Concrete Surfing
Bombing Duluth's hilly streets
Ryan Hanson
Issue date: 9/17/08 Section: Outdoors
"I mean, I see all these signs that say 'share the road,'" Odens said, "but people will constantly yell at you to get off the road. You can't really long board on the sidewalk."
Keller agreed.
"It's tough sometimes," he said. "We'll be going 30 mph, which is the speed limit, and people will still be honking at us to get out of the way. If I can, I try to get out of the way, but that's not always possible."
While the majority of longboarders are out just looking to have some fun, hit the hills and stay out of the way of cars, there are always those that make a bad name for everyone else.
"Yeah, I know some people that don't get out of the way [of cars]," Odens said. "I don't like to longboard with those guys. They're the ones that get yelled at all the time, and they just give longboarding a bad name."
So for those that are just looking to longboard for fun, what's the appeal?
"A lot of people that buy boards now, skateboarded when they were younger," Leege said, "and now as they get into their 20s, they're looking for something a little lower impact. I've also met some people that are looking for a cheaper form of transportation with gas prices being so high."
Odens rides for different reasons.
"My favorite thing about long boarding is getting out," Odens said. "All my friends were doing it, so I decided to try it. It's great just relaxing and cruising around."
Keller agreed.
"It's tough sometimes," he said. "We'll be going 30 mph, which is the speed limit, and people will still be honking at us to get out of the way. If I can, I try to get out of the way, but that's not always possible."
While the majority of longboarders are out just looking to have some fun, hit the hills and stay out of the way of cars, there are always those that make a bad name for everyone else.
"Yeah, I know some people that don't get out of the way [of cars]," Odens said. "I don't like to longboard with those guys. They're the ones that get yelled at all the time, and they just give longboarding a bad name."
So for those that are just looking to longboard for fun, what's the appeal?
"A lot of people that buy boards now, skateboarded when they were younger," Leege said, "and now as they get into their 20s, they're looking for something a little lower impact. I've also met some people that are looking for a cheaper form of transportation with gas prices being so high."
Odens rides for different reasons.
"My favorite thing about long boarding is getting out," Odens said. "All my friends were doing it, so I decided to try it. It's great just relaxing and cruising around."
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