If I’m ever feeling a little flat-footed and uninspired, I just watch the Longboard Girls. The word rad was definitely invented for them.
The mom in me loves that they wear helmets, but there’s also a wilder side to me that envies their speed. And by the time the Decemberists make it to “And it’s seven, eight, nine, you get your shuffle back in line…” I’m inspired once again. Works like a charm.
When’s the last time you went fast? Threw caution to the wind and flew right through it? My friend, Nicole, of the always-inspiring Making It Lovely is on a roller derby team. Can you imagine? She’s one of the speakers at this year’s Alt Summit, and I can’t wait for her to tell me all about it. I can’t wait to hear your daring stories, too!
Learn more about the Longboard Girls here.
P.S. — I’m actually mostly terrified of speed. You should see me snow-skiing — I’m like a timid little mouse. Sigh.
{ 34 comments… read them below or add one }
A bit of self-preservation kicked in when I had children and had little ones to care for. Daring for me now is…not quite so. Sledding is daring enough for me now.
Sledding is totally daring. High five!
Thanks for posting! that was so fun to watch! I almost felt the wind in my hair. Which never happens unless I’m boating. I’m with you on skiing… the wind doesn’t whip my hair on the mountains because I move too slowly. :)
Whew! Watching those gals was fun but a bit nerve-wracking!
One summer, I decided to up my triathlon game and ride with real roadies — the bike kind, not the music kind — to improve my bike leg of the race. I toiled up hills and came hurtling down them at breakneck speed. It was one of my scariest and best summers ever (and resulted in a really great triathlon finish). I even managed to avoid road rash that summer, but have had my fair share of bang-ups on the bike including finding myself on the hood of a car once.
Funny, but since having kids, I rarely ride my road bike anymore. A lot of it has to do with time, but now that I have others who depend on my, I’m less inclined to do things which might seriously injure me so I’ve stuck to just running.
We just got back from hiking the Natrows at Zion in Utah- felt like that was a bit death defying! http://ladyofthearts.blogspot.com/2011/09/zion-utah-narrows-hike.html
The Narrows are so cool! And definitely death defying.
Wow I love this! Looks like such fun! I am not a daredevil, although I do enjoy the fast breeze of skiing (water and snow). One of these days I need to try snow-boarding too. Love!
I am THE world’s slowest skier! And I am okay with that. My guess is that someday the Babby is going to join a downhill team and I am going to need heart medication to watch.
I haven’t picked up my longboard in two years. After a few bouts of road rash, I’ve kinda shied away from it, but my husband and I both have a board, it would be a fun date night again. Thanks for the reminder!
We bought a longboard for Ben Blair a couple birthdays ago. But no one has taken the time to practice on it. At least it looks cool in the garage. : )
I really enjoyed that. I have never been a daring skier but I will ski fast if I feel like I have enough room. However, I haven’t been out since we had our little one (2 1/2 years ago!) so I’m sure my skiing will revert to petrified fetal position type of style. :(
I will love to do that! ( not that I know how to do it!) but since I had the kids I’m less adventurous… -sight- I’m certainly more worried about how long my bones will take to heal if I broke one of them! ja
i totally love it! i’ve never tried longboarding, but now i want to. i fulfill my need for speed on a road bike. it is quite exhilarating to fly down a mountain at 40+ mph. but i am a ball of nerves when i ride with my kiddles, especially my fearless 4 year old who just learned to ride a 2-wheeler. we live by some pretty steep hills and they love to fly just as much as I do.
Love this!! These girls were born brave…
I fully agree.
This is exactly what I needed today! Thank you!
I just bought a bicycle yesterday, my first since high school! I did feel like I was flying on the ride home, though I probably didn’t look so speedy to passers-by. (I’m far more cautious than the girls in the video.)
Is it psycho of me to wonder if the Longboard Girls would like a new friend? I get my out of control speed thrills from roller coasters. I could literally ride them over & over for hours on end. I even ride with strategy. Sometimes I just sit quietly with my eyes closed and arms raised, handing over control to the forces of the ride. Other times I shout and yell like a wild woman! It’s such a fleeting moment of time…but seriously one of the best stress relievers for me. **and, btw, I secretly dream of being on a roller derby team and have a list of potential names I would give myself! ** Thanks for sharing!
I’ll bet your list of names is fantastic!
My sweet but daring 5 year old daughter said “NOW, That’s what I want to do when I grow up!!!!!!!!!!!”
So fun!!!
AWESOME!! THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS!! NOt only is it absolutely rad that these gals are shredding the pavement..I’d be shredding on snow with a snowboard…but my fav songsters are providing the musical backdrop…
What a TREAT!
patty
Felt the same way. Such a treat to watch!
My goodness, we just bought our son a longboard last month. Needless to say he’s in heaven. I can’t ride a skateboard to save my life but apparently the longboard is more stable and easier to control than a regular skateboard…or so my husband says. I’ll just take his word for it.
I took the skiing class at BYU my junior year. I had never snow skied before and was so excited to learn. Every Wednesday we went to Sundance and had a four-hour lesson. By the end of the term, I was SHOOTING down the hill. My brother-in-law who skis with a helmet (he does tricks and stuff) was shocked at how fast I would go. It was exhilarating! I loved every minute of it. Until the last day of the term, when I fell and tore my ACL. And now I’m afraid to ski. I’ve only been twice since then, and both times I stuck to the bunny slope, terrified. I’m so bummed that that was such a fleeting part of my life.
Oh, wow! I wish I had that kind of balance and fearlessness!
Ahhh I love that you posted this :). My sis is a longboarder and so is her husband. Its crazy to see how they craft “gloves” out of leather work gloves with pieces of cutting board on the palms so they can slide.
Its been a LONG time since I have truly felt speed but I love it. I am not a great snowboarder but I can certainly bomb down a hill. I did once get to do a ride along in a professional race car on a closed course. WHOA. Now that nearly made me wet myself. THAT is speed!
What? I had no idea! that’s so cool. I was wondering what sort of gloves they were using to drag on the ground.
I almost didn’t watch this video and I am so glad that I did! I too am scared of speed (mostly snow plowed when i skiied). Very inspiring.
This made me smile all day long yesterday, and I’ve already mentioned it twice to friends today! It gives me a hankering to get into some tree-filled mountains, even if just on foot. Pretty cool.
This is a great video. I was browsing your blog for inspiration, now I’m off on a whole new endeavour! I too play roller derby which is great fun, but these longboards look great.
Thank you so much for posting this video. My daughter is only 10, but I can totally see her hanging with girls like this some day. I love that my kids are so much braver than I am. (Although I do still love roller coasters.) I’m going to start watching to see if longboards have found their way to the Twin Cities yet.
wow. i wish i was young and brave. i linked this post and the video on my blog…my almost 8 year old daughter is thrilled with the idea of longboarding!!!
Those girls are amazing. (And derby starts again for us this Saturday after a month-long break, yay!)
Whooooosh—zoooooom! I watched it 3x back to back imagining myself on that board. Then closed my eyes and imagined myself alongside my 19 year old son who just loves the speed and freedom his longboard gives him.
I bought myself a new bike this summer. First in a decade+. And I can still ride hands-free and superfast! :) Feels great. Young. Free.