Blog posts by "Earl the Pearl"

Hey Ya’ll Earl the Pearl coming to you from Ventura, California chilln not even a block away from the Beach……jus Straight iLLiN….

So we have had a lot of great events for this year. The scene/sport is growing !  I view it as the Culture of our Passions Expanding into one another and growing outward from ourselves…!

I will start off with the Broad Street Bomb 2012 that was on May 5th.

Matt M and I started skating together 3 years ago. We skated pretty regularly every week. From that we began to meet an skate with more longboarders. Matt heads the Philadelphia Longboarding page on facebook, he would post session on the regular! Matt talked about doing a push race called the “Broad Street Bomb” for Philly, i said to him….. Hellzzzzz yeaa man lets do this ! So Last year was the first Broad street bomb and it was a good turn out. Matt and I had talked about doing it again this past year and so it happened….. Matt was busy with School and work! I had some free time on my hands to help him a lot more this year and with Training for Chief Ladgia Silver Comet SK8 188 mile challenge, which was the weekend after the Broad Street Bomb. We had discussed making it longer than last years push race. I set off in search of a Suitable meeting/starting point and So i came across Hunting Park. This would make the route for the race at 8.5 miles or soo…. This year was Awesome! Thanks to all who came out and supported as well as the people who helped out at the finish line.  Then some people made there way to the Shop….. Gald most people that were from out of town to be able to check out Community. Then we had a Slide Jam at Lemon Hill later on that day, that was a really good turn out!  ……..Until next year…….

Stay Gnarly YA”LLLLLLLLL

 

Chief Ladiga Silver Comet SK8 challenge may 11th 12th & 13th in Georgia and Alabama (yyyyeeeeeee hhaawwwwwww) HAHAHAHA

Well all i say here is that check out my other Blog entries about this event :-)

 

 

June 2nd was Major Stokem 4 in north nj

I was unable to attend this event but big upss to Adam Dabonka, Tom Barnhart, SHRALPERS UNION and Push Culture for helping out with this Event !

 

June 3rd Push Culture News/Apparel  Hosted NYC 1st annual GreenSkate

The was also in Celebration of Brian & Travis Davenports Birthday. This event I did attended an had a Stellar day with some good Homieezzz !  We Started off with Meeting at Columbus Circle and Skated to Times Square for some Photos. We would be skating to three Skate shops for raffle tickets and meet at Tompkins Square Park. Me and my group of Shralpers then skated to Uncle Funkys in the West village, chilled there for a few mins. Then we Skated to the Longboard Loft NYC on the lower east side. The last stop would Reciprocal Skate Shop, this shop has a pinball arcade…..SSSSIIICCKKK!  We then all eneded up at Tompkins Square Park for the Raffling of SWAG ! As I started to Drink a Kombucha Brooklyn beverage In the rain the SWAG was raffled off and laughs were shared. After the Raffle Myself and JP, Noel of Shralpers Union and Tim MacKenzie of Loaded/Oranatang skated back to the West side to Chill at Uncle Funkys. I ended up buying a rare reissue Powell Peralta Steve Cabalero deck, The shape of the deck is shape I started skating on at the age of 12.! So i was really Stoked to Snag up the Board and will Be setting it up and Shralping the GNAR GNAR with this sick shape !

BIG Thanks to everyone that helped organize NYC 1st greenskate.  I will be hosting Philadelphias 1st annual Greenskate august 26th 2012. I am doing this because skaters/longboarders are not recognized Equally as cyclists are in NYC and other Cities in the USA as well as other Countries around the World ! It is ILLEGAL for a skateboarder/Longboarder to be in the bike lane in the city pf Philadelphia…! WTF………F THAT.. Fight for your Rights…! here is the link to the event for Phillys Greenskate      http://www.facebook.com/events/253353278113187/

http://www.greenskate.org/index.html

http://thisispushculture.com/

http://www.unclefunkysboards.com/

http://longboardloftnyc.com/

http://www.facebook.com/reciprocalskateboards

 

June 9th was the 1st ever Skateboard race on a Nascar track at POCONO Raceway in The POCONO mountains of Pennsylvania

The Crew from Sector 9 skateboards but on this Amazing one of a kind event. I don’t really know the whole story behind how the event came about but it was a Stellar time ! There was about 60 racers at the event, I was able to get 6th place that day. We raised about $3,000 for Kyle Pettys charity that day ! All I know is that next year this event will be bigger and way better! I will be camping out the event for the weekend. There are some good hiking in some near by state parks nan maybe go bomb some hills……. Who is  down…?!?!?!?!  hit me up nan we can plan this out for next year !

