Cruising in Wyoming

June 8, 2016 Jordan

Wyoming the last state alphabetically but not the last state on our #girlscanskate USA. Above allisonmccuskey cruising in Jackson Hole.

Wyoming is now on my list to skate – so beautiful. Many more posts on states to come – this is turning in to the funnest collage yet!

UPDATE 6/8/16

from Allison

I began longboarding when my dad bought me my first longboard as a high school graduation gift. There weren’t many hills in my neighborhood so I had my yellow labrador retreiver pull me around so I could go really fast. Now days I just like to cruise on it. I love carving down smooth steady declines. I’m not much for speed but mostly just to feel the wind in my hair 🙂

I really appreciate what you’re doing. As an aspiring professional skier and mountain biker in a male dominated community I totally understand the importance of shining light on women 🙂

thanks Allison for sharing & I love to see and hear that skating is just one of the things #girlscando

Skateboarding with Daddy in a Parking Garage

June 7, 2016 Jordan

This is a fun video. Then you read the caption and realize

Daddy took me to bomb my first parking garage!

now it’s sweet – then you finish reading the caption

We found later that it was where the police park some of their cars lol

Abstar317 – keep skateboarding & having fun with your dad & it’s rad your mom supports you too!

I skate with my dad at the Carmel Valley Skate Park next door to a police station – I’d like to think if they had a parking structure they’d let us skate that too!

North Dakota found through Friends

June 6, 2016 Jordan 1 Comment

Finding a skater girl in North Dakota was challenging. But not impossible thanks to

they introduced me to joyorama – Joy is skateboarding in Fargo North Dakota – she’s been skating for 11 years and is still obsessed!

Finding the girls for #girlscanskate USA was more fun than I ever imagined. And I got way more help than I expected. After a rough start with the West Virginia guy who told me the only girls at skateparks are girlfriends, I’ve been met with only positive vibes & help.

The posts will keep coming and once all the states have been posted – the collage will be released. Thank you to everyone who believes and encourages #girlscanskate.

Below Joy’s Skateboard Story

SKATEBOARDING = freedom

I started skating at 19 years old. At times, I wish I would have started younger but then again, maybe I wasn’t ready for the wave of skateboarding to overtake me as it did at 19. Once I started, I was hooked. In college if I wasn’t in class, working, or studying, I was skating at our local Fargo skate park. The love of it never seemed to escape me, some nights I would awake in the morning to the reminisce of skateboarding dreams.

To me, skateboarding brings freedom. I never feel as free as I do when I’m on my skateboard. At the skate park, there are no obligations, no stress. There I can ride fast and hard and get that overwhelming adrenaline rush that is pure bliss. I get in the zone and don’t have to think about anything else.

My routine is to grab my motorcycle and throw my skateboard on the back. I take a moto joyride to the skate park and it’s the best of both world’s colliding: skating and motorcycle.

I purely ride park. My favorite trick is a fakie tail stall. I just conquered a fakie 5-0. I do a lot of cobing tricks; stalls, rock-n-roll, fakie rock-n-roll, etc… and like to ride fast and have long session lines.

I met the other love of my life through skating, my hubby. He saw me riding and thought I looked intimidating because I had my focused, skate default face going on. He later saw me at church and struck up a conversation that started out as, “hey, you’re that girl that skates…” And soon after that we were dating and have been married 9 years now. I can’t even begin to explain how energizing it is to have someone that shares the same love of riding. By day he’s a graphic designer and off duty he’s a phenomenal BMXer who has been sponsored twice and was invited a few years ago to Greenville, NC to ride with some pros that came to Fargo. He wasn’t going to go and I told him if he didn’t I’d kill him. He did end up going. (I brag about him because he is the most humble person I know).

Recently I’ve been teaching a 16 year old girl who rides longboards to skate. She just learned to drop in; I was so proud! It’s so fun to share this unique love of a wood board on wheels with a fellow girl and I know the girl skate culture will only continue to grow.

The Fargo skate park has a great dynamic and culture. I’m typically the only girl and all the guys are really tight. These skate park people, we’re like a family. We don’t see each other during the winter and then when spring comes we are so excited to get back to what we love doing. After our crazy long winters, there is this insane excitement that buzzes at our park.

I’m 30 now and its been 11 years since skateboarding overtook me, and the only thing that troubles me about getting older is the thought that I won’t be able to skate as I age. I saw some 40-50 something ladies carving at the Denver skate park and I hope that’s me some day.

Shout out to all my fellow skater girls. If any of you lovely people are in Fargo, hit me up and we’ll go skate the day away.

Cheers from Fargo.

Skateboarding in Montana in a Dress

June 5, 2016 Jordan

As the skatingfashionista – I’m all about skating in what you want. There’s no uniform in skateboarding.

Cool_onfamily shares this picture from Big Sandy Skate Park in Montana with the caption Sometimes it’s so hot outside you have to just put on your dress & skate !!!

For more on Big Sandy Skate Park check them out on Facebook. Concrete Disciples call it a labor of love which Jeff Ament donated to his hometown. Plus there’s more to come check out Evergreen Skate Parks who’s working on Phase 2.

