:06PM
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Dddsz
Posts: 3042 - Karma: 7,326
.otto.Well i guess you just suck.. but jk.. are you strong? how old are you? Last year i was a 15 year old weakling and i started working out and its helped enormously


I'm 17. My legs and core are strong, arm strength is very average. I don't think its a physical thing...It's just in my head now, feels like a waste of time to hit the same jump line over and over again.
Feb 15 2016 12:11PM
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.otto.
Posts: 3494 - Karma: 12,899
PringleI'm 17. My legs and core are strong, arm strength is very average. I don't think its a physical thing...It's just in my head now, feels like a waste of time to hit the same jump line over and over again.


as a midwest park rat.. screw jumps, sounds like you need to learn how to have fun again. forget about wanting to be good... stop comparing yourself to others and rideeeee
Feb 15 2016 12:31PM
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KneeDrop
Posts: 641 - Karma: 1,487
.otto.sounds like you need to learn how to have fun again. forget about wanting to be good... stop comparing yourself to others and rideeeee


This this this
Do what you want. If you're not having fun, why are you doing it?
Feb 15 2016 1:01PM
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Dddsz
Posts: 3042 - Karma: 7,326
KneeDropThis this this
Do what you want. If you're not having fun, why are you doing it?


I have soo much fun skiing in general. Park is just a rough spot. I've already started to give it up... just seeing who is in the same boat.
Feb 15 2016 1:07PM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,635
PringleI'm going to turn 18 in a few months and I've been trying in vain to get good at park. I've just been busting my ass and all I can muster up is a penciled out 3. I can barely slide a rail.

There's something about man-made jumps and rails that makes me uncomfortable. I ski in the Midwest, but my home hill is Granite Peak so I'm not limited to the park. I'm a really hard-charging all-mountain skier, I can straight air any sized jump, send it off of sketchy natural stuff with solid grabs, ski moguls... but I look like a fool in the park.

My will to get good at park is fading and I don't think it's coming back. It just sucks being this age and not really fitting in with the whole park vibe.

Any of you in a similar situation?


I mean yeah if you're not into it then give it a break! Maybe you'll get stoked again in the future... maybe not. Either way you're all good.

However I would say its really fun to shred park once in a while. When the rest of the mountain is bad, or you're somewhere that is pretty boring its a great thing to do with a pack of buddies.

I think getting frustrated with a lack of progression is a mistake too. Who cares? If you're not trying to go pro there's no reason to do anything you don't want to do. Slaying penciled out 3's is a great time, so is sliding rails regular to forwards. Taking a lap through the park where you just hit a bunch of rails and 3 the occasional jump is a great way to spend a few laps on an otherwise mediocre day.
Feb 15 2016 2:31PM
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wild.
Posts: 377 - Karma: 256
I agree with what most have said, but one season could just click for you, thats what I've seen in people they progress very little for a while or not in some cases and then in one season or two they become SO much better. I'm feeling this in my self, my last 2 to 3 years of wanting so desperatley to be good and going nowhere I feel a sense of confidence this year to progress a lot with my park skiing and hopefully I can ski enough to get better. I hope you have fun and get good at whatever you decide to do!
Feb 15 2016 2:38PM
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Swaggy_P
Posts: 130 - Karma: 361
Park skiing is fun and all but some people just aren't as into it as others.

Take me for example. I'm your average 21 year old park skier from Ohio. I can go through the park hit the features but nothing fancy. I slide some rails, hit a few jumps and thats all I really need anymore. I have always had an interest in park but anymore I haven't been that into it. Maybe its the fact that I am getting older and my body can't take the beating anymore or that I know I can't afford the hospital bills anymore with being an out-of-state college student.

Who knows but I stopped pushing myself to the max in the park and started to try and just have fun with some friends.
Feb 15 2016 2:39PM
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Holte
Posts: 10742 - Karma: 7,819
Keep in mind that you don't really learn anything by hucking yourself. It's all incremental, and trying to jump from step 2 to step 6 is not a useful way to reach step 6, even though it might seem simpler.
Feb 15 2016 3:07PM
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kung_powpow
Posts: 1990 - Karma: 3,671
I think your at a point in the learning curve where its really hard to learn a single trick. Park gets a hell of a lot easier once you get the basics down.

