Getting the Band Back Together...

Rise Up Longboarders Ted Knab, Zach Skaggs, and Landy Cook, off the beaten path, next to the Chesapeake Bay.

Summer and early fall make for prime longboarding weather. But by the actions (or lack thereof) of the RUL crew, you'd never know it. When Landy Cook broke out the Eastern Shore of Maryland's first LDP board and started learning how to pump, it didn't take long before a few of us jumped on board. Or boards. That was January.

We met a few mornings a week and skated by headlamp light in the freezing cold. And then came Ultra Skate this past spring. The crew was nothing but gung-ho. As you can see from the report that is this blog's maiden post, Ultra Skate took its toll. I don't know if Landy will ever look at Oxford Road the same way after skating up and down it from 1am to 5am in 40 degree weather.

Those of us on the Eastern Shore slowly came back to the boards with a trip to Ocean City or Hilton Head, or the occasional early morning session. A couple weeks ago, Landy made it up to Kent Island's Cross Island Trail and met up with the newest member of the RUL crew, Ted Knab. This past week, Landy and I met at 5am and put in 10 miles. And then, Sunday of Labor Day weekend, things got fully firing again.

Landy Cook (regular footed in front) and Ted Knab (goofy footed, closer to camera) make their way down the Cross Island Trail, Ted's home court, on Kent Island, Md.

Zach Skaggs made his first skating-related return trip to the Eastern Shore. Landy and Mike V. (and allegedly Charlie) cruised up to Kent Island for a 10+ mile group ride. The weather was on point, the 7am start kept trail traffic to a minimum, and Ted even showed us some neighborhood loops he adds to the trail for variety.

Landy Does Pumping (LDP), residential style...

A blast of a day. One that got the group skate dynamic going again; a day that has us talking road trip for a trail destination skate; a morning that has Landy thinking about the fall installation of Ultra Skate. It's good to have the band back together again. Now if we could just get Charlie out of bed...;)