Worlds of Slalom Skateboarding 2009

[Joyce Wheldrake]

This year going to Hood River is easy. There are no problems booking rooms, I know the route and know what to bring. I am geared up and training daily. It is less than 50 days until I depart for the West Coast. I love Oregon. Why was I born Canadian instead of in Portland. I love it there. I would love to spend more time, go to Mt. Hood. Why not try all the mountains.
The flight from Vancouver is beautiful. On one side you see the Pacific Ocean, on the other there are 5 mountains, volcanoes, etc. Such rugged terrain, a sportsman's paradise. I am looking forward to this trip, and a bonus for me this time is spending a couple of days skateboarding in Vancouver, North Vancouver and Burnaby, after.
More later as I prepare.

[Joyce Wheldrake]

The skateboards got new grip tape and bearings cleaned. I moved into a plastic golf gase for the flights. It worked out pretty good as it stands straight up and doesnt fall over. Skateboard tourism is gear all over the place at airports. You have to be tight. Every where I go I know customs wants to look in there my luggage. So many bits of metal. I have started to just carry the wheels in my backpack, in order to have under 50 lbs.

The Worlds. My second Worlds. The skateboarding was intense. There is something to be said about replaying the road in your mind before heading into a contest. It helps if you have been there before to scope the road. When you can do that you almost know what to do, besides flying down a street between obstacles as fast as you can against someone. How we stay on is zen like. At one with the board.

The entire trip I had to wear my red Skull Skates hat so as not to get total sun stroke and not be able to skate. I should have changed my wheels, so I could have mastered that Oak St. on the Sunday. Shoulda woulda coulda. Vancouver awaited.

There was alot of unstoke going around in N. Vancouver when I arrived. Besides being so hot and no one had air conditioning, they were all getting cranky. Bad news for the skateboard community. Mr. Don Hartley, The Mad Carver, had died in the big bowl of Seylynn Park, North Vancouver. I saw where, and the shrine for him. I always imagined I was him as I watched him own any bowl he went to. That is how I am going to skate this place, when I have more time and guts. God needs someone to watch and show him how too.

When I got home I sat around for a week trying to figure out how to go to The Farm. Drive, I don't want to drive, my hip hurts when I sit down. Fly, and then drive a rental car. Ok, drive but take lots of time, leave on Tuesday or Wednesday. The kids can come with me. Oh, they dont have passports, they cant cross the boarder. Oh, that's not happening with them. Oh, I'm sitting around board here in the middle of summer and I am going nowhere. Must change that.

I've been trying to contact the Liechtenstein Museum about some information contained it a book about PP Reubens. They never returned my emails, so I am going to have to go over there and get the book sometime. Maybe September, maybe next year, maybe this week.