It takes awhile to learn to front/back 270. But almost every trick stems off of it. I like to think of it as a tree diagram like below. The far left dot is like grinding a rail. Then you can learn A and B (front 270 and back 270) Once you learn these basics, it opens up so many more tricks. Front 270 can then become a front 450 or front swap. Then that front swap can become a Kfed or front swap front 2 or double swap. You get the idea. It's really hard to learn these basic tricks but don't be discouraged because it gets a whole lot easier

Feb 15 2016 3:28PM
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Cyanicenine
Posts: 966 - Karma: 2,294
MinggFuck park. If I could ride a real mountain all the time I wouldn't even bother, but given the shiftiness of our hills I spend a good amount of time in park so that I don't get bored. But yeah I suck at park and probably always will but that's okay. It's fun and it's always fun to lap with friends!

If you don't wanna ride park but still want to be involved with park maybe pick up filming/photography?


I definitely get that, it's one of the reasons I don't beat myself up over still sucking in the park. It's still fun to go into the park out west, especially on the sub par days, variety is the spice of life after all. Unfortunately I think most the ladies around here (Washington) agree with you, which is why I'll probably never get a ladies park crew going. Some of our mountains don't even have terrain parks. I did get to ride the chair lift with Ingrid Backstrom once though /claim. You should move out west!
Feb 15 2016 3:29PM
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freeskibum82
Posts: 6355 - Karma: 5,057
the older i get the more i find i take tricks from the park and apply them to hits around the mountain and find myself spending less and less time in the park.
Feb 15 2016 3:33PM
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Mingg
Posts: 13992 - Karma: 49,651
CyanicenineI definitely get that, it's one of the reasons I don't beat myself up over still sucking in the park. It's still fun to go into the park out west, especially on the sub par days, variety is the spice of life after all. Unfortunately I think most the ladies around here (Washington) agree with you, which is why I'll probably never get a ladies park crew going. Some of our mountains don't even have terrain parks. I did get to ride the chair lift with Ingrid Backstrom once though /claim. You should move out west!


Truu. I mean I like park and all but I suck at it and I never hear the end of it which makes me sort of hate it. I'm personally really content with flat/ down boxes and easy rails and small jumps. I have more fun in powder/trees and bombing groomers and hitting natural features haha.
Feb 15 2016 3:44PM
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ben_southworth
Posts: 1063 - Karma: 447
PringleI'd say it is pretty good. I think the amount of practice I've put in to progress very little isn't worth it anymore. It's not like i'm being a bitch about it, I really huck it and destroy myself a lot. I just suck at park lol.


If you do want to learn, focus on the basics and be super methodical man. Watch trick tip videos, really try to make sense of a trick in your head. Then do it over and over until it feels great. If you can land penciled 360s, work with smaller jumps, and do a bunch of 3s. Try to start grabbing. If it feels good one jump, think about why / what you did and try to repeat it. If one jump totally sucks, think about why so hopefully you don't do it again. When your 360s are solid, go for 540, or try more difficult grabs w/ your 3. For switch, start with switch 1s/switch 3s and move from there. Similar for rails, start with front 270 off. Do it a bunch of times until the footwork feels really natural and makes sense. Then move on to a front swap on an up-down rail or a back 270.

Mastering the basics is way overlooked in this sport. Everybody wants to huck, but to get better your time is way better spent doing 3s on small jumps until you master it, rather than throwing penciled 3s and 5s off big jumps. Hucking is bigger risk for less reward. The big jumps are way more fun when you feel comfortable doing your tricks too.
Feb 15 2016 3:50PM
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Newschoolers55
Posts: 851 - Karma: 4,794
MinggFuck park


MinggI like park


Wait what?
Feb 15 2016 3:54PM
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Mingg
Posts: 13992 - Karma: 49,651
veetuskagWait what?


