Greetings from Moncton friends taking a few days to kick the feet up.
Plaster rock to Miramishi was no candy walk… It gave flashbacks of the great Bruce Pines to Kenora crossing in which sometimes even vehicles don’t even make it across the 300km stretch of raw wilderness. No gas stations restaurants or motels I lived off lake water and electrolyte powder I pushed my body well past it’s limit then a little more, at times feeling like I was floating rather than standing… I digress.
Meet Ben Walsh… the newest skater to join the family. There I was in the Atlantic super store getting the usuals. I’m not a self check out type as I actually like to interact with the cashiers and break the monotony by giving a complement or telling a joke however this time the line was just too much. Over to the self check out I go.
“I saw you walk in with your board…” the boy with pink hair who caught my eye when I first walked in says “it looks cool” he says. Hmmm you’d be shocked at how much attention my whip creates (some skaters call their boards whips) I might as well be walking around with a Jennifer Aniston/Beyonce like beauty heads turn gazes are fixed,my whip even gets cat called “do a kickflip” not a day goes by without these interactions.
“Is it now?” I say I check myself reminding that I am not in the big city where I mitolght give a snarky remark or give no response at all..
and this person genuinely may have not seen a real board or a real skateboarder up close and personal. Sometimes I tell folks how I arrived and what I’m doing and sometimes I don’t…it all depends on the person,mood, situation. I tell the pink haired boy and the usual reaction of disbelief is what I get back. followed by a litany of the usual questions while the grocery store carries on around us.
“I’ve always wanted to skate” The pink haired boy admonoshes I feel this journeys greatest reward is inspiring/encouraging others. I cut straight to the point “if there’s anything I can leave you with it is get a board and start skating like now… today what’s stopping you?”
“the roads in town are rough and the nearest skate shop is in Moncton” like a Ty Evans or Jamie Thomas I like to play the excuse eliminator especially with my skateboarding students.
” you have one the biggest smoothest parking lots I’ve ever seen right behind us, and you can usually get a decent set up for cheap on market place”
I can tell what I’m saying is actually sinking in. Ben and I hit it off and we agree to meet for coffee at the super store parking lot in the morning. We meet the next morning and Ben becomes just the 2nd person I’ve had morning coffee with since I left. I was shocked at how much Ben already knew about skateboarding and informed him he’s already got a head start. I leave town for Moncton that evening and get a text from Ben showing the board he just bought from market place. I feel like at times encounters are not just random occurrences. Certain people are meant to meet at certain times.As I’ve told Ben skateboarding can enrich one’s life tremendously and to give somebody that gift and get them off the ground alone makes this summer’s a success Best of luck Ben be patient and persistent 🙏
Just a tiny portion of Ben’s new dojo NB pavement is very distinct it’s blue/gray or light clay red. It’s very very smooth with a soft yet solid texture so good I had to have little flat session myself before I hit the road.
I’ve never seen a dumpster with “be kind” written on it on officially. The dumpster is right… thanks for the reminder🙏 Also absolutely love this dark forrest green.
Pushing Canada 26 
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