http://www.theadrenalinaskateboardmarathon.com/news/earl-stouts-inspirational-ride/

Some would say that skateboarding on a Longboard for 188 miles over three days time is Crazy….., Well yea it is…!  It is definitely for a rare breed of skater. To me It’s just another day at the office LOL.  Which is why i am going to Georgia in May to conquer this Challenge. I was going to go last year but I was dealing with real bad shin splints. I raced the Philadelphia Broad Street Bomb with shin splints last year and it was a really painful but still skated and pushed threw them! I have been training on the Schuylkill river trail from Philadelphia,PA to valley forge, PA or Phoenixville,PA and back to Philadelphia.  It is a relaxing peaceful skate most of the way.

I will be leaving may 9th to go down to Georgia for CLSC SK8 challenge. I will be staying with Georgia & Chadd Hall, they are a really RAD married couple! They are hosting most of the skaters to stay at her house for the event. Much Love and Respect to them and all the true  Southern hospitality as well as all the other supporters and volunteers for the event ! The race starts friday may 11th at 10am. Which is also the day that Bob Marley passed away back in 1981,“love the life you live.live the life you love.”   Me and 49 other dedicated longboarders will be skating 40 miles the 1st day may 11th. The 2nd day may 12th  is 54 miles with about 20 miles of downhill with speeds reaching 30-35mph on a narrow bike path in the middle of the woods. Some of which we will have to walk down. They say don’t bomb down what you can not see i front of you!  Last year two people got injured and one skater was not able to finish the race. I am going to take caution with the hills but i may throw some of that caution to the wind and call it as i see it when the time comes. At the end of the second day we will be in Alabama at the other end of the trail.  Then the 3rd day may 13th  is 94 miles with about 20 miles uphill (o boyyy lol). The finish line is the starting, we skate back the same way we skated when we started on the 1st day. This will be one Epic challenge for all !

The mentality and mindset i am set in for this as with pretty much the outlook i have on LIFE now which is  “Healthy Engaged Detachment”.  I say this as i am going into my 5th year of remission from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma disease and a autologous stem cell transplant which has saved my life  thanks to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia !  This a race/challenge is not for the weak !  It is for the true warrior deep inside your Soul that heeds to do some internal and external boundary expansion.          Well thats how I see it at least, you may think i am crazy but i know i am hahahahaha.  The best part of this adventure is that i will be surrounded by nothing but Mother Nature for three days.  Awesome skaters that have amazing energy and passion for the sport of longboarding in all disciplines of skateboarding !

Well thats all i got to say for now…..but it does not end here.  If you want to follow me on my adventure during all this, i will do my best to update as the days go by  leading up to my departure for Georgia and as i am down south and travel back up north.

Enjoy

Earl the Pearl III

ps: If the lovely lady that has graced me with her beauty lately reads this….Thank You for your support and energy, I will see when i return from Georgia ! I would also like to give a shout out to my sister Erica and her husband David for there support , I Love you both very much. I don’t know what i would have done without you two over these past 6 years ! Everyone here at Community bikes and boards for there support and positive vibes , Rob Everitt and Chadd Everitt…. you two are the bigger brothers that I never wanted but definitely need… lol..Love ya’ll and the whole Everitt Family ! Shralpers Union !  Matt & Adam from Commonwealth Boards ! Micheal Poli from Oranatang wheels and Loaded Longboards, thanks for keepin me rollin DAWG ! Donovan Pinelli for hooking it with natural nutritional supplements and food (HEMP YEAAA)!!! Adam K from Spraying Gravy for the STANCE socks ! Kyle Mac for letting me borrow his wheels for the 3rd day ! Organic Hogwash for keeping it fresh ! Thank you everyone for your Support and Love !

http://www.jeffersonhospital.org/The-Daily-Dose/2012/April/a-cancer-survivors-race-to-the-finish-line.aspx

It’s something I’ve heard a few times from non-riders, thinking about getting their first bike that doesn’t have streamers on it. Confidence can take you a long way in life, and a lack of it will take you nowhere. Hopefully that, and this short essay can help you get into a sport/hobby/lifestyle/means of transport that has been such a huge part of my own life.

Why ride a bike? Well, for starters gas is going to break yet another record this year. PPA are the spawn of Satan. Having someone’s stanky armpit in my face on the train is not my favorite way to spend a commute. I’m way more observant while on a bike, as opposed to a car. Walking is overrated. That’s a few reasons why I choose to ride.

First thing’s first, you need a bike. Some good deals can be found on Craigslist, but understand that they are selling the bike for some reason. Sure, maybe they really are moving back to Arkansas, or maybe it’s a P.O.S. Fortunately, bikes are easier to tell if something is wrong, than say…a car. A lap around the block changing gears, squeezing brakes, and making turns should be sufficient to tell if something’s not right. If it feels weird, ask questions, use good judgement. Expect to spend at least $50 on a tune-up. Another alternative is to buy a brand new bike from your local bike shop, cough cough Community. We have bikes starting as low as $300, and will go to the edge of the Earth to make sure you’re satisfied with your new ride.

  Next up is 2 accessories you really should have: a lock and a helmet. I strongly recommend a good quality u-lock over a cheap cable lock that can, and will, be cut in less than 5 seconds. 2 u-locks are even better. If you only have one, I tell people to go through the rear wheel (more expensive to replace), a seat-stay (the part of your frame that runs from your seat to your back wheel), and for the love of Loudog, a stationary object (bike rack, sign post, etc.)! If you have 2, lock your front wheel to your frame. Parts that have a quick-release (no tools needed to remove) are easy picking, I suggest swapping out any quick-release parts for solid nuts and bolts. Nothing in the world is theft proof, but you can’t make it easy for them. As for the helmet, I’d be lying if I told you I always wore mine, but it really is a good idea to wear one, and it can’t hurt the confidence factor either.

You’re ready to ride! Contrary to some people’s beliefs, you have every right to be on (most) roads. Although the number of cyclists continues to grow, a lot of drivers are still not used to them sharing the road. Assume that you are invisible, be the bigger person. People will yell and honk. Who cares, that means they see you, and that’s really what’s important. There are new bike lanes popping up all the time, use them when available. Stay off the sidewalk, its illegal to ride on in many places, you can easily hurt other people, and you give all cyclists a bad rap by doing it.

With that all said, a few more things to look out for: If you see someones silhouette in a parked car, or brake lights are on, be ready for them to open the door or pull out in front of you. If a driver just passed you going the same direction, waved to you, gave you the finger, whatever, you’re still invisible when they slow down to make that next turn right in front of you. Watch out for the trolley tracks! Try to cross them on a steep angle, your wheels can get hung up in them, I’ve been a victim before.

These are just a few examples of situations you will encounter while riding in a city. It really sounds much scarier than it is. Try not to be discouraged by road-raging Escalade drivers, or a few falls here and there. The more you ride, the more your confidence and comfort level will grow! If you are an experienced rider, help someone out, show them the ropes.

Check out our friends at bicyclecoalition.org for maps, events and tips.

-Bryan

Retrospec “Beta Series” Single-speed bicycle: $349

Kryptonite U-lock: $35

Triple 8 helmet: $42