What? A grown-man and father...an airline Captain who skateboards? A bit juvenile you say? Not around these parts. Not around SoCal, especially Encinitas California, perhaps known as the epicenter of vert & transition skating. Did I mention my neighbors are Tony Hawk, Andy Macdonald & Cara-Beth Burnside? Did I mention the 2003 X-Games half-pipe sk8 event was held 5 minutes from my house, the same park where Shaun White learned how to skate? My daughter goes to school with Mike McGill's daughter. My CPA neighbor gets his mail everyday, barefoot on his skateboard. When we're not surfing (or working), we're skating. Did I mention we built a wooden skate-bowl in our backyard? Yeah, I have a really cool wife, and she skates too. Skateboarding is pretty much a family affair and a way of life around here. It certainly doesn't soley define us and we're not that good, but its become a passion that bonds our family together. Actually I should speak for my self - my daughter is that good, considering her age, and I am her coach. In fact she is ranked top 12 in the world in women's bowl-skating. But enough about her...
...Why am I so ADDICTED to skating?...and yes I meant addicted: Skating is FUN and it is full-body, functional fitness that involves the 'FLOW' psychological factor, meaning it keeps one completely immersed in the 'present moment' as it challenges just enough to heighten one's awareness & focus while still preserving fun-factor and triggering a massive surge of reward neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine is the same neurotransmitter released when one indulges in chocolate or to be more explicit & literal, when cocaine is snorted, which triggers an instant flood of dopamine...lasting for about 30 minutes.