In my first post I just meant I would chose to ski a real mountain over park. I still like it but I'd rather ski other stuff.
Feb 15 2016 4:02PM
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BaconSteezburger
Posts: 114 - Karma: 713
CyanicenineI definitely get that, it's one of the reasons I don't beat myself up over still sucking in the park. It's still fun to go into the park out west, especially on the sub par days, variety is the spice of life after all. Unfortunately I think most the ladies around here (Washington) agree with you, which is why I'll probably never get a ladies park crew going. Some of our mountains don't even have terrain parks. I did get to ride the chair lift with Ingrid Backstrom once though /claim. You should move out west!


I'd lose my shit if I was on a lift with Ingrid Backstrom. She rips.
Feb 15 2016 4:13PM
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ascent_studios
Posts: 2157 - Karma: 4,580
Went park skiing today. I usually film but it was -5 and my camera kept having weird problems and the battery was dying fast. I had a ton of fun just doing some easy rails and small 3s as well as 180 tweaked safetys. Overall I had a ton of fun and it was refreshing to ski a bit without focusing on getting the shot. That being said I'm dying to film again and bored now that I don't have an edit to work on this week.
Feb 15 2016 6:14PM
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freestyler540
Posts: 13113 - Karma: 18,969
I came safely say I dont have that situation, but the answer is yes; park isnt for everyone. Skiing in a whole is not about balls our attaining goals as tricks. Its about having fun with your friends and progressing at your own pace.

So park doesnt excite you, but still love it? use it as training! Learn new skills in the park and on jumps. You do your first 3s in the park, master them on groomers and take them to the big mountain. Rails teaches you pressure control and timing; 2 important skills when skiing a spine. Learn your tricks in a safe setting, then take them confidently to the mountain.

I only do park when everything else sucks now. When turning crust and dodging moguls doesnt cut it, the park is where I relax, session something until something comes out of it, or I get cold and loose my stoke and go home.

If you getting locked up on a trick, get an instructor or a mentor to show you the moves and break it down for you. Filming can help a lot, if you know how to analyze it.
Feb 15 2016 6:32PM
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Readmybio3948203
Posts: 27 - Karma: 199
I am 15 and i feel exactly the same way. I sometimes feel that i look bad and that people are making fun of me in their head. I just tune out all those feelings and have fun, this is my favourite sport and there is nothing that can stop me or make me quit this.
Feb 15 2016 6:34PM
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littleman34
Posts: 1355 - Karma: 4,146
My hill is so small if u dont get into park then you can't go more than once and still haVe fun.
im not as good as my other friends. (Mainly cause I'm always high) so I just hit all the rails and do some 3's. As long as you've got some tricks in the bag u can pass a park skier and have fun in the park
Feb 15 2016 7:46PM
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Crispy.
Posts: 6116 - Karma: 7,712
Dude you could be good at park I see you ride through the rail park and just cruise but (from what I see) don't hit anything. I'm not hating at all just trying to inspire you if you actually wanna get decent at park. If you want to get good you should be busting your ass hitting every un-kinked rail even if you eat shit every hit. That's how everyone learns.

That being said if you simply don't wanna learn rails and such just keep doing your thing. Haha that's kind of where I'm at now, it's not worth it to try new stuff and get hurt for me.
Feb 15 2016 7:58PM
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ItsAustin
Posts: 83 - Karma: 550
PringleI'd say it is pretty good. I think the amount of practice I've put in to progress very little isn't worth it anymore. It's not like i'm being a bitch about it, I really huck it and destroy myself a lot. I just suck at park lol.


If it's the fear of man made stuff, then make a pvc pipe rail and build yourself a little rail to learn on. Then when you hit the man made park, you'll go in feeling confident you can slide rails.
Feb 15 2016 8:13PM
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Deepskier
Posts: 3267 - Karma: 4,832
Same i always tell myself try this today then im like eh tomorrow or go do something else i just cant progress
Feb 15 2016 11:04PM
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270on420out
Posts: 7514 - Karma: 51,166
SpreadEagle11I am 15 and i feel exactly the same way. I sometimes feel that i look bad and that people are making fun of me in their head.