 

 

June 16th 2012 was the Central park race in NYC

This was to be the 13th annual Central Park Push Race…….It was an absolute beautiful day in NYC….. I placed 27th out of like 300 skaters or sooo….. The day was Jam packed with fun, Adam Crigler hosted a slide jam at a spot in central park on the upper east side of the park after the Race.  Ian Nichols Received a ticket that day for all the skaters at Columbus Circle, we all pitched in to help him pay for the ticket ! I put in the 1st $5   ……Holllaaaaaa i gotttt 5 on it……

Always Stoked to go Skate this event   ….until next year….

 

June 23rd & 24th 2012  would be the 1st annual  I LOVE DH (IGSA)  at Windham Mtn in the Catskill Mtns of New York

This event was hosted by Marc Dean and Push Culture.

We had two of our Community/Organic Hogwash Team Riders, Garrett Creamer and Lucas Giannetti Race in the Event. Proud of t=you guys as well As Dylan Baist-Bliss (Switch Skateshop/Organic Hogwash team rider) for Shredding Hard doing work ! I really have not all that much to say other then ,I am looking forward to next year already !

 

 

July 7th 2012 NJ slide Jam 8 in north NJ

 

Tyler Hill is the Chief and Commander of this event. It was really HOTTTTT that day in Philly but up in north nj it was not all that bad.  This would be my birthday celebration weekend ! Kevin Bond,Kyle Mac, Jess (kyles sweetheart) and I went up to the slide jam that day. I Skated hard and did some things i have not done in awhile.  I left the slide jam that day feeling very accomplished for myself and with my skating !Then Kyle Mac and his gf Jess went to see the Dirty Headz play a free show in Philly, we got back to the city just in time to see there set, Good times !  Thanks Again for a Good day All of you !

 

 

July 14th was the 1st annual Newark Bomb  in Newark NJ

 

There was about 70 skaters for this Push race. I placed 7th and Kevin Bond placed 4th. There was a hippie jump afterwards. I went with Dre outlaw and JP to skate a parking Garage, I ended up Rolling my ankle pretty good but pushed threw it !

Thanks for putting on the event Boarder X, it was well much enjoyed !

 

 

July 21st would be the 3rd annual Mini BOMB in NYC

Three years ago this event was the day after my bday that year and must say that, This was the day I knew I would always skate for the rest of my life, No matter what !

This year Matt M and Kevin Bond and myself took the BoltBus up to NYC for the day. Matt M and I went out to the BLOCKERY the night before for a concert. Passafire played an awesome show ! I was not feeling 100% due to my head  ringing from the LOUD Music and BEERS the night before HAHAHA  for the day but skated hard !  There was a hippie jump and best trick/line after the race at a local skate spot. The day was enjoyed by many! I will always be Amped on this event !

Big Shout out to Solomon from Bustin Boards/ Longboard loft NYC for Hosting the Event, thanks bro for an Epic day !

I was Getting Pumped on leaving for California in a couple days….. I was thinking of being able to finally Experience Cali for the 1st time !

 

 

July 23rd 2102I got on a plane from Newark,NJ to LA

I arrived in LAX airport around 9pm on the 23rd. I would be staying at a good friends house that night that lives in Culver City,CA a suburb of LA. Micheal Poli picked me up from the airport shortly after my arrival in Cali. M.Poli works at Loaded?Oranatang HQ in Culver City,CA. Thanks again Bro for the hospitality ! :-)

My first Full day in Cali……..

I got out of bed around 8:45am or so…. Headed out the door around 9:30am…  I skated to downtown Culver City. I Skated past the Sony production Studios, that was really cool ! Then I started my Skate to Venice Beach…. Went out onto the pier and took some photos an relaxed for a bit. Then skated almost to Santa Monica pier. I casually Skated around Venice for a While… Checked out some Shops and grabbed a Smoothie.. I then Skated to Del Ray and then to El Segundo Beach… I chilled out for a hottt min before I skated back to Venice and back to Culver City. I skated back to Culver City to meet M.Poli, at Loaded/Oranatang HQ…… as he was about to get off work at 5pm. I got to meet Most of the People at Loaded/Orangatang HQ. Everyone was really cool and nice, they were Stoked that i was able to come check them out being that i am in from Philadelphia,PA.  M.Poli and I skated about 12 miles that evening, Which would be at about 30 miles or soo for the day for me ! I did get a lil sunburn my 1st day but i”m coming back to Philly with some Color…

So then since then I have been up in Ventura Beach Chillin/Skating… Soaking in the Pacific ! We had a bonfire on the beach Friday night, It was Legitttt !  but not until the coolest cop i have ever met said we had to put the fire out….It was an Awesome night ! Big Thanks to Kaitlyn Egan of K. EGAN Photography for the hospitality !  Check out her Website, she is an up and coming Action Sports Photographer & Videographer !    :-)

http://www.keganphotography.com/video.html

 

I will be flying  into Philly august 4th early am….. The Philly Shoekill Push Race is Aug 5th 10am ! I’M Ready but not ready to leave Cali just yet….. So I am going to Finish off by saying…..   “California Dreams”  DITTO !