Hawaii & More Hawaii

June 4, 2016 Jordan

Kody.tamanaha shares this picture but I can’t give you the link to this photo because someone hacked it and deleted all her photos.

Whoever did that – really why ?!!!

Kody is back in business and sharing new pictures.

More girls skate when they see stylish girls skateboarding and get encouragement. Do things like the hacking stop #girlscanskate – no mean things like that just make those who want to skate & inspire others to skate to work harder.

Above Kody skateboarding with huntahlong.

Did you know that Hunter is the first skateboarder, male or female from Hawaii to skate at the X-Games ? Yep she’s making history this week in Austin! Go Hunter! Photo @ryancolle – trivia girlisnota4letterword

How to Watch Girls at the X-Games Austin – Saturday June 4th

June 3, 2016 Jordan

STREET

Watch @XGames Women’s Street Finals LIVE this Saturday 9am PST on TV: ABC on WEB: www.watchespn.com @mahfia_tv @thealliance_wsa @girlsskatenetwork #xgwstreet

PARK

Watch @XGames Women’s Park Finals LIVE WEBCAST this Saturday 1pm PST at www.watchespn.com @mahfia_tv @thealliance_wsa @girlsskatenetwork #xgwpark

Thank you Kim Woozy for sharing this info

Womens Skateboarding Alliance (WSA)

UPDATE 6/4/16 Results

Vermont

June 3, 2016 Jordan

After a few false starts the real picture of #girlscanskate Vermont is below

Thanks kaleahopal for sharing this picture from Burlington Skate Park. More girls skateboard when they see stylish girls skateboarding and they get encouragement – which they must know in Vermont because they are making park improvements. More skaters = more & updated skate parks! Just another reason to support #girlscanskate.

The Burlington Skate Park Advisory Committee (SPAC)is working with CEDO and the Parks Department to build a new 20,000 sq ft cement skate park as part of the larger redevelopment of the Moran Plant. – for more information check out their Facebook page

What to do in Connecticut ?

June 2, 2016 Jordan

Tisha skating in Connecticut says her plan is Skate, Travel, Tattoos, Eat – Repeat

Looks like it’s working for her. To see more of her skating and other girls especially in New England – check out New England Female Skateboarding they have a huge event coming up June 18th

Plus they meet on Tuesdays for free girls skate sessions at The Edge Indoor Skate Park. I’m glad to see all these girls believing skate & repeat 🙂

Alex Road Skate Park – Oceanside California – CLOSED ???

June 1, 2016 Jordan 4 Comments

Yes that’s me a few years back with Anika & Klara at the ribbon cutting ceremony for Alex Road Skatepark in Oceanside California.

While Alex Road Skate Park is not my “home” skatepark. I was sad when friends like Orion told me it was closed due to vandalism.

So I could go cry about it, or maybe complain about it, or find out what’s next. I went with find out what’s next and contacted Eileen Turk Neighborhood Services Division Manager Parks & Recreation Division for Oceanside.

Below are my questions – her answers & some important information on what you can do to keep this park open.

SF: I’m bothered that anyone thinks it’s ok to take a spot used & enjoyed by many and just trash it. Is that what happened? What was the extent of the vandalism?

ET: Our restroom was destroyed with graffiti and the toilet was ripped out. The Park is tired of painting over graffiti and now they had to order a new toilet. It was a terrible mess.

I’m sorry Orion went and found the park closed – I truly want it to be open to everyone.

SF: Is there or will there be a Watch Program like Neighbor Watch – the park is not staffed so what should someone do if they see “suspicious/bad” behavior?

ET: I’m having a Community Meeting on Thursday June 9th at 3pm all are welcome.

SF: Is the closing temporary?

ET: Yes the park is reopened upon completion of repairs.

SF: What are the next steps? What can people who want the park opened do to help?

ET: They can call me at 760-435-5529 or email me at [email protected] I know they want the park open – but they need to police it. Alex Road Skate Park cost $800,000 to build. We are so lucky to have it, we do need people to protect it.

Thanks Eileen for your time & I hope lots of people do go on Thursday June 9th at 3pm to the park.

Bullies vandalized the park – it doesn’t matter why – what matters is the bullies are winning we are on a path to close the park and have another example where skateboarding is “bad”. Vandalism doesn’t just happen here, in LA Sheldon Park where Girls Skate LA was going to have their monthly meet up was also closed for vandalism.

The girls made the best of it – actually ended up at the Berrics

but is this what we want – to have to skate only at private facilities because we can’t protect public skate parks? That’s not what I want – I want more freedom to skate everywhere.

Looking forward to June 9th at Alex Road 3pm to find out who and how I report vandals to – if I see something I’m going to say something because every public skate park is my park.

UPDATE 6/9/16 – after the Community Meeting

Goannabelle in Maryland

May 31, 2016 Jordan

Goannabelle shares this picture from District Heights Maryland.

She feels that females should be equally considered and respected in sports like men. We have just as much to offer the community through our talents and unique styles. – Anna Martin aka goannabelle

I totally agree. If you’re on the East Coast be on the lookout for her – she skates all over – here she is with BS grinds in the gnarly deep end of the pool at Front Royal Skate Park.

Skating Fashionista