They probably arent.
Feb 15 2016 11:05PM
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Whiteout_
Posts: 65 - Karma: 824
Progress cancan be weird. I was skiing park for maybe 3 years about 10 days per season and only could do ugly 3 liu kangs and do small down rails. Then started to ski way more frequently one season and learned 5's and 7's with grabs. Then got frontlips, backflips and so on. My rail game only really started to progress when i built my backyard setup.
Feb 16 2016 12:27AM
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Casey
Posts: 7880 - Karma: 24,712
Just dont put pressure on yourself to progress. Honestly who cares. Even if you do care, you can't have that attitude. You will not learn a thing for half a season and then learn like 3 new tricks in one day its just the way it goes.
Feb 16 2016 12:53AM
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Aharrelson358
Posts: 356 - Karma: 478
LiteratureOne thing that might help would be some coaching. I don't know if there's a freestyle team or person who could give a competent park lesson in the area, but from personal experience and as a coach myself, it can be really helpful to have another set of experienced eyes on what you're doing. Shit, upload a video and we can help you from the comfort of our home computers.


This. I took a lesson from Josh Wong yesterday while I was out at Copper and I went from not being able to slide a flat bar to sliding DFDs at the end. It was such a little thing that I was not doing and it was a very easy fix, but without having knowing eyes, it would have taken me a bunch more falls and time. Take a lesson or find someone at your home mountain who knows what they're doing fundamentally and ask for help!
Feb 16 2016 12:53AM
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HenriksDreads
Posts: 332 - Karma: 327
i really want to get into park (this is my first year skiing after many years of boarding)... i got down sketchy pretz 2's on my backyard rail, and the snow melted too quick for me to get anything else. but at my home mountain the park is so shitty its hard to really learn anything new. so what i've been doing is focusing more on just skiing fast as fuck and hitting sidehits and shit in the trees and i've been loving that aspect. that said, next year i'm planning on spending more to get a pass to a mountain with a way better park
Feb 16 2016 1:05AM
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Dddsz
Posts: 3042 - Karma: 7,326
Wow, I really appreciate the advice, NS. I fucking love this website.

I'll try harder in the park, but I'm not going to ruin my day over it.Some of these comments are real eye-openers and they are pissing me off (In a good way). Riding past the rails everyday thinking about how good I could be is tough to take, especially since I won't be out of the Midwest for another season.
Feb 16 2016 9:24AM
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Dddsz
Posts: 3042 - Karma: 7,326
Pringlethinking about how good I could be is tough to take,


That couldn't be worded more wrong.

*Thinking about how much more fun I could be having is tough to take.
Feb 16 2016 9:26AM
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Steezymikcreeby
Posts: 70 - Karma: 126
I learned how to ski in the park and it's basically all I know
Feb 16 2016 10:35AM
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John18_6
Posts: 7313 - Karma: 49,165
HolteKeep in mind that you don't really learn anything by hucking yourself. It's all incremental, and trying to jump from step 2 to step 6 is not a useful way to reach step 6, even though it might seem simpler.


Feb 16 2016 3:09PM
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TheBigApple
Posts: 1169 - Karma: 488
Once you get it, you get it. I remember my first stylish 3 off a big park booter, quickly followed by 5's 7's and 9's the same season.

I also broke my arm and kneecap in the process, so it's not easy going!

Get some lessons or something it isn't that hard!
Feb 16 2016 3:22PM
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TheBigApple
Posts: 1169 - Karma: 488
I think an un-biased third party to tell you you're being a little bitch is a good thing.
Feb 16 2016 3:23PM
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ConnorNetty
Posts: 44 - Karma: 479
I'm 16 and this is the first year I've been able to do a thing in the park. I owe it to my pvc rail, if you make one and ski it regularly you will see hella improvements whether it be rail skiing or just ski control.
Feb 16 2016 3:44PM
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Willgum
Posts: 3254 - Karma: 3,066
I agree, but I'll admit that skiing park and playing a game of SKATE with a buddy is really fun. We both suck, Im not comfortable doing more than a 3 and just basic rail stuff, but it's super fun to make a 2-3 part run consisting of simple things like180's, gapping rails, and silly ground tricks and then see if they can do it too
Feb 16 2016 3:47PM
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