Peace YA’LLL    …..I am going to go lounge out on the Beach……

 

SEE YA”LLL soon     keep it REAL in PhiLLy

 

“iTY”

 

 

Yesterday was a very long day for all the skaters, organizers and
Volunteers involved with the race. I was really tired and in pain after the race yesterday. I apologize  for not updating but skating 94 miles in one day is physically and mentally exhausting. I skated the 94 miles in 9:52:56 and place 22nd. We had a late start in the morning.

As I type this I am driving back up to Philadelphia with the Shralpers union crew in one car and the Bustin NYC crew is in there new team van.
We all just stopped and ate some food and are on our way back.
It’s going to be a long drive up from Georgia.

So here’s a recap of yesterday… Only one person dropped out of the race yesterday due to strained groin and hamstrings. The last person to finish yesterday cane in at just under 15 hours last night. I was and still am in pain from the minor bursitis i have in my left knee which it doesn’t act up all the much and also my right shin cramped up with about 20 miles to go.

I skated most of the 94 miles on day 3 with Joao from NYC (kryptonics crew) and most of day 1 as well. We have the same conserving pace and pushing Rhythm. I skated most of day 2 with James peters of paved wave from Portland, Oregon. We had some really great conversation about life and skating. He is a awesome dude ! Joao had made up some really good time on day 2 and passed James and I after he had skated about 4/5miles with us. William Coale and James Peters helped me out when My knee was really breaking down and giving out on day two, thank you for your positive energy all of you !

I want to thank all of you for your support and time that we have shared while skating, I will always remember this experience!
I also wanna thank Georgia & Chadd Hall for all your love/support/time.
Ken from Skanunu and his family, they really put a lot of time and hard work with this event. As well as Marion Karr for hosting and organizing the event.

Also gotta say that Scott hurdelson did very well all three days. Glad you could make it down to the event Scott.

To all the skaters and everyone involved, it was an amazing humbling experience. We are all family now !

I must say that I have never felt as much solitude ever after skating.
I’m going to take a nap now. stay tuned in the next few days for a complete over veiw of this adventure.

Peace

So day 2 is in the books down here in weaver,Alabama. We started the day off in rockmart,Georgia where we finished yesterday. Everyone who started today finished today. I skated the 56 miles at a slower pace half way threw today and finished the day in 19th place at 4:33:59. I am stoked on that because my training is paying off ! Although my left knee Is in pain but I am still going to skate tomorrow. My total time between day 1 & day 2 is around 7.5 hrs. My goal for tomorrow is to do 94 miles in less then 10hrs. I have to take it easy on my knee in order to finish tomorrow.

The energy from all the racers,supporters and organizers of this event is by far one of the best events I have been able to compete in.
Tomorrow is 94 miles, start time is 8am at latest.
Gotta wake up at 5am so I am going to just keep it short.

Peace

Today was the start of the 188 miles.
We started at 10:20am or so.The weather was 80 and sunny.
I finished at 2:52:06 in 17th place out of 50 skaters.
A few racers got dehydrated and had to go to the hospital. They are all ok and out of the hospital.
Surprisingly I am not that sore and going to bed.

Peace

I’m in Georgia enjoying the beautiful weather and positive vibes.
My flight got delayed about an Hour yesterday due to rain storm in atlanta. I slept for a good portion of the flight. Then I took the Marta train to north springs. Chadd Hall and Alex Bangnoi (from France) picked me up from the train station. It was a very welcoming greeting from the both of them.
I’m staying at Chadd and Georgias house in sugar hill, Georgia. Moonshine country well back in the day haha. On our way back from the marta train station We were about 1/2 mile in the middle of the road. Traffic was stopped. Chadd,Alex and I along with 4 other guys moved the small tree out of the road. We arrived to the house around 9:15 or so… It was good to see Georgia Hall, True southern hospitality!
Laura Hatwell (from UK) was a sleep when we got back to the house, she had a 9th flight from across the pond. We got to meet in the morning. Chadd,Alex,Laura and I went to Dicks sporting goods and REI to get some last minute gear. Then stopped st Walmart for some more stuff.

When we returned to the Hall resident the crew from Bustin NYC had arrived. Jeff Vyain,Maribeth,Cami,Andre Hippix, along with the MAD Russian Sasha popper were chilln at the house. They drove straight threw the night down from NYC. We all went out for a skate in the neighborhood and a local park. Gotta say the weather is gorgeous..!

Gotta say with having 25 prompt in the house most is pretty awesome. The Halls really know how to host 22 racers in one house. They have helped organize sleeping arragments and transportation. They have also cooked a great meal for us this evening.
It’s great to see all my friends and seeing new faces. Really good vibes going on here !
I’m stoked to be sore for this 188 miles.
Tomorrow is the start of the 3 day race. I am skating the 1st day (40miles) in remembrance of Bob Marley, he passed on may 11th in 1981.
One Love.
Peace

 

